1 Peter 1:10

Plumptre (Camb. Bible, 1 Pet., p. 98) and others would explain the passage which follows as referring to New Testament prophets or preachers of the first days of the Church, who constantly uttered inspired warnings of a coming time of persecution for Christians which would be followed by glory. Such persecution however did not come immediately, and so the prophets gradually realized that their message was not for their own generation. Now however their warnings are being fulfilled in the Neronian persecution. In support of this view it is urged that “the Spirit of Christ” would be more appropriate to Christian prophets than to those of the O.T. and that τὰ εἰς Χριστὸν παθήματα means sufferings of Christians as members of Christ which pass on to Him as their Head. But this interpretation is somewhat unnatural; moreover St Peter had himself been one of the earliest preachers of the Church, and he distinctly contrasts the ministry of the prophets with the proclamation which is now made by the Mission of the Holy Spirit. The reference is probably to the numerous passages in the O.T., especially in the later prophets, which predicted the admission of the Gentiles (τῆς εἰς ὑμᾶς χάριτος, the free favour of God as reaching unto you Gentiles).

χάρις (see Robinson, Eph. pp. 221 ff.) is specially used by St Paul (a) in connexion with his own mission as the apostle to the Gentiles, (b) of the Gentiles as the recipients of the Universal Gospel.

So in Acts it is used eight times in passages which deal with the extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles. “The surprising mercy of God, by which those who had been wholly outside the privileged circle were now the recipients of the divine favour, seems to have called for a new and impressive name which might be the watchword of the larger dispensation.”

It is in this sense that St Peter uses the word here. He may have in mind the numerous O.T. passages quoted by St Paul (Romans 9:10; Ezra 9:15) to shew that the inclusion of Gentiles was always contemplated.

Such predictions were accompanied by solemn asseverations of sufferings destined for the (coming) Messiah, τὰ εἰς Χριστὸν παθήματα, yet each prophecy of suffering was crowned with a prophecy of subsequent glory; cf. Luke 24:26, “Behoved it not the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory” was the lesson which our Lord expounded from the Scriptures to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

ἐκζητεῖν, to seek out; ἐξεραυνᾷν, to search by minute investigation.

προφῆται. Even prophets, despite their divine mission, were less privileged than Christians. They sought and searched for the full meaning of God’s messages which they delivered. Now that meaning is fully proclaimed, cf. Matthew 13:17.