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1Pe_4:12. Exhortation with reference to the sufferings under persecution. ἀγαπητοί ] see chap. 1Pe_2:11.
μὴ ξενίζεσθε ] cf. 1Pe_4:4; Nicol. de Lyra translates incorrectly: nolite a fide alienari; Luther correctly: “let it not astonish you.”
τῇ ἐν ὑμῖν πυρώσει ] The construction cum dat. occurs also in classical Greek; πύρωσις , besides in this passage, to be found only in Rev_18:9; Rev_18:18, where it is equal to, incendium. The LXX. translate öÈøÇó and even áÌÈäÇø by πυρόω ; the substantive, Pro_27:21, is an inexact translation of áÌåÌø in the sense of “refining furnace;” Oec. correctly: πύρωσιν τὰς θλίψεις εἰπὼν , ἐνέφῃνεν ὡς διὰ δοκιμασίαν ἐπάγονται αὐτοῖς αὐταί . The word, however, does not in itself contain the reference to purification, this is introduced only in what follows; Gualther: confert crucem igni, nos auro.
ἐν ὑμῖν ] “among, with you;” not equal to “affecting some in your midst” (de Wette), but “the readers are regarded as a totality, and the πύρ . as present in the midst of them” (Wiesinger).
The definite purpose of the πύρωσις is brought out in the subsequent words: πρὸς πειρασμὸν ὑμῖν γινομένῃ . πειρασμός here means the trial with intent to purify (elsewhere it has also the secondary signification of designed temptation to sin); cf. chap. 1Pe_1:7.
ὡς ξένου ὑμῖν συμβαίνοντος ] ξένου points back to μὴ ξενίζεσθε . Luther: “as though some strange thing happened unto you;” i.e. something strange to your destination, unsuited to it.[252]
[252] Schott here again supposes that in consequence of persecutions the leaders had become perplexed as to the moral truth of their state of salvation. This the context in no way justifies. What causes astonishment is rather the fact that the church belonging to the glorified Christ is exposed to the obloquy of the world.