1 Peter 4:7-8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Peter 4:7-11

We have here an awful position or doctrine, and an inference drawn from it. The position is that the end of all things is at hand. The miserable destruction of the Jewish church and nation foretold by our Saviour is now very near; consequently, the time of their persecution and your sufferings is but very short. Your own life and that of your enemies will soon come to their utmost period. Nay, the world itself will not continue very long. The conflagration will put an end to it; and all things... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Peter 4:7

4:7a The end of all things is near. Here is a note which is struck consistently all through the New Testament. It is the summons of Paul that it is time to wake out of sleep, for the night is far spent and the day is at hand ( Romans 13:12 ). "The Lord is at hand," he writes to the Philippians ( Philippians 4:5 ). "The coming of the Lord is at hand," writes James ( James 5:8 ). John says that the days in which his people are living are the last hour ( 1 John 2:18 ). "The time is... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Peter 4:7

4:7b-8 Be, therefore, steady and sober in mind so that you will really be able to pray as you ought. Above all cherish for each other a love that is constant and intense, because love hides a multitude of sins. When a man realizes the nearness of Jesus Christ, he is bound to commit himself to a certain kind of life. In view of that nearness Peter makes four demands. (i) He says that we must be steady in mind. We might render it: "Preserve your sanity." The verb Peter uses is sophronein (... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Peter 4:7

"Love," says Peter, "hides a multitude of sins." There are three things which this saying may mean; and it is not necessary that we should choose between them, for they are all there. (i) It may mean that our love can overlook many sins. "Love covers all offences," says the writer of the Proverbs ( Proverbs 10:12 ). If we love a person, it is easy to forgive. It is not that love is blind, but that it loves a person just as he is. Love makes patience easy. It is much easier to be patient... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Peter 4:7

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 then vanishes away. Or this may be said with regard to the Jews, the end of their church and civil state was near at hand, of their sacrifices, temple, city, and nation; or with respect to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Peter 4:8

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 brethren in Christ, and as belonging to him, as the children of God, as redeemed by Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit; and these not only such as are of the same nation, and belong to the same... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 4:7

But the end of all things is at hand - I think that here also St. Peter keeps the history of the deluge before his eyes, finding a parallel to the state of the Jews in his own time in that of the antediluvians in the days of Noah. In Genesis 6:13 , God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me. This was spoken at a time when God had decreed the destruction of the world by a flood. Peter says, The end of all things is at hand; and this he spoke when God had determined to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 4:8

Have fervent charity - Αγαπην εκτενη· Intense love; for love shall cover a multitude of sins. A loving disposition leads us to pass by the faults of others, to forgive offenses against ourselves, and to excuse and lessen, as far as is consistent with truth, the transgressions of men. It does not mean that our love to others will induce God to pardon our offenses. See the note on James 5:20 . read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 4:7

Verse 7 7But, or, moreover, the end of all things is at hand Though the faithful hear that their felicity is elsewhere than in the world, yet, as they think that they should live long, this false thought renders them careless, and even slothful, so that they direct not their thoughts to the kingdom of God. Hence the Apostle, that he might rouse them from the drowsiness of the flesh, reminds them that the end of all things was nigh; by which he intimates that we ought not to sit still in the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 4:8

Verse 8 8And above all things He commends charity or love as the first thing, for it is the bond of perfection. And he bids it to be fervent, or intense, or vehement, which is the same thing; for whosoever is immoderately fervent in self-love, loves others coldly. And he commends it on account of its fruit, because it buries innumerable sins, than which nothing is more desirable. But the sentence is taken from Solomon, whose words are found in Proverbs 10:12, “Hatred discovers reproaches, but... read more

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