Virtue. See on ver. 3, and 1 Pet. ii. 9. Not in the sense of moral excellence, but of the energy which Christians are to exhibit, as God exerts his energy upon them. As God calls us by his own wertue (ver. 3), 80 Christians are to exhibit virtue or energy in the exercise of their faith, translating it into vigorous action.
6. Temperance (éyxpareia). Self-control ; holding the pas- sions and desires in hand. See 1 Cor. ix. 25.
Patience (i7ropovjv). Lit., remaining behind or staying, from péva, to wait. Not merely endurance of the inevitable, for Christ could have relieved himself of his sufferings (Heb. xii. 2, 3; compare Matt. xxvi. 53); but the heroic, brave patience with which a Christian not only bears but contends.
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Speaking of Christ’s patience, Barrow remarks, “ Neither was it out of a stupid insensibility or stubborn resolution that he did thus behave himself; for he had a most vigorous sense of all those grievances, and a strong (natural) aversation from under- going them; . . . but from a perfect submission to the divine will, and entire command over his passions, an excessive charity toward mankind, this patient and meek behavior did spring.” The same writer defines patience as follows: “ That virtue which qualifieth us to bear all conditions and all events, by God’s disposal incident to us, with such apprehensions and persuasions of mind, such dispositions and affections of heart, such external deportment and practices of life as God requireth and good reason directeth (Sermon XLIL, “On Patience ”).
Godliness. See on ver. 3. The quality isnever ascribed to God.
Brotherly kindness (¢uAadeAgiav). ev. renders, literally, love of the brethren.
Charity (aydémnv). There seems at first an infelicity in the rendering of the Rev., in your love of the brethren love. But this is only apparent. In the former word Peter contem- plates Christian fellow-believers as naturally and properly hold- ing the first place in our affections (compare Gal. vi. 10, “ Expecially unto them which are of the household of faith”). But he follows this with the broader affection which should characterize Christians, and which Paul lauds in 1 Cor. xiii., the hove of men as men. It may be remarked here that the entire rejection by the Rev. of charity as the rendering of dydzn is wholesome and defensible. Charity has acquired two peculiar -meanings, both of which are indeed included or implied in Zove, but neither of which expresses more than a single phase of love —tolerance and beneficence. The A. V. in the great majority of cases translates love; always in the Gospels, and mostly else- where. Thereis no more reason for saying “charity suffereth long,” than for saying, “the charity of God is shed abroad in our hearts,” or “God is charity.”
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8. Be in you (imdpyovta). Rev., are yours; following the sense of possession which legitimately belongs to the verb; as Matt. xix. 21, that thow hast; 1 Cor. xiii. 8, goods. In the sense of being the verb is stronger than the simple eivas, to be ; denoting being which is from the beginning, and therefore attaching to a person as a proper characteristic; something be- longing to him, and so running into the idea of rightful posses- sion as above.
Barren (dpyovs). From a, not, and épyov, work. ence, more correctly, as Rev., 7dle. Compare “idle word” (Matt. xii. 36); “standing idle” (Matt. xx. 3, 6); also, 1 Tim. v. 13. The tautology, barren and unfruitful, is thus avoided.
In the knowledge (eis). Rev., more correctly, wnto. The idea is not idleness zn the knowledge, but idleness in pressing on and developing toward and finally reaching the knowledge. With this agrees the compound éréyrwou, the constantly im- creasing and finally full knowledge.
9, But (yap). Wrong. Render as Rev., for.
He that lacketh these things (6 2) rdpeotwv tadta). Lit., to whom these things are not present. Note that a different word is used here from that in ver. 8, are yours, to convey the idea of possession. Instead of speaking of the gifts as belong- ing to the Christian by habitual, settled possession, he denotes them now as merely present with him.