THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF
PETER

a Gen. 3:16; 1 Cor. 14:34; Eph. 5:22; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5.

1 Namely, of the Gospel.

2 That is, be converted unto Christ, as this word to win is used, Mat. 18:15; 1 Cor. 9:19, and elsewhere. Not that a good life without the word is enough to convert a man or bring him to the faith, for, the Holy Spirit does this by the Word of God only, Psalm 19:7; Rom. 1:16; 10:17, but because such husbands, seeing the good conduct of their believing wives, get a good opinion of that Word, and of the religion which they profess, and a desire to hear the same also, and by the grace of God to order themselves according to it.

3 That is, reverence and carefulness, namely, in the service of God and of their husbands.

b 1 Tim. 2:9; Titus 2:3.

4 That is, their most important adornment, for, Paul in 1 Tim. 2:9 permits women also a decent or comely dress, but Peter here reproves all immoderate and too curious adorning, to which the females are oftentimes inclined, and all pride and vanity in the ordinary and otherwise allowed adorning.

5 That is, the inward man, which is daily renewed according to the image of God, 2 Cor. 4:16.

6 That is, beloved and pleasant.

7 Namely, who are praised in the Old Testament for their godliness, prudence and humility, as Rebekah, Hannah, the mother of Samuel, Abigail, Esther, and the like.

c Gen. 18:12.

8 Gr. children. Namely, after the spirit, as Abraham is the father of all believers, Rom. 4:16.

9 That is, you are really shown to be, as John 15:8.

10 Or, for. The Greek word signifies a speedy or sudden amazement, as a bird or any other animal is amazed when it sees or hears anything that is terrible to it. The amazement, which easily befalls the female sex by reason of the weakness of their nature, declares the apostle that they may easily avoid in the service of their husband, if they do but do well, and keep a good conscience before God.

d terror

e Eph. 5:25, etc.; Col. 3:19.

11 Gr. according to understanding; that is, using your dominion with prudence and moderation.

12 Namely, not above the husband but with the husband, or next to the husband above all the rest of the family, joined with a singular care and compassion, as the word honour also implies, Mat. 15:4; 1 Tim. 5:17, which also requires the love of the husband, and her care of the house. See Psalm 45:9, etc.; Prov. 31:27, 28; Eph. 5:25, etc.

13 An Hebrew phrase, whereby is signified any instrument, whether it be a person, or being any other thing. The woman is so called here, because she was created for an help of the man, Gen. 2:18.

14 Namely, of eternal life. Some copies have, as being joint-heirs with you, which agrees well with the sense.

15 Namely, by strife or dissension. Under prayers here are also understood, all manners of exercises of religion.

16 The apostle now returns to exhortations which concern everyone.

f Rom. 12:16; 15:5; 1 Cor. 1:10; Philip. 2:2; 3:16.

17 Namely, towards one another. The Greek word properly signifies to have a sympathetic feeling for the suffering of another.

18 The Greek word signifies a virtue, whereby the bowels or the heart are easily moved at the distress of another.

19 This word signifies properly: one who considers, or devises that which is acceptable to another.

g Lev. 19:18; Prov. 20:22; 24:29; Mat. 5:39; Rom. 12:17; 1 Cor. 6:7; 1 Thes. 5:15.

h abusive, reviling*

20 That is, pray for them, and do well to them, who revile or do evil to you, even as Christ commands, Mat. 5:44, but here it is to be observed that Peter, as also Christ, do not speak of the office of a magistrate towards public evil doers, but of the office of an ordinary Christian towards everyone in particular.

21 Namely, by God, Whom you also daily provoke by your sins, and of Whose blessing therefore you were also unworthy. It may also be joined with the preceding, namely, that you are thereunto called, not to render evil for evil.

i Mat. 25:34; 1 Tim. 4:8.

22 Namely, temporal and eternal, as the place implies here produced for proof.

23 This place is taken out of Psalm 34:12, etc. The apostle therein mostly follows the Greek translation, which expresses well the sense of the Hebrew Text. But that which the prophet propounds by way of question, the apostle sets it down by way of narration.

j Psalm 34:12, etc.; James 1:26.

24 Hebr. who is the man that willeth life, and loveth or desireth to see good?

25 That is, lead a happy or blessed life. For, although the godly are many times afflicted, yet nevertheless they always keep a good conscience, and may expect a blessed deliverance. Wherefore they also rejoice in tribulations, Rom. 5:3; James 1:2, etc.

k Psalm 37:27; Isa. 1:16; 3 John verse 11.

l avoid, shun

m follow after

26 That is, the favorable and careful eyes of the Lord.

27 That is, the wrathful or abhorring face of the Lord.

28 That is, either no man will do you hurt, if you are followers of that which is good; or, if nevertheless anyone does so, he cannot hurt you in your happiness, seeing you suffer for righteousness.

n Mat. 5:10; 1 Peter 2:20; 4:14.

o Isa. 8:12; Jer. 1:8.

29 Gr. fear not their fear, that is, as they fear and are disturbed, because they have an evil conscience, as Isa. 8:12, from which Peter applies these words to his purpose.

p Job 1:21.

30 That is, ascribe all praise and glory to Him, depend on Him alone, and trust in Him, as Job 33:4; Rom. 4:20; for, then we give God His highest honor, when we ascribe all to His grace, faithfulness, wisdom and power.

q Psalm 119:46; Acts 4:8.

31 That is, a public confession and defense of your hope out of God’s Word, according to the measure of the gifts which you have received.

32 Namely, by virtue of one’s office, or to be instructed, or when the defense of the truth requires this; for Christ says also this: that we shall not cast that which is holy unto dogs, nor pearls before swine, lest they turn about and tear us, Mat. 7:6.

33 That is, of the ground of your faith, and consequently also of your hope upon which you rely.

34 That is, with careful prudence, that nothing escapes from you who might be prejudicial to the congregation of God, or to the Gospel. See an example in Christ, John 18:19, 20, when He stood before the judges.

35 Or, keep, namely, in all your actions, and in all this fear or prudence, in order that under this pretense you do not neglect publicly to confess that which God commands you in His Word, or what serves unto His glory.

r Titus 2:8; 1 Peter 2:12, 15.

36 That is, according to Christ’s doctrine and command.

37 Namely, for trial of your faith, James 1:2, 3, 4.

s Rom. 5:6; Heb. 9:15, 28.

38 Or, according to the flesh, that is, according to His human nature, as this word flesh is generally understood of Christ. See John 1:14; Rom. 1:3; 1 Tim. 3:16; for, although they, who kill the body, cannot kill the soul, Mat. 10:28, notwithstanding the whole man is said to be killed, when soul and body are separated one from another by a violent death; though no violence could separate the soul or the body of Christ from His Godhead.

39 That is, by His Divine nature, by Which He raised His manhood from the dead, as this word Spirit is also elsewhere taken for the Divine nature of Christ. See Rom. 1:4; Heb. 9:14, etc. Others translate it according to the spirit, and understand it of Christ’s soul which remained alive, although His body was put to death. As such Peter would here say nothing else of Christ than what belongs to all believers, Mat. 10:28; and this is also contrary to the propriety of the Greek word zoopoietheis, which does not signify one who remains alive, but is made alive; which making alive is the proper work of God. See John 5:21; Rom. 4:17; 1 Tim. 6:13. Of which is also afterwards spoken of this Spirit of Christ, that He has preached by the Same unto the spirits in prison in the time of Noah; this cannot also be spoken of the soul of Christ, which before His conception of the Virgin Mary was not yet in being.

40 Or, In which, namely, Spirit or His Godhead.

41 Namely, Christ, of Whom Peter speaks here.

42 Or, being come, that is, being come down from heaven, namely, by His revelations and operations, as He Himself spoke unto Abraham, when He came down to deliver Lot, and to punish Sodom and Gomorrah by fire, Gen. 18:21, and to deliver His people Israel out of Egypt, and to punish the Egyptians, Exod. 3:8.

43 Namely, by Noah, the preacher of righteousness, 2 Peter 2:5.

44 This place is difficult, and is therefore diversely interpreted. Some understand by these spirits the Gentiles, who sat in the shadow of death and, as it were, in hell, to whom Christ by His apostles has preached the Gospel. But the Gentiles are nowhere called spirits, and the circumstance of time, when this preaching has happened to them, agrees not to this interpretation, seeing the apostles have preached the Gospel, not in the times of Noah, but after Christ’s resurrection. Others understand by these spirits the damned souls in hell, to whom Christ would have revealed Himself after His death in an extraordinary manner, to declare to them His victory unto terror, and to convince them of their unthankfulness and righteous punishment. But of such an extraordinary appearing of Christ in hell, no mention is made anywhere in Scripture; it was also not necessary; and the word preach, which is used here, is nowhere taken in such sense. Others thereby understand the souls of the believers of the Old Testament, who would have been kept somewhere under the earth in the limbo of hell, as in a prison, until Christ had died, and appeared unto them with His soul to declare unto them their deliverance out of this prison, and afterward to carry them up into heaven with Him. This interpretation, besides that it is in conflict to that which Christ said to the penitent thief on the cross: To day shalt thou be with me in paradise, Luke 23:43, it is also in conflict to the salvation of the souls of the ancient fathers, who, before Christ’s death and resurrection, were in heaven, as is noted on Heb. 11:5, 16, 40; 12:33, and different other places. Nowhere (in Scripture) is a place called a prison wherein anyone is kept to make him more blessed, but it is a place wherein anyone is kept unto his judgment or punishment. The word preach has always in God’s Word respect to the invitation to faith and repentance, which was no more needful for the souls of the deceased believers of the Old Testament, and similarly cannot be applied to those souls, when it is said that Christ, by His Spirit, has preached to the souls which were disobedient in the time of Noah. Therefore this interpretation is the most suitable and the most certain, that by spirits here are understood the souls of those persons, to whom the Spirit or Godhead of Christ in former times caused repentance to be preached by Noah, namely, while they were yet alive, which Noah therefore is also called a preacher of righteousness, 2 Peter 2:5, which persons, notwithstanding this preaching of Noah and God’s long-suffering towards them, remained alike disobedient and ungodly, as is also testified in 2 Peter 2:5, who also for their disobedience and ungodliness were in prison or hell when Peter wrote this epistle, even as hell is also called a prison, Rev. 20:7, and the cursed spirits, which are therein, are said to be kept therein unto the day of judgment, 2 Peter 2:4; Jude verse 6.

t 1 Peter 4:6.

u Gen. 6:5.

v formerly, at one time, once*

w Gen. 6:3, 14; Mat. 24:37; Luke 17:26; Rom. 2:4.

45 Namely, an hundred and twenty years long, if men would repent before He executed the threatened judgment, Gen. 6:3. See also of this long-suffering of God towards the disobedient in Rom. 2:4; 9:22.

x Gen. 8:18; 2 Peter 2:5.

46 That is, persons, as Acts 2:41.

47 Or, in the water, that is, in the midst of, and through the water, as the Greek word dia is also taken, Rom. 4:11; 1 Tim. 2:15.

48 Baptism is so called, because it is a sacrament of our preservation from the common destruction of worldly men, as the ark was a means of the physical preservation of Noah and his own from the destruction of the first world.

49 This has respect to the ark and the entrance of Noah into the ark, by which Noah remained safe in the water of the flood, in which the rest perished.

y Eph. 5:26.

50 That is, this baptism does not properly save our souls, which is outward, and whereby the filthiness of the flesh is washed away, of which many hypocrites and nominal Christians are also partakers, but he wants to say, that which is inward, and is performed on our souls by the blood and Spirit of Christ.

51 Or, of the body.

52 Or, questioning. The Greek word here signifies such an examination as is joined with an earnest desire of that after which one inquires, the same as one asks or requests for counsel or help.

53 That is, which is purified by the blood and the Spirit of Jesus Christ, Heb. 9:14. Hereby is understood the bold access and address of the believers in their confidence and in their prayers unto God, as unto their Father. See Rom. 8:15 and Gal. 4:6, which is an inseparable fruit of the forgiveness of our sins, and of our renewing or regeneration. Others think that here respect is had to the custom of the baptism of adults in the first church, who were asked whether they would from henceforth renounce the devil and the world, and walk in a newness of life with a good conscience, whereunto they answered: yea; which question and answer are to be understood by this Greek word eperotema. This answer therefore, springing from a good or purified conscience before God, testifies also the inward baptism of the heart.

54 Namely, which is a perfect argument of Christ’s satisfaction for our sins, and a pledge of the raising up of the new man, and of our blessed resurrection hereafter. See Rom. 6:3, etc.

z Eph. 1:20.

55 See hereof, and of that which follows, Eph. 1:20, etc.; Col. 3:1.