INTRODUCTION TO I PETER 4
In this chapter the apostle goes on to exhort to an holy life and
conversation, and to the several duties of religion, and to suffer
cheerfully for the sake of Christ. From the consideration of Christ's
sufferings, he exhorts the saints to arm themselves with the same
mind... [ Continue Reading ]
FORASMUCH THEN AS CHRIST HATH SUFFERED FOR US IN THE FLESH..... The
apostle having finished his digression concerning Christ's preaching
in the ministry of Noah, to men whose spirits were now in prison, and
concerning the salvation of Noah's family in the ark, by water, and
concerning its antitype,... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HE NO LONGER SHOULD LIVE,.... The Arabic version reads, "that ye
no longer should live". This expresses the end of being armed with the
above thought, that a suffering saint after death is clear of sin; and
the use that is to be made of it in the present time of life, and the
remainder of it, t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE TIME PAST OF OUR LIFE MAY SUFFICE US,.... The word "our" is
left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in the Vulgate Latin and Syriac
versions. The Arabic version reads, "the time of your past life"; and
to the same purpose the Ethiopic version; and which seems to be the
more agreeable reading,... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREIN THEY THINK IT STRANGE,.... Here the apostle points out what
the saints must expect from the men of the world, by living a
different life; and he chooses to mention it, to prevent
discouragements, and that they might not be uneasy and distressed when
they observed it; as that they would wonde... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT TO HIM,.... "To God himself", as the Syriac
version reads; of all their blasphemies, and hard speeches spoken by
them against God, Christ, the Gospel, and good men, and receive their
just punishment. This the apostle says, to calm the minds of God's
people, and make them to si... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR, FOR THIS CAUSE WAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED ALSO,.... Not for what
goes before, because Christ was ready to judge quick and dead; and
because wicked men must give an account to him, and therefore the
Gospel is preached to them also, that they may be left without excuse;
but for what follows, and whi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND,.... With respect to particular
persons, the end of life, and which is the end of all things in this
world to a man, is near at hand; which is but as an hand's breadth,
passes away like a tale that is told, and is but as a vapour which
appears for a while, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABOVE ALL THINGS HAVE FERVENT CHARITY AMONG YOURSELVES,.... Not
but that charity, or love, is to be exercised towards all men, even
towards enemies, but more especially towards the saints, and that
under such a consideration in which it cannot be exercised towards
others; namely, as their brethr... [ Continue Reading ]
USE HOSPITALITY,.... Or, "be lovers of strangers", as the phrase may
be rendered, and as it is in the Syriac version; that is, such as are
of a distant country, or come from afar, and are unknown by face,
especially good men, that are obliged to remove from their native
country for the sake of relig... [ Continue Reading ]
AS EVERY MAN HATH RECEIVED THE GIFT,.... That is, from God, as the
Syriac and Ethiopic versions add. This is a general rule laid down by
the apostle, according to which, distribution of every kind, whether
in things temporal or spiritual, is to be made, even according to the
nature, quality, and qua... [ Continue Reading ]
IF ANY MAN SPEAK, LET HIM SPEAK AS THE ORACLES OF GOD,.... This is an
application of the above general rule to a particular case, the public
ministry of the word, for that is here meant: "if any man speak"; not
in any manner, or on any subject; not in a private way, or about
things natural and civil... [ Continue Reading ]
BELOVED, THINK IT NOT STRANGE CONCERNING THE FIERY TRIAL,.... By which
may be meant either the destruction of Jerusalem, which was at hand,
and of which the apostle may be thought to give the Jews he writes to
notice of before hand; that they might be prepared for it, and not be
overwhelmed with con... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT REJOICE, INASMUCH AS YE ARE PARTAKERS OF CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS,....
Not of his personal sufferings; though they were partakers of the
benefits and blessings which come through them, and result from them,
such as justification, peace, and pardon, and which are matter and
ground of rejoicing; but of... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE BE REPROACHED FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST,.... For being called by
his name; for bearing the name of Christians; for believing in him,
and professing him; and for the sake of his Gospel, which is sometimes
called his name, Acts 9:15 not that the apostle makes any doubt of
this, for nothing is more... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT LET NONE OF YOU SUFFER AS A MURDERER,.... The punishment for
murder was death by the law of God, Genesis 9:6
OR AS A THIEF; whose fine or mulct, according to the Jewish law, was a
fivefold or fourfold restitution, according to the nature of the thing
that was stolen, Exodus 22:1
OR AS AN EVILD... [ Continue Reading ]
YET IF ANY MAN SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN,.... Because he is one, and
professes himself to be one. This name was first given to the
disciples at Antioch, either by themselves, or by the Gentiles;
however, it being agreeable to them, was retained; it is only
mentioned here, and in Acts 11:26,
LET HIM NOT... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE TIME IS COME THAT JUDGMENT MUST BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD,....
By the house of God is either meant the temple at Jerusalem, which is
often so called, because it was built for God, and where were the
symbol of his presence, and his worship; and now the time was come, or
at hand, that God woul... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THE RIGHTEOUS SCARCELY BE SAVED,.... Reference is had to
Proverbs 11:31 where in the Septuagint version are the same words as
here: the "righteous" are such, not who are so in their own opinion,
or merely in the esteem of others, nor on account of their vility,
morality, and external righteou... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE LET THEM THAT SUFFER ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD,.... This
is the conclusion made from the foregoing premises; that seeing the
state and condition of the saints in this world, at worst, and which
is but for a time, is infinitely preferable to the dreadful state and
condition of disobedien... [ Continue Reading ]