1 Peter 4:1

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 best critics. The ‘suffered' is a general expression here, covering His death as well as what He endured previous to that. That His death is in view appears from the definition of the ‘suffered' by the' being put to death' in 1 Peter 3:18. What Peter says here, too, is not exactly ‘ in the flesh,' but ‘as to the flesh' or ‘fleshly-wise.' The term used is precisely the same as in 1 Peter 3:18. It is introduced twice in this verse, perhaps with this touch of comfort in it, that, as in Christ's case, so in the case of Christians, it is only the perishable side of being that suffering can hurt. The ‘then' does not indicate a return from a digression. It carries out to further issues a fact which has formed the ruling idea in all that has been advanced since 1 Peter 3:7.

do ye also arm yourselves. A strong appeal to do on their side what Christ did on His. The course which they have to run is one of conflict. They must have an equipment for their warfare, if they are to wage it worthily, and the armour or equipment which will make them ready is that with which their Captain Himself faced his curriculum of suffering. The idea of a spiritual armour, which appears repeatedly in the Pauline Epistles (Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:7; Ephesians 6:10-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8), and meets us also in the Old Testament (e.g. Isaiah 59:17), is taken up this once and in briefest possible form in Peter's writings. The verb ‘arm yourselves' occurs nowhere again in the New Testament, although it is common enough in Classical Greek, both in the literal sense and in the figurative.

with the same mind, because he who has suffered as regards the flesh, has ceased from sin. Although the several parts of this sentence seem intelligible enough, the exact sense of the whole, specially in view of what is immediately connected with it in the next verses, is extremely difficult to determine. Some excellent exegetes have felt a haze overhanging it, which has tempted them to doubt its genuineness. The problem, however, is not to be disposed of in that fashion. The only uncertainties of reading are these Are we to read ‘ in the flesh,' or have we here exactly the same phrase as before, viz. ‘as regards the flesh'? And are we to read ‘from sin,' as in the A. V. and the text of the R. V., or, as in the margin of the R. V., ‘unto sins'? In both cases the balance of evidence seems on the side of the latter supposition. The first question is as to the sense of the word which is rendered ‘mind' here. It occurs only once again in the New Testament, and there in the plural, viz. Hebrews 4:12, where it is translated ‘intents' in the A. V. and R. V. Its best understood meaning (according to some, indeed, its only meaning) is thought, consideration, conception. If this is adhered to, the idea which results may be variously construed. Some take it to be = arm yourselves with the same thought, that is to say, with the thought of having to suffer according to the flesh as Christ suffered, and do so because he who has so suffered has ceased from sin (so Huther, etc.). Others (including Calvin, the Genevan, Wiesinger, Mason, etc.) understand the latter words to express the contents of the thought, and put it either in the general form = arm yourselves with the same thought, namely, the thought that he who has suffered according to the flesh has ceased from sin; or in the more definite form = arm yourselves with the same thought, or conception, of what suffering is, which Christ Himself had when He suffered, namely, that he who has so suffered has ceased from sin. But this disturbs the connection with the opening clause, which speaks not of what Christ or others thought about suffering, but simply of the fact that He suffered. In some of its forms, too, this rendering deals with the very definite phrase ‘the same thought,' as if it were ‘this thought,' or ‘this very thought.' The noun in question, however, has another meaning, namely, disposition, intention, or purpose. This is a rare use. But it seems capable of being made out as an occasional occurrence, both in the Classics (e.g. Xen. Anab. iii. 1, 13; Plato, Legg. 769 E; Eurip. Hel. 1026, etc.) and in the Septuagint (Proverbs 3:21; Proverbs 5:2). Here it gives the clear and congruous idea, that in their conflict Christians were to arm themselves with the same purpose with which their Lord Himself endured suffering. What that purpose in His case was, appears from the previous section. It was to do good to wrong-doers, by bringing them to God.

because he who has suffered according to the flesh has ceased from sin. This is added to establish and enforce the counsel. But how it does that is greatly disputed. Some suppose Christ Himself to be the subject of the sentence, and take it to mean that by suffering in the flesh He put an end to sin itself, and brought in an everlasting righteousness; or that He thus made an end of sin-offering. But this introduces dogmatic ideas, which the context does not suggest; while violence is also done to some of the terms. Others suppose it means that Christ, having once suffered, is now done with sin, and is ‘fortified against its assaults.' The expression, however, seems to be a general one, stating a principle which is not to be limited to the single case of Christ Others give the ‘suffered' an ethical sense, or a metaphorical, supposing that it refers either to the crucifying of the old man (Calvin, etc.), or to the ideal dying of the believer with Christ in baptism (Schott, etc.). But this is inconsistent with the sense of the same term ‘suffered' in the first clause. Some of the best interpreters retain the reading of the Received Text (which admits of being rendered either ‘has ceased from sin,' or ‘has been made to cease from sin'), and hold that this must be taken in the active sense of a ceasing from sinning. So some construe it as = he who suffers on account of his opposition to sin, has broken with sin and shows that its power over him is gone (Weiss). And others, in various ways, understand it to refer to the influence of suffering in subduing sinful inclination and ripening moral character. Even this, however, appears to come short of the almost axiomatic force of the sentence. For it is by no means a general truth that suffering effects cessation from sin. The difficulty will be lightened, however, if we adopt the other reading, ‘unto sins.' This gives us a phrase, ‘is done with sins,' or ‘has been brought to an end as regards sins,' which may fairly express the cessation of a certain relation to sin, and present a parallel to the Pauline formula, ‘he that is dead is freed from sin' (Romans 6:7). We have then a general proposition, which holds good of both the subjects referred to in the verse, Christ and the Christian, each according to his peculiar relation to sin. And, taking the ‘suffered' to cover here, as in 1 Peter 3:18, the article of death itself, we make the import of the whole this Christ suffered and died, with the purpose of doing good; confront your sufferings with the same purpose; let them not provoke you to evildoing, but pledge you to well-doing; be confirmed in this by the consideration that he who has once suffered unto death according to the flesh, is done with sin; Christ thus terminated His relation to sin; and those who suffer and die with Him should recognise their old relation to sin at an end, themselves done with sin.