Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

1 Peter 2:12

Adaptation of the saying, ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα καὶ δοξάσωσιν τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς (Matthew 5:16). The good behaviour on which the resolved ἀναστρέφεσθαι permits stress to be laid is the fruit of the abstinence of 1 Peter 2:2; cf. Hebrews 13:8; James 3:13. This second admonition is disjointed formally against formal grammar from the first; cf. Ephesians 4:1 f., παρακαλῶ … ὑμᾶς … ἀνεχόμενοι. ἐντοῖς ἔθνεσιν, the people of God (1 Peter 2:9) is a correlative term and implies the existence of the nations, who are ignorant and disobedient. The situation of the Churches addressed justifies the use of Dispersion in 1 Peter 1:1. But the point of the words here is this: you the new Israel must succeed where the old failed, as it is written my name is blasphemed ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν on your account (Isaiah 52:5; LXX, cited Romans 2:24). ἵνα … ἐπισκοπῆς, in order that as a result of your good works they may be initiated into your secrets and come to glorify God in respect to your conduct when He at last visits the world, though now they calumniate you as evildoers in this matter. ἐν ᾧ in the case of the thing in which, i.e., your behaviour generally; cf. 1 Peter 3:16; 1 Peter 4:4, and for δοξ. τὸν θεὸν ἐν, 1Pe 4:11; 1 Peter 4:16. καταλαλοῦσιν ὡς κ. Particular accusations are given in 1 Peter 4:15. This popular estimate of Christians is reflected in Suetonius' statement: Adflicti suppliciis Christiani, genus hominium superstitionis novae et maleficae (Numbers 16). ἐποπτεύοντες takes Acc. in iii. 2 (overlook, behold, as in Symmachus' version of Psalms 10:14; Psalms 33:13); but here the available objects are either appropriated (θεόν with δοξ). or far off (ἀναστροφήν). It will therefore have its ordinary sense of become ἐπόπτης, be initiated. The Christians were from the point of view of their former friends members of a secret association, initiates of a new mystery, the secrecy of which gave rise to slanders such as later Christians brought against the older mysteries and the Jews. St. Peter hopes that, if the behaviour of Christians corresponds to their profession, their neighbours will become initiated into their open secrets (for as St. Paul insists this hidden mystery has now been revealed and published). δοξάσωσιν τὸν θεόν, come to glorify God like the centurion, who said of the crucified Jesus, Truly this was the Son of God (Mark 15:39) i.e., recognise the finger of God either in the behaviour of the Christians or in the whole economy (see Romans 11.). ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπισκοπῆς, from Isaiah 10:3, What will ye do ye the oppressors of the poor of my people in day of visitation (יּום פקדה) i.e. (Targum), when your sins are visited upon you. But St. Peter looks for the repentance of the heathen at the last visitation (cf. 1 Peter 4:6), though the prophet found no escape for his own contemporaries. Compare Luke 19:44.

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

1 Peter 2:12

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