(13-4: 6) EXHORTATION TO KEEP A PURE CONSCIENCE.—It is the only charm against persecution. It is like Christ to suffer with a good conscience; and He had His reward for it, in bringing us, and even the spirits of men who had died impenitent, to God thereby. It is the very meaning of the baptism by which He saves us. To feel its beauty and safety, we have but to consider the ugliness and danger of our former life. read more
(15) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.—The tense of this and the two preceding imperatives shows that St. Peter meant this for advice to be acted upon at the moment of being called on to suffer. The passage, as it stands in Isaiah, runs literally, “Jehovah Sabaoth, Him shall ye sanctify, and He (shall be) your fear, and He your dread.” It becomes, therefore, very striking when we find that, without a shadow of doubt, the right reading here is, But sanctify the Lord the Christ in your... read more
(16) Having a good conscience.—This strikes the key-note of the paragraph. How vigorously St. Peter repeats it! “Zealous for that which is good,” “for righteousness’ sake,” “sanctify the Lord,” “with meekness and fear,” “a good conscience,” “your good conversation.”Whereas.—The word means precisely the same as in 1 Peter 2:12, where see Note.They speak evil of you, as of evil doers.—Tischendorf follows one of the best manuscripts and the Pesehito-Syriac version in reading whereas ye are evil... read more
In the Sight of God 1 Peter 3:4 God sees; the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself mighty on behalf of them that trust in Him. His eyes are weapons, His eyes are lightnings, His smile makes the morning, His frown makes the night; He is a great God above all gods; He stands where other gods cannot climb. Peter says in this text, Let it be in the hidden man of the heart; let it be in the meek and quiet spirit; let it be in one sense invisible that it may in... read more
Chapter 10 THEY WHO BLESS ARE BLESSED1 Peter 3:8-16THE Apostle now ceases from his special admonitions, and enforces generally such qualities and conduct as must mark all who fear the Lord. "Finally," he says-and the word may indicate the close of his counsels; but the virtues which he inculcates are of so important a character that he may very well intend them as the apex and crown of all his previous advice - "be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted,... read more
IV. THE COMFORT IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS AND SUFFERING CHAPTER 3:10-4:19 1. The comfort in suffering (1 Peter 3:10-17 ) 2. Few saved as illustrated by Noah’s preaching (1 Peter 3:18-22 ) 3. The new life in its transforming power (1 Peter 4:1-11 ) 4. Suffering and glory (1 Peter 4:12-19 ) 1 Peter 3:10-17 The words which stand in the beginning of this section are quoted from Psalms 34:12-16 . It is interesting to note that the Spirit of God quotes from the three main divisions of the Hebrew... read more
3:15 But {l} sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: {16} and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:(l) Give him all prayers and glory, and hang only on him.(16) He will have us, when we are afflicted for righteousness sake, to be careful not for redeeming of our life, either with denying or renouncing the truth, or with like violence, or any such means: but rather to give an account of our faith boldly, and... read more
There is similar instruction for wives, for theirs is the subject place, certainly not as slaves to a master, but as joined to their "own husbands," a most-intimate and precious relationship. Because he is her "own," this is an incentive for her genuine, heartfelt subjection. Of course, if he demands that she do wrong, she must not submit to this; but otherwise a spirit of cheerful subjection is that which honors her Lord. Her husband may be an unbeliever, not obeying the Word of God. But she... read more
OBLIGATIONS OF HOPE OUTWARD The writer had dropped his pen, but takes it up again at 1 Peter 2:11 . To “abstain from fleshy lusts that war against the soul,” is limited and defined in the next verse. The pagans round about were speaking against the Christians as evildoers. Their increasing numbers were emptying the Pagan temples, and threatening in so doing, not only the Pagan religion but the state itself, for the Romans worshipped the state in the person of the emperor, and at this time... read more
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John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 3:1-22
The Blessedness of Christ’s People, Though They Should Suffer Like ChristB (iii). 1 Peter 3:1-6. Another divinely created ordinance of man is marriage. One of the purposes of Christianity was to teach chivalry towards women: this is part of the ’grace’ which men can exercise. But to this must correspond the modesty and graciousness of women. The Israelites had already been taught that; and women, when they enter the Christian society, become daughters of Abraham, heirs both of the honour and of... read more