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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Peter 3:8 - 3:12
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Exhortations to Christians in General, Based on Christ's Work of Redemption and His State of Exaltation.
True brotherly love:
v. 8. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous;
v. 9. not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should in her it a blessing.
v. 10. For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile;
v. 11. let him eschew evil and do good; let him seek peace and ensue it.
v. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
Here the apostle in a few sentences indicates what the moral effect of Christianity is: Lastly, you must all be of one mind, sympathizing with one another, loving the brethren, compassionate, humble minded, not returning evil for evil or malediction for malediction, but, on the contrary, blessing, since for this purpose you were called, that you might be heirs of the blessing. The apostle concludes with a summary which is directed to all, whether they be masters or slaves, women or men. Christians at all times should be of the same mind, held together by the bonds of true unity and harmony which are based upon the one foundation of faith, Rom_12:16; Rom_15:5; Php_2:2; Php_3:16. They should sympathize with one another, not only when their brother has need of compassion on account of some misfortune that has befallen him, but also when he is in good luck and would appreciate a cheering word, 1Co_12:26-27. They should be filled with brotherly love toward one another, since they are children of the same heavenly Father and are held together by the bonds of the most intimate love that can be conceived of. They should be compassionate or merciful, ever proving themselves friends in need; humble minded, always ready to yield the honor to someone else instead of holding false ambitions. Even in their conduct with regard to the hostile world, Christians will not seek revenge, will not return evil in kind, will not become guilty of railing and scolding, Mat_5:38-39; Rom_12:17; 1Th_5:15. They are constituted in an entirely different manner, their behavior is the very opposite of such carnal conduct. For when people do them harm, they conquer the evil with good; they return blessing for cursing. And whenever it proves difficult for our old evil nature to follow the example of our Savior in this respect, we remember our calling, God having called us out of the world, away from its sins, in order to impart the fullness of His grace, of His blessing in Christ Jesus, to us. We who, as Luther remarks, are receiving nothing but blessings from God, will surely not feel any desire to wish evil to any person in the world, no matter what the provocation may be. With the gift of eternal life before our eyes, we cannot do otherwise than forgive heartily and gladly do good to those that sin against us.
In a statement which is half warning, half promise, the apostle adds: For he that desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him search for peace and follow after it. This admonition is addressed to Christians and must be understood as referring to the life of Christians only. If any Christian has a desire to enjoy his life in truth, to possess real, genuine happiness, to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty; if he wants to see good days, days of blessing, from the Lord, when all his earthly needs are provided for and he can lie down in peace and sleep the sleep of the righteous: such a one should guard his tongue and his lips, lest they speak evil and become guilty of deceit. If his enemies slander and provoke him, he should keep silence, and not become guilty of any sins against the Eighth Commandment; if his honor and good name are assailed, he must not lie or deceive in return. The best way of combating the evil, in this case, is that of turning away entirely from the evil, not to think about it, not to plan it, but rather to do good, to return good for evil, to gather coals of fire on the enemy's head. The attitude of the Christian will be shown especially in this, that he makes every effort to keep the peace, Rom_12:18, not only in a passive, half-hearted way, but with all eagerness, pursuing it with all avidity, without ceasing. See Psa_34:13-17.
The Christians may act thus with all the greater confidence and quiet assurance: For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears toward their prayer, but the face of the Lord is directed upon those that do evil. That is a great source of comfort to the believers: He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The Lord is keeping the most careful watch over His children, He hears and sees everything that their enemies are attempting against them. If anyone harms them, His ear is quick to catch the faintest sighing; and His countenance is directed against those that spend their days in doing evil. Vengeance is His, He will repay; and therefore His children may freely and cheerfully put their life with all its vicissitudes into His care, knowing that He will always take care of their interests in a way that will redound to their temporal and eternal welfare.