The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Peter — Section 12

you. The many mansions in our Fllther's God; others give the verb a quasi-fntnre house h11ve been kept from the beginning, sense-"wherein yewillgreatlyrejoice." Bnt 1111d still are kept for his elect; Snto.n cannot the former connection eeemR more ne.tural ; rob them of H, as ho robbed man of the the Christian rejoices in his present o.nd eo.rthly pllmdise. Some of the Greek com- future blessings-in the new 1.,irth, in the mentators find in the words," in honven," an hope of the heavenly inheritance, in the o.rgumen t against the milleno.rians. Some aRsured protection of God. The verb ( 4-ya;,,,. mo.nuscripts reo.d "for us," but the received >..,au8e) is a strong expression; it means ,. t(, rnacling is best supported. St. Peter passes exult, to leap for joy." St. Peter may have from one person to another, as St. Paul had in hie thoughts the well-remerr.bered often does, sometimes addressing his readers sermon on the mount, where the same worci directly, sometimes including himself among occurs (Matt. v. 12), and, as here, in connec- them. tion with sotTows and persecutions. It is Ver. 5.-Who are kept by the power of used of our Lord himself in Luke x. 21, of God. "Hereditas servata est," says Bengel, the Philippian gaoler's joy in his new-horn "heredes custodiuntur." The verb <f,povpe,11 faith (Acts xvi. 34), a.a well as of tbe joy of is a military word. "The governor under the blessed in heaven (Rev. xix. 7). There Aretns the king lcept [guarded] the city of is, therefore, nothing unsuitable in taking the Damascenes" (I! Cor. xi. 32); the peace the verb in its prop~r present significa.t.ion; of God shall keep (" guard," Phil. iv. 7) the the Christian's experience is often, like St. hearts of those who trust in him,-they are Paul's, "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." guarded by a heavenly host; "The angel of Some commentators, following St. Augus- the Lord encampeth_ around them that fear tine, regard the verb as imperative. Though him ; " they are guarded by, Qr rather, now for a season, if need be, ye are in according to the exact rendering, in the heaviness through manifold temptations. power of God. His power is all around The word rendered "for e. season" (o>..f-yov, them; it is the sphere in which they live e. little) may mean that the present suffer- and move; no harm can reach them in that ing is but little compared with the future all-embracing shelter. Throughfaith. Fa.i th, glory; it may cover both meanings (comp. the evidence of things not seen, realizes the 2 Cor. iv. 17, "Our light affliction, which presence of the heavenly guard, and gives is but for a. moment"). St. Peter, like St. courage and confidence to the Christillll Paul, enforces the lesson that thai light when assailed by temptations and dangers ; affliction, which seems sometimes 110 heavy, the servant of Elisha. feared no more the is sent in love and wisdom; the words, "if hosts of Syria, when he saw the mountain need be," imply his belief that these trio.ls full of chariots and horses of fire round were necessary for his rea.deni' BIil vation- about his master. Faith is the instrument they would work for them " a. far more by means of which we grasp the Divine exceeding and eternal weight of glory." strength, so that it is made perfect in our The words, "ye are in heaviness," represent weakness. Unto salvation ready to be tile aorist participle >..onr118ev-res, having been revealed in the la.et time. By "salvation" put to grief; it refers to definite afflictions. St. Peter means not merely present deliver- known to St. Peter, which had been suffered o.nce from sin, but everlasting life, the joy by those to whom he is writing. The of our Lord, the deep, full blessedness of hill words, " manifold temptations,'' remind us elect in heaven. Eye hath not seen it yet, of Jas. i. 2. it bath not entered into the heart of man. Ver. 7.-That the trial of your faith. The But it is rea.dy to be revealed; the veil words of ver. 6, "if need be," point to the which now hides it from us will be with- purpose and end of the temptations. St. drawn in the last time, when the last po.ge Peter proceeds to develop his meauiug. The of this world's history shall ho.ve been word rendered "trio.I" (lioKlµ.,011 or 1io1C1µ.•io11) written, when the number of the elect sho.ll means mther "test or proof;" it is explained be accomplished, and the eternal purpose of by Dionysius of Halioarnas,us (' Rhet.,' 11) God shall ho.ve been fulfilled. as tho.t e.t which, when one looks, he is able Ver. 6.-Wherein ye greatly rejoioe, Is to form a judgment. Cremer so.y• it is" uot the word "wherein" ( .!v ,p) to be referred to only the menus of proof itself, e.g. the the whole sentence, and to be understood touohstone, but also the trace of the metal of the Ohristian's present privileges o.ud left thereon. Hence here and in Ja.s. i. 3 hopes? or is it to be ta.Icon in e. temporo.l .,.J lioKlµ.£011 Tiis ,r/u.,. ..,s is the result of the ~ense with the words immediately preceding oonta.ct of faith with tcmpto.tions, that in it, "in the le.et time"? Authorities are virtue of which faith is recognized na divided. Of those who take the latter genuine-the verification of faith." Dr. view some regard "the la.at time "-as the Hort(' Notes on Select Readings') prefers the object of the Christio.u's joyful hope-he reading TO 1i&1C1µ.ov, which is given by two of rejoioee now in the hope of the glory of the better cursive& He se.ya, ".,.1, S.,.lii,10•  6 'l'RE t<'JHST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PE'r.lm. [on, 1. 1--25,