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1 Peter
Instructor's Notes

EXPOSITION OF 1 PETER —
Chapter 4

INTRODUCTION

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, and cease from sin, and live no longer to the lusts of men, but to the will of God, (1 Pet. 4:1) the reason, or argument engaging to it, is taken from the past time of life, in which they walked in all manner of sin, and which ought to suffice, though they should be spoken evil of by wicked men, for not continuing therein, (1 Pet. 4:3), and to fortify their minds against such abuses, the apostle takes notice of the general judgment, when such persons must give an account for their evil speaking to the Judge of quick and dead; and that though those to whom the Gospel is preached, and embrace it, suffer death for it, being judged of men in their bodies, yet they live to God in their souls, (1 Pet. 4:5), and seeing the end of all things is near, he exhorts to various things, as to sobriety, watchfulness unto prayer, and especially to fervent charity, since that covers a multitude of sins, (1 Pet. 4:7), and to hospitality, without grudging, and to a communication of all good things, as faithful stewards of them, (1 Pet. 4:9), and particularly to the dispensation of the Gospel, according to the word of God; and to a ministration to the poor, according to a man's ability, with a view to the glory of God, by Christ, (1 Pet. 4:11), and next, the apostle proceeds to comfort the saints under reproaches and persecutions, and to instruct them how to behave under such circumstances; as that they should not think such things strange, though grievous, since they were for the trial of their graces, (1 Pet. 4:12), but should rather rejoice, since they were partakers of the sufferings of Christ now, and should share in his glory when revealed, which would make them exceeding glad, (1 Pet. 4:13), yea, inasmuch as it was for the name of Christ they suffered reproach, they ought to reckon themselves happy persons; since the glorious Spirit of God rested on them, and since the issue of it was, the glorifying of God by them, though he was evil spoken of by those that reproached them, (1 Pet. 4:14), indeed, they ought not to suffer as persons guilty of capital crimes; should they, they would have reason to be ashamed, but not since they suffered as Christians; but, on the contrary, should give glory to God for it, who had done them so much honor as to call them to it, (1 Pet. 4:15), and to reconcile their minds to sufferings, he observes, that the time was come, that afflictions should begin with the people of God, on account of which, the righteous are scarcely saved, though certainly; and that, therefore, sad must be the state of the disobedient and ungodly, even of their wicked persecutors, (1 Pet. 4:17), wherefore, upon the whole, seeing it was the will of God they should suffer, they ought to suffer patiently, and, in well doing, commit the care of their souls to their faithful Creator, (1 Pet. 4:19).

1 Peter 4:1-19

1 Peter 4:1—“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”

· Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh—The design here is to set the suffering Redeemer before us as an example for us in our trials and refers to the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ. Here Peter “argues from thence to holiness of life, and patience in sufferings, after this manner; seeing then Christ, the eternal Son of God, the Lord of glory, the holy and Just One, suffered such indignities, reproaches, and persecutions from men, not for himself, nor for angels, but for men, and those not all men, otherwise his death, with respect to some, must be in vain; but for a particular number of men, in distinction from others, described in the beginning of this epistle, as elect, according to the foreknowledge of God” [J. Gill].

· arm yourselves likewise with the same mind—This emphasizes an attitude or resolve that expresses itself in determined action. Peter says that we are to have the same attitude toward suffering as did Christ. We are to “arm” ourselves with the same attitude or determination. “The verb ‘arm’ in aorist imperative (this tense and mood call for a decisive choice to effectively accomplish this action and implies an urgent and immediate call to do so) is commanding the reader to adopt the attitude of Christ” (PA.Org). This conveys the attitude of putting on the armor of God because we are to adopt the attitude of going to war; we need to put on the same attitude that Christ had regarding suffering.

· for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin—“Suffered” is in the aorist tense and describe the finality of death to sin. Christ’s death for sin is a completed action and a once-for-all time suffering and sin has been put to death. Through our identification with Christ by faith, we too have died to the power of sin in our life. “We have ceased once and for all from our former slavery to SIN and now are slaves to Christ, slaves to righteousness. Note ‘ceased’ is in the perfect tense which signifies a definite break with sin’s rule at one point in time (their day of salvation when they identified by faith with Christ's propitiatory work of Romans 6) with the effect of that once for all break from the domination of SIN continuing in their new life in Christ” [PA.Org].

Synthesis: In light of how Christ suffered for us, we are told by Peter to arm ourselves with the same mind (intent) as Christ. He endured the cross, despising the shame for the joy that was set before Him. This same attitude of sacrificing self, enduring patiently, and rejoicing in tribulation will equip believers to face false accusations and to resist sinful temptation. Peter indicated that the reason we suffer persecution is that we have ceased from sin.

1 Peter 4:2—“That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.”

· That he no longer should live—This explains the arming in preceding verse. If one equips himself with the same mindset as Christ (by grace through faith) the result will be that we won’t continue to submit our members to sin.

Romans 6:11-13—“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.”

· the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God—

“rest of his time” looks to the future and reminds us of the brevity of the remainder of our earthly life which should inspire us to redeem the time and make the most of the opportunities that God grants us. If we do the will of God, then we will invest the rest of our time in that which is lasting and satisfying.

“in the flesh” means in the sins of days past or according to our former nature. We are not to relapse into that kind of lifestyle. Conversion makes us sometimes painfully aware conscious of two different types of life, one set on self’s will & the other on God’s will.

“to the lusts men” To live in the flesh for the lusts of men refers to a life ruled or controlled by the varied cravings or sinful desires that characterize man’s fallen, depraved mind.

“but to the will of God” The “but” marks a sharp departure from the previous lifestyle. On one side of life man lives strictly for himself but a life lived to please the Father we live according to His law, His Word and rule, His Spirit rather than our own desires, and we use His Son’s life as an example. God’s will is “revealed in his word, and which is good, acceptable, and perfect; one part of which is sanctification, holiness of heart, life, and conversation, as also patient suffering all reproach, injury, and persecution, for the sake of the Gospel; to live soberly, righteously, and godly, to study to exercise a conscience void of offence towards God and men, and to suffer patiently for his name’s sake, is to live to the will of God” [J. Gill].

Synthesis: Peter shows that the change facilitated by salvation brings into a person’s life a very real and complete about-face. No longer is the believer to live in the flesh catering to its lusts but instead he is to yield himself to the will of God. The believer who copies Christ is no longer concerned with his own comfort or pleasure but rather his concern is in pleasing God.

1 Peter 4:3—“For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:”

Peter in verses 3-6 gives us three reasons that should motivate the believer to effectively endure suffering:

· For the time past of our life may suffice us—First, in our past life we have had more than enough sin. The verb “past” is perfect tense indicating that “our past life” is a closed chapter and should stay closed! We are no longer to return to the past as slaves to sin.

Romans 6:17—“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”

· to have wrought the will of the Gentiles—In past times we were subservient to the will of the Gentiles (heathen) or we lived the way they lived; we did the things that the heathen wanted us to do. In fact, we actually chose to do acts of disobedience while we were unregenerate pagans.

Ephesians 2:2-6—“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:”

· when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts—our walk in the past involved no self restraint; we lived unbridled lives controlled by our own lusts. Our walk was a journey from one place of debauchery to another. “Lasciviousness” is sensuality and pictures sin as an inordinate indulgence of appetites to the extend of violating a sense of public decency. John Gill describes these acts “as fornication, adultery, incest, sodomy, and all unnatural lusts.”

· excess of wine, revellings, banquetings—Bacchus was the god of wine, and these feasts of drunkenness involved impurity and obscenity of the grossest kind.

· and abominable idolatries—“abominable” means unlawful and since idolatries were not forbidden by Gentile laws, Peter is referring to the fact that they were unlawful before a holy God. Their past associations with such idolatries should motivate them steadfastly to adhere to their new life armed for the purpose of living a life of moral purity. Idolatries involved the worship of many gods and took various forms in which devotion to the idols was expressed. In this case, in the past many were devoted to the god of their belly.

Romans 16:18—“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
Philippians 3:19—“Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

Synthesis: The time before believers became Christians, living in their prior sins, were long enough and should suffice for them to have wrought the pleasures of the heathen. Peter gives a list of six areas where there is now no liberty to return because they are abominable and unlawful.

1 Peter 4:4—“Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:”

· Wherein they think it strange—This is in the present tense and pictures their pagan friends continuing to be astonished at the radical change of direction in those who used to be their companions in sin. It was “strange” to them because there was unfamiliar element which they could not understand (a mind of a fallen nature is not capable of processing such data). “And because it is human nature to resent & be suspicious of that which disturbs the status quo, we see that their surprised attitudes were acted out in slanderous statements against their former soul mates in sin” (PA.Org).

· that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot—Pagans are here pictured as “running” after sin. This is a polarized view of two extremes. Pagans run after sin and believers run after righteousness. Is there any wonder why our former companions can not understand our present lifestyle. It is totally foreign to anything they are familiar with.

· speaking evil of you—Former friends and companions are surprised, offended, and resentful because of we are no longer interested in their ungodly pleasures. Likewise, they don’t understand the things of God, His Word, and the truths of it. Therefore, they do not have the capacity to empathize with our new life. As a result, they retaliate out of ignorance and with an evil vengeance.

Synthesis: When believers refuse to take part in the world’s pleasures (as they did in the past), their unsaved neighbors think it strange. They are astonished because the believers no longer run with them to the same excess of decadence. Therefore, believers are misunderstood and slandered.

1 Peter 4:5—“Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.”

· Who shall give account to him—This pictures a court of law where one’s antagonists are brought before the Judge of the living and dead. People who run after lewdness and who malign believers are amassing a debt to God which they will spend all eternity paying back (an impossibility). They, in the final judgment, will give an account for their sins before the Holy of holies.

Matthew 12:36—“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
Romans 14:11-12—“For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Hebrews 4:13—“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

· that is ready to judge the quick and the dead—All the unsaved, currently alive or dead, will be brought before the Judge; the Lord Jesus Christ will at the Great White Throne judgment, judge those that are dead in their sins.

John 5:22-23; 28-29—“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him…. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
2 Timothy 4:1—“I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;”

Synthesis: Peter says that unbelievers will have to give an account to Christ one day; Who is holding Himself ready to judge the quick and the dead.

One has said this is the most difficult verse in the Bible to interpret! There are some 20 interpretations according to one writer!

1 Peter 4:6—“For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”

· For for this cause was the gospel preached also—“For” referring back to verse 5; to save people from the judgment there referred to. The Gospel is also preached unto those that will be judged according to the state of being dead, “For this cause” it leaves them without excuse. “By the Gospel is meant the good news of the incarnation, sufferings, and death of Christ, and salvation by him: and includes all the doctrines of grace, as of pardon, righteousness, and eternal life; and by its being “preached” is meant the publishing of it openly, freely, and boldly, with faithfulness and consistence:” [J. Gill].

· to them that are dead—that is “deceased” Christians. The Gospel was preached to those martyrs now dead. “They were judged in the flesh and condemned to martyrdom according to human standards, but they are alive in the spirit after death” [PA.Org]. John Gill agrees and says, “but such are intended, to whom the Gospel had been preached, and to whom it had been effectual unto salvation; who had received it in the love of it, had sincerely professed it, and had suffered for it even death itself; such are designed who had suffered in the flesh, or were dead in their bodies, (1 Pet. 4:1), who either were dead in the Lord, or especially had suffered death for his sake, as Stephen and others: and this, with what follows, is mentioned with a general view to encourage the saints to patient suffering for Christ.”

· that they might be judged according to men in the flesh—This is to be understood as those believers “to whom the gospel was preached while they were still alive on the earth and who believed on the Lord. Because of their valiant stand for the truth, they suffered at the hands of wicked men, and in some cases were martyred. These believers, though judged, or condemned, according to men in the flesh, were vindicated by God. They are now enjoying eternal life with Him” [PA.Org].

· but live according to God in the spirit—The point of this verse is to encourage us that even though there is a judgment coming beyond the grave, and even though all of us die, nevertheless those who hear and believe the gospel will “live in the spirit according to the will of God.” They now live in the eternal spirit “according to his eternal purpose, unchangeable covenant, promise, grace, and love” [J. Gill].

Synthesis: The inevitability of judgment is not only an incentive to holy living but also an important reason for preaching the Gospel. Peter says the Gospel was preached to persons now “dead” so that, although ungodly men may have condemned them for their godly ways of life, they now rested in the eternal communion with God.

1 Peter 4:7—“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

· But the end of all things is at hand—The end is not immediate but imminent. The perfect tense indicates that imminency of the end of everything is an irreversible fact. These things are “with respect to the whole universe, to the scheme and fashion of this world, which will soon be gone, though the substance will abide; when the heavens shall pass away, and the earth and all therein will be burnt up; when there will be an end of all the purposes and promises of God respecting the present state of things concerning his church and people, and of the judgments of God upon his enemies here; when the man of sin will be destroyed, and the wickedness of the wicked will be come to an end, and the sorrows, afflictions, and persecutions of the saints, will be no more; and when will be an end put to the present dispensation of things; there will be an end of the ministry of the word, and of the administration of ordinances; time will be no more, and the final state of both good and bad men will take place” [J. Gill].

· be ye therefore sober—“Therefore” it is only when we see the affairs of earth in light of eternity that we see them in their proper comparison; it is when the God of eternity is given His proper place that everything else is pale in comparison. We should then “be sound in our judgment” and live obedient and exercise self-control and moderation. Without sobriety true vigilance is impossible. With the pending inevitable end “at hand,” we should not be playing the fool; if we do not exercise good judgment regarding the things that are temporal, it will prove to be an act of stupidity on our part.

· and watch unto prayer—John Gill says that “a man that is not sober is neither fit to watch nor pray.” We are to be mindful of the impending end and lift ourselves up in prayer. Peter is well aware of not being alert in a time of prayer because he went to sleep when he should have been “watching unto prayer.”

Synthesis: Peter here says the “end” of all things is at hand. The same word is used in Matthew 3:2 when John the Baptist says “…Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Here Peter urges readiness; believers are to be sound in mind (sober) and watch unto prayers.

1 Peter 4:8—“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

· And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves—“Above all things” means “before” all things in order of importance. This reminds us of the primacy of love among God’s people (especially in times of testing and persecution). “Love is a prerequisite to all proper exercises of Christian duty. Courtesy without love is a cold thing. Generosity without love is a harsh thing. Love makes all the other virtues what they should be. Love is the badge of a believer in this world” [PA.Org].

John 13:34-35—“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

“keep fervent” means that Christian love demands certain characteristics. “It means loving the unlovely and the unlovable; it means loving in spite of insult and injury; it means loving when love is not returned. A Christian’s unselfish love and concern for others should be exercised to the point of sacrificially giving for others’ welfare. The idea of fervent (ektenes) is that of a love that is extended to reach the one loved” [PA.Org].

· for charity shall cover the multitude of sins—If someone sins against us, it is love that is the forbearance. Christian love is patient and forgiving towards the offenses of fellow Christians. When we love one another with a love that is forgiving it creates a atmosphere of kindness within the Christian community and covers attacks from the outside. In other words, when we forgive each other, those that would seek to persecute us and call us hypocrites do not attack us with our own ammunition. Therefore, love covers sins within the Christian community; only the blood of Christ can cover sin that forgives permanently.

Synthesis: Readiness for the end calls for constant communion with God through prayers, but also for loving relationships with fellow believers. Above all else, the believers should have self-giving love one toward another, and this Christ-like love should be fervent (intense). This forgiving love will cause believers to cover (conceal) other people’s sins from the outside world.

1 Peter 4:9—“use hospitality one to another without grudging.”

· Use hospitality—“Hospitality” (goggusmos) was providing extended lodging to those that had no place to stay. This word “has a sharp twang of realism about it for then as now, guests could overstay or otherwise abuse their host's welcome. This word emphasizes that the one showing hospitality needs to stand firm in the true grace of God to carry out what could turn out to be an exasperating chore” [PA.Org].

· one to another—Practicing hospitality is one way to use the gifts God has given to serve others. The sense here is “as they were in foreign countries, and at a distance one from another, whenever by any providence they were brought where each other were, that they would be hospitable to one another” [J. Gill].

· without grudging—Hospitable conduct is without murmuring and resentment. If one is a burden then he is not being provide for out of a service of love.

Synthesis: Peter says believers should extend this same love for travelers and other believers who need food and shelter. We should show love “hospitality” and do it without grumbling.

1 Peter 4:10—“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

· As every man hath received the gift—Each believer has one specific gift, and practicing hospitality, is one of the ways God has given to serve others. God grants gifts according to “his sovereign will and pleasure, liberally, abundantly, without the deserts of men, or conditions to be performed by them” [J. Gill]. “A spiritual gift is a graciously given supernaturally designed ability granted to every believer by which the Holy Spirit ministers to the body of Christ” [PA.Org].

· even so minister the same one to another—Spiritual gifts were used, not for the exaltation of the one with the gift, but in loving concern for the benefit of others in the church.

· as good stewards of the manifold grace of God—This speaks of the responsibility of the proper use and disposition of the gifts entrusted to our care. Being a good steward entails the proper appropriation of the gracious gift God has bestowed on us. Such is the manifold grace of God; He bestows gifts on some for the benefit of others. Yet, because these gifts being given to men, they “are accountable for them, and the use of them, to their great Lord and master” [J. Gill].

Synthesis: Every man has received a gift, a spiritual endowment. Showing hospitality may be construed as the gift of doing deeds of mercy and kindness. Whatever the gift given, it is to used as a ministry to fellow believers and we are not to neglect it through carelessness or selfishness, but share it for the benefit of others.

1 Peter 4:11—“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

· If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God—Peter her implies that there are gifts of service and gifts of speaking the divine truths of God. To “speak the oracles of God” is to speak those words “breathed and spoken by him, and contain his mind and will, and are authoritative and infallible; and according to these he is to speak who speaks in public on divine subjects, both as to the matter and manner of his speech” [J. Gill]. Even if a man is given the gift of preaching and teaching, he must be sure that the words he speaks are, as it were, the very words God would have him say. He is to preach and teach the very truths of the Gospel. To do less would be paramount of preaching another gospel.

· if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth—Ministers are to preach relying on the strength of God. Such a reliance on God brings praise through Christ. Whatever our gift, the strength of performance lies solely in relying on God to perform His will for our lives.

· that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ—All things that we do in the exercise of our gifts should bring glory to God and should be the principal view in every action of life. If we exercise a God given gift in such a way that does not bring glory to Christ, the question is, who does our preaching and serving draw attention to? If it is self-motivated, will it give people around us a proper opinion of God?

· to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen—All praise and glory belong to God because He is the Giver of all physical and spiritual gifts. And, as the Giver, He expects praise; such praise emanates from the proper use of gifts, and in fact, is recognition on our part.

Synthesis: The two kinds of gifts mentioned by Peter correspond to the twofold division of Acts 6:2-4. One is preaching and teaching the Word of God, the other a less public kind of service. If a saint’s gift is to “speak”, he should speak the divine revelation of God. He should speak in harmony with the truths and doctrines of holy writ. The purpose in all things is that God be glorified due to His dominion, power and strength.

1 Peter 4:12—“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”

· Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial—“Beloved” or beloved ones speaks of God’s divine and infinite love; a love that seeks the ultimate spiritual welfare of the one loved. This may better be understood to say, “divinely loved ones.” Peter offers this word (beloved) as a word of encouragement to those that were under persecution; they were love with all the love in the heart of God.

“think it not strange” means that the trials they were undergoing were not foreign to them alone. In other words, we are not to think as suffering as a strange or abnormal thing (we should not feel that nobody else is subjected to like trials). We are to be prepared for the onslaught of fiery trials. “These Christians were thinking that the suffering which they were enduring was a thing foreign or alien to their Christian lives, as if Christianity provided an immunity from suffering. They are exhorted by Peter to think it a natural and expected thing that such suffering for righteousness’ (Christ's) sake would come in view of the world’s hatred (enmity) of Christ” [PA.Org].

“Fiery trial” is “the fury of men, and the violence and fierceness of their rage,” [J. Gill] directed at them because of their faithfulness to God and for standing up for what they knew was right. It was due to them living a righteous life and attempting to live quiet peaceful lives as servants to both God and man. It was due to them putting off the old man and conforming to the image that lived with them.

· which is to try you—Those things that come upon the righteous are God sent as proofs of righteousness or an inducement to choose good or evil. If we resist trials in God’s power, it is a test that proves our faithfulness. If we do not resist, it becomes a solicitation to sin. Trials test and mature the faith. When trials come upon a mere professor of the faith, he becomes offended and denies the faith and returns to his hog wallow of comfort.

· as though some strange thing happened unto you—“A Christian must not think that his persecution is something that happened accidentally. God allowed it and designed it for the believer’s testing, purging, and cleansing” [PA.Org]. Nothing happens by accident in the life of a Christian; everything is planned for righteousness’ sake. It is not something new, but planned for the benefit of the individual, body, and kingdom of Christ.

Synthesis: “Attacks come not to garbage dumps but jewelry stores. People do not attack what is valueless. The more you radiate the value of Christ, the more you threaten those addicted to fleshly values. The more you shed the light of the value of Christ the more you expose artificial values. The more you project the source of goodness, the more you challenge those in hiding in wickedness. The more Christ lives through you, the more you enrage the unbeliever whose life is maneuvered by Satan” [PA.Org]. Therefore, believers need not be surprised or think it strange when they undergo fiery trials.

1 Peter 4:13—“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

· But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings—The Christian that is persecuted because of his faith is a partner in the same kind of suffering that Christ endured—suffering for what is right. Such suffering includes rejection and reproach. All of the suffering of the saint are accounted by Christ as His own.

· that, when his glory shall be revealed—The Son of God’s glory will be manifested at the time of His second coming; made known and confessed by every man.

· ye may be glad also with exceeding joy—The Christian may keep on rejoicing now in times of tribulation based on his rejoicing at Christ’s second coming. Now there is suffering, then there will be glory. Paul says in Romans 8:17 “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.” If we become bitter because of what this life deals us, we are not prepared to rejoice at our Lord’s return.

Synthesis: Instead of thinking it a thing alien to them, believers should expect persecution and should even rejoice and be glad. Insofar as the persecution is for the Gospel’s sake and the building up of the individual, we can find joy because we are partners in the sufferings for Christ. No matter how great the suffering, we can look forward to the Day of the Lord when Christ will be revealed in His glory. Therefore, living with eternity in mind, helps in time of persecution.

1 Peter 4:14—“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

· If ye be reproached for the name of Christ—We are assailed because we claim a personal life changing relationship with Christ. Likewise, for bearing the name of Christ, by being called Christian, we should fully expect to be assaulted and although the world may speak against His name, we are to continue to maintain our allegiance and by doing so we honor his name of which God is well pleased.

· happy are ye—We are happy or blessed regardless of our circumstances. In the hour of greatest trial there is great consolation. We are happy because of who we are in Christ regardless of what this world may throw at us.

· for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you—“The Spirit of the Glory, even the Spirit of God, is resting with refreshing power upon the child of God, causing him to live a life which pleases God and toward which the world hurls its venom and hate. The Holy Spirit rests upon the reviled Christian much as the Shechinah rested upon the tabernacle” [PA.Org]. Isaiah 11:2 says, “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;”

· on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified—Those that are not of Christ blaspheme the Holy Spirit by word and actions. They have denied that Christ is the Lord. However on the part of those that are glorified, those that know Christ as their Lord and Savior, they have accepted the call of the Spirit. Also, those that attack saints are attacking the Spirit; the reproaches against Christians fall, as it were, on the Spirit of Gods as well. “We know that the Spirit indwells every true child of God, but He rests in a special way upon those who are completely committed to the cause of Christ. They know the presence and power of the Spirit of God as others do not” [W. MacDonald].

Synthesis: “If” does not indicate a hypothetical case. The believers were indeed being reproached for the name of Christ; therefore Peter said they were “happy” for the Spirit of God rested upon them who were bearing reproach or suffering for Christ. Because of those that are evil, the Spirit is evil spoken of, but on the part of the Christians he is glorified. There will always be foes of the Christian faith, but we have a special opportunity. Jesus died for our salvation, now we can live in such a way as to bring glory to Him.

1 Peter 4:15—“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.”

· But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer —Christians are to be careful that our sufferings are brought upon us only in consequence of our beliefs, and not because of any crime laid to our charge. If even such charges were brought against them, there would be no excuse furnished for them by their lives. These type of people are breakers of the laws of God or men, which are of a moral nature, and for the good of civil society.

· or as a busybody in other men's matters—This is a person that busies himself with matters that do not concern him and attempts to control and direct them as though they were his own.

Synthesis: Whatever the reproach a believer may suffer, it should result from serving Christ and not from doing wrong. There is nothing in our lives that justifies such wrong doing on the part of a Christian and in fact, such action would leave doubt as to the persons true position within the kingdom of God.

1 Peter 4:16—“Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

· Yet if any man suffer as a Christian—This means that if any man suffers because he is a Christian or on account of his beliefs. This is often done, and Peter had reason to expect that it might occur here. The name “Christian” was originally given by the enemies of the church as a term of reproach and derision; but in time, it became an honored name among them.

Acts 11:26—“And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”

· let him not be ashamed—Mark 8:38 says, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” We cannot be “ashamed” to suffer as Christians for the mark of the Christian is that he experiences greater joy in being persecuted, and suffering with Christ than he does in being honored by men.

Acts 5:41—“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.”
Hebrews 12:2—“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

· but let him glorify God on this behalf—“The one all-consuming desire of true Christians is that Christ be glorified in their bodies whether by life or death. To glorify God means to give a proper opinion of Him to whoever is watching you, knowing that you have claimed to be a "Christian". If a man is known as a Christian and does not live as one, he dishonors God. To bear the name is to take a responsibility, a great and glorious one, but none the less a very solemn one” [PA.Org].

Synthesis: The term “Christian” is used in only two other New Testament verses (Acts 11:26; 26:28). By the time this epistle was written, the name Christian had become one of reproach and generally used to describe the followers of Jesus. The name exposed believers to shame, and suffering. However, if a man suffers reproach as a Christian, he should not be ashamed but should thank God for the privilege.

1 Peter 4:17—“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”

· For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God—As God will judge all mankind, the church will not escape. When the fire of judgment burns in the church, it is a testing, proving, purifying fire. This is not a punishment for sin, but rather afflictions and persecutions, and which are Fatherly chastisements used as an instrument to “purge them, and make them partakers of his holiness” [J. Gill].

· and if it first begin at us—Judgment will first begin with “Christians, who believe in Christ, have embraced his Gospel, and profess his name:” [J. Gill]. God demands that the church first be purified in the order of judging all of mankind.

· what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God—What then shall be the end of those that reject the truths, doctrines, ordinances, and the Savior of the Gospel? The answer is, they will come to “everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and eternal vengeance in flames of fire” [J. Gill]. All are without excuse as Hebrews 2:2, 4 says, “For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

Synthesis: Peter that the time had come where the house of God need to be cleansed. It should be expected that the church is required to keep its own house clean if it is to be a witness for God.

1 Peter 4:18—“And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

· And if the righteous scarcely be saved—Believers pass through the testing fire of God’s judgment, not because God hates us, but because He loves us and demands purity. It is not that Christ’s atoning sacrifice is not sufficient for the compete salvation for all to which it was offered, but the difficulty for the righteous lies in the enjoyment of so great a salvation. Our salvation is accompanied with afflictions, trials of purification, testing, persecution, and the constant war against our corrupt members. John Gill adds that Christians are confronted with, “the frequent temptations of Satan, who seeks to devour them, and their wrestlings with principalities and powers, which are above their match; and also by reason of various afflictions and persecutions, and many tribulations, which make their way to eternal life a strait way, and through which they must enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

· where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear—Where shall the “the profane sinner, the Christless, impenitent, unbelieving, and unregenerate man” [J. Gill], appear? This question, for the informed Christian, is rhetorical . If the saint, by virtue of the blood of Christ, shall appear in heaven, the impenitent, unbelieving, and unregenerate man shall appear before the Great White Throne judgment to be forever consigned to hell. No profane sinner will be able to hide their face from the Judge, and His wrath, when He shall come again brandishing His two-edge sword of judgment.

Synthesis: Proverbs 11:31 says, “Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.” Peter here indicates that there is great difficulty for the Christian in this life and it is scarcely that the righteous are saved. Yet, in the future life the ungodly have not the standing that Christians have. They are without the covering of Christ and will therefore not be saved from their eventual destruction. Peter says, if the saved need correction in this life, how much more will the unsaved merit the wrath of God, whom they have rejected.

1 Peter 4:19—“Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”

· Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God—“Wherefore” or “therefore” sums up the thought of the entire paragraph. Peter concludes and says, “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 disobedient persons, ungodly men, and sinners, and which will endure to all eternity” [J. Gill].

· commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator—“Commit the keeping” is a banking term and means that the Christian is to deposit his trust or protection to his faithful Creator. Why? Because “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).

Synthesis: Those who are experiencing the “fiery trial” are urged to commit (consign) the keeping of their souls to God. The verb form denotes a continuous committing. Our suffering “is according to the will of God” who uses it as an instrument of purification. Therefore we can commit ourselves to Him with confidence, knowing He who created us will be faithful to fulfill His plan for our lives through all our ordeals.

Instructor Notes 1 2 3 4 5

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