1_Forasmuch then as Christ _When he had before set forth Christ before us, he only spoke of the suffering of the cross; for sometimes the cross means mortification, because the outward man is wasted by afflictions, and our flesh is also subdued. But he now ascends higher; for he speaks of the reform... [ Continue Reading ]
2_That he no longer _Here he sets forth the way of ceasing from sin, that renouncing the covetings of men we should study to form our life according to the will of God. And thus he includes here the two things in which renovation consists, the destruction of the flesh and the vivification of the spi... [ Continue Reading ]
3_For the time past of our life may suffice _Peter does not mean that we ought to be wearied with pleasures, as those are wont to be who are filled with them to satiety; but that on the contrary the memory of our past life ought to stimulate us to repentance. And doubtless it ought to be the sharpes... [ Continue Reading ]
4_Wherein they think it strange _The words of Peter literally are these, “In which they are strangers, you not running with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming.” But the word, _to be strangers_, means to stop at a thing as new and unusual. This is a way of speaking which the Latins also s... [ Continue Reading ]
6_For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, _or, _He has been evangelized to the dead_. We see in what sense he takes the former passage in the third chapter, even that death does not hinder Christ from being always our defender. It is then a remarkable consolation to the go... [ Continue Reading ]
7_But, _or, _moreover_, _the end of all things is at hand _Though the faithful hear that their felicity is elsewhere than in the world, yet, as they think that they should live long, this false thought renders them careless, and even slothful, so that they direct not their thoughts to the kingdom of... [ Continue Reading ]
8_And above all things _He commends charity or love as the first thing, for it is the bond of perfection. And he bids it to be _fervent, _or intense, or vehement, which is the same thing; for whosoever is immoderately fervent in self-love, loves others coldly. And he commends it on account of its fr... [ Continue Reading ]
9_Use hospitality, _or, _Be hospitable_. After having generally exhorted them to love one another, he specially mentions one of the duties of love. At that time hospitality was commonly used, and it was deemed in a manner a sacred kind of humanity, as we have stated elsewhere. He then bids them mutu... [ Continue Reading ]
10_As every one hath received _He reminds us what we ought to bear in mind when we do good to our neighbors; for nothing is more fitted to correct our murmurings than to remember that we do not give our own, but only dispense what God has committed to us. When therefore he says, “Minister the gift w... [ Continue Reading ]
11_If any man speak _As he had spoken of the right and faithful use of gifts, he specifies two things as examples, and he has chosen those which are the most _excellent _or the most renowned. The office of teaching in the Church is a remarkable instance of God’s favor. He then expressly commands tho... [ Continue Reading ]
12_Beloved, think it not strange, _or, _wonder not_. There is a frequent mention made in this Epistle of afflictions; the cause of which we have elsewhere explained. But this difference is to be observed, that when he exhorts the faithful to patience, he sometimes speaks generally of troubles common... [ Continue Reading ]
Hence, then, is the whole consolation of the godly, that they are associates with Christ, that hereafter they may be partakers of his glory; for we are always to bear in mind this transition from the cross to the resurrection. But as this world is like a labyrinth, in which no end of evils appears,... [ Continue Reading ]
14_If ye be reproached _He mentions reproaches, because there is often more bitterness in them than in the loss of goods, or in the torments or agonies of the body; there is therefore nothing which is more grievous to ingenuous minds. For we see that many who are strong to bear want, courageous in t... [ Continue Reading ]
15._But _(or, _For_)_let one of you _Here also he anticipates an objection. He had exhorted the faithful to patience, if it happened to them to be persecuted for the cause of Christ; he now adds the reason why he had only spoken of that kind of trouble, even because they ought to have abstained from... [ Continue Reading ]
16_Yet if any man suffer as a Christian _After having forbidden the Christians to do any hurt or harm, lest for their evil deeds, like the unbelieving, they should become hateful to the world, he now bids them to give thanks to God, if they suffered persecutions for the name of Christ. And truly it... [ Continue Reading ]
17_For the time is come, _or, _Since also the time is come_. He amplifies the consolation, which the goodness of the cause for which we suffer brings to us, while we are afflicted for the name of Christ. For this necessity, he says, awaits the whole Church of God, not only to be subject to the commo... [ Continue Reading ]
When the faithful see that it is well with the wicked, they are necessarily tempted to be envious; and this is a very dangerous trial; for present happiness is what all desire. Hence the Spirit of God carefully dwells on this, in many places, as well as in the thirty-seventh Psalm, lest the faithful... [ Continue Reading ]
19_Wherefore let them that suffer _He draws this conclusion, that persecutions ought to be submissively endured, for the condition of the godly in them is much happier than that of the unbelieving, who enjoy prosperity to their utmost wishes. He, however, reminds us that we suffer nothing except acc... [ Continue Reading ]