1 Pedro 1:8

οὐκ ἰδόντες afirma um fato histórico que eles não tinham visto Cristo em carne como o próprio São Pedro tinha feito (cf. João 20:29 ).

μὴ ὁρῶντες describes their present condition, though (for the present) you cannot see Him. No stress can be laid on the distinction between οὐ and μὴ, though some would explain μὴ as suggesting the mental condition of the readers.

εἰς ὃν must be taken with πιστεύοντες. πιστεύειν εἰς is the commonest construction in the N.T., and almost the only one used by St Peter and St John. It means faith which enters into union with Christ.

ἀνεκλαλήτῳ occurs only here in the N.T., a joy which is too deep for utterance.

δεδοξασμένῃ. The Christian’s joy even in the midst of sorrow is irradiated by the unseen glory of heaven.

Suffering and Glory

δόξα (S. and H. Rom. p. 84). “There are two quite distinct meanings of this word. (1) = opinion (not in N.T.) and thence ‘favourable opinion,’ ‘reputation’ (João 12:43; Romanos 2:7; Romanos 2:10, etc.). (2) As a LXX. translation of כָּבו̇ד it means:

“(1) Visible brightness or splendour (Atos 22:11; 1 Coríntios 15:40).

(2) The brightness which radiates from the presence of God, e.g. at Sinai (Êxodo 24:16), the pillar of cloud (Êxodo 16:10), or in the Tabernacle or Temple (Êxodo 40:34; 1 Reis 8:11), especially on the Mercy Seat (Êxodo 25:22; so Romanos 9:4).

(3) This visible splendour symbolized the divine perfections, the majesty or goodness of God as manifested to men (Lightfoot on Colossenses 1:11; cf. Efésios 1:6; Efésios 1:12; Efésios 1:17; Efésios 3:16).

“(4) These perfections are in a measure communicated to man through Christ (2 Coríntios 3:18; 2 Coríntios 4:6). Both morally and physically a certain transfiguration takes place in the Christian partially here, completely hereafter.”

The incarnate Christ was not only the revelation of God to man, He also revealed man to himself, shewing what God’s ideal for man is. Man was created to be the δόξα and εἰκὼν of God (1 Coríntios 11:7), but in his present condition man comes terribly far short of the glory intended for him by God (Romanos 3:23).

Although man was intended to be crowned with glory and honour (Salmos 8:5) it is only in the person of Christ that this has been attained (Hebreus 2:9), “In Him little by little under the conditions of human existence the absolute ideal of manhood was revealed.

” So it is only “Christ in us” which constitutes “the hope of glory,” the possibility of attaining the divine ideal for man (Colossenses 1:27), Jesus Christ is our glory (Tiago 2:1). The revelation of the sons of God (as they were meant to be) for which the created universe waits is the revelation of the glory intended for us (Romanos 8:18-21).

But it was only through suffering that manhood in the person of Christ entered into glory. That was the pathway to glory indicated in O.T. prophecy. In such descriptions as that of the Suffering Servant of the Lord the prophets were pointing to (εἰς) Christ, describing sufferings destined for Him (cf. Atos 2:25, Δαυῒδ λέγει εἰς αὐτόν; cf.

Efésios 5:32; Hebreus 7:14), but those sufferings are straightway followed by corresponding stages in the attainment of glory, τὰς μετὰ ταῦτα δόξας. The plural probably denotes successive manifestations of glory, e.

g. in the Betrayal (João 13:31) when the ideal of self-sacrifice was revealed, in the Cross (João 12:23) when the fruitfulness of such sacrifice was shewn, in the Resurrection as the victory over death (1 Pedro 1:21), in the Ascension as the enthronement of manhood with God (João 7:39), and finally in His triumphant Return completed in all His members (Colossenses 3:4).

The same pathway of suffering is employed by God in bringing His other sons to glory, i.e. to their ideal perfection. It is only by suffering with Christ that we can be glorified with Him (Romanos 8:17; cf. 2 Timóteo 2:10-12).

The light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding weight of glory (2 Coríntios 4:17). Present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed (Romanos 8:18).

So St Peter regards the trials of Christians as a refining process which will result in glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Pedro 1:7).

Fellowship in Christ’s sufferings should be a cause of joy that they may rejoice with exultation at the revelation of His glory (1 Pedro 4:13). To be reproached in Christ’s name means that a mark or characteristic of the glory which is one day to be theirs (τὸ τῆς δόξης) is already resting upon them (1 Pedro 4:14).

It is as a μάρτυς of Christ’s sufferings that St Peter is a partaker of the glory which is to be revealed (1 Pedro 5:1). It is the God of all favour who called them to His eternal glory in Christ after a little suffering (1 Pedro 5:10).

So the joy which Christians should have in the midst of their trials and griefs is δεδοξασμένη, already irradiated with the glory to which such sufferings really belong (1 Pedro 1:8).