Christ died to bear our sins

Read 1 Peter 2:24-25

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Having affirmed Christ’s sinlessness and his unjust suffering (21-23), Peter then makes clear the purpose of Christ’s death – to “bear our sins in his body on the cross” (24; tree cf. Acts 5:30; Gal.3:13). This isn’t a digression from the preceding teaching; rather, 2:21-25 is the “theological centre” of the letter which “provides the basis for all Christian behaviour” (Marshall).

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Four times Peter refers here to Isaiah 53, the great prophecy that Jesus would come as God’s Suffering Servant. He would be without sin (22; Is.53:9), silently enduring mockery and torment (23; Is.53:7; Mk.14:61), in order that our sins might be placed on him – it’s “by his wounds we are healed” (24; Is.53:5; Heb.9:28). Because of that, we who were like “sheep going astray” (Is.53:6) have returned to God’s shepherding care and oversight (Jn.10:11,14-15,27).

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He bore our sins “so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (24). The one who was sinless was made “sin for us, so that in him we be might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor.5:21; 1 Pet.3:18). Not only forgiven, but under Christ’s Lordship now living rightly as God’s holy people (1 Pet.1:14-15; Rom.6:1-2).