As I was meditating on this fourth chapter of 1 Peter, I also read John Calvin's commentary on the chapter, and could not get it out of my head. I have read his commentaries on other books and chapters, but none have spoken to me so profoundly as this. So, following the haikus, instead of writing my own ramblings, I would love to share some excerpts from his commentary, which can be read in its entirety here: http://calvin.biblecommenter.com/1_peter/4.htm. Corresponding verse numbers are listed prior to each quotation. Please read through 1 Peter, chapter 4 in your Bible first to better understand his comments below. I pray for blessing on your reading, and to God alone be the glory.
Verse 1
Since Christ has suffered
In the flesh, equip yourselves
With the same resolve
1 (continued)
For whoever has
Suffered in the flesh for Christ
Has finished with sin
2
So as not to live
The rest of his earthly life
For human passions
2 (continued)
Instead he will be
Guided, governed according
To the will of God
3
For you have spent time
Enough in the past doing
What the pagans do:
3 (continued)
Living in lust and
Sensuality, drunken
Feasts, idolatry
4
They are surprised when
You do not join them in the
Same wild excesses
4-5
They slander you, but
They will give account to Him
Who’s ready to judge
6
For this is why the
Gospel was preached even to
Those who are now dead
6 (continued)
That though they are judged
In the flesh, they would live in
God by the Spirit
7
The end of all things
Is near, so be earnest and
Disciplined for prayer
8
Above all, love each
Other deeply, because love
Covers many sins
9
Be hospitable
To one another without
Grumble or complaint
10
As each has received
A gift, use it in service
To one another
10 (continued)
As faithful servant
Managers of God’s grace in
Its various forms
11
Whoever speaks should
Do so as one who speaks the
Very words of God
11 (continued)
Whoever serves should
Do so with the energy
And strength God supplies
11 (continued)
This is so that God
May be glorified in all
Things through Jesus Christ
11 (continued)
To Him belong all
Glory and dominion for
Ever and ever.
12
Dear friends, do not be
Surprised at the fiery trials
That come to test you
12 (continued)
As if something strange
Were happening to you; they
Are for your proving
13
Instead, rejoice as
You share in the sufferings
Of the Messiah
13 (continued)
Then, when His glory
Is revealed, you may rejoice
With exceeding joy
14
So be happy when
You are insulted because
Of the name of Christ
14 (continued)
For then the Spirit
Of glory and of God is
Resting upon you
14 (continued)
On their part, He is
Evil spoken of; on your
Part He’s glorified
15
But none of you should
Suffer as a murderer,
Or thief, or meddler
16
But it’s no shame to
Suffer as a Christian; praise
God you bear that name!
17
For the time has come
That judgment must begin with
The household of God
17 (continued)
And if it begins
With us, what will become of
Those who disobey?
18
“If the righteous are
Barely saved, what will happen
To godless sinners?”
19
So then let those who
Suffer according to the
Will of God do good
19 (continued)
As they commit the
Keeping of their souls to a
Faithful Creator
--------------------
Excerpts from Calvin's commentary on 1 Peter 4, found at http://calvin.biblecommenter.com/1_peter/4.htm.
1 "Christ is not simply to be viewed as our example, when we speak of the mortification of the flesh; but it is by his Spirit that we are really made conformable to his death, so that it becomes effectual to the crucifying of our flesh."
2 "Here he [Peter] 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 spirit. The course of good living is thus to begin with the former, but we are to advance to the latter."
3 "Peter does not so ascribe these vices to the Gentiles, as though he charged every individual with all these, but that we are by nature inclined to all these evils, and not only so, but that we are so much under the power of depravity, that these fruits which he mentions necessarily proceed from it as from an evil root. There is indeed no one who has not within him the seed of all vices, but all do not germinate and grow up in every individual. Yet the contagion is so spread and diffused through the whole human race, that the whole community appears infected with innumerable evils, and that no member is free or pure from the common corruption."
7 "It is, then, no wonder that the cares of this world overwhelm us, and make us drowsy, if the view of present things dazzles our eyes: for we promise, almost all of us, an eternity to ourselves in this world; at least, the end never comes to our mind. But were the trumpet of Christ to sound in our ears, it would powerfully rouse us and not suffer us to lie torpid."
[To save you the time of looking it up like I had to, torpid means lethargic or dormant.]
"But it may be objected and said, that a long series of ages has passed away since Peter wrote this, and yet that the end is not come. My reply to this is, that the time seems long to us, because we measure its length by the spaces of this fleeting life; but if we could understand the perpetuity of future life, many ages would appear to us like a moment, as Peter will also tell us in his second epistle. Besides, we must remember this principle, that from the time when Christ once appeared, there is nothing left for the faithful, but with suspended minds ever to look forward to his second coming."
"For as an indulgence in surfeiting and sleep renders the body unfit for its duties, so the vain cares and pleasures of the world inebriate the mind and render it drowsy."
8 "The sentence is taken from Solomon, whose words are found in Proverbs 10:12,
"For as an indulgence in surfeiting and sleep renders the body unfit for its duties, so the vain cares and pleasures of the world inebriate the mind and render it drowsy."
8 "The sentence is taken from Solomon, whose words are found in Proverbs 10:12,
'Hatred discovers reproaches, but love covers a multitude of sins.'
What Solomon meant is sufficiently clear, for the two clauses contain things which are set in contrast the one with the other. As then he says in the first clause that hatred is the cause why men traduce and defame one another, and spread whatever is reproachful and dishonorable; so it follows that a contrary effect is ascribed to love, that is, that men who love one another, kindly and courteously forgive one another; hence it comes that, willingly burying each other's vices, one seeks to preserve the honor of another. Thus Peter confirms his exhortation, that nothing is more necessary than to cherish mutual love. For who is there that has not many faults? Therefore all stand in need of forgiveness, and there is no one who does not wish to be forgiven."
"This singular benefit love brings to us when it exists among us, so that innumerable evils are covered in oblivion. On the other hand, where loose reins are given to hatred, men by mutual biting and tearing must necessarily consume one another, as Paul says (Galatians 5:15)."
"This singular benefit love brings to us when it exists among us, so that innumerable evils are covered in oblivion. On the other hand, where loose reins are given to hatred, men by mutual biting and tearing must necessarily consume one another, as Paul says (Galatians 5:15)."
11 "God does not adorn us with his gifts, that he may rob himself and make himself as it were an empty idol by transferring to us his own glory, but that, on the contrary, his own glory may everywhere shine forth; and that it is therefore a sacrilegious profanation of God's gifts when men propose to themselves any other object than to glorify God."
12 "It is, indeed, a cause of joy, when God tries our faith by persecution; but the other joy far surpasses it, that is, when the Son of God allots to us the same course of life with himself, that he might lead us with himself to a blessed participation of heavenly glory. For we must bear in mind this truth, that we have the dying of Christ in our flesh, that his life may be manifested in us. The wicked also do indeed bear many afflictions; but as they are separated from Christ, they apprehend nothing but God's wrath and curse: thus it comes that sorrow and dread overwhelm them."
17 "It was formerly usual with the Lord, as all the prophets witness, to exhibit the first examples of his chastisements in his own people, as the head of a family corrects his own children rather than those of strangers. (Isaiah 10:12.) For though God is the judge of the whole world, yet he would have his providence to be especially acknowledged in the government of his own Church. Hence, when he declares that he would rise up to be the judge of the whole world, he adds that this would be after he had completed his work on Mount Sion. He indeed puts forth his hand indifferently against his own people and against strangers; for we see that both are in common subjected to adversities; and if a comparison be made, he seems in a manner to spare the reprobate, and to be severe towards the elect. Hence the complaints of the godly, that the wicked pass their life in continual pleasures, and delight themselves with wine and the harp, and at length descend without pains in an instant into the grave -- that fatness covers their eyes -- that they are exempt from troubles -- that they securely and joyfully spend their life, looking down with contempt on others, so that they dare to set their mouth against heaven. (Job 21:13; Psalm 73:3-9.) In short, God so regulates his judgments in this world, that he fattens the wicked for the day of slaughter. He therefore passes by their many sins, and, as it were, connives at them. In the meantime, he restores by corrections his own children, for whom he has a care, to the right way, whenever they depart from it."
18 "...the meaning is, that God's judgment would be dreadful against the ungodly, since the way to salvation was so thorny and difficult to the elect. And this is said, lest we should securely indulge ourselves, but carefully proceed in our course, and lest we should also seek the smooth and easy road, the end of which is a terrible precipice.
"But when he says, that a righteous man is scarcely saved, he refers to the difficulties of the present life, for our course in the world is like a dangerous sailing between many rocks, and exposed to many storms and tempests; and thus no one arrives at the port, except he who has escaped from [a] thousand deaths. It is in the meantime certain that we are guided by God's hand, and that we are in no danger of shipwreck as long as we have him as our pilot.
"Absurd, then, are those interpreters who think that we shall be hardly and with difficulty saved, when we shall come before God in judgment; for it is the present and not the future time that Peter refers to; nor does he speak of God's strictness or rigour, but shews how many and what arduous difficulties must be surmounted by the Christian before he reaches the goal. Sinner here means a wicked man and the righteous are not those who are altogether perfect in righteousness, but who strive to live righteously."
19 "...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 according to the permission of God, which tends much to comfort us..."
And that He does indeed. Please comfort us in any and all of our sufferings, God, and let us remain faithful to you through them, remembering that you are always faithful to us, and this is certainly our greatest comfort. And thank you God, that you remain faithful even when we fail, for you cannot deny yourself (2 Timothy 2:13). To Your Great Name alone be the glory! Amen.
