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1Pe_2:20. ποῖον γὰρ κλέος ] Gerhard: interrogatio respondet h. 1. negationi; this interrogation brings out the nothingness, or at least the little value of the object in question; cf. Jam_4:14; Luk_6:32.
κλέος , not sc. ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ (Pott), but quite generally, for the thought “refers back to the point of view, stated in 1Pe_2:12-15, from which this exhortation is given” (Wiesinger).
εἰ ἁμαρτάνοντες καὶ κολαφιζόμενοι ὑπομενεῖτε ] The two participles stand in the closest connection with each other, so that ἁμαρτάνειν is to be conceived as the cause of the κολαφίζεσθαι . Luther’s translation is accordingly correct: “if ye suffer punishment on account of your evil deeds;” the only fault to be found with this is, that it weakens the force of the idea ὑπομένειν .
ὑπομένειν is synonymous with ὑποφέρειν ; the sense is: “it is no glory to show patience in the suffering of deserved punishment.” The view of de Wette, that Peter referred only “to the reluctant, dull endurance of a criminal who cannot escape his punishment,” misses the apostle’s meaning, and is correctly rejected by Brückner and Wiesinger. Steiger remarks justly: “that when any one endures patiently deserved punishment, he is only performing a duty binding on him by every law of right and authority.” “ ὑπομενεῖτε is in the future with reference to the standpoint of the exhortation” (Wiesinger).
κολαφίζειν : apud LXX. non occurrit, in N. T. generaliter pro plagis ac percussionibus. Mat_26:67; 1Co_4:11; 2Co_12:7 (Gerh.); the strict signification is “to give blows with the fist, or slaps on the ear.” Bengel: poena servorum eaque subita.
ἀλλʼ εἰ ἀγαθοποιοῦντες καὶ πάσχοντες ὑπομενεῖτε ] The interpretation of Erasmus: si quum beneficiatis et tamen affligamini, suffertis, is incorrect, for between ἀγαθοπ . and πάσχ . there exists the same relationship as between ἁμαρτάνοντες and κολαφιζόμενοι ;[150] Luther correctly: “if ye suffer on account of good-doing;” cf. 1Pe_3:17.
τοῦτο γὰρ χάρις παρὰ Θεῷ ] before these words
γάρ is the correct reading—the apodosis taken out of ποῖον κλέος : “this is true praise,” must be added to what precedes, and these words form the basis of an argument in which τοῦτο refers to εἰ ἀγαθοποιοῦντες … ὑπομενεῖτε . The meaning is: because this in God’s sight is a χάρις (not equal to: in the judgment of God, cf. Luk_2:52), therefore it is a κλέος .
[150] Nor is this relation sufficiently perceived by Schott in his explanation: “if they show patience under ill-treatment which accompanies good conduct.” In urging against the interpretation given, that “if ἀγαθοποιεῖν apply to the labour of servants, then, that which the slave suffers is not caused by his actions,” Hofmann has failed to observe (1) that the context does not render the idea of servants’ work only necessary; (2) that the well-doing of the Christian was not always in harmony with heathen views; cf. chap. 1Pe_4:4.