This paragraph brings to an end the series of counsels which began with chap. 1 Peter 2:11, and have dealt with what is essential to a becoming ‘conversation among the Gentiles.' Christian duty in relation to the impurities of heathen associates is now enforced in the strongest terms and with a glea... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:1. CHRIST THEN HAVING SUFFERED AS REGARDS THE FLESH. The words ‘for us,' which the A. V. inserts, have the support of some good authorities. They are wanting, however, in the oldest of all our manuscripts as well as in some important Versions, and are rightly omitted by the R. V. and the b... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:2. TO THE END, NO LONGER ACCORDING TO MEN'S LASTS BUT ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL, TO LIVE THE REMAINING TIME IN THE FLESH. Two connections are possible, between which it is difficult to decide. The verse may be attached to the immediately preceding clause, in which case it must be translated,... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:3. FOR SUFFICIENT IS THE TIME PAST TO HAVE WROUGHT THE WILL OF THE GENTILES. Here the A. V. inserts two phrases, viz. ‘of our life' and ‘us,' which weight of evidence compels us to omit. According to the best authorities, too, the idea of' will' is not expressed, as the A. V. leads us to i... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:4. ON WHICH ACCOUNT THEY THINK IT STRANGE THAT YE RUN NOT WITH THEM INTO THE SAME EFFUSION (OR, SLOUGH) OF PROFLIGACY, SPEAKING EVIL OF YOU. The ‘wherein' of the A. V. (which the R. V. also retains) is so far misleading, as it naturally means to the English reader ‘in which _vices'_ The se... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:5. WHO SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT; the same phrase as in Hebrews 13:17; Acts 19:40, and found on Christ's own lips, _e.g. Matthew 12:36_; Luke 16:2. TO HIM THAT IS READY TO JUDGE. The formula ‘ready to' (which is used again only in Acts 21:13; 2 Corinthians 12:14), along with the tense in which t... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:6. FOR TO THIS END WAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED ALSO TO THE DEAD, IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT BE JUDGED INDEED ACCORDING TO MEN AS REGARDS THE FLESH, BUT LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD AS REGARDS THE SPIRIT. There is much difference of opinion as to the sense of individual terms in this obscure passage. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:7. BUT THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND. This indicates another turning- point in the Epistle. The subjects which are now introduced, however, are not unconnected with the previous section. The ‘end' is the new view-point from which they are offered to the eye, but the graces themselves ar... [ Continue Reading ]
The thought of Christ's readiness to judge both quick and dead leads naturally to that of the close of the world. Peter passes thus to a new series of counsels bearing on what befits men who see the Judge approaching and the end at hand. While the former exhortations dealt mainly with the external r... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:8. BEFORE ALL THINGS HAVING YOUR LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER INTENSE. The ‘and' of the A. V. is cancelled by the R. V. and the best authorities. This exhortation and the following are put in the participial form, as being immediately connected with the broad counsels of 1 Peter 4:7. The preference... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:9. HOSPITABLE ONE TO ANOTHER WITHOUT MURMURING. The duty of hospitality occupies a very notable place in the New Testament teaching, in respect both of private Christians and of those in office (cf. _e.g. Romans 12:13_; 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Timothy 5:10; Titus 1:8; Hebrews 13:2; 3 John 1:5-8,... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:10. EVEN AS EACH MAN RECEIVED A GIFT, MINISTERING THE SAME ONE TO ANOTHER. The possession of gifts being taken for granted, the love which pledges all to open-hearted hospitality, pledges each also to use his gift for the good of others. The ‘gift' is to be understood generally, not of off... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:11. IF ANY MAN SPEAKETH, AS ORACLES OF GOD. The words cover all the various gifts of speech, prophesying, teaching, exhorting, etc., which were known in the Church, whether official or non-official. They are enumerated in Romans 12:6-8, and 1 Corinthians 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28. Such gif... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:12. BELOVED, THINK IT NOT STRANGE CONCERNING THE FIERY TRIAL. So far the translation of the A. V. is a very happy one. The same verb is used here as in 1 Peter 4:4 (which see), and with the same sense. The affectionate address, ‘Beloved,' which has been used already at a serious turning-po... [ Continue Reading ]
In this second series of exhortations to Christian duty as that is affected by the prospect of the end, Peter takes up again the case of persecution which he has touched on more than once already. The present statement, however, is neither a simple reiteration of former statements, nor a mere interl... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:13. BUT IN AS FAR AS YE PARTAKE IN THE SUFFERINGS OF THE CHRIST, REJOICE. The article ‘the' is prefixed to ‘Christ' here, as if Peter had now in view His official character, or wished to call special attention to _Christ's_ as the only sufferings of interest in the present connection. It i... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:14. IF YE ARE REPROACHED IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, BLESSED (ARE YE). A reassertion, but with a more definite reference to sufferings for _Christ's_ sake, of the blessedness already affirmed in chap. 1 Peter 3:14. The sentence is another echo of Matthew 5:11. The phrase ‘in the name of Christ,... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:15. FOR LET NONE OF YOU SUFFER AS A MURDERER, OR A THIEF, OR AN EVIL-DOER. The ‘but' with which the A. V. begins the verse is wrong. Peter's word is ‘for;' which is used here with an explanatory force, going back generally upon the ruling idea of the preceding verse. It is as if it had run... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:16. BUT IF (ANY MAN SUFFERS) AS A CHRISTIAN; that is, in the character of a Christian, or on account of his being a Christian. The verse is of great interest as one of three passages (Acts 11:20; Acts 26:28, and this one) to which the occurrence of the name _Christian_ in the New Testament... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:17. BECAUSE IT IS THE SEASON FOR THE JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH THE HOUSE OF GOD. A reason why, under persecution and in all circumstances, they should so conduct themselves as to glorify God. The reason lies in the thought that the judgment by which God is to search all is already on the wing... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:18. AND IF THE RIGHTEOUS WITH DIFFICULTY IS SAVED, THE UNGODLY AND SINNER, WHERE SHALL HE APPEAR? These words are taken from the Greek translation of Proverbs 11:31. As they stand in the Hebrew text, their sense is somewhat doubtful. According to some, they mean simply that ‘if the righteo... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 4:19. WHEREFORE LET THEM ALSO THAT SUFFER ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD COMMIT THEIR SOULS TO A FAITHFUL CREATOR IN WELL-DOING. The ‘wherefore' introduces this advice as an inference from what has been said about suffering, the relation of suffering Christians to their persecutors, the feelin... [ Continue Reading ]