1 Peter 1:7

that the trial of your faith The use of the self-same phrase as in James 1:3 strengthens the conclusion suggested in the previous note as to St Peter's knowledge of this Epistle. Test, perhaps even proof or probation, would better express the force of the Greek word. Faith is not known to be what it is until it is tested by suffering.

being much more precious than of gold that perisheth The words suggest at once a natural similitude and point out its incompleteness. That "gold is tried and purified by fire" was a familiar analogy, as in Proverbs 17:3; Proverbs 27:21, Sir 2:5, 1 Corinthians 3:13, but the gold so purified belongs still to the category of perishable things, while the faith which is purified by suffering takes its place among those that are imperishable.

might be found unto praise and honour and glory The words stand somewhat vaguely in the Greek as in the English, and might possibly express that what men suffer is for God's glory. The context, however, and the parallelism of Romans 2:7, make it certain that they refer to the "praise" [found here only in conjunction with the familiar combination (Romans 2:7; Romans 2:10; 1 Timothy 1:17) of "honour and glory"] which men shall receive (comp. 1 Corinthians 4:5), when sufferings rightly borne have done their work, in and at the revelation of Jesus Christ in His Second Coming as the Judge of all men.