1 Peter 3

1 Peter 3:2

2. — coupled with fear.] Joined with a reverent awe and due respect to themselves as your head. Bp. Hall. This is similar to St. Paul’s precept, Eph. v. 33, “And the wife see that she reverence her husband.” The original expressions correspond with each other. Dr. Macknight.

1 Peter 3:3

3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning &c.] The negation here is not absolute but comparative. The Apostle does not absolutely forbid the wearing of ornaments or costly apparel by persons, to whose state in life they are suitable; but he forbids pride and vanity, affection and ostentation, in wearing them. As if he had said, God will have the hidden man of your heart adorned with grace, and delights more to see that, than your bodies adorned with precious jewels and costly apparel. Burkitt.

‘Let not their adorning be what is outward only.’ The apostle teacheth the duty of wives and husbands to each other; Amo DOMINI about 66. hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

1 Peter 3:4

4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart.] But let their chief ornaments be in the inward disposition of a holy and good heart; in those Christian virtues and graces, which are not subject to corruption. Bp. Hall.

1 Peter 3:6

6.—calling him lord.] Calling him by a title of honour, not of equality. Dr. Hammond. In token of subjection to him, as her husband. Dr. Whitby.

—and are not afraid with any amazement.] That is, are not moved by your fears to deny the truth, as she was, for “she was afraid,” Gen. xviii. 15. Dr. Whitby. Whose daughters ye are, if ye follow her example in well doing, boldly and constantly; and not in those weak fears, to which she yielded, and was drawn into inconvenience and dissimulation thereby. Bp. Hall. Or, the 5th and 6th verses may be thus paraphrased: In this you will truly imitate those famous women, that were wives of the patriarchs, and mothers of your nation: you will approve your-

having compassion one of another, || love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

1 Peter 3:7

7.—according to knowledge.] That is, as becomes wise and understanding men, who are well acquainted with their duty, and as the rule of Christianity directs. Burkitt.

—giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel.] Giving unto them all tender and due respects, as those towards whom, by reason of the weakness of their sex, all gentle and favourable usage is required of you. Bp. Hall.

—and as being heirs together of the grace of life; &c.] Looking upon a Christian wife in the notion of an heiress of the same heavenly happiness with himself, and endeavouring to render an unbelieving one so, by converting her to the faith by this virtuous and obliging carriage towards her: that so their religious devotions be not hindered by any differences in principles, or disagreement of tempers. Pyle.

1 Peter 3:9

9.—knowing that ye are thereunto called, &c.] Remembering and considering the example given you by Christ, and the obligation that lies on you as Christians, Matt. v. 44; that so by doing good and blessing others, you may receive a blessing from God in this and in another life. Dr. Hammond.

1 Peter 3:10

10. For he that will love life.] The Apostle here urges in favour of the virtues recommended by him, that by these the comforts of life will be secured, ver. 10, 11; the favour of God engaged, ver. 12; and the malice of men in agreat measure disarmed, ver. 13, &c.: arguments of great weight and importance. Dr. Doddridge. As if he had said, Besides, such meekness is the best expedient to secure your peace and quiet with men, as well as protection and favour with God. Dean Stanhope.

1 Peter 3:11

11. Let him eschew evil, &c.] Abstaining from all sin, abounding in works of mercy, seeking and pursuing all peaceableness with all men. Dr. Hammond.

12. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? As if he had said, So long as

Amo DOMINI about 66. Or. looking at the brethren. exhorting all men to unity and love, and to suffer persecution. Anno DOMINI about 60. b Ibid. 8. 12. 13. reserence.

1 Peter 3:14

14. — be not afraid of their terror.] Whatsoever dangers you are threatened with by the power of your persecutors, be not afraid or disturbed with it. Dr. Hammond. The phrase is an Hebraism, meaning, Be not affected with the fear which they endeavour to raise

in you by their threateningness. Isaiah gave this exhortation to the Israelites, when threatened with an invasion

by the Assyrians, Isaiah viii. 19. Dr. Macknight.

1 Peter 3:15

15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:] But give ye unto God in your hearts that honour which is

due unto Him, in trusting to His promises, and steadfastly relying upon His providence. Bp. Hall.

That which Christians, when persecuted and injured,

have to do, is not to let any of those despondencies overwhelm their spirits, which their oppressors are labouring

to drive them to; and which they, who have none but human helps to depend upon, find it impossible to bear up against. They must “sanctify the Lord God in their

hearts:” that is, testify their belief of His glorious attributes to all the world. And this is done, when they

depend upon His power to extricate them out of difficulties otherwise invincible; and so flee to, and rest

upon, Him as a sure sanctuary: when they refer to His wisdom and justice the season and the methods of executing vengeance upon those wicked men, who smite down His people and trouble His faithful ones: when, newwithstanding any delays in the accomplishment, they buoy up their sinking spirits with the certainty of his promises; and lastly, be the event of things at present what it will, when they steadfastly adhere to their duty, at the expense of all that the world counts dear, and will not be prevailed upon for any terms to incur His displeasure. Men of this disposition do Him true honour: and, as they may reasonably hope that “His eyes will be” always “over them, and His ears open unto their prayers,” Ps. xxxiv. 15, so are they in the true frame of mind for offering up to Him their prayers; especially the prayer of our Church, in her Collect for the fifth Sunday after Trinity, that “the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by His governance, that His church may joyfully serve Him in all godly quietness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Dean Stanhope. — be ready always &c.] The proper meaning of

the Apostle’s direction, and its connexion with the preceding advice, may be thus stated: give ye unto God in

your hearts that honour which is due unto Him, in trusting to His promises, and reposing upon His prothat falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

1 Peter 3:17

17. — if the will of God be so.] The Apostle adds this to shew, that the wicked can do no evil to believers, but by the permission of God. Dr. Macknight.

1 Peter 3:18

18. For Christ also hath once suffered for our sins, &c.] In the sufferings of Christ we have a clear proof, that sufferings are no evidence of the wickedness of the sufferer, nor of the badness of the cause for which he suffers. Moreover in the resurrection of Christ we have a convincing proof, that the sufferings of good men are not inconsistent with the perfections of God: for He will reward them with a blessed resurrection from the dead, accomplished after the example of Christ’s resurrection.

Wherefore the power of God, visible in Christ’s resurrection, affords to all who lose their lives for the Gospel

a sure ground of consolation and hope that God will raise them up at the last day. Dr. Macknight. — the just for the unjust.] It is the design of this and similar texts of Scripture, which declare the perfect innocence of Christ, to inform us how acceptable to God His sacrifice was. Dean Stanhope. — that he might bring us to God.] That when we were aliens and enemies to God, He might reconcile us to Him, and give us authority to approach Him. Dr. Hammond. — being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:] Being put to death in His human body, in regard of the separation of His soul therefrom for a time; but being quickened and raised up to an immortal life, by the power of His Divine Spirit or Divinity. Bp. Hall. That Spirit, by which Christ was quickened, is that by which He was raised from the dead, that is, the power of His Divinity: as St. Paul expresseth it, “Though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God,” 2 Cor. xiii. 4. Bp. Pearson. 19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; &c.] By the power of which Divine Spirit of His, long before His manifestation in the flesh, He came to the old world; and by the mouth of Noah, that

“preacher of righteousness,” spake to them whose spirits are now fast prisoned in hell; which were in their

lifetime wicked and disobedient to His holy counsels;

when the patient longsuffering of God gave a large respite to them for their repentance and conversion, even

Anno DOMINI about 68. Of Christian baptism. By the example of Christ, Anno DOMINI abunt 60.

1 Peter 3:20

20. — were saved by water.] By means of the water bearing up the ark, and so preserving them from the common deluge. Dr. Wells. Or, ‘were delivered in the midst of, or through the water.’ Dr. Hammond.

21. — (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.) Not the mere outward act, unaccompanied by a suitable inward disposition. Abp. Secker. Answerable unto which preservation of the eight persons in Noah’s family by water, is the benefit which we receive by baptism; which doth also now save us, by and in applying unto us the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ; and becomes effectual unto us, not in respect of the outward element, which only washeth off the filth of the flesh, but in respect of the inward grace thereby represented and exhibited, whereby the conscience is both quieted and assured of pardon and favour, and is thereupon enabled to treat for and expect mercy from God and reconciliation with Him. Bp. Hall.

Although our blessed Saviour saith to Nicodemus, that “except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” yet He doth not say, that every one who is so born shall inherit eternal life. It is true, all that are baptized, or born of water and the Spirit, are thereby admitted into the church, or kingdom of God upon earth; but except they submit to the government, and obey the laws established in it, they forfeit all their right and title to the kingdom of heaven. They are brought into a state of salvation, but unless they continue in it, and live accord-

ingly, they cannot be saved. For, as St. Peter here observes, “Baptism doth now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Baptism puts us into the way to heaven; but unless we walk in that way, we can never come thither. When we were baptized, we were born of water and the Spirit, so as to have the seed of grace sown in our hearts, sufficient to enable us to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, to overcome temptations, to believe aright in God our Saviour, and to obey and serve Him faithfully all the days of our life. And we then promised to do so: for being asked, whether we would do so or not, we answered by ourselves or our sureties that we would. And if we afterwards live in good conscience towards God, answerably to the profession and promise that we then made to Him, we shall certainly be saved through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the intercession that He makes at the right hand of God for us. But if we neglect to perform what we then promised, and so do not answer the end of our baptism, by keeping our consciences void of offence towards God and men, we lose all the benefit of it, and shall as certainly perish, as if we had never been baptized. Bp. Beveridge.

1 Peter 3:22

22. Who is gone into heaven.] When the Apostle speaks of the resurrection and glory of Christ, he means, not only to represent Him as the object of our confidence, but to intimate, that if we imitate Him in His courageous fidelity, we may hope to partake with Him in His glory. Dr. Doddridge.

Chap. IV. St. Peter teaches in this chapter, that the sufferings of Jesus Christ obliged Christians to renounce the errors in which they lived before their conversion to the Christian religion, and particularly the impure and dissolute life of the Gentiles; and to live in sobriety and godliness, waiting for the coming of our Lord: that Christians ought above all things to love and assist one another, and to employ to the glory of God the different gifts which each had received from Him: that far from being surprised and discouraged at their sufferings for the Gospel, they should account them very honourable; and further, that if the faithful themselves are exposed to such sufferings, and God spares not His church in this world, those who persecuted the faithful and opposed the Gospel would not escape the righteous judgment of God. Ostervold.

Ver. 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh.] As “the Word was made flesh,” though the Word was never made, (as being in the beginning God,) but the flesh, that is, the humanity, was made, and the Word assuming it became flesh; so saith St. Peter, “Christ suffered for us in the flesh,” in that nature of man which He took upon Him: and so God the Son did suffer, not in that nature in which He was be-