12. Conversation. Rey., behavior. See on ch. i. 15.
Whereas (év 4). Rey., correctly, wherein ; in the matter in which.
They speak against (catadadodcw). Compare evil-speak- ings, ver. 1, and Acts xxviii. 22.
Which they shall behold (ésrorevovtes). - Rev., beholding. Used by Peter only, here and ch. iii, 2. The kindred noun énémtns, an eye-witness, occurs only at 2 Pet. i. 16. It is a technical word, meaning one who was admitted to the highest degree of initiation in the Eleusinian mysteries. Here it con- veys the idea of personal witness ; behold with thew own eyes.
Evil-doers (xaxorowv). The word occurs four times in Peter, and nowhere else in the New Testament except John xviii. 30, where it is applied by the priests to Christ himself.
Visitation (émvcKxomys). The radical idea of the word is that of observing or inspecting. Hence émicxomos, an overseer or bishop. Vusiting grows naturally out of this, as vesitare from wisere, to look at attentively. See Introduction, on Peter’s em- phasis upon sight; and compare behold, in this verse. The “day of visitation” is the day of looking upon: “ When God
646 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. IL.
shall look upon these wanderers, as a pastor over his flock, and shall become the overlooker or bishop of their souls” (ver. 25, Lumby).
13. Submit yourselves (i7ordyyte). Rev., be subject. See Rom. xiii. 1 sq.
Ordinance of man (av9parivy xrice). Lit., to every human creation or institution. Rev., creation, in margin.
King. The emperor, styled Zing by Greek writers.
14. Sent (weuropévos). The present participle. In the habit of being sent: sent from time to time.
By him. The king; not the Lord.
Punishment (éxdécnow). Not strong enough. Better, ven- geance, as Rev. Compare Luke xviii. 7; Rom. xii. 19.
Them that do well (ayaJoroudv). Only here in New Tes- tament.
15. Put to silence (¢iuodv). A very graphic word, meaning to muzzle or gag. Compare 1 Cor. ix.9; 1 Tim. v.18. See on Matt. xxii. 12.
Ignorance (ayvwotav). In classical Greek it is an ignorance arising from not coming into contact with the person or thing to be known. It occurs only once again in the New Testament, 1 Cor. xv. 34. Here it signifies not want of acquaintance, but of understanding ; a state of ignorance.
Of foolish men (tév adpdver avIperav). Of the foolish
men ; the article referring to those just mentioned, who speak against them as evil-doers.
16. Using (éxovres). Lit., having or holding.
Cu. IL] THE FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE OF PETER. 647
Cloke (érucdAvppa). Only here in New Testament. Lit., a veil. The idea is that of using Christian freedom as a mask for ungodly license. Paul uses the kindred verb (Rom. iv. 7) of the covering of sins. On the sentiment, compare Gal. v. 13.
18. Servants (oixéras). Household servants. So Reyv., in margin. Not a common term in the New Testament, occur- ring only in three other passages: Luke xvi. 13; Acts x. 7; Rom. xiv. 4. Some suppose that Peter intended to cover by it freedmen and other dependants in the household, or that he uses it with a conciliatory purpose, as presenting the slave in closer relation with the family.
Gentle (émvexéow). A common derivation of this word is from elkw, to yield. Hence the meaning, mild, yrelding, i- dulgent. But the true derivation is from eixos, reasonable ; and the word implies rather the not being unduly rigorous : “ Wherein not strictness of legal right, but consideration for one another, is the rule of practice ” (Alford). Compare Philip. iv. 5, where, for moderation (ro erreuxes), Rev. gives forbear- ance, with gentleness in margin. According to Aristotle, the word stands in contrast with dxpiBodicaios, one who is exact- ingly just, as one who is satisfied with less than his due.
Froward (cxonwois). Lit., crooked. See Luke iii. 5. Peter uses the word in Acts ii. 40 (untoward); and Paul, in Philip. ii. 15 (crooked). The word froward is Anglo-Saxon fream-ward or from-ward, the opposite of to-ward. (See untoward, above.) Thus Ben Jonson :