The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Peter — Section 131

ing service, It is proper that the will of the former should regulate the service, that the will of the latter sbonld be subjected in the service. This is the Divine foundation on which mastership and servitude rest. The feeling proper to servants in the relation is. fear. Paul uses stronger languag~ ,~hen he says, "wi_t? fear and trembling" ( 1,;ph. v1. 5). Peter strengthem, too, but 1t 1s not by an add1t1onal substantive but by an adjective," with all fear." 'l'hat cannot mean" all that fear can be," but'rather "all that fear should be in the relation," 'l'here is fear in the sense of reverence to be ~hown towards the regulator of service (not diminiRhing or exaggerating what there is in that); and this will be accompanied by another fear, viz. anxious solicitude about comin" up to all that is due in the service. There is a higher setting of the duty, which is° not to be left out of view. 'l'here is fear in the sense of reverence to be shown tow1mls him who (to our greater freedom and comfort in service) is over the earthly regulator of service; and this will be accompanied by another fearing, anxious solicitude about coming up to e.11 the Divine requirements in the service. In this there is the con- demnation of bad compliance, i.e. doing what i~ wrong because the master requires it . .According to Roman jurists, such bad compliance was the duty of freedmen, the necessity of slaves. \Ve can understand that Peter intended to guard a2:ainst had compliance when he does not state the duty of subjection abrnlutely, but with modification. IJ. SUBJECTION EVEN TO MASTERS THAT ARE FROWARD. "Not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." We cannot but admire the great sobriety that there is in apostolic teaching. There a.re masters that are good, i.e. amiable, and that are also gentle, i.e. showing their amiability in exacting nothing hut what is reasonable. In the case of such masters there cau be no question of the obligation of service. Unless the servant is ill-grained, the service is rendered freely and without any sense of burdensomeness. But what a.bout masters that are froward, or awry, i.e. ill- dispositioned, and that show their ill disposition by making unreasonable demands of their servants, and (when they can do it with impunity) abusing them? Is there any obligation of service there? "Yes," say the apostles, with the sobriety characteristic of them, "the obligation remai11s, and remains the same." Ill. CONSIDERATION DRAWN FROM THE PRAISEWORTHY CHARACTER OF SUll.TECTION TO MASTERS THAT ARE FllOW ARD. "For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God e. man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and a.re buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." It was the slave especially that suffered wrongfully. There was a great wrong in bis being e. slave, and there were many wrongs connected with his state of slavery. He was at the mercy of his owner; if he did not get justice, he bad no redress. Was his position, then, iinendurable 1 By no means; the apostle contrives even to throw e. halo a.round it. He does so by bringing God into the question. If e. man bas the conscio11Sness of God, i.e. of him as recog11izing not only his rights of humanity but also his sonship in Christ; of him also as able to right all matters between him and bis master, and to see to all fidelity receiving its reward at last; of him especially as appointing griefs for his earthly lot ;-then be can endure those griefs, whatever they are. .And if he thus encc,ure.ges himself in endurance, then there is that which is acceptable. It is difficult to catch the precise shade of meaning. One way of it is "there is grace." But we must not run into the Roman Catholic error of supererogatory merit, which can be com- municated to others. .Another way of it is "there is loveliness." That readily passes into the meaning" there is that which, coming out into beauty, calls for prais<'.'' This meaning seems to be caught up in the following word, "glory." In cu<luring griefs from a bad master there is something like martyrdom. Bt1t let a man Le on h\s guard here. If he commits a fault and is buffeted (receives a blow) for it, and takes this patiently, there is no halo attaching to that. It is when a man does well in the matter of service, and suffers for it, and then takes it patiently, that he has praise in the highest sphere (whatever men may think of it), viz. praisti with God for conduct that rises into loveliness. IV. CONSIDERATION DRAWN FROM TIIE SUFFERIN0S OF C1m1sT. 1. Tlieir exemplary character. (1) Reason for their being presented as an example. "For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving yoLt an exM1ple, that ye shoulii. follow his steps,n Servants were called to endure suffering. \Vheu they were calkJ  THE FIHST EPISTLE GE:\E!UL OF PETER [cu. II, 1-2u.