Not Reacting Reactively, but Blessing: Socio-Rhetorical Hermeneutical Studies 1 Peter 3:8-12

Abstract

This article highlights the attitude towards insults based on 1 Peter 3:9 in the context of the passage 1 Peter 3:8–12. This study is a qualitative library research using a socio-rhetorical hermeneutic approach. The primary data source is the biblical text of 1 Peter 3:8–12, supported by related scriptural references and academic literature. Data were collected through document analysis, focusing on textual and contextual interpretation. The data analysis employed Vernon K. Robbins’ socio-rhetorical method, involving five textures: inner texture, intertexture, social and cultural texture, ideological texture, and sacred texture. The results of the study show that the call not to return insult for insult is not only a moral demand, but part of the ethical identity of the Christian community. The values of love, peace, and blessing are presented as an alternative response to social injustice. This study contributes to the understanding of biblical texts and their application in today's social context.