⁸ A few lines later Peter introduces a subtle illustration, saying: “If, when you are doing good and you suffer, you endure it, this is a thing agreeable with God. In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely.” (1 Peter 2:20, 21) The Greek word translated “model,” or “example” in many other translations, is hy·pogram·mosʹ. This literally means “under-writing,” or “writing-copy, including all the letters of the alphabet, given to beginners as an aid in learning to draw them.” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, J. H. Thayer) Thus, schoolboys were sometimes given waxed tablets on which the teacher had written letters in model script with a stylus. The student had to follow the example and try to make an exact copy underneath. Peter makes a strong point here, for he is the only writer of the Greek Scriptures who uses the word hy·po·gram·mosʹ. He thus highlights the fact that Jesus left a perfect example for his followers to imitate.

[Picture on page 18]

The teacher wrote a master text (hy·po·gram·mosʹ) on the top lines; the student strove to make a perfect copy