The Letters · New Testament
1 Peter 4
1 Peter 4: the end at hand, and suffering as a Christian
General context
Since Christ suffered in the flesh, the readers are to arm themselves with the same mind, because whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin and will live the rest of his time to the will of God rather than to the lusts of men. The past is said to have been long enough for working the will of the Gentiles in lasciviousness, excess of wine, revellings and idolatries, and former companions think it strange and speak evil because the readers no longer run with them. Those who do so will give account to the one ready to judge the quick and the dead, and the gospel is said to have been preached also to the dead. The end of all things being at hand, the readers are to be sober, watch unto prayer, keep fervent charity, use hospitality without grudging, and minister to one another with the gifts they have received, speaking as the oracles of God and serving by the ability God gives. A second section addresses suffering directly. A fiery trial is coming and is not to be thought strange; they are to rejoice as partakers of Christ's sufferings and to count themselves happy if reproached for the name of Christ. A limit is set: no one is to suffer as a murderer, thief, evildoer or busybody, but whoever suffers as a Christian is not to be ashamed. Judgment is said to begin at the house of God, and two questions ask what the end will be for those who do not obey, and where the ungodly will appear if the righteous are scarcely saved. The chapter closes by telling those who suffer according to God's will to commit their souls to a faithful Creator in well doing.
Cited passages: 1 Peter 4:1, 1 Peter 4:2, 1 Peter 4:3, 1 Peter 4:4, 1 Peter 4:5, 1 Peter 4:6, 1 Peter 4:7, 1 Peter 4:8, 1 Peter 4:9, 1 Peter 4:10, 1 Peter 4:11, 1 Peter 4:12, 1 Peter 4:13, 1 Peter 4:14, 1 Peter 4:15, 1 Peter 4:16, 1 Peter 4:17, 1 Peter 4:18, 1 Peter 4:19
1 Peter 4 (KJV)
1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
8And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
9Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
16Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
19Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
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Historical context
The chapter says what the readers' trouble looks like and stops there. Former associates think it strange that they no longer join in and speak evil of them, and a "fiery trial which is to try you" is described as coming rather than past. Suffering "as a Christian" is named, and set apart from suffering as a murderer, thief, evildoer or busybody, which means the letter distinguishes punishment for crime from trouble for the name. It gives no court, no charge, no ruler and no date. The readers' earlier life is described as "the will of the Gentiles", listing specific practices, and the writer includes himself in that past with the words "our life" and "we walked". Verse 6 states that the gospel was preached to those that are dead and gives no further account of it. Two lines resemble older scripture without being introduced as quotations: verse 8, "charity shall cover the multitude of sins", beside Proverbs 10:12, "love covereth all sins", and verse 18, "if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear", beside Proverbs 11:31, "the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner".
Cited passages: 1 Peter 4:4, 1 Peter 4:12, 1 Peter 4:16, 1 Peter 4:15, 1 Peter 4:3, 1 Peter 4:6, 1 Peter 4:8, Proverbs 10:12, 1 Peter 4:18, Proverbs 11:31
Literary context
The chapter is organised around the word strange, used twice in opposite directions. The former companions "think it strange" that the readers have stopped, and the readers are told to "think it not strange" about the trial coming on them, so the same judgement is refused where it hurts. Between those two uses the letter puts a short list of ordinary duties, charity, hospitality, speaking and serving, which makes the interval before the end practical rather than dramatic even though "the end of all things is at hand". The second half repeats a conditional four times across verses 14 to 18, about reproach, about suffering as a Christian, about judgment beginning at the house of God, and about the righteous scarcely being saved, and each time the answer is one instruction or a question left open. The comparison in verse 17, beginning at the house of God, turns the threat toward the readers first rather than their opponents, and the closing verse names God by a title used nowhere else in the letter, a faithful Creator.
Cited passages: 1 Peter 4:4, 1 Peter 4:12, 1 Peter 4:7, 1 Peter 4:9, 1 Peter 4:14, 1 Peter 4:16, 1 Peter 4:17, 1 Peter 4:19
Key moments
- Arm with the same mind (1 Peter 4:1). Christ's suffering is set out as the attitude to take on.
- They think it strange (1 Peter 4:4). Former companions react against the change in the readers.
- The end at hand (1 Peter 4:7). A statement about the end leads to prayer and sober living.
- Hospitality without grudging (1 Peter 4:9). Ordinary duties fill the time before what is coming.
- The fiery trial (1 Peter 4:12). The readers are told the coming trial is not unusual.
- Suffer as a Christian (1 Peter 4:16). Suffering for the name is separated from suffering for crime.
- Judgment begins at home (1 Peter 4:17). The letter aims the warning at the house of God first.
For reflection
The letter separates suffering for wrongdoing from suffering for the name and tells the readers to test which one they are in. How would a person under pressure actually make that distinction?
