Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadWilliam Burkitt Notes and Observations - 1 Peter 2:12 - 2:12
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
From the apostle's dehortaton in the former verse, he comes to an exhortation in this, and the duty exhorted to is strict godliness or holiness in all manner of conversation, Having your conversation honest; it is not a single action, but our general course and conversation, that denotes us either good or bad; and the word translated honest, signifies fair and amiable, beautiful and adorning, the doing nothing that is unseemly or a blemish either to our person or profession; Christians should not only live free from evil, but as much as may be from the very suspicion of evil: it is added, among the Gentiles, that is, amongst the idolatrous nations and people, who had not received the Christian faith; great care must be always taken by the professors of Christianity, that they do nothing which may increase the prejudices of the wicked world against religion and the ways of godliness, but remember that they are our watchful observers and bold censurers; and accordingly endeavour, that, by a regular piety, a strict sobriety, a diffusive and extensive charity, we may render religion venerable to the world, and stop the mouth of slander as much as in us lies, by cutting off occasion from them that seek occasion.
Observe farther, The apostle exhorts them to have their conversation honest amongst the Gentiles; he doth not say religious, though that be included, but outwardly square, strictly just, and honest; this is that which the world judges us by; vain are all our pretences to piety, if we fail in honesty; we must make conscience of the duties of the second table, as an argument of our sincerity, and as an ornament to our profession.
Observe next, What was then, and is now, the lot and portion of good men, namely, to be evil spoken of as evildoers: Whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers. Christ himself did not escape the scourge of the tongue; he was charged with gluttony, blasphemy, imposture, with having a devil, and with working miracles by the power of the devil; and it is sufficient for the disciple to be as his master was.
Yet mark, they speak evil of you, says the apostle, as evil doers: to be an evil-doer is miserable, but not to be spoken of as an evil-doer Nemo miser sensu alieno, no man is miserable in another man's evil opinion of him: a bad report, much less a bad opinion, makes no body a bad man; if it be enough to censure and accuse, who can be innocent?
Observe again, The apostle exhorts these believing Jews to a conspicuous fruitfulness in good works: That they may by your good works which they shall behold: implying, that Christianity sets men to work, (though we shall never be saved for our works, yet without working we can never be saved,) and that good works may and ought to be so done, that men may behold them; though we must not do good works to be seen of men, yet we ought to do good works that may be seen of men, Mat_5:16 how else can men be patterns of good works, as they are required, Tit_2:7 if their good works be not conspicuous, and exposed to the world?
Observe lastly, The blessed fruit and effect of good works: they cause such as behold them to glorify God in the day of visitation. This may be understood two ways.
1. With respect to believers: your good works will cause the wicked world to glorify God in the day of your visitation,, that is, in the day of your persecution and affliction; though they afflict and persecute you, yet they shall glorify God when they behold your faith, your patience, your constancy in and under sufferings, in the day of your visitation.
2. With respect to the wicked; and so the day of visitation is the day of their conversion; and then the exhortation is, to be so conspicuous in good works, that their adversaries may praise and glorify God, when he shall visit them with his grace, and draw them by his gospel, to believe in his Son: the day of saving conversion is a day of gracious visitation.