1 Peter 3:9

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. EVIL - in deed. RAILING - in word. BLESSING - your revilers [ eulogountes (G2127), participle, not a noun]. KNOWING THAT. 'Aleph (') A B C, Vulgate, read merely, ' because.' ARE, [ ekleetheete (G2564)] - 'were called.' INHERIT A BLESSING - not only passive, but active; receiving blessing from God by faith, and in turn blessing others from love (Gerhard in Alford). 'It is not in order to inherit a blessing that we must bless, but because our portion is blessings.' No railing can harm you ...

9_Not rendering evil for evil _In these words every kind of revenge is forbidden; for in order to preserve love, we must bear with many things. At the same time he does not speak here of mutual benevolence, but he would have us to endure wrongs, when provoked by ungodly men. And though it is commonly thought that it is an instance of a weak and abject mind, not to avenge injuries, yet it is counted before God as the highest magnanimity. Nor is it indeed enough to abstain from revenge; but Peter requires also that we should pray for those who reproach us; for to _bless _here means to pray, as it is set in opposition to the second clause. But Peter teaches us in general, that evils are to be overcome by acts of kindness. This is indeed very hard, but we ought to imitate in this case our heavenly Father, who makes his sun to rise on the unworthy. What the sophists imagine to be the meaning,...

8-13 Though Christians cannot always be exactly of the same mind, yet they should have compassion one of another, and love as brethren. If any man desires to live comfortably on earth, or to possess eternal life in heaven, he must bridle his tongue from wicked, abusive, or deceitful words. He must forsake and keep far from evil actions, do all the good he can, and seek peace with all men. For God, all-wise and every where present, watches over the righteous, and takes care of them. None could or should harm those who copied the example of Christ, who is perfect goodness, and did good to others as his followers....

Verse 9. _NOT RENDERING EVIL FOR EVIL_] Purposing, saying, doing nothing but _good_; and invariably returning good for evil. _YE ARE THEREUNTO CALLED_] This is your _calling_-your _business in_ _life_, to do good, and to do good for evil, and to implore God's _blessing_ even on your worst enemies. And this is not only your _duty_, but your _interest_; for in so doing you shall obtain God's blessing, even life for evermore....

NOT RENDERING EVIL FOR EVIL - See the Matthew 5:39, Matthew 5:44 notes; Romans 12:17 note. OR RAILING FOR RAILING - See the notes at 1 Timothy 6:4. Compare Mark 15:29; Luke 23:39. BUT CONTRARIWISE BLESSING - In a spirit contrary to this. See the notes at Matthew 5:44....

EXPOSITIONS 1 PETER 3:1 LIKEWISE, YE WIVES. St. Peter has spoken of the duties of servants: why does he omit those of masters? There must have been Christian masters in Asia Minor, as is plain from Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1. But we notice that St. Paul, though he has a few words for masters, addresses slaves at much greater length. Probably Christian masters were comparatively few, while large numbers of slaves had embraced the religion which could do so much to comfort and elevate the oppressed. Again, the immediate purpose of the apostle is to inculcate submission to authority; therefore, having enforced upon Christian servants the example of their Lord, he proce

NOT RENDERING EVIL FOR EVIL,.... Doing an ill thing in return to one that has done ill to you, and in a way of revenge for it; which is contrary to what is before advised to, and which is taking God's prerogative and work out of his hands, whose vengeance is, and which is to be overcome of evil: OR RAILING FOR RAILING; returning ill language to such as have given it, but rather should imitate Christ, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, 1 Peter 2:23 and whose advice is, instead of returning injuries, blows, or words, to turn to him that smites on the right check the other also and to bless them that curse, do good to them that hate, and pray for them that persecute, Matthew 5:39 and which is here directed to: BUT CONTRARIWISE BLESSING; praying for a blessing on

1 Peter 3:1. _Likewise, ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear._ Could any men be won to Christ without the Word? Yes, it was even so in the apostle's day. When they refused to attend the little Christian meetings that were being held, and so could not hear what was there said, yet, at home, they saw the change that the gospel of Christ had wrought in their wives, and they said, «She is quite different from what she used to be. Certainly, she is a far better wife than any heathen woman is; there must be something in the religion which can make such a change as that.» In this way, without the Word, many of them were won to Christ by the godly conversation of their wives....

III. CHRIST THE PATTERN FOR HIS SAINTS CHAPTER 2:11-3:9 _ 1. Abstinence and submission (1 Peter 2:11)_ 2. Christ the pattern for those who suffer (1 Peter 2:18) 3. Glorifying Christ in the marriage relation (1 Peter 3:1) 4. True Christian character (1 Peter 3:8) 1 Peter 2:11 The first exhortation is addressed to them as strangers and pilgrims. Such all true believers are. Because we belong to a heavenly home we cannot be at home in a world which lieth in the wicked one, which has cast out the Lord of glor

This short and simple section deals with the wider relations of the Christian disciple to his fellow-disciples and to the world. It is an expansion of Christ's teaching in the Golden Rule. It is clearly shown that to suffer for righteousness is only to tread in the steps of the great Forerunner, and that such a life is reasonable, and its principles once grasped can be easily justified to others. The hope of the Christians was the chief point likely to be under discussion, since this was at once the most attractive feature of their faith, and the one most difficult of belief. This epistle is full, as we have seen, of the idea of hope, and hence the writer lays stress upon it, when urging the nature of their _apologia_ or vindication of their manner of life, and its ruling thought. Christ is to dominate their hearts, for He constitutes their Hope in the most perfect presentation of its po...