1 Peter 4:1

4:1-6 The strongest and best arguments against sin, are taken from the sufferings of Christ. He died to destroy sin; and though he cheerfully submitted to the worst sufferings, yet he never gave way to the least sin. Temptations could not prevail, were it not for man's own corruption; but true Christians make the will of God, not their own lust or desires, the rule of their lives and actions. And true conversion makes a marvellous change in the heart and life. It alters the mind, judgment, affections, and conversation. When a man is truly converted, it is very grievous to him to think how the time past of his life has been spent. One sin draws on another. Six sins are here mentioned which have dependence one upon another. It is a Christian's duty, not only to keep from gross wickedness, but also from things that lead to sin, or appear evil. The gospel had been preached to those since dead, who by the proud and carnal judgment of wicked men were condemned as evil-doers, some even suffering death. But being quickened to Divine life by the Holy Spirit, they lived to God as his devoted servants. Let not believers care, though the world scorns and reproaches them.

Forasmuch {1} then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; (1) Having ended his digression and sliding from his matter, now he returns to the exhortation which he broke off, taking occasion by that which he said concerning the death and resurrection of Christ, so defining our sanctification, that to be sanctified, is all one has to suffer in the flesh, that is to say, to leave off from our wickedness and viciousness: and to rise again to God, that is to say, to be renewed by the virtue of the holy Spirit, that we may lead the rest of our life which remains after the will of God.

1 Peter 4:1-2 . Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered — Even the ignominious and painful death of the cross, with all those previous and concomitant evils, which rendered his death peculiarly bitter; for us — And that from a pure and disinterested principle of love; arm yourselves likewise with the same mind — With a resolution such as animated him to suffer all the evils to which you may be exposed in the body; and particularly to suffer death, if called by God to do so for your religion. For this will be armour of proof against all your enemies. For he that hath — In conformity to our Lord Jesus; suffered in the flesh — Or, who hath so suffered as to be thereby made inwardly and truly conformable to Christ in his sufferings, hath, of course, ceased from sin — From knowingly committing it. “He hath been made to rest,” says Macknight, “from temptation to sin, consequently from sin itself. For if a man hath overcome the fear of torture and death, no weaker temptation will prevail with him to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience.” That he no longer should live in the flesh — Even in his mortal body; to the lusts — The desires, of men — Either his own or those of others; should no longer be governed by those irregular and inordinate affections which rule in unregenerate men; but to the will of God — In a holy conformity and obedience to the divine precepts, how contrary soever they may be to his carnal and sensual inclinations, or apparently to his worldly interests.

Arm yourselves (ὁπλίσασθε) Only here in New Testament. The thought is Pauline. See Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:7; Ephesians 6:10, Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; Colossians 3:12. Mind (ἔννοιαν) Only here and Hebrews 4:12. Literally the word means thought, and so some render it here. Rev. puts it in margin. The rendering intent, resolution, is very doubtful. It seems rather to be the thought as determining the resolution. Since Christ has suffered in the flesh, be ye also willing to suffer in the flesh.

1 Peter 4:1 . Χριστοῦ , Christ ) who is the Lord of glory.— σαρκὶ , with the flesh ) Shortly afterwards, ἐν σαρκὶ , in the flesh .—[35] ὁπλίσασθε ) arm yourselves , against enemies.— ὅτι ) because . This is that continual subject of reflection . Altogether, comp. Romans 6:6-11 .— πέπανται ) has obtained a cessation , freedom. [35] τὴν αὐτὴν ἔννοιαν , the same mine ) viz. of suffering with willingness.—V. g.

1 Peter 4:1 . Christ having died to flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought that (or because ) he that died hath ceased to sins .— παθόντος σαρκί Peter goes back to the starting point of 1 Peter 3:18 in order to emphasise the import of the first step taken by Christ and His followers, apart now from the consequences. The new life implies death to the old.— τὴν αὐτὴν ἔννοιαν . ἐ . only occurs once elsewhere in N.T., Hebrews 4:12 , τῶν ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας , but is common in LXX of Proverbs; compare ( e.g. ) Proverbs 2:2 , ἔννοια ὁσία ( תבונה , discernment ) shall keep thee . Here it is the noun-equivalent of φρονεῖτε δ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ( Php 2:1 ). Christ’s thought ( or purpose ) which He had in dying is shared by the Christian: and it is defined by ὅτι , κ . τ . λ .— ὁπλίσασθε , sc. for the fight with sin and sinners whom you have deserted.— ὅτι … ἁμαρτίαις . This axiom is better taken as explaining the same thought than as motive for ὁπλ . St. Paul states it in other words, ὁ γὰρ ἀποθανὼν δεδικαίωται ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ; compare the death-bed confession of the Jew, “O may my death be an atonement for all the sin … of which I have been guilty against thee”. One dead—literally or spiritually—hath rest in respect of sins assumed or committed; so Hebrews 9:28 insists that after His death Christ is χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας . πέπαυται echoes παυσάτω of 1 Peter 3:10 .

In the Greek Bible the perfect passive occurs only once ( Exodus 9:34 ) outside Isa 1:-31., where it is used three times to render שבת ( cf. σαββατισμός , Hebrews 4:9 ). The dative ἁμ . is analogous to that following ζῆν ἀποθανεῖν ( παθεῖν ); the v.l. ἁμαρτίας is due to the common construction of παυ .

CHAPTER 4 1Pe 4:1-19. Like the Risen Christ, Believers Henceforth Ought to Have No More to Do with Sin. As the end is near, cultivate self-restraint, watchful prayerfulness, charity, hospitality, scriptural speech, ministering to one another according to your several gifts to the glory of God: Rejoicing patience under suffering. 1. for us—supported by some oldest manuscripts and versions, omitted by others. in the flesh—in His mortal body of humiliation. arm—(Eph 6:11, 13). the same mind—of suffering with patient willingness what God wills you to suffer. he that hath suffered—for instance, Christ first, and in His person the believer: a general proposition. hath ceased—literally, "has been made to cease," has obtained by the very fact of His having suffered once for all, a cessation from sin, which had heretofore lain on Him (Ro 6:6-11, especially, 1Pe 4:7).

The Christian is by faith one with Christ: as then Christ by death is judicially freed from sin; so the Christian who has in the person of Christ died, has no more to do with it judicially, and ought to have no more to do with it actually. "The flesh" is the sphere in which sin has place.1 Peter 4:1-6 The apostle exhorteth to cease from sin, in regard ofChrist’s having suffered for it, and of a future judgment.1 Peter 4:7 From the approaching end of all things, he urgeth tosobriety, watchfulness, a prayer,1 Peter 4:8 to charity,1 Peter 4:9 hospitality,1 Peter 4:10,11 and a right use of spiritual gifts.1 Peter 4:12-19 Sundry motives of comfort under persecution. The apostle having in the former chapter exhorted believers to patient bearing of afflictions by the example of Christ, 1 Peter 4:18, proceeds in this to persuade them to improve the crosses they bore outwardly to inward mortification.