New Testament Commentary - 1 Peter 4

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 4 Why gospel is preached unto the dead—Saints should speak as the oracles of God—The righteous will be tried and tested in all things.	Early Christian Saints prepared for their fate—Insight to why gospel preached to the dead—Charity through Christ can cover(remove) a multitude of sins from the likewise charitable—Saints to speak by Spirit as Oracles of God&8212;The trial of the early Christian righteous would be a test often unto death.
1 FORASMUCH then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same ^amind^a: ^bfor he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from ^csin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the ^alusts of men, but to the will of God. Like Christ In Death_; Like unto Christ, the fate of the early Christians was often to be called forth not to live out their days to be fulfilled in old age righteous, but to parish and no longer live the rest of their otherwise full time in the flesh, but to because they had ceased from the sins of the world, they would be persecuted unto death before their time. Paul teaches the saints to so prepare themselves for such a fate, to suffer early deaths even as Christ had suffered and died in his prime at the age of 34. Thus it was among the faithful Christians. They understood this their fate and so often did fall to their death prematurely because of their faith in Christ.	;1^a arm yourselves likewise with the same mind This theme that Christ hath suffered and that the saints where being counseled to so 'arm' themselves to also suffer, is a theme throughout this chapter. In the course of the early church, the early Christians where indeed prepared for and expecting the great Christian pursecutions which did and would follow them to the end and death of that early 'true' church.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, ^aexcess of wine, ^brevellings, banquetings, and ^cabominable ^didolatries: 4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: A Peculiar People_; The early Christian converts were from among the regular people of the land and their ways would have been the common acceptable ways of their societies. When they were converted they would turn from their 'common acceptable and sinful ways' and begin to live 'peculiar life styles' in comparison to their neighbors who continued in their 'Roman Empire life styles' of paganism and sin. Thus no longer as members of 'acceptable' society, set appart by their conservative Christian life styles, the early Christians from the beginning drew attention to themselves and the pursecution of those who such Christians would now begin to denote as the wicked of the world.
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to ^ajudge the ^bquick and the dead. 6 ^aFor for this cause was the ^bgospel ^cpreached also to them that are ^ddead, that they might be ^ejudged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and ^awatch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves^a: ^afor ^bcharity shall cover the multitude of sins^b.	;8^a have fervent charity among yourselves One of the prominant characteristics of charity, which is the love of God, which is the same as having love of one's neighbor, is to live the golden rule and by the principle of forgiveness which states that to receive forgiveness of sin one must likewise fully extend forgiveness of others. That is we are forgiven as we forgive others. ;8^b charity shall cover the multitude of sins Perhaps of dual and hidden meaning is this concept that charity covers a multitude of sins. On the side of 'guilt', a multitude of sins are committed in an endless multitude of manners of 'mean spiritedness' against another, from merely ignoring, shuning, snubbing them socially to out and out acts of violence against them. This gamit of sins which the uncharitable do commit are all covered under the broad umbrella of 'sins of charity'. Certainly, just because one performs a few acts of kindness does not automatically translate into penneince for sins. Charity does not of itself 'cover' or 'remove' ones sins as some might interpret this statement to imply. The removal of all sin comes under the atonement of Christ and through and by the principles of faith and repentance. No sin can be removed automatically just because of a simple act of kindness. But through the Love of God, the Charity of God, the opportunity of removal of sin, the covering of sin, is possible through repentance due to the atonement of Christ. Thus is may be said that, 'The Charity or Love of God through Jesus Christ and the opportunity of repentance, may remove or cover a multitude of the sins of man.' In such a statement it by the charity and grace of God that all sins are removed. But to partake of such love of charity, man must also become possessed of that same charity toward his fellow man which allows the forgiveness of all others in that same manner.
9 Use ^ahospitality one to another without ^bgrudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so ^aminister the same one to another, as good ^bstewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man ^aspeak, let him speak as the ^boracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery ^atrial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But ^arejoice, inasmuch as ye are ^bpartakers of Christ's ^csufferings; that, when his glory shall be ^drevealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be ^areproached for the name of Christ, ^bhappy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
16 Yet if any man suffer as a ^aChristian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that ^ajudgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that ^bobey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the ^arighteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ^bungodly and the sinner appear?
19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the ^awill of God commit the ^bkeeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.