The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Peter — Section 213

washed the feet of his apostles (John xm. "because" is omitted in the best manu- 4). It may be noticC'd that the Greek word scripts. The asyndeton, as in the last for'' hmnility" (-ra,mvo<1>po<rov11) is used only clause, increases the emphasis. The word by St. Paul, except in this place. For God rendered" adversary" (avTll/11,os) means pro- resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the perly an opponent in a lawsuit, as in Matt. humble. St. Peter is quoting from the v. 25; but it is also used generally for Rcptuagint Version of Prov. iii, 34, without "adversa1·y," and sn is a transla.tion of the 1111<rks of quot.ation, as in other places. Hebrew word Satan. 'fhe word li,d./30/1.os, St. James quotes the same passage (iv. 6), devil, means "slanderer," "false ncc11ser." ond with the same .ariation, substituting As a roaring lion. He is called a serpent "God" for "Lord," as St. Peter does. The to denote his subtlety, o. lion to express Greek word for" resisteth" ( ltv-r,-ra'.<r<r£-ra,) is his :fierceness and strength. The word ren- a strong one: God rangeth himself as with dered "roaring" (&ipv&µ,vos) is used espe- an army Rga.inst the haughty. cially of the cries of wild beasts when Ver. 6.-Rumble yourselves therefore ravenous with hunger (see Ps. civ. 21; and under the mighty hand of God, that he may comp. Ps. xxii. 13, 21). Walketh about, exalt you in due time. The Alexandrine seeking whom he may devour (comp. Job i. Manuscript and some ancient versions add 7; ii. 2). The words express the restless i1r1uK01rijs, "iu the time of visitation," prob- energy of the wicked one. He cannot touch ably from Luke xix. H. For "the mighty thoso who are kept by the power of God hand of God," comp. Deut. iii. 24; Luke i. through faith unto salvation; but be walketh 51. St. Peter was doubtless thinking of about, looking eagerly after any lost sheep the well-remembered words of the Lord, that 11iay have wandered from the fold. He "He that hurnbleth himself shall be ex- roars in the craving of his heart for prey, alt-Pd." like a hungry lion, seeking whom he may \ er. 7 .-Casting all your care upon him; devour, or (for the reading here is somewhat rather, all your anxiety (µ.ep,µ.va). St. Peter uncertain) to devour some one, or simply to is quoting, with slight alterations, the Sep- devour. The Greek word means literally tuagint Version of Ps. Iv. 22. We cast "to drink down;" it implies utter destruc- our anxiety upon God when we fulfil the tion. It is the word in 1 Cor. xv. 54, Lord's commandment, "Take no thought "Death is swallowed up (Kan,r6611) in [ rather, ' be not anxious'], saying, What victory." Satan now seeks whom he may slle.ll we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, destroy: "The Lord will destroy him that Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your hath the power of death, that is, the devil" heavenly Father knoweth that ye have (Heh. ii. 14). need of all these things." God cares for us ; Ver. 9.-Whom resist steadfast in the faith; therefore we must not be over-e.n.xious, comp. Jas. iv. 7, where the same word, but trust in him. The participle is aorist, dv-rlu-r11-r£, is used; the close resemblance as if implying that we are to east the seems to indicate St. Peter's knowledge of whole burden of all our anxieties (1rii.ua11 the Epistle of St.James; comp. also St. Paul -.71v µ.ep,µ.vav vµ.;;,v) by one act of faith upon in Eph. vi. 13, etc. The Greek word for tile Lord. For he careth for you. The "steadfast" (<r-r,p,o() is emphatic; it implies Greek word is µ.elui., quite different from solidity, rocklike firmness. Only faith cau the µ.ep,µ.Ya of the foregoing clause. The give that steadfastness-faith in Christ, the ea.re which is forbidden is that anxiety about one Foundation, the Rock on which the woridly things which harasses a man and Christian's house is built. Faith here is distracts Lis mind, so that he cannot compose trustfulness rather than objective truth. himself to prayer and holy meditation. Therefore the rendering of the Revised God's care for us is calm, holy, tl.wughtful Version seem~ prefernble, "in your faith," providence. He " knoweth that we have the article having, a.s often, a possessive neeJ of all these things; " and he maketh meaning. Knowing that the same a.11lio- all thingB work together for good to his tioll8 are accompllilhed in yoar brethre~ that ch0scn, to tl,em that Jove him. are in the world; literally, the aame (jo'1'111B) Ver. 8.-Be sober, be vigilant (comp. I of a.lftictiom (-ra ab-ra -r;;,11 1ra611µ&.-rwv)-e.n Thess. v. G). i<'or tl ,e :first word, 11~,j,an, see unusual construction with the pronoun, note on eh. iv. 7. The second, -yp11;,6p11<ran, though common with adjectives, intended is tl.e word so often and so emphatically to give emphasis; the sufferings were the used by our Lord (Mark xiii. 35, 37; Matt. very same. The infinitive is present; it xxvi. 40, 4J, etc.). The imperatives are should therefore be rendered, "are being aorist, as in eh. 1v. 7; and, as there, either accomplished." The persecutions were now imply that the exhortation was needed by beginning to break out. The word for the readers, or are used to express vividly "brethren" is the collective, d.5•/l.4'J-r11s, the necessity of instant attention. Because brotherhood, which we met with in oh. ii. 17. ;our adversary the devil. Th" conjunction The dative is that ofreference-"in" or" for" en. v.1-14.) THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. 209