1 Peter 2:20

1 Peter 2:20. For what glory is it (or, what kind of glory is it). This particular term for ‘glory,' with the general sense of credit, though of very frequent use in the Classics, occurs only this once in the N. T.

if, when ye do wrong and are buffeted, ye shall take it patiently. Peter has more in view here than the criminal's stolid endurance of a punishment which he cannot escape (so de Wette). He means that even patient endurance, if it is the endurance of what is deserved, can bring no credit to one. It is the simple discharge of a duty that is matter of course (Matthew 5:47). The ‘ye shall take it patiently,' therefore, of the A. V. and R. V. correctly conveys the idea. The two phrases, ‘do wrong' and ‘are buffeted,' express things in the relation of cause and effect. The latter verb is peculiar to the N. T. and ecclesiastical Greek. It is not found even in the LXX. It is peculiarly apt here, where the treatment of slaves is in question. It refers literally to blows with the hand, ‘the punishment, and a prompt one, inflicted upon slaves' (Bengel).

but if, when ye do well and suffer, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. The A. V., along with various other Versions, erroneously drops the future, ‘ shall take it,' here. The ‘well-doing' intended here seems to be the patient, dutiful behaviour of the slave, although the verb properly expresses the doing of good to one, or benefiting one. Some editors insert ‘for' before ‘this is acceptable;' in which case we should have to fill up the statement thus: ‘This is truly a credit to you, for this is acceptable in God's sight.' As the ruthless system of slavery reacted upon ancient society in forms so terrible that it became a proverb with the Romans, ‘As many slaves, so many enemies,' so the risk of a fatal breach between Christianized slaves and heathen masters was one of the gravest perils which had to be faced. The new faith excited so many questions in the slave's breast, questions as to his personal rights and dignity, the extent to which he was called to be a sufferer of wrong, the possibility of serving such masters with a pure conscience, questions fitted to excite the revolutionary spirit, that his case was the case in which it was at once least easy and most necessary to plant deep the conviction of the paramount Christian obligation of submission for the Lord's sake. Hence Peter cannot yet quit this matter, but will carry it up to still higher reasons, to those found in the idea of the Christian calling and in Christ's own example. He gives no hint that the slave should break with his bondage. Neither does he give him over to political impotence or social helplessness. He sets before him principles on which he is to quit himself like a Christian, abiding in his calling, principles which also were to work like solvents on the system itself, and gradually to secure its extinction without revolution. ‘Nothing indeed marks the Divine character of the Gospel more than its perfect freedom from any appeal to the spirit of political revolution. The Founder of Christianity and His apostles were surrounded by everything which could tempt human reformers to enter on revolutionary courses.... Nevertheless our Lord and His apostles said not a word against the powers and institutions of that evil world. Their attitude towards them all was that of deep spiritual hostility, and of entire political submission' (see Gold win Smith, Does the Bible sanction American Slavery, p. 55, a brief but invaluable discussion).