Troublesome meddler: 1Peter 4:14

Peter writes to encourage us that suffering is a normal part of the Christian life. However, he goes on to say, “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler” (1 Peter 4:15 NASB 2020). This last word in the Greek text, translated here as “troublesome meddler,” is particularly interesting, and its exact meaning is still debated. This Greek word is a compound word, the first part meaning “another’s,” and the second word is often translated in the New Testament as “bishop” or “overseer.” Peter is saying that we should not pretend to be another’s bishop, or another’s overseer. Craig Keener writes that this word could refer to those “giving unwanted or ill-timed advice. Mediling tactlessly in others affairs was a vice often attributed to unpopular Cynic philosophers” (The IVP Bible Background Commentary).

In thinking about this word, we ought to remember what Peter previously wrote in this same letter. Peter writes, “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25 NASB 2020). The Greek word translated here as Guardian is the same word for bishop used by Peter when he later warns us about trying to be another’s bishop. The truth is, people do not need another bishop, someone else to intrude into their lives to tell them how to do things or to point out where they are wrong. They already have a bishop and overseer in their life, and that is Jesus. This further reminds me of Paul’s words when he wrote, “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Rom. 14:4 NASB 2020). In Christ, we are called to be one another’s brothers and sisters, not their bishop. That job we ought to leave to the Lord.

David

In which direction are you running? 1 Peter 4:4

 Peter writes to remind us that suffering is a normal part of the Christian experience. Peter writes, “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” (1 Peter 4:1 NASB 2020). One of the ways we suffer is by being misunderstood by those who do not believe. Peter goes on to say, “In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of debauchery, and they slander you” (1 Peter 4:4 NASB 2020).

There are two things of note in this verse. The first is the word translated here as “debauchery” and as “dissipation” in other translations. In the original Greek, this word is a compound word containing the negative article (think of “un”) and the Greek word for salvation. Perhaps the most literal way of understanding this word is as “unsavedness.” Peter describes people as running in one of two directions. Either we are running into the savedness of God, or we are running into the unsavedness of the world; there is no middle ground. Peter goes on to tell us that a life lived in running towards unsavedness, is a life lived in pursuing “indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries” (1 Peter 4:3 NASB 2020). However, a life lived in running towards savedness, is a life lived in “sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer … fervent in your love for one another … hospitable to one another without complaint … [and] serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God” (1 Peter 4:7-10 NASB 2020).

The second thing of note is that Peter speaks of us running in one direction or the other. We often think of the fast pace of our modern life, but we rarely think of the pace at which we are running towards unsavedness or savedness. People do not drift towards savedness or away from savedness; they run! I know of a man who, one day, started going out for drinks after work. This led him to stop going to church, which led to more drinking, and eventually to being arrested for sexual assault. What is shocking is that this entire process took only six months! Our journey toward sin is a quick journey. It does not take long to become completely consumed by sin. We must ask ourselves, in which direction am I running? Am I running towards God and his savedness? Or toward the world and its unsavedness?

David Robison