1 Peter 3

1 Peter 3:2

When they observe your modesty and chastity, joined also with all due respect and reverence to your husbands, vv. 5, 6; or, beholding that modesty in you, which the fear of God, Christian religion, doth infuse into you.

1 Peter 3:3

And for your attire, that which is likely to become you best is not that external bravery of jewels and gay clothes;

1 Peter 3:4

But the inward, secret, invisible beauty of the heart, made up of incorruptible materials, meekness, &c., whereas all those external are fading and corruptible; or consisting in the truth and sincerity and constancy of the meek and quiet spirit; meek, in a lowly opinion of yourselves; and quiet, in a contented enjoying of what God sends, without disquieting or disturbing the peace of the family, (as in greater societies, emulation, ambition, covetousness, are the disturbing and shaking of whole kingdoms;) and this, as it is the greatest ornament in the eyes of men, so is it most highly valued and rewarded in the sight of God.

[a] hidden man of the heart] Κρυπτὸς καρδίας ἄνθρωπος, is a phrase made up of two Hebraisms: 1. τὸ κρυπτὸν καρδίας, the hidden, or secret, of the heart, is an Hebrew form of speech; as when, Ps. li. 8, the original hath בְּכָתֵב, in clauso, secretly thou hast made wisdom known to me, the Targum read בְּשֵׁמוֹר לְבָא, in the hidden of the heart, that is, in the heart which is hidden. Then for κρυπτὸς ἄνθρωπος, the hidden man, that is by the same analogy that παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος, the old man, and καινὸς ἄνθρωπος, the new man, and καινὴ κτίσις, the new creature, as they signify continuing in sin and renovation of life, and ὁ ἔσω ἄνθρωπος, the inner man, that is, the mind of man, opposite to the carnal or sensitive appetite; and so κρυπτὸς καρδίας ἄνθρωπος, the hidden man of the heart, shall be no more than its opposition to ὁ ἔξωθεν, the outward, &c. ver. 3, will enforce, viz. the inward invisible accomplishments or beauty of the heart, according to that of the poet,

Γυναικὶ κόσμος ὁ τρόπος, κ’ αὖ χρυσία, “behaviour, not golden ornaments, are the setting out of a woman.”

[b] not corruptible] Τὸ ἀφθαρτον, incorruptible, here may signify as

1 Peter 3:5

For after this manner of external simplicity of attire and inward meekness the saintly women of ancient times, that were taken notice of for their piety, did beautify and set out themselves, viz. living in obedience to their husbands.

1 Peter 3:6

Thus did Sarah live in obedience to her husband, calling him by a title of honour, not equality: to whom you shall be like, as children to a mother, if you discharge a good conscience in all the duties of life, and be not by any fear (to which your sex is subject) driven out of your duty.

1 Peter 3:7

Let the husbands in like manner live conjugally with their wives, and behave themselves toward them as Christianity requires of them, or as the mystical understanding of the story of their creation directs,

¹ gained, κερδηθησανται. ² which is in, or, with fear, τὴν ἐν φόβῳ. ³ gold chains,

χρυσίον. ⁴ in the sincerity of a meek. ⁵ of any terror, μηδεμίαν πτόησιν.

[c] according to knowledge] That κατὰ γνῶσιν, according to knowledge, doth here more probably denote that knowledge of duty by which a Christian’s life and actions must be directed, is the opinion of Hugo Grotius, who applies to this sense those other places, Rom. xv. 14, filled with all knowledge, able to instruct others; and 1 Cor. i. 5, enriched in all knowledge; and 2 Cor. vi. note [b], in purity and in knowledge. To this it may perhaps be fit to add, (what hath been noted, 1 Cor. i. note [c], and will again be enlarged on 2 Pet. i. [c], that the word γνῶσις, knowledge, hath a critical notion in these books for a special χάρισμα, or gift of the Spirit, 1 Cor. xii. 8, viz. that sort of Christian knowledge which consists in explaining of parables or mysterious expressions in scripture. And that may be thus applicable to this place: The duty of the husband toward the wife is best to be learned from the mystical explication of the words, and story of the creation of the man and woman, Gen. i. 27, God created them male and female, and blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And, ch. ii. 22, God took out one of Adam’s ribs, and made it a woman; And Adam said, This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh—Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. That by this rule of the creation the Christian doctrine of the duties of husbands and wives is regulated, appears Matt. xix. 4, where, to that question about divorces, Christ answers, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, &c. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. And so Mark x. 6. So 1 Cor. vi. 16, What? know you not (making this a special piece of knowledge) that he which is joined to an harlot is one body with the harlot? for they two, saith he, shall be one flesh. And

[d] honour] The word τιμὴ ordinarily signifies maintenance: so 1 Tim. v. 3, τὰς χῆρας τίμα, honour, that is, maintain, relieve, the widows;

d Tom. iv. p. 157. lib. 23.

[e] grace of life] The several notions of the word χάρις, grace, in the sacred dialect have been often taken notice of. See note [k] on Luke i, [f] on Acts ii, [d] on Heb. xiii, [e] on Acts xviii; all of them springing from that primary notion of it for charity and liberality. Thus is the word used, 1 Cor. xvi. 3, τὴν χάριν ὑμῶν, your charity or liberality to the poor Christians. So Ecclus. xvii. 22, ἡ χάρις, &c. the charity of a man, and ch. xx. 13, χάριτες μωρῶν, the charities of fools; for so it follows, ver. 14, the gift of a fool, &c.; and ch. xl. 17, it is rendered bountifulness. Thus in Aristotle χάρις is defined ὅταν τις ὑπουργῇ καὶ βοηθῇ τῷ δεομίνῳ, μὴ ἀντί τινος μηδ’ ἵνα τι αὐτῷ τῷ ὑπουργοῦντι, ἀλλὰ ἵνα τῷ ἐκείνῳ τι, Rhet. l. 2. c. 7, “When any man relieves him that wants, not that he himself may gain any thing by it, but only that the other may.” Where the anonymous Scholiast expounds it χάριν, ἤτοι δωρεάν, grace, that is, gift; and so Hesychius, χάρις, δωρεά. So in Callimachus, εἰς Δῆλον,

Σώζεο, μὴ σὺ γ’ ἐμείο πάθης κακὸν εἵνεκα, τῆσθε ‘Αντ’ ἐλεημοσύνης, χάριτος δέ σοι ἔσσετ’ ἀμοιβή.

“I wish you may suffer no ill for this mercy to me, but that you may be rewarded for your charity:” where χάρις is clearly interpreted by alms or mercy. So 2 Cor. viii. 1, and 4, it is clearly used for a gift or liberal beneficence to the poor. Thus in this epistle, ch. iv. 18, ποικίλη χάρις Θεοῦ, the manifold grace of God, is God’s liberality of divers kinds, particularly the wealth that he hath given to men, as to stewards, to distribute to them that stand in need of it; and at the beginning of the verse it is called χάρισμα, Ἔκαστος καθὼς ἔλαβε χάρισμα, Every man as he hath received wealth, or any other such gift of God. So the grace of God, so often mentioned, is the mercy and gift of God; as in the benedictions, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, all one with ἀγάπη, God’s

1 Peter 3:8

In brief, or, to sum up all, let this union of minds be not only between husbands and wives, but among all Christians whatsoever, and let that express itself in a fellow-feeling of one another’s afflictions, in love to all the brethren, ch. ii. 17, in tenderness of kindness, to do good to all that stand in any need of it, in humble, courteous, friendly behaviour toward all:

1 Peter 3:9

Never permitting yourselves in the least degree to act or meditate revenge on any that hath been most injurious to you, 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.

1 Peter 3:10

According to that of the psalmist, psal. xxxiv. 12, that the only way to obtain the blessings of this life, and so now, under the gospel, of another, is observing strict rules of charity and justice,

1 Peter 3:11

Abstaining from all sin, abounding in works of mercy, seeking and pursuing of all peaceableness with all men.

1 Peter 3:12

For God looks propitiously upon all his obedient servants, but for all wicked men he sets himself as an enemy against them.

1 Peter 3:13

And so sure are these promises of his to be made good unto you, that if you perform your part, live blamelessly in a ready discharge of your duty, this will be the most probable course to keep you safe from all evil.

1 Peter 3:14

But if (as sometimes it will fall out) you do

1 Peter 3:15

But be thankful to God for all, or, set up God in your hearts as your God and Lord, and whensoever there is occasion, confess him before men, and when you are asked, give an account of the hope and faith you profess, with all meekness to their authority, if they be your superiors, the kings and magistrates which are set over you, and with all care to approve yourselves to God (see note [c] Phil. ii.):

1 Peter 3:16

Keeping yourselves blameless before all men, (particularly in this of maintaining that duty of meekness and reverence toward the heathen rulers, ver. 15, and ch. ii. 12, see note [f] ch. iv,) that they that accuse you as malefactors, or seditious persons, may be convinced and put to shame, and confess that the lives of Christians are very honest and inoffensive, and that they have most foully calumniated you in saying otherwise of you.

1 Peter 3:17

For if it please God that a man suffer innocently, there is no matter of sorrow in that: there is much more danger, that a man by desiring to avoid that should fall into some evil, and then suffer justly for that, and then that will be a sad thing indeed, without any allay or matter of comfort in it.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ is an example of the former, in his dying for sins not his own, but ours; he being righteous died for us who are unrighteous, (that when we were aliens and enemies to God he might reconcile us to him, and give us authority to approach him;) wherein yet for our example and comfort it must be observed, that though as a man clothed in our flesh he was put to death, and that innocently, to purchase redemption for us; yet by the power of God in him he was most gloriously raised from the dead, (see ch. i. 11,) and shall consequently, by raising and rescuing us out of the present sufferings, and destroying all obdurate sinners, shew forth wonderful evidences of power and life;

1 Peter 3:19

And this will be accepted graciously and rewarded by God, (see Luke vi. 32, and note [A] Luke i,) if upon sight of our duty to God we bear with all patience those pressures which most unjustly light upon us.

The very same in effect that of old he did at the time in which, beyond all others, he shewed himself in power and majesty against his enemies, but

¹² an account, ἀπολογίαν. ¹³ Or, hath died for us once for sins: for the King’s MS. reads ἅπαξ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν. ¹⁴ through the flesh, σαρκί.

[ʃ] spirits in prison] For the explicating of this very obscure place, the best rise will be that which St. Hierome on Isaiah hath suggested to us, by looking on the words of God to Noah, concerning the sins of the old world, and his judgments designed against them, Gen. vi. 3, where, considering Noah as a prophet, (and preacher of repentance to the old world,) it will not be strange if the expression be prophetical and figurative. The Hebrew hath it thus, לא ירון רוחי באדם, which the ordinary English render, My spirit shall not always strive with man; the Greek, Οὐ καταμενεῖ πνεῦμά μου ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις, My spirit shall not abide in these men, perhaps reading לא ילין from לון, to lodge, or abide. The English render the Hebrew ירון, as if it came from רון, disceptavit, judicio contendit, “to contend,” or “go to law;” but the word comes from נָדָן, which signifies a sheath, 1 Chron. xxi. 27, and is used for a body, Dan. vii. 15, My spirit in the midst of my body, as being the sheath or receptacle of the soul: and so the writers of the Talmud ordinarily use it, and Tertullian de Resurrect. Caro vagina afflatus Dei, “Flesh is the sheath of the breath of God,” no doubt referring to this place; and accordingly לא ירון is literally to be rendered, shall not abide as a sword &c. in a sheath. For the removing all improbableness of thus reading ירון, (not ילין, pernoctabit,) and taking it in the notion of abiding, or continuing, in flesh, and not of striving, as the Interlinear and our English render it, and as ירון indeed would require to be rendered, I shall only add two things: first, That the ancient interpreters with one accord agree in the sense of abiding or inhabiting. The Chaldee read, לא יתכיים דרא בישא הדין קדמי לילם, This evil generation shall not always remain before me: the Syriac and Arabic, My spirit shall not dwell in man for ever; the LXXII, as we said, οὐ μὴ καταμενεῖ, shall not abide; and so the Latin, non permanebit, shall not abide. This is a strong argument, that they who, when they meet with ירון, uniformly render it κρινεῖ, &c. by words of judging, yet rendering this in so distant a manner, did not read that word, or in that sense, but ירון, as all copies have it, in a notion of abiding or being in another. And although the scripture of the Old Testament give us no

1 Peter 3:20

For what great matter is it, worth considering or rewarding, what heroical action is it to which honour is thought to be due, if men endure submissly those punishments which fall justly on them for their demerits? but on the other side, if when ye have done no ill, and are then by your superiors abused and used contumeliously, if this be borne patiently and humbly by you, and do not provoke you to any resistance or return of violence, this is that Christian virtue of meekness which God will certainly reward in you.

[g] disobedient] The word ἀπειθοῦντες, disobedient, is used for a course of great notorious sin, spoken of the παραπικραίνοντες, exasperators, provokers, Heb. iii 16, 18; against whom God’s oath was gone out, that they should not enter into his rest, ver. 19. They are here certainly the wicked men of the old world, on whom the flood came, called ἀσεβῶν κόσμος, the world of the ungodly, 2 Pet. ii. 5, which are there joined with the wicked of Sodom. From whence, and from some other evidences, it is probably to be concluded what their sin was which brought the flood upon them, viz. the sin of unnatural uncleanness, or sodomy, contrary to that breath of God breathed on them, the light of law, and reason, and nature, and the very soul within them. For so, Gen. vi. 2, upon the sons of God taking them wives of the daughters of men, presently follows the decree of God to send the deluge upon them. The sons of God, and of men, were certainly the worshippers of the one true, and the many false gods; and the marrying of those idolaters was the means of ensnaring the godly in the heathen idol-worships, and all the villanies in their practices or sacrifices, (as after it was, Num. xxv. 2.) This is there in general expressed, ver. 5, by, The wickedness of man was great upon the earth; meaning by πονηρία, wickedness, villany, (as ἀκρασία, incontinence, Matt. xxiii. 25, is πονηρία, wickedness, Luke xi. 39.) and, ver. 11, by, The earth was corrupt before God, and filled with all violence; by corruption, signifying these unnatural lusts, so ordinarily called φθορὰ, and φθείρεσθαι, corruption and being corrupted, (see note [b] on 2 Pet. i. and note [b] on 2 Pet. ii.) and by violence, either the same again in the most enormous kind, such as was by the Sodomites offered to the angels, (see note [h] on 1 Cor. v.) or else persecuting all others that would not go on with them in all their riotous courses, and both together expressed, ver. 12, by one of them, corrupt, And all flesh corrupted his way; and both again by violence,

1 Peter 3:21

For unto this your Christianity directs and leads you, and Christ himself hath given you an eminent example, to be transcribed and imitated by you:

1 Peter 3:22

Who, though he were perfectly innocent, Isa. liii. 9, was yet adjudged to all the contumelies that the most shameful death could bring along with it;

1 Peter 3:23

And when he was reviled by them, Matt. xxvi. 67, he was far from reviling them again; when he was crucified, he gave them not so much as an ill word, but prayed his Father to forgive them, as many as had any excuse of ignorance to plead for them; and for all others, he remitted them, and all the injuries done him by them, to God’s tribunal;

1 Peter 3:24

Who bare on the cross the punishment of our sins, that we might never think fit to go on in that course which brought such sufferings on Christ, but live piously, by way of gratitude to him and kindness to ourselves, for ever after, having been cured by these sufferings of his.

[h] bare our sins] Ἀναφέρειν is to carry up, to bear to an higher place: and because the θυσιαστήριον or altar was such, it therefore signifies to offer up a victim there, Heb. vii. 27, James ii. 21; but here being joined (not, as there, with θυσίας, sacrifices, but) with ὁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, our sins, and ἐπὶ ξύλον, to, or upon, the cross, (which was an high place also, and therefore his crucifixion is expressed by ὑψωθῆναι, being lifted up or exalted,) it must therefore here signify to bear, or carry up, our sins thither, which is a phrase for suffering the punishments of sin, making expiation for them; as Numb. xiv. 33, where the Hebrew read וְנָשָׂא אֶת־וְנָתְכֶם, and they shall bear, or carry, your fornications, the Chaldee render it וַיְקַבְּלוּ, et suscipient, “and they shall undergo,” that is, literally, ἀναφέρειν, which the most learned P. Fagius renders luent pœnas peccatorum vestrorum, “they shall bear the punishments of your sins.” Thus βαστάζειν κρίμα, Gal. v. 10, to bear the judgment, is to be punished for sin; and Ezek. xviii, The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, that is, be punished for it.

1 Peter 3:25

For ye were formerly in false erroneous ways, ready to bring destruction upon you; but now are converted, and come home to Christ’s fold, and so obliged never to go astray so again. ### CHAP. III. LIKEWISE, ye 1. And as there is one obedience and subjection wives, be in subjec- due from subjects and servants to their kings and

¹⁷ is, or, shall be a reward, χάρις. ¹⁸ if having offended and being buffeted, el ἁμαρτά-

νοντες καὶ κολαφιζόμενοι, or perhaps, punished, for it may possibly be κολαζόμενοι. ¹⁹ a re-

ward: ver. 19. ²⁰ for you, ὑπὶρ ὑμῶν. ²¹ you, ὑμῖν. ²² it. ²³ carried our sins to the tree, ἀνῆνεγκεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἰόλον. ²⁴ blueness, μώλασι. E e 2