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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
1.Assisting. He has repeated the instructions of embassy with which the ministers of the gospel have been furnished by God. After they have faithfully communicated these instructions, they must also use their endeavor, that they may be carried into effect, (572) in order that their labor may not be in vain. They must, I say, add continual exhortation’ (573) that their embassy may be efficacious. This is what he means by συνεργοῦντες, (fellow-workers,) that is, devoted to the advancement of the work; for it is not enough to teach, if you do not also urge. In this way, the particle σύν would have a relation to God, or to the embassy, which he assigns to his servants. For the doctrine of the gospel is helped by exhortations, so as not to be without effect, and ministers connect their endeavors with God’ commission; (574) as it is the part of an ambassador to enforce by arguments, what he brings forward in the name of his prince.
The particle σύν may also be taken as referring to the endeavors of ministers in common; for if they do the Lord’ work in good earnest, they must mutually lend a helping hand to each other, so as to give assistance to each other. I rather prefer, however, the former exposition. Chrysostom interprets it as referring to the hearers, with whom ministers are fellow-workers, when they rouse them up from slothfulness and indolence.
Ministers are here taught, that it is not enough simply to advance doctrine. They must also labor that it may be received by the hearers, and that not once merely, but continually. For as they are messengers between God and men, the first duty devolving upon them is, to make offer of the grace of God, (575) and the second is, to strive with all their might, that it may not be offered in vain.
(572) “Qu’ ayent lieu, et proufitent;” — “ they may have place, and may be profitable.”
(573) “Les exhortations par chacun iour;” — “ daily.”
(574) “Les ministres auec leur mandement qu’ ont en charge, de declarer de par Dieu, conioignent aussi leur diligence, et affection ardente;” — “ along with their commission which they have in charge to declare, as from God, conjoin also their diligence, and ardent desire.”
(575) “The grace of God, ” says Dr. Brown, when commenting on 1Pe_5:12, “ signifies — the kindness, the free favor of God, as a principle in the Divine mind; but is often employed to signify the deeds of kindness, the gifts and benefits, in which the principle finds expression. It has been common to interpret the phrase here as equivalent to the gospel, the revelation of God’ grace; and the Apostle has been considered as affirming that the doctrine which those he was writing to had embraced, and to which they had adhered — to use the Apostle Paul’ phrase, ‘ they had received, and in which they stood,’ was the true gospel. But I doubt if the gospel is ever called the grace of God in the New Testament; and I equally doubt whether the words, thus understood, are an accurate statement of what this Epistle actually contains. There are just two other passages in the New Testament in which the grace of God has been supposed to be a designation of the gospel. After stating the message of mercy, which the ministers of reconciliation are called to deliver, the Apostle, in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, says — ’ beseech you that ye receive not the grace, or this grace of God in vain, ’ (2Co_6:1.) The reference here is, no doubt, to the gospel, but the meaning of the phrase, the grace of God, is plainly just this divine favor, this benefit which so expresses, and, as it were, embodies, the divine grace. And in the Epistle to Titus, the same Apostle states, that ‘ grace of God bringing salvation’ has been manifested, or has ‘ teaching’ those who apprehend it, ‘ deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world.’ (Titus 2:11, 12.) The grace of God is often said to mean here the gospel, but the gospel is the manifestation, the revelation of this grace; and the truth, taught in the passage is, that the free, sovereign mercy of God, when it is apprehended by the sinner, is the true principle of holiness in the heart and life.” — Brown’ Expository Discourses on First Peter, volume 3 pp. 295, 296. — Ed.