1 Peter 1:11

The construction of εἰς τ. κ. π. καιρόν and of προμαρτ. is doubtful. ἐραυνῶντες takes up ἐξεζήτησαν κ. τ. λ. (10); the run of the sentence seems to naturally connect τὰ … δόξας with προμαρτ. and εἰς … καιρόν with ἐδήλου. So Vulgate in quod vel quale tempus significare … spiritus … praenuntians … passiones. But if εἰς … καιρὸν be unfit to be a direct object and προμαρτ., perhaps, to have one of this kind. τὰ … δόξας must be governed by ἐδήλου. It is possible also to dissociate τίνα from καιρὸν and to render in reference to whom and what time the Spirit signified …; cf. Ephesians 5:22, ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω εἰς Χριστόν, Acts 2:25. If τίνα be taken with καιρόν, the two words correspond to the two questions of the disciples, When ?… and what shall be the sign ? (Mark 13:4). Failing to discover at what time, the prophets asked at what kind of time; their answer received a certain endorsement in the eschatological discourse of Jesus (Mark 13:5 ff. and parallels). ἐδήλου, cf. Hebrews 9:8, τοῦτο δηλοῦντος τοῦ Πνεύματος. The word implies discernment on the part of the student (Hebrews 12:27, τὸ δὲ ἔτι ἅπαξ δηλοῖ …). What time … did point unto of R.V. is unjustifiable; a simple accusative is required, i.e., either (1.) ποῖον κ. or (2.) τίνα ἢ π. κ. (εἰς being deleted as dittography of - ες) or (3.) τὰ … δόξας. τὸ πνεῦμα [Χριστοῦ], the full phrase is a natural one for a Christian to employ Christ being here the proper name = Jesus Christ and not the title. κύριος in the O.T. was commonly interpreted as referring to Our Lord; and XC. is a frequent v.l. for [144] [145]. Hence Barnabas (v.q.), οἱ προφῆται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἔχον τὴν χάριν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπροφήτευσαν. προμαρτυρόμενον only occurs here. If μαρτύρομαι (the proper sense) determine the meaning of the compound render “ protesting (calling God to witness) beforehand ”. It usage justify confusion with μαρτυρεῖν, be witness [of] render testifying beforehand or (publicly.) τὰεἰς Χν παθήματα, the doctrine that the Messiah must suffer and so enter into His glory was stated by the prophets (e.g. Isaiah 3.) but neglected by the Jews of the first century (John 12:34). Believers were reminded of it by the risen Lord Himself (Luke 24:26; Luke 24:46) and put it in the forefront of their demonstratio evangelica (Acts 3:18; Acts 17:3; Acts 26:23). The phrase corresponds exactly to the original חבלי של״ : εἰς standing for the ל (periphrasis for construct. state). τὰς μετὰ ταῦτα δόξας, the plural glories implies some comprehension of the later doctrine, e.g., John, which recognised that the glory of Jesus was partially manifested during His earthly life; although the definition subsequent reflects the primitive simplicity and if it be pressed the glories must be explained as referring to the resurrection ascension triumph over angels as well as the glorious session (John 8:21 f.). οἷς ἀπεκαλύφθη, so St. Peter argues that Joel prophesied the last things (cf. Sir 48:24) and that David foresaw and spoke concerning the resurrection (Acts 2:17; Acts 2:31; cf. Acts 3:24). Compare Daniel 9:2; Daniel 12:4, etc., for examples of partial revelations of this kind proper to apocalyptic writers. Heb. l.c. supr. credits the Patriarchs with the same insight. οὐχ ἑαυτοῖς ὑμῖν δέ, negative and positive presentation of the past for emphasis is common in this Epistle. διηκόνουν αὐτά, “they were supplying, conveying the revelations granted to them primary the prophecy and the revealed solution of it alike,” cf. 1 Peter 4:10, εἰς ἑαυτοὺς αὐτὸ διακονοῦντες. The context shows, if the word διακονεῖν does not itself connote it, that herein they were stewards of God's manifold grace channels of communication. For Acc. with διακον. cf, 2 Corinthians 3:3, ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διακονηθεῖσα ὑφʼ ἡμῶν, 2 Corinthians 8:19, τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν, from which it may be inferred that δ. connotes what the context here suggests, cf. ἃ νῦν ἀνηγγέλη, have been at the present dispensation declared; ἀ. is taken from the great proof text relating to the calling of the Gentiles, οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη ἀκούουσιν, Isaiah 52:15 cited Romans 15:21. “But St. Peter probably meant more by the word … the phrase includes not only the announcement of the historical facts of the Gospel, but, yet more, their implicit teachings as to the counsels of God and the hopes revealed for men” (Hort). διὰ τῶν εὐαγγ. ὑμας, God spake through the evangelists (cf. Isaiah 61:1, apud Romans 10:15) as through the prophets, Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15, etc. Both are simply God's messengers. For accusative after εὐαγγ. cf. use of בשר = gladden with good tidings (Isaiah 61:1). So πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται (Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22) is substituted for the original πτωχοῖς εὐαγγελίζεσθαι (Luke 4:18 = Isaiah 61:1) if the prophecy which Jesus appropriated and which forms the basis of the Christian use of the word. πνεύματι κ. τ. λ. The evangelists preached by the Spirit, as Stephen spoke (Acts 6:10), τῷ πνεῦματι ᾧ ἐλάλει. In Sir 48:24, if the Greek and Hebrew texts are trustworthy, πνεύματι the simple Dative (πνεύματι μεγάλῳ εἶδεν τὰ ἔσχατα i.e. Isaiah) corresponds to ברוח : cf. insertion of ἐν here in v. l. The visible descent of the Holy Spirit is contrasted with the indwelling Spirit which inspired the prophets. The Holy Spirit was given, when Jesus was glorified, as never before, οὐκ ἐκ μέτρου (John 3:34). Vulgate renders by ablative absolute. εἰς ἃ … παρακύψαι, after expanding the first part of Jesus' saying (and its context ye see) St. Peter at last reaches the second in its secondary form. He combines with it as its proper Scripture, the prophecy of Enoch (ix. 1) καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ τέσσαρες μεγάλοι ἀρχάγγελοι … παρέ κυψαν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων τοῦ αὐρανοῦ. St. Paul spiritualises the idea “to me … this grace was given to preach to the Gentiles … in order that now might be made known to the principalities and the authorities in heavenly places by means of the Church the very-varied wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:8 ff.). St. Peter reproduces faithfully the simplicity of the original and represents this longing as still unsatisfied since the Church is not yet perfect or complete. It thus becomes part of the sympathetic groaning and travailing of the whole creation (Romans 8:22 f.). In Romans 8:21 St. Peter states on the same authority that Christ preached to the spirits in prison; adding that when he ascended all angels were subjected to Him. The apparent contradiction is due to the discrepancy between the ideal and its gradual realisation and not to an imperfect coordination of these conceptions of the universal sovereignty of God. See 1 Corinthians 15:25 f., Hebrews 2:7 f., not yet do we see … παρακύψαι has lost its suggestion of peeping through its use in the LXX for שקף look forth though it is not employed by them in the places where God is said to look down from heaven (Psalms 14:2, etc.). The patristic commentators seem to hold by the Evangelist rather than the Apostle in respect to the saying, as they refer exclusively for illustration to the O.T. figures, Moses (Hebrews 11:26), Isaiah (John 12:41). Oecumenius notes that Daniel is called by the angel a man of longings (Daniel 9:25). That the angels of Peter are due to Enoch and secondary seems to be borne out by the Targum of Ecclesiastes 1:8, “In all the words that are prepared (about) to come to pass in the world the ancient prophets wearied themselves and could not find their ends”.

[144] Codex Mosquensis (sæc. ix.), edited by Matthæi in 1782.

[145] Codex Ephraemi (sæc. v.), the Paris palimpsest, edited by Tischendorf in 1843.