Speaking about persecutions and harassments, Peter distinguishes clearly and absolutely the harassment according to the law for faith and the same harassment according to the law for criminal offenses. There is nothing surprising here: indeed, the way of the Christian is the way of the righteous, conscious sin and Christianity are incompatible things...
Speaking about persecutions and harassments, Peter distinguishes clearly and absolutely the harassment according to the law for faith and the same harassment according to the law for criminal offenses. There is nothing surprising here: indeed, the way of the Christian is the way of the righteous, conscious sin and Christianity are incompatible things. But why it was necessary for the apostle to speak about things it would seem completely obvious? It was maybe the fact that in this time in the Jewish environment, the relation towards the laws of the Roman Empire, quite as in the heathen laws, was with discretion (and sometimes very violently) negative. Militants messianists like the "zealots" mentioned in the Gospel, for example, denied in general all heathen laws, being sure that a Jew can and should be guided only with one law: the law of the Torah. Perhaps there were among Christians people who found that life in the Kingdom if it is compatible with any law, then would be with the laws given by God, and not written by men for the governments of this world.
Peter, as seen, does not reject totally the laws written by men, but limits their action with defined frames. Such an approach, obviously, is connected to the Christian representations of the Kingdom, which, on one hand, lives according to the laws distinguishing itself from the laws of the non-transformed world, and on the other hand - is called to transform the same not yet transformed world. Certainly, the non transformed world lies in evil and does not accept the Kingdom, but, if all the same it still had in him something good, it is necessary to accept that good. The same goes for the earthly laws written by people: all which in them corresponds to the Torah, Peter, as seen, accepts: because all these crimes, that he writes, are also such from the point of view of the Torah, those who commit them, violate the commandments of the Decalogue, and if the ground law punishes them for such a violation, it does not manage to condemn the representatives of this ground law.
It is another thing, if a Christian suffers as Christian, for faithfulness to Christ or for righteousness in its traditional understanding, as faithfulness to God and to the Torah. If the human law punishes the Christians for something like that, such a punishment should not disturb: because it is the manifestation of this evil, in which the world lies. So the apostle solves the question about human laws and about the power of earthly governments. He solves from the view of the Kingdom and the way of righteousness.
4
4:1 Arm yourselves with the same mind - Which will be armour of proof against all your enemies. For he that hath suffered in the flesh - That hath so suffered as to he thereby made inwardly and truly conformable to the sufferings of Christ.Hath ceased from sin - Is delivered from it.
4:2 That ye may no longer live in the flesh - Even in this mortal body. To the desires of men - Either your own or those of others. These are various; but the will of God is one.
4:3 Revellings, banquetings - Have these words any meaning now? They had, seventeen hundred years ago. Then the former meant, meetings to eat; meetings, the direct end of which was, to please the taste: the latter, meetings to drink: both of which Christians then ranked with abominable idolatries.
4:4 The same - As ye did once. Speaking evil of you - As proud, singular, silly, wicked and the like.
4:5 Who shall give account - Of this, as well as all their other ways. To him who is ready - So faith represents him now.
4:6 For to this end was the gospel preached - Ever since it was given to Adam. To them that are now dead - In their several generations. That they might be judged - That though they were judged. In the flesh according to the manner of men - With rash, unrighteous judgment. They might live according to the will and word of God, in the Spirit; the soul renewed after his image.
4:7 But the end of all things - And so of their wrongs, and your sufferings. Is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer - Temperance helps watchfulness, and both of them help prayer. Watch, that ye may pray; and pray, that ye may watch.
4:8 Love covereth a multitude of sins - Yea, "love covereth all things." He that loves another, covers his faults, how many soever they be. He turns away his own eyes from them; and, as far as is possible, hides them from others. And he continually prays that all the sinner's iniquities may be forgiven and his sins covered. Meantime the God of love measures to him with the same measure into his bosom.
4:9 One to another - Ye that are of different towns or countries. Without murmuring - With all cheerfulness. Pro 10:12.
4:10 As every one hath received a gift - Spiritual or temporal, ordinary or extraordinary, although the latter seems primarily intended. So minister it one to another - Employ it for the common good. As good stewards of the manifold grace of God - The talents wherewith his free love has intrusted you.
4:11 If any man speak, let him - In his whole conversation, public and private. Speak as the oracles of God - Let all his words be according to this pattern, both as to matter and manner, more especially in public. By this mark we may always know who are, so far, the true or false prophets. The oracles of God teach that men should repent, believe, obey.He that treats of faith and leaves out repentance, or does not enjoin practical holiness to believers, does not speak as the oracles of God: he does not preach Christ, let him think as highly of himself as he will. If any man minister - Serve his brother in love, whether in spintuals or temporals. Let him minister as of the ability which God giveth - That is, humbly and diligently, ascribing all his power to God, and using it with his might. Whose is the glory - of his wisdom, which teaches us to speak. And the might - Which enables us to act.
4:12 Wonder not at the burning which is among you - This is the literal meaning of the expression. It seems to include both martyrdom itself, which so frequently was by fire, and all the other sufferings joined with, or previous to, it; which is permitted by the wisdom of God for your trial.Be not surprised at this.
4:13 But as ye partake of the sufferings of Christ - Pe1 4:1, while ye suffer for his sake,rejoice in hope of more abundant glory. For the measure of glory answers the measure of suffering; and much more abundantly.
4:14 If ye are reproached for Christ - Reproaches and cruel mockings were always one part of their sufferings.The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you - The same Spirit which was upon Christ, Luk 4:18. He is here termed, the Spirit of glory, conquering all reproach and shame, and the Spirit of God, whose Son, Jesus Christ is. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified - That is, while they are blaspheming Christ, you glorify him in the midst of your sufferings, Pe1 4:16.
4:15 Let none of you deservedly suffer, as an evildoer - In any kind.
4:16 Let him glorify God - Who giveth him the honour so to suffer, and so great a reward for suffering.
4:17 The time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God - God first visits his church, and that both in justice and mercy. What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel - How terribly will he visit them! The judgments which are milder at the beginning, grow more and more severe.But good men, having already sustained their part, are only spectators of the miseries of the wicked.
4:18 If the righteous scarcely be saved - Escape with the utmost difficulty. Where shall the ungodly - The man who knows not God. And the open sinner appear - In that day of vengeance.The salvation here primarily spoken of is of a temporal nature.But we may apply the words to eternal things, and then they are still more awful. Pro 11:31.
4:19 Let them that suffer according to the will of God - Both for a good cause, and in a right spirit. Commit to himtheir souls - (Whatever becomes of the body) as a sacred depositum. In well doing - Be this your care, to do and suffer well: He will take care of the rest. As unto a faithful Creator - In whose truth, love, and power, ye may safely trust.