Pleasure heats up the lusts of our flesh (v. 2); suffering cools them down. The purpose of Christ's redemption is to deliver us from our inherited vain manner of life (1 Pet. 1:18-19). Suffering responds to Christ's redemption in fulfilling this purpose, preserving us from a sinful manner of life, from the flood of dissoluteness (vv. 3-4). Such suffering, mainly from persecution, is God's discipline in His governmental dealing. To undergo such suffering is to be judged, dealt with, and disciplined in the flesh by God (v. 6). Hence, we should arm ourselves with a sober mind to endure such suffering.

One main purpose of this book is to encourage and exhort the believers to follow the footsteps of Christ in their suffering of persecution (1 Pet. 1:6-7; 2:18-25; 3:8-17; 4:12-19). They should have the same mind that Christ had in His suffering (1 Pet. 3:18-22). The main function of our mind is to understand and realize. To live a life that follows the footsteps of Christ, we need a renewed mind (Rom. 12:2) to understand and realize the way Christ lived to fulfill God's purpose.

This indicates that the Christian life is a battle.

Some MSS add, for us.

The believers' spirit, regenerated and indwelt by the Spirit of God (John 3:6; Rom. 8:10-11). Thus it has become a mingled spirit, in which the believers live and walk (Rom. 8:4).

See note 1 Pet. 1:17^2c, par. 2.

Those who are now dead refers to the dead believers in Christ, who suffered persecution because of their Christian testimony, as referred to in 1 Pet. 1:6; 2:18-21; 3:16-17 and 1 Pet. 4:12-19. This kind of persecution was considered by Peter in this book as God's judgment, which is according to the government of God and which begins from the house of God (v. 17). The gospel was preached to these dead believers while they were living, that they might, on the one hand, be judged, dealt with, by God in the flesh according to men through the opposers' persecution, but, on the other hand, live in the spirit according to God by believing in Christ. This shows how strict and serious is the judgment of God in His governmental administration. If the believers, who have been obedient to the gospel, are dealt with by God's governmental judgment, how much more will those who oppose the gospel and slander the believers be judged by God's dealing (vv. 17-18)!

This must be to judge first the living among the nations (the Gentiles) at Christ's throne of glory before the millennium (Matt. 25:31-46) and then the dead at the great white throne after the millennium (Rev. 20:11-15). This too will be God's governmental judgment, but it differs from the judgment on the believers in v. 6, which begins from the house of God in this age (v. 17). See note 1 Pet. 1:17^2c, par. 2.

I.e., to relate to God all that one has done and spoken in his entire life. This reveals the government of God over all men. He is ready to judge all, both the living and the dead. His judgment is His governmental administration by which He deals with the situation among men.

Referring to the Gentiles (v. 3), who are astonished at the believers' different manner of life and speak evilly of them (v. 4).

Or, serving.

See note 1 Pet. 1:2^12f and note 1 Pet. 5:10². The varied grace of God, like the "all grace" in ch. 5, is the rich supply of life, which is the Triune God ministered into us in many aspects (2 Cor. 13:14; 12:9). As good stewards, we should minister such grace, not merely doctrine nor any vain thing, to the church and the saints by the gift we have received.

I.e., speaking evilly of (you), speaking injuriously of (you) (Acts 13:45; 1 Pet. 2:12; 3:16). The believers, whose behavior was thought strange, were slandered unjustly and accused of all manner of crimes.

The Greek word means a pouring forth, a pouring out upon (as in a tide); hence, a flood. It denotes here the overflowing indulgence of lusts, the excess of moral corruption and degradation, which is like a flood, into which one sinks when one runs into it.

Rushing on in a crowd like a band of revelers. This is to live in the flesh in the lusts of men (v. 2), to carry out the desire of the Gentiles (v. 3) in the vain manner of life (1 Pet. 1:18).

The Greek word means to be a host or a guest, to be foreign, alien; to entertain, to lodge; to think it strange. To live in the flesh in the lusts of men (v. 2) is common among the unbelieving Gentiles, who are running together into the flood of dissoluteness. But to live a holy life in the will of God, not running together in the indulgence of lusts, is strange to them. It is a foreign thing, alien to them. They are surprised and astonished at it (cf. v. 12).

I.e., in the vain manner of life (1 Pet. 1:18).

Lit., purpose, will. I.e., intention, inclination; hence, desire.

I.e., no longer to live in the vain manner of life handed down from our fathers (1 Pet. 1:18), but in a holy and excellent manner of life (1 Pet. 1:15; 2:12), pure in holy fear and good in Christ (1 Pet. 3:2, 16). This is the will of God.

The name denotes the person. To be in the name of Christ is actually to be in the person of Christ, in Christ Himself. The believers, having believed into Christ (John 3:15) and having been baptized into His name (Acts 19:5), that is, into Himself (Gal. 3:27), are in Christ (1 Cor. 1:30) and are one with Him (1 Cor. 6:17). When they are reproached in His name, they are reproached with Him, sharing in His sufferings (v. 13), in the fellowship of His sufferings (Phil. 3:10).

Lit., the Spirit of glory and that of God. The Spirit of glory is the Spirit of God. The Spirit of glory is the One through whom Christ was glorified in His resurrection (Rom. 1:4). This very Spirit of glory, being the Spirit of God Himself, rests upon the suffering believers in their persecution, for the glorifying of the resurrected and exalted Christ, who is now in glory (v. 13).

The same word as in Matt. 11:28. The sense here is to remain.

Lit., an overseer of others' affairs; denoting one who makes trouble by interfering in others' business.

The divine speakings or utterances as revelations. In the ministry of grace, as mentioned in v. 10, our speaking should be God's speaking, God's utterance, which conveys divine revelation.

Through the Spirit of Christ, God supplies to us the serving strength of Christ's resurrection life (Phil. 1:19; 4:13).

This indicates that all our ministry of grace, whether in speaking or in serving, should be full of Christ, that God may be glorified through Christ in all things.

Glory is without and might is within. Might supplies the strength within us; glory is God glorified upon us. Hence, glory corresponds with glorified, and might with strength.

The Greek word for fiery ordeal means burning, signifying the burning of a smelting furnace for the purifying of gold and silver (Prov. 27:21; Psa. 66:10); this is similar to the metaphor used in 1 Pet. 1:7. Peter considered the persecution that the believers suffered as such a burning furnace used by God to purify their life. This is God's way to deal with the believers in the judgment of His governmental administration, which begins from His own house (vv. 17-19).

Or, testing.

See note 1 Pet. 4:4¹. Fiery persecution is common to the believers; they should not think that it is strange or alien to them, and they should not be surprised and astonished by it.

Lit., to give in charge as a deposit; as in Luke 12:48; Acts 20:32; 1 Tim. 1:18 and 2 Tim. 2:2. When the believers suffer persecution in their body, especially as in martyrdom, they should commit their souls as a deposit to God, the faithful Creator, as the Lord committed His spirit to the Father (Luke 23:46).

Persecution can damage only the bodies of the suffering believers, not their souls (Matt. 10:28). Their souls are kept by the Lord as the faithful Creator. They should cooperate with the Lord by their commitment in faith.

Or, doing right, good, and noble deeds.

The Creator not of the new creation in the new birth but of the old creation. Persecution is a suffering in the old creation. God as our Creator can preserve our soul, which He created for us. He has even numbered our hairs (Matt. 10:30). He is loving and faithful. His loving and faithful care (1 Pet. 5:7) accompanies His justice in His governmental administration. While He is judging us, His household, in His government, His love cares for us faithfully. In suffering His just disciplinary judgment in our bodies, we should commit our souls to His faithful care.

All things on which the flesh rests will pass away, and the end of them, the apostle tells us here, has drawn near. This warns us that a life lived in the flesh in the lusts of men (v. 2) will soon be ended, for it is related to all things that will shortly pass away. Therefore, we should be sober-minded and be sober unto prayers.

The Greek word means be of a sound mind, have a mind of sobriety, be able to understand things properly and thoroughly without being disturbed.

I.e., be sober to watch, be vigilant. This is to be on guard; hence, to be sober unto prayers. This equals the Lord's word, "Watch and pray" (Matt. 26:41; Luke 21:36). See note 1 Pet. 5:8^1a.

To glorify God is to express Him in glory.

This book shows the government of God, especially in relation to His dealings with His chosen people. The sufferings they undergo in fiery persecution are used by Him as a means to judge them that they may be disciplined, purified, and separated from the unbelievers and not have the same destiny as they. Hence, such disciplinary judgment begins from His own household, and it is not exercised just once or twice but is being carried out continuously until the Lord's coming. See note 1 Pet. 1:17^2c, par. 2.

Or, household; that is, the church, composed of the believers (1 Pet. 2:5; Heb. 3:6; 1 Tim. 3:15; Eph. 2:19). From this house, as His own house, God begins His governmental administration by God's disciplinary judgment over His own children, that He may have strong ground to judge, in His universal kingdom, those who are disobedient to His gospel and rebellious toward His government. This is for the establishing of His kingdom, which is covered in Peter's second Epistle (2 Pet. 1:11).

This indicates that the unbelievers, who disobey the gospel of God, will undergo a judgment more severe than that which the believers undergo.

This refers mainly to the disobedience of the unbelieving Jews, who rebelled against and opposed the change of dispensation, a turn from the Old Testament law of Moses to the New Testament gospel of Jesus Christ. This Epistle was written to Jewish believers (the chosen sojourners of the dispersion — 1 Pet. 1:1), who were suffering persecution. The persecution they were suffering did not come mainly from the Gentiles; it came mainly from the opposing Jews, the unbelieving Jews, those who disobeyed the gospel.

Referring to the believers, who become righteous by being justified through their faith in Christ (Rom. 5:1) and by living a righteous life in Christ (Phil. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rev. 19:8).

Not saved (through the Lord's death) from eternal perdition but saved (through the trials of persecution as God's disciplinary judgment) from the coming destruction (1 Thes. 5:3, 8 and note 1 Thes. 5:8³). The believer, who is disciplined by God through the suffering of persecution that his life may be purified, is saved through the difficulty of persecution from the destruction by God's wrath toward the world, especially toward the unbelieving Jews, and from the coming destruction of Jerusalem.

I.e., stand. Among the early apostles there was a strong belief that the Lord Jesus would come back soon to judge the unbelieving sinners, who are ungodly and disobey His gospel (2 Thes. 1:6-9). Peter's word here should refer to this. In God's government, if the righteous, who has obeyed God's gospel and lives a righteous life before God, is saved with difficulty, suffering persecution as the means of God's disciplinary punishment that his life may be purified, where will the ungodly, who disobeys God's gospel and lives a sinful life against His government, stand when the destruction by His wrath comes?

Those also who suffer according to the will of God should trust in the Lord as others do.

According to His will, God wants us and has appointed us to suffer for Christ's sake (1 Pet. 3:17; 2:15; 1 Thes. 3:3).

Gk. Christianos, a word formed from Latin. The ending ianos, denoting an adherent of someone, was applied to slaves belonging to the great families in the Roman Empire. One who worshipped the emperor, the Caesar, or Kaisar, was called Kaisarianos, which means an adherent of Kaisar, a person who belongs to Kaisar. When people believed in Christ and became His followers, some in the Empire came to consider Christ a rival of their Kaisar. Then, at Antioch (Acts 11:26) they began to call the followers of Christ Christianoi (Christians), adherents of Christ, as a nickname, a term of reproach. Hence, this verse says, "As a Christian, let him not be ashamed"; that is, if any believer suffers at the hands of the persecutors who contemptuously call him a Christian, he should not feel ashamed but should glorify God in this name.

Today the term Christian should bear a positive meaning, that is, a man of Christ, one who is one with Christ, not only belonging to Him but also having His life and nature in an organic union with Him, and who is living by Him, even living Him, in his daily life. If we suffer for being such a person, we should not feel ashamed but should be bold to magnify Christ in our confession by our holy and excellent manner of life to glorify (express) God in this name.