Commentary - 1 Peter 2:21-25

Bird's-eye view

In this dense section of his letter, Peter brings together two monumental truths that must never be separated: the substitutionary atonement of Christ and the exemplary life of Christ. He presents our Lord's suffering not just as something He did for us, but also as a pattern He left to us. This is not a contradiction, but rather the very logic of the gospel. Because Christ took our damnation, we are now free and enabled to take up our discipleship. He is both our substitute and our example. Peter is writing to Christians who are beginning to feel the heat of persecution, and so he points them to the ultimate example of one who suffered unjustly. The entire passage is a summons to live out the reality of our redemption, moving from the status of wandering sheep to those who are safely under the care of the great Shepherd of souls.

The apostle anchors this ethical instruction in the bedrock of our soteriology. He quotes from or alludes to Isaiah 53 multiple times, grounding the believer's response to suffering in the messianic prophecy of the Suffering Servant. The flow is simple: you were called to this kind of life (v. 21), a life patterned after Christ's perfect response to injustice (vv. 22-23). This is possible only because of what He accomplished on the cross, bearing our sins in order to transform us (v. 24). The result is a complete reorientation of our existence, a return to the one who is the true guardian of our souls (v. 25).

Outline

Christ, Our Example and Substitute

Peter's central argument here is that Christ's work on the cross has two dimensions for the believer. He is our substitute, and He is our example. Modern evangelicals are often very good on the first point but can get nervous about the second, fearing a drift into legalism or works-righteousness. But Peter, like Paul, sees no conflict here. The substitution is what makes the example possible. Christ did not just die to get us out of Hell; He died to make us into a particular kind of people. He bore our sins so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (v. 24). That "living to righteousness" is what it means to follow in His steps.

The example is not a ladder we climb to get to God. It is the path we walk because God, in Christ, has already come down to us. The power to follow the example comes from the reality of the substitution. Because His wounds healed us, we are now able to walk as He walked. The indicative of our salvation is the ground for the imperative of our sanctification. He suffered for you, leaving you an example to follow. The two clauses are linked by grace.

Verse by Verse Commentary

v. 21 For to this you have been called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps,

Peter begins by stating that suffering for righteousness' sake is not an unfortunate accident for the Christian; it is a vocation. "To this you have been called." The "this" refers back to the previous verse, which speaks of enduring suffering patiently when you have done good. This is not some advanced-level discipleship course. It is Christianity 101. We are summoned to it. And the grounds for this calling are found in the centerpiece of our faith: "since Christ also suffered for you." His suffering was first and foremost vicarious. He suffered in our place, for our benefit. But it does not end there. In suffering for us, He left us an "example." The word here is hupogrammon, which was a writing model for children learning their letters. They would trace the master's script. Christ has written out the script for us, and we are to trace His lines. We are to "follow in His steps." This is a call to imitation, but not in our own strength. It is a call to live out the life we have received from Him.

v. 22 WHO DID NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;

Here Peter begins to detail the perfection of Christ's example, quoting directly from Isaiah 53:9. The first thing to note about Christ's suffering is that it was entirely unjust. He "did no sin." This is not just about external actions; it speaks to His entire being. Sin was not a part of Him. This is crucial for two reasons. First, it qualified Him to be our substitute. A sinner cannot die for other sinners; he must die for his own sin. Only the spotless Lamb could take away the sin of the world. Second, it establishes the pattern for our own suffering. We are called to suffer for doing good (v. 20), just as He did. Furthermore, "nor was any deceit found in His mouth." His words were as pure as His actions. There was no guile, no misrepresentation, no clever spin. He spoke the truth plainly, even when it was costly. This challenges us to maintain integrity in our speech, especially under pressure when the temptation to shade the truth is strongest.

v. 23 who being reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

This verse describes Christ's response to the unjust treatment He received. When He was "reviled," verbally abused and slandered, He did not retaliate in kind. The natural human response to insult is insult. The carnal impulse is to fight fire with fire. But Christ absorbed the venom and returned nothing. This is the opposite of the world's wisdom, which tells you to stand up for yourself and give as good as you get. When the abuse escalated from verbal to physical, "while suffering", He uttered no threats. He did not call down legions of angels. He did not promise future vengeance. Why? Because He "kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously." He had a profound and settled confidence in the justice of God the Father. He knew that all accounts would be settled, and that the final verdict belonged to God. This is the secret to non-retaliation. It is not a matter of mustering up inner strength, but of transferring the case to a higher court. We can afford to be silent when we know that God is our vindicator.

v. 24 Who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that having died to sin, we might live to righteousness; by His WOUNDS YOU WERE HEALED.

This is the heart of the passage and the heart of the gospel. Peter moves from Christ's example back to the foundation of it all: His substitutionary atonement. "He Himself bore our sins." This is the great exchange. Our sins were imputed to Him. He took them upon Himself, legally and existentially. He did this "in His body on the tree." The cross was not just an unfortunate martyrdom; it was an altar where the Lamb of God was sacrificed. The purpose of this transaction is explicitly stated: "so that having died to sin, we might live to righteousness." His death was intended to produce our death to sin's reign and our resurrection to a new life of righteousness. The atonement is a transformative event. It doesn't just change our legal standing; it changes us. We are no longer what we were. We have died to that old life. The final clause, another quote from Isaiah 53, seals the deal: "by His WOUNDS YOU WERE HEALED." The punishment that fell on Him brought us peace and wholeness. Our spiritual healing, our salvation, was purchased by His suffering.

v. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Peter concludes with a beautiful pastoral image, again drawn from Isaiah 53:6. He reminds his readers of their former state. "You were continually straying like sheep." Sheep are foolish, directionless, and defenseless animals. Left to themselves, they wander into danger and have no ability to find their way back. This is a picture of humanity in its natural, fallen condition, lost, helpless, and headed for destruction. But that is the "for" of the past. The glorious "but now" of the gospel has intervened. "But now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." Christ is the Good Shepherd who seeks and saves the lost. He is also the "Overseer" (episkopos), the guardian who watches over, protects, and guides His flock. Our salvation is a return. We were created to be in fellowship with God, under His care. Sin caused us to stray, but in Christ, we are brought back to our rightful place. This is the ultimate security. The one who died for us now lives to watch over us. He is the guardian of our souls, and that is why we can entrust ourselves to Him, even in the midst of suffering.