The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Peter — Section 113

l[J. Tmr. ARGUMENT DY WIIICII THE SOUL TS T'F.ll';UADF:D TO USE THESE UIU),'S, "If 60 be ye have tnsted," etc., that is, seek this spiritual growth: 1. Because your experience of Divine grace has been only a ea~te of what is possible. \Ve are predes- tined to-be conformed to the image of God's Son. 'l'hink what that involves of charac- ter and blossedness; and of this most of us have as yet had only a taste! But that taste makes us long for more. 2. Beoouse, also, by growth yr>u prove your receplion of Divine grace. "If 60 be." Then is there doubt about it? Let spirit11al growth destroy that doubt. Growth is a sure proof of life. A deeper sense of sin; a more earnest desire for holiness; a greater joy in God, his presence, service, will ;-are the clear proof that we have tasted of Divine grace. But if there be no growth, if the means of grace are no more useful to us than rain is to a rock, Divine life within us is not yet.-C. N. Vere. 4-10.-(J/iristian life crowned with wonderful honour. This is the last paragraph of the doctrinal section of the Epistle. (Peter's doctrinal teaching cover~ much less ground than that of Paul, and confine:; itself here to personal Christian life.) The key-words of the argument so far (see preceding homilies) have been" redemption," "holiness," "fear," "love," "growth," each of which comes in natural sequence. Now, what remains to be said may be gathered up in the word "honour." The central state- ment of this paragraph is in ver. 7, "Unto you therefore who believe [is] the precious- ness." But "preciousness" does not harmonize with the tenor of the passage. And as the Greek word equally means "honour," and is often so rendered ("No man taketh this honour unto himself;" "Hath not the potter power to make one vessel unto honour?" "Hold such in reputation [i.e. 'honour'] because," etc.), we so read it here. The apostle contrasts their position in Christ, :first with theirs who reject him, and then with their own former position out of him, both of these being positions of shame, the contrast to which is honour. Shame out of Christ, honour in Christ- that is the idea: "Unto you who believe there is honour." I. CoNSIDER THE HIGH HONOUR OF THE PEOPLE OF Goo. Not unnatural for this to lie emphasized to the "sojourners of the dispersion," who were exposed to suffering and shame for the gospel. There are many illustrations in the Acts of the bitterness of the unbelieving Jews to their Christian brethren; from the Gentle world, moreover, the first mutterings of Nero's persecution of the Church were beginning to be heard. The Epistle contaias several references to a condition of reproach (vers. 12, 15, 19-23; eh. iii. 9, 16; iv.13-16). Peter, therefore, reminds them that, though scorned by men, they are crowned with great honour by Goel. And mark how he illustrates that. As a Jew, writing mainly to Jews, he fixes on what was most honoured in Judaism- the temple with its priesthood and sacrifices. Then he turns to their Scriptures, and shows that God's Elect One, who should come, and who would be despised of the people, would be for a Foundation-stone of a spiritual temple, on and into wbich all who believe should be built; the honour of the Jewish temple was to pass over to the Christian Church. For instance: 1. The Church is God's chosen dwelling-place. Of the temple it was said, "This is my rest for ever. Here will I dwell, for I have desired it." The symbol of his presence was there. But of the Church founded on Jesus, he said, "Ye are the temple of the Holy Ghost, aud the Spirit of God dwelleth in you; " " Where two or three are gathered together," etc. God's dwelling! the place of his most glorious manifestation! Elsewhere we see him as Creator, Sovereign, Judge; here he is at home. 2. The Church is God's peculiar possession. Over the portal of the temple the eye instinctively reads the unwritten iuscription, "Holiness unto the Lord." "My Father'!I house," said Jesus. But s:J the Church: "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a people pe,::ulfarly his own." The Church is his a~ nothing else is-his peculiar treasure; the object of his delight, thought, care, on which he lavishes himself so that it shows forth, as the text says, ~ the excelleuces of God." 3. The Church is God's means of malcing himstlf knoim to the world. Like the temple, the depository of sacred truth nnd influence, which therefrom are to atream into the world'~ darkucss like the light <Jf day. Ye Chris- tians are "the light of the world." Think what 11. Church is in a city-that to which the weary, the tempted, the dark, the sorruwful, come for healiu;;; to which, thrnugh the weekly toil, tired hcal'ts look with longing, and in which 1ueu with a]! theit·  108 THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. [ott. n.1-25,