Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Peter 1:17

εἰ πατέρα ἐπικαλεῖσθε. If ye invoke as Father. ἐπικαλεῖσθαι in the middle does not mean merely to call a person by a certain name or title, but to invoke or appeal to for aid. It is the word used by St Paul, Acts 25:11, “I appeal unto Caesar,” and of St Stephen appealing and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” Acts 7:59. Here there is very probably an allusion to the invocation of God as “Our Father” in the Lord’s prayer. But the words may also be borrowed from Jeremiah 3:19, where some MSS. of the LXX. read εἰ πατέρα καλεῖσθέ (or ἐπικαλεῖσθέ) με, though the best text is εἶπα Πατέρα καλέσετέ με.

The sense of sonship which allows us to invoke God as “Our Father” “in the words which Christ Himself hath taught us” does not warrant any presumption on our part. We must not forget that God is also “the Judge of all the earth.”

ἀπροσωπολήμπτως. The adverb occurs nowhere else in the Greek Bible, but the adjective is used by the Fathers, and the substantive προσωπολήμπτης occurs in St Peter’s speech to Cornelius, Acts 10:34, and προσωπολημψία in Romans 2:11 with reference to God. It is not a classical word, but is based upon the Hebrew פנִי נשׂא, to receive the face of, so to favour a person, either in a good sense to receive favourably or in a bad sense of undue favour, partiality. As applied to God in the N.T., it is generally used with reference to His dealings with Jews and Gentiles, that both are treated alike by Him. But, on the other hand, equality of favour implies impartiality of judgment for all. The children of the new covenant will not be treated with undue leniency if their works prove them to be unworthy of God’s favour any more than were the children of the old covenant, as they were warned by Moses, Deuteronomy 10:17.

κρίνοντα. The present participle may be a reminder that God’s judgment is not merely future but continually exercised, or it may be merely a descriptive participle.

κατὰ τὸ ἑκάστου ἔργον (cf. Romans 2:6 ff.). Every man, whether he be Jew, Gentile or heathen, is judged according to the sum of his personal actions in thought, word and deed.

ἐν φόβῳ. The thought of God as “Our Father” can give us hope and love, but the reminder that He is also our Judge should inspire us with reverent fear. Not the shrinking fear of the slave (Romans 8:15), for that is “cast out” by perfect love (1 John 4:18), not the fear of the coward (1 Peter 3:14), but the fear of being untrue to God, which makes a man bold in the face of all other dangers (Matthew 10:28 ||).

παροικίας. In one sense these Asiatic Christians were sojourners among a heathen population with whom they were brought into constant intercourse (ἀναστράφητε). In another sense all Christians are men whose true “citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). This world is not their home, but only the place of their temporary sojourn.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Peter 1:17

Old Testament

New Testament