Category: 1 Peter 4

1 Peter 4:9 – Christian Hospitality

Posted on by Will

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

Truth to Learn

We should be hospitable to other Christians simply because we love them.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “hospitable” is the Greek word philoxenos, which is made up of philos, meaning “fondness” or “kindness” and xenos, meaning “a stranger.” Hence, it carries the idea of being kind and inviting to others, even to those you don’t know very well.

“Grumbling” is translated from the Greek word gongusmos, which means “the expression of secret and sullen discontent, murmuring, or complaining.”

 

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is short and to the point. It is actually a continuation of yesterday’s verse, specifically describing some of the actions that should result from our agape type of love for one another which we reviewed yesterday. Part of considering the well being of others above our own, as Peter tells us, is being hospitable to one another. Within the church this is characterized by opening our homes to one another and getting together for fellowship.

Peter takes this even one step further by saying that we should do this without complaint. In other words, we shouldn’t expect others to be hospitable to us just because we are to them, and we shouldn’t complain about the hardship or time or expense we have laid out to be hospitable to others. Rather, we should do it cheerfully, expecting nothing in return.

Another possible interpretation of what Peter is telling us is that our time of hospitality and fellowship should not be used for murmuring or complaining about others. It should never be used as an excuse to gossip about or attack someone who is not present.

The Apostle Paul said a similar thing in his letter to the Roman Christians:

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)

distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. (Romans 12:13)

And in his letter to Titus, Paul said:

but [be] hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, righteous, kind, self-controlled, (Titus 1:8)

The basic idea that Peter is conveying to us is that we should be quick to share God’s blessing on us with others of like faith. We are not to be a friend of the world, and the world certainly will not be friendly to us if we are holding forth a faithful witness for our God. Therefore, we should be providing friendship, fellowship, and communion with other believers, and it should be done cheerfully with a complete absence of discontent.

 

Application

Let us be quick to share God’s blessing on us with others. Be a friend to others in the church, especially those who are not able to repay you. Show God’s love to all who call themselves Christian.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:8 – Demonstrate Fervent Love

Posted on by Will

Above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.

Truth to Learn

Love means forgetting your own pain in order to help a brother or sister grow in grace.

 

Behind the Words

The expression “above all things” is translated from the Greek words pro pantōn. The word pro means “before.” It can refer to place, time, or importance. In this case, it refers to importance. The word pantōn means “all things.” Hence, Peter is literally saying “before all things,” that is, having more importance than all other things.

“Love” is translated from agapē, which in fact does mean “love.” But it is only one of several Greek words that is translated that way. The best way to describe this type of love is that it is the kind of love which is more concerned about the well being of the loved one than of self.

The word “fervent” is from the Greek word ektenēs, which literally means “stretched out.” As used here it means “continual or intense.”

The word translated “cover” is kaluptō, which means “to hide or cover.” The opposite of this is the Greek word apokaluptō, meaning “to uncover” or “to reveal” from which we get our English word apocalypse.

 

Meaning Explained

Since we know that our time is short, as stated in the previous verse, we need to be serious and dedicate ourselves to prayer. But, Peter tells us in this verse, of greater importance than even these things, we need to have fervent love for one another. Since Peter is writing this letter to Christians (1Peter 1:1, 2), it means that we are to love our fellow Christians with a self-sacrificing love, being more concerned for their well-being than our own.  But it’s not just love, it is “fervent love” that we are to have for one another.

Why are we commanded to have fervent love for each other? Peter says it’s because love covers (or hides) a multitude of sins. This is not to say that we are to ignore the sins of a brother or sister. It means that we are to love each other this way so that we will be gracious and forgiving of each other’s faults. We need to be more concerned about the well-being of our Christian brothers and sisters than our own selfish motives and feelings. If a brother of sister is living in sin, we have a responsibility to approach him or her in a loving (agapē) manner with his or her ultimate good in mind. It also means that when a brother or sister sins against us, we need to be more concerned for their spiritual well-being than our own bruised selfish pride. Again, it doesn’t mean that we ignore the offense; rather, it means that we approach the offender in a loving (agapē) way to let him or her know that they injured us, having already forgiven them and freed them of any blame.

Keep in mind that love is an action verb, not just a feeling. In light of what Peter just told us in the previous verse (“the end of all things is near” and “be self-controlled unto prayer”), we should consistently demonstrate fervent love to our Christian brothers and sisters.

 

Application

When we approach a Christian brother or sister who is living in sin or who has offended us, we need to do it while standing in their shoes. We need to confront them lovingly the way we would want someone to treat us if the tables were turned.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:7 – End-Time Actions

Posted on by Will

But the end of all things is near; therefore be clear minded and self-controlled unto prayers.

Truth to Learn

The end is very near, so be serious about what you do and how you pray.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “end” is telos, which is derived from the verb tellō, meaning “to set out for the goal or target.” Hence, telos refers to “the goal, the end, or the completion.”

“Is near” is from the Greek verb engidzō, which means “to approach or to make near.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the effect. Hence, it means that the end has approached and, therefore, is now close at hand.

 

Meaning Explained

There is some disagreement as to what Peter means by “the end is very near.” There are three predominant views. The first is that Peter is referring to the end of the Jewish temple worship in Jerusalem. In Peter’s mind, as in the minds of many early church believers, Christianity was simply an extension of the Jewish belief system. At the time of the writing of this epistle (around 65 AD), the Roman government was increasingly displeased with the Jewish resistance to Roman rule. As it turns out, not many years after the publication of this letter, the Jewish temple along with much of the city of Jerusalem was, in fact, destroyed by the Romans.

The second interpretation of this phrase is that it refers to the coming of the Messiah to judge the nations. It was the belief of the early church that the return of Christ was not a distant future event, rather something that could occur at any time.

The third interpretation is that Peter simply means the end of earthly life for the suffering believers to whom he is writing. This interpretation seems to lend itself to the subject matter that Peter has been talking about in the previous verses; although, any of the interpretations could be valid.

However you interpret the opening phrase of this verse, the message from Peter is that since time is running short we need to take some specific action. There is something sobering about believing the end is near that causes us to take stock of our lives, knowing how quickly life can end.

Peter is telling us to take stock now, since time is short. Be sober minded and let our sober attitude result in prayers. We Christians have a hope that the world doesn’t understand. We know that existence doesn’t end when we die. In fact, for a Christian, that is when it really begins. What we have here on this earth is simply the preliminary part of our lives when we will determine how the eternal part is spent.

Life on this earth is short; it can end quickly, and Jesus Christ could return at any moment. All the prophetic events that precede His return have occurred with the exception of the rapture of His church. Let us not waste our last remaining days on this earth with frivolous activities. Instead, let us be sober minded and spend our time in watchful prayer, especially for those who have not yet received the gift of salvation.

 

Application

The end is near! Therefore, let us watch… and pray… and witness, with our lives as well as our mouths!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:6 – Dead, But Alive

Posted on by Will

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Truth to Learn

The ultimate price to pay for our faith (giving of our life) may be what pleases God the most.

 

Behind the Words

There is a word that is left out of most translations, though is in the original Greek text, which lends meaning to the latter half of this verse. It is the particle men. When coupled with de, it produces what is called a correlative conjunction. The meaning is “on the one hand” (men), “but on the other hand” (de). Thus, the second half of this verse reads:

that on the one hand they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but on the other hand they might live according to God in the spirit.

 

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is another tricky one so let’s look at it carefully. Peter starts out with the expression, “For this reason.” Peter is not referring to the thing just said, rather to the thing about to be said (the latter part of this verse).

The phrase, “was preached also to those who are dead …” is a somewhat debated expression that some believe refers to Christ going into Hell to preach to the dead spirits in prison (see notes on 1Peter 3:19,20). What this means instead is that the gospel was previously preached to those who are now physically dead (though spiritually alive). I believe that this interpretation is also borne out by the remainder of the verse.

Peter is saying that the gospel was preached in the past to some who are now physically dead; although, because they believed the gospel, they are spiritually alive. Therefore, they may have been judged by men and put to death for their faith and actions, but they continue to live spiritually (eternally) according to the judgment of God (they are declared righteous). This interpretation also fits in with what Peter has been talking about in the past few verses and seems to sum-up what he has been saying. And because it is summed-up, Peter goes on to another thought in the following verse.

There are many Christians who have been judged as heretics or as evil doers because they followed God’s teaching instead of what the church leaders claimed as truth. The Reformation is filled with such examples, and even in the early church many were put to death for holding forth the truth instead of the party line of the religious rulers. The Apostle Paul, himself, was responsible for such condemnation and martyrdom of believers before he was confronted by the truth on the road to Damascus.

Peter has been telling us that though we may go through suffering at times, even at the hands of those who think they are doing God’s work, we should take such suffering patiently just as Christ did when He suffered for us. And even if we are to lose our lives because of our faithful witness, God will be glorified and will be pleased with us for being faithful unto death.

 

Application

Let us be faithful and suffer patiently. And, if we do suffer for being faithful, let it be because we are faithful to God rather than to ourselves or others around us.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:5 – Divine Vengeance

Posted on by Will

They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Truth to Learn

When we are slandered by others for doing what God wants, we need to remember that He will judge them some day.

 

Behind the Words

The words “will give” are translated from the verb apodidōmi, which is made up of apo, meaning “away” or “from” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines this word as, “To give or to do something necessary in fulfillment of an obligation or expectation.” The word is used here in the future tense, active voice, and indicative mood. This implies future action that will (not might) take place.

“Ready” is translated from etoimos, which is an adverb indicating “readiness, having made all the necessary preparations.”

 

Meaning Explained

Those with whom you used to charge headlong into sin, those who are now railing on you for leaving such practices, will have to give account of themselves to the Great Judge some day. Peter is reiterating the fact that there is but one righteous judge, and as he previously said of Christ:

who, being reviled, did not revile in return; suffering, He did not threaten, but committing Himself to Him who judges righteously; (1 Peter 2:23)

Likewise, we need to be prepared to receive such slanderous accusations at the hands of others from whom we have separated ourselves.

If we are being obedient to God, there will be times when we are asked to cease doing things that are glorifying man instead of God (for this truly is idolatry). Those from whom we separate will not understand why we have done such a thing. They may very well slander us and our Lord, whether we’re aware of it or not, and we are to expect it. We are to suffer patiently for having done the right thing, knowing that it is they who will have to give account of such slander to the Righteous One who will judge all mankind one day. And, that judge will be none other than Jesus Christ Himself:

And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify fully that it is He [Jesus of Nazareth] who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: (2Timothy 4:1)

So let us suffer patiently and humble ourselves before the One who has said:

“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. (Hebrews 10:30)

 

Application

Can you think of a time when you were obedient to God and then suffered due to the words of others who felt injured by your obedience? If so, then you have suffered for righteousness sake and you are blessed, as Peter told us in 1Peter 3:14.

You are pleasing to God.

Well done, you good and faithful servant!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:4 – Unfriendly Recognition

Posted on by Will

regarding which, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same excess of unsavedness, speaking evil of you.

Truth to Learn

Leaving old habits behind comes at a cost.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “they think it strange” is the Greek word xenidzō, which is derived from xenos, meaning “a stranger or a foreigner.” Hence, this word can mean “to receive a stranger as a guest” or “to perceive someone or something as strange.”

“You do not run with them” is translated from the word suntrechō, which is a compound of sun, meaning “together with” and threchō, which means “to walk hastily” or “to run.” Hence, it means “to fraternize, run around with, or be in harmony with others.”

The word translated “excess” is anachusin, meaning “to pour out again,” but it has come to mean “excessive indulgence.” In classical Greek, this word is used to describe the tides which repeatedly come back with flooding again and again.

The word translated “unsavedness” is asotias, which literally means “not saved like.”

The participle “speaking evil,” meaning “to vilify or to rail on,” although placed at the end of the verse for emphasis, could be moved back with the other verb. Hence, this verse could read:

In these things they think it strange and they rail on you because you are not running together with them into the same unsaved-like excessive indulgence.

 

Meaning Explained

Most of us have had the experience where under the conviction of the Holy Spirit we have stopped doing some activity that was inconsistent with our life as a faithful Christian. In some cases we have experienced the wrathful tongue of those with whom we had previously joined ourselves, not simply wondering why we stopped doing it with them, but actually attacking us verbally as if we had accused them of wrongdoing.

You will recall in the previous verse Peter included idolatry along with other descriptions of obvious unchristian-like behavior. When we get caught up in any kind of behavior that has a greater importance than God, it becomes idolatry. It then takes our focus away from God, but it often happens so gradually that we aren’t even aware of it. Such things aren’t sinful in themselves, but they are sinful in their effects on our relationship with our Heavenly Father. When we finally realize that we need to quit and get our focus back on God, our friends (even Christian friends) often will not understand.

Peter tells us this reaction is to be expected. When we turn away from the types of excesses and idolatry described in the previous verse, those with whom we did these things will notice, and their words may not be kind in telling us so.

 

Application

If this has happened to you as a result of your putting an end to some unchristian-like behavior, then you should drop to your knees and say a couple of prayers. The first is a prayer of thanksgiving and praise that God has rescued you from it. And the second, that He would open the eyes of those who are still engaged in such activity so as to draw them out of it as well.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:3 – Wasted Pleasure

Posted on by Will

For the time of life having passed is sufficient for us to have worked out the will of the Gentiles, having lived in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and lawless idolatries.

Truth to Learn

We’ve wasted enough time; now let’s focus on serving God.

 

Behind the Words

“Lewdness” is translated from the Greek word aselgeia, which literally means “not having control.” It is used primarily with regard to sexual appetite and is sometimes translated as “wantonness.”

We saw the word “lusts” in the previous verse. It is the Greek word epithumia, meaning “excessive or uncontrolled desires.”

“Drunkenness” comes from the Greek word oinophlugia, which literally means “overflowing wine,” but by application it means “excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages.”

“Revelries” is translated from the Greek word kōmos, which means “carousing” or “reveling,” implying a “letting loose of control.”

The word translated “drinking parties” is from the Greek word potos, which means “getting together for the purpose of getting drunk.”

And finally, “lawless idolatries” comes from the Greek, athemitois eidōlolatreiais, which literally means “illegal image worship.” It refers to “the worship of anything other than God.”

 

Meaning Explained

Peter has just told us that we should no longer live for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. He now tells us that it’s time for change. We’ve spent enough time living like the ungodly to know that’s not the will of God. We did these things in the past enough to know that they don’t give us true happiness and certainly don’t give us peace. All they really do is produce amnesia, headache, and heartache.

We could probably sum up Peter’s description of these activities as illicit sexual activity, drunkenness, partying, and the worship of things instead of God. That’s how many of us lived before we were saved. Peter is saying that our past indulgences are to be put behind us so we can live unto God. None of these things is what God wants of us.

However, it’s easy for many of us to say, “I never committed any illicit sexual activity. I never got drunk, and I never went to wild parties, so this doesn’t apply to me.” What we often fail to see in this verse is that Peter groups “the worship of things other than God” in the same category as those other things.

Have you ever possessed anything that was so important to you that you would do anything to hang on to it, or that you spent so much time on that it made you forget about your commitments to God? These are all idols. I once had a car that was like that to me, and God had to tarnish my idol for me.

 

Application

As a Christian your life should not be characterized by the “party scene.” But remember, anything that distracts us from our focus on God is an idol, and our Heavenly Father considers that just as horrific as wild, sexual, drunken partying. Ouch!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:2 – Stop That Lust

Posted on by Will

no longer to live the rest of his time in the flesh in the lusts of men, but in the will of God.

Truth to Learn

He suffered and died for us, let us suffer and live for Him.

 

Behind the Words

In the previous verse Peter told us to “arm” ourselves with the same “mind.” Let’s look at these two words. “Arm” is translated from the Greek word hoplidzō, meaning “to equip with armament.” It is expressed in the imperative mood indicating a command. The implication of the verb is that we should start doing so right now.

The word translated “mind” is ennoia, which is a compound word made up of en, meaning “in” and nous, meaning “the mind.” Therefore this word means “that which is in the mind,” hence, “thoughts” or “understanding.”

In today’s verse, the words “no longer” are from the Greek word mēketi, made up of mē, meaning “not” and eti, meaning “anymore” or “yet.” Hence, it means “not anymore.”

“Flesh” is translated from the Greek word sarx, which refers to “the flesh of a living creature.” Hence, Peter is referring to the remainder of time that we are living on this earth.

The word “lusts” is one that we have seen before. It is translated from the Greek epithumia, which is made up of epi, meaning “over” and a form of thumos, which refers to “a violent motion or passion of the mind.” Hence, epithumia refers to “an overly strong desire of the mind.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Peter told us, “he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” This doesn’t mean that we will never commit a sin again. Rather, Peter is telling us that when we are suffering, though we have done nothing wrong, and we are doing so patiently, we are not letting our sin nature control us.

In the current verse, Peter completes that thought. Since we have the same understanding as Christ, that this suffering is God’s will, then each of us should:

no longer … live the rest of his time in the flesh in the lusts of men, but in the will of God.

In other words, for the remainder of the time that we are living our earthly life, we should not be living for the lusts of men but for the will of God. Well, what are these lusts of men? According to the Apostle John they are:

 the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16)

So it’s not just sexual lust we are talking about, but all those desires that we have that cause us to focus on ourselves rather than God. It includes the overly strong desire for food, for pleasure, for “stuff” like a new car or a new house, or a new kitchen, or a new boat, or the desire to be admired because of a position of prominence. It’s anything that focuses on “me.”

 

Application

Let us not waste our few remaining years on this earth satisfying ourselves, that is, our fleshly lusts. Let us, instead, seek out ways to be obedient to the will of God so as to bring Him glory! After all, He suffered and died for us, let us suffer and live for Him!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:1 – Suffering With Him

Posted on by Will

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

Truth to Learn

Suffering for righteousness produces a keen sense of Christ’s suffering and enables you to more fully live for Him.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “suffered” is the from the Greek word pascho, which means to experience a sensation, usually painful (sometimes translated as “passion”). It is expressed in the Greek aorist tense, meaning that it was an action that took place at a point in time in the past, not continuous action in the past.

The word translated “ceased” is the Greek word pauō, which means “to stop, quit, or come to an end.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, implying a process that has come to completion in the past with a resulting state of being. The emphasis of this tense is on the resulting state.

 

Meaning Explained

According to Peter, he who has suffered in the flesh, “has ceased from sin.” Since Christ never did sin, this can‘t be referring to Christ. Some have argued that this implies that when we really and truly die to sin in our flesh we will have attained a state of holiness in which we sin no longer. I don’t believe that this is what Scripture teaches.

The Apostle Paul addresses this same issue in it the book of Romans:

For if we have been joined together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him that the body of sin might be done away with, that from now on we should not serve sin. For he who died has been justified from sin. (Romans 6:5-7)

In this passage it is pretty clear that Paul is talking about us putting our “old man,” a term which refers to our sin nature, to death, figuratively. He goes on to say:

knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, He dies no more; death no longer has dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died to sin once; but in that He lives, He lives to God. In the same way count yourselves also to be truly dead to sin, but alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:9-11)

It is clear that Paul is teaching that we haven’t really died, nor has our sin nature really died but that we should consider ourselves to be dead to sin and not let it control our lives.

Therefore, what Peter is telling us in today’s verse is that if we are suffering for righteousness, we can identify with the suffering that Christ went through. And, whereas His suffering culminated in his atoning death for us we can consider ourselves to have died with him (at least our sin nature) and we can live a fulfilled life, not controlled by our sin nature.

 

Application

If you are currently suffering and you have done nothing wrong, of if you are suffering because of your testimony for Christ, you can readily identify with His suffering which gave us everlasting life. As a result, you can now more readily live for Him instead of living to satisfy your own sin nature.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved