1 Peter 4:11

4:7-11 The destruction of the Jewish church and nation, foretold by our Saviour, was very near. And the speedy approach of death and judgment concerns all, to which these words naturally lead our minds. Our approaching end, is a powerful argument to make us sober in all worldly matters, and earnest in religion. There are so many things amiss in all, that unless love covers, excuses, and forgives in others, the mistakes and faults for which every one needs the forbearance of others, Satan will prevail to stir up divisions and discords. But we are not to suppose that charity will cover or make amends for the sins of those who exercise it, so as to induce God to forgive them. The nature of a Christian's work, which is high work and hard work, the goodness of the Master, and the excellence of the reward, all require that our endeavours should be serious and earnest. And in all the duties and services of life, we should aim at the glory of God as our chief end. He is a miserable, unsettled wretch, who cleaves to himself, and forgets God; is only perplexed about his credit, and gain, and base ends, which are often broken, and which, when he attains, both he and they must shortly perish together. But he who has given up himself and his all to God, may say confidently that the Lord is his portion; and nothing but glory through Christ Jesus, is solid and lasting; that abideth for ever.

{10} If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (10) He reckons up two kinds of these gifts as chief, that is, the office of teaching in the Church, and the other ecclesiastical functions, in which two things especially are to be observed: that is, that the pure word of God be taught, and whatever is done, be referred to the glory of God the Father in Christ, as to the proper mark.

Oracles (λόγια) In classical Greek, of the oracular responses of heathen deities. Here, divine utterances or revelations. Compare Acts 7:38; Romans 3:2; Hebrews 5:12. Giveth (χορηγεῖ) Only here and 2 Corinthians 9:10. Peter uses the compound ἐπιχορηγέω, furnish, in 2 Peter 1:5; which see.

1 Peter 4:11 . Ὡς λόγια Θεοῦ , as it were oracles ) that is, let him speak the things which God supplies , at the present time.— ὡς ἐξ ἰσχύος , as out of the strength ) with activity.— ἐν πᾶσι , in all things ) for all men and all things are of Him, and through Him, and to Him.— ᾧ , to whom ) To God. There is a similar expression respecting Christ, 2 Peter 3:18 .— ἠ δόξα , the glory ) for instance, of wisdom, which utters the oracles.— τὸ κράτος , the strength ) which gives power to the righteous. The same doxology occurs, ch. 1 Peter 5:11 .

If any man speak; viz. authoritatively, and by way of office, as a public teacher in the church; though this may be accommodated to private Christians in their charitative instructions of others, yet it seems especially meant of teaching officers. Let him speak as the oracles of God: this relates not only to the manner of speaking, that it be with faith in that word the preacher speaketh, and a due reverence of it, but to the matter likewise, that he preach nothing but the pure word of God, and do not obtrude upon the hearers the fancies, figments, or traditions of men, instead of the oracles of God. If any man minister: this may be understood either: 1. More particularly of the work of deacons, Acts 6:1-15 , who were to serve tables, Acts 6:2 , distribute the alms of the church, and take care of the poor; or: 2. More generally of any ministry in the church, distinct from that of teaching, (of which he spake before), as the dispensing of sacraments, exercise of discipline, &c. Let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; i.e. not remissly and coldly, but diligently and strenuously, and with his might, as far as God enables him; this being to do it faithfully, which is especially required in a steward, 1 Corinthians 4:2 . That God in all things may be glorified; in all your gifts, and the communications of them: q.d. God doth not adorn you with his gifts so as to bereave himself of his glory, but that you should give him the honour of them.

1 Peter 4:11 follows the primitive division of ministry into that of the word and that of tables ( Acts 6:2-4 ); compare prophecy and ministry (in narrower sense like διακονεῖ here) of Romans 12:6 .— λαλεῖ covers all the speaking described in 1 Corinthians 12:8 ; 1 Corinthians 12:10 , to one by means of the spirit hath been given a word of wisdom , etc.… 1 Corinthians 14:6 ; 1 Corinthians 14:26 .— ὡς λόγια θεοῦ (perhaps echoes κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν of Romans 12:6 ) as being God’s oracles or as speaking God’s oracles . The Seer is the model for the Christian preacher: Numbers 24:4 , φησὶν ἀκούων λόγια θεοῦ . His message is the particular grace of God which he has to administer like the prophets and evangelists, 1 Peter 1:10-12 .— διακονεῖ includes all forms of the ministration of God’s gifts other than those of speech—primarily almsgiving, hospitality and the like.— ἵνα , κ . τ . λ . A liturgical formula such as this is necessarily capable of many special meanings.— ἐνπᾶσιν may refer particularly to the gifts or their possessors—hardly to the Gentiles as Oec. suggests ( Matthew 5:1 )—but so to limit it would be a gratuitious injustice to the author.

The saying ἐν τούτῳ ἐδοξάσθη ὁ πατήρ μου ἵνα καρπὸν πολὺν φέρητε καὶ γενήσεσθε ἐμοὶ μαθηταί is sufficient to justify this appendix to the exhortation love one another in deed — διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ , through Jesus Christ through whom the spirit descended on each of you, Acts 2:33 , through whom you offer a sacrifice of praise ( Hebrews 13:15 ); cf. δοξαξέτω τὸν θεὸν ἐν ὀνόματι τούτῳ .— ᾧ … The insertion of ἐστιν changes the doxology to a statement of fact and thus supports the interpretation of ᾧ as referring of the immediate antecedent Jesus Christ . Already He possesses the glory and the victory; realising this His followers endure joyfully their present suffering and defeat.

11. If any … speak—namely, as a prophet, or divinely taught teacher in the Church assembly. as the, &c.—The Greek has no article: "as oracles of God." This may be due to Greek: "God," having no article, it being a principle when a governed noun omits the Greek article that the governing noun should omit it, too. In Ac 7:38 also, the Greek article is wanting; thus English Version, "as the oracles of God," namely, the Old Testament, would be "right," and the precept be similar to Ro 12:6, "prophesy according to the analogy of the faith." But the context suits better thus, "Let him speak as (becomes one speaking) oracles OF God." His divinely inspired words are not his own, but God's, and as a steward (1Pe 4:10) having them committed to him, he ought so to speak them. Jesus was the pattern in this respect (Mt 7:29; Joh 12:49; 14:10; compare Paul, 2Co 2:17).

Note, the very same term as is applied in the only other passages where it occurs (Ac 7:38; Ro 3:2; Heb 5:12), to the Old Testament inspired writings, is here predicated of the inspired words (the substance of which was afterwards committed to writing) of the New Testament prophets. minister—in acts; the other sphere of spiritual activity besides speaking. as of—"out of" the store of his "strength" (Greek, physical power in relation to outward service, rather than moral and intellectual "ability"; so in Mr 12:30). giveth—Greek, "supplieth"; originally said of a choragus, who supplied the chorus with all necessaries for performing their several parts. that God in all things may be glorified—the final end of all a Christian's acts. through Jesus Christ—the mediator through whom all our blessings come down to us, and also through whom all our praises ascend to God. Through Christ alone can God be glorified in us and our sayings and doings. to whom—Christ. be—Greek, "is." for ever and ever—Greek, "unto the ages of the ages."

11 . If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God ] The words cover the gifts of tongues, prophecy, teaching, knowledge, counsel, in St Paul’s fuller classification ( Romans 12:6-8 ; 1 Corinthians 12-14.). These gifts, St Peter teaches, were only used rightly when the speaker’s utterances were in harmony with what were already recognised as “oracles of God.” The word is used of Old Testament revelations in Acts 7:38 ; Romans 3:2 , but we may think of it as including also those made through the prophets and teachers of the Christian Church. The fact that Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis, who came within the circle of Apostolical teaching, wrote a book on the Oracles of the Lord Jesus (Euseb. Hist. Eccl ., iii. 39), makes it probable that St Peter included our Lord’s teaching, possibly also the Epistles of St Paul, which he speaks of as “Scripture” ( 2 Peter 3:16 ), under this title. The essential unity of Apostolic teaching was not to be disturbed by private eccentricities of interpretation or theoretical speculation. if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth ] The ministering here spoken of ( diakonein ) can hardly be limited to the special work of those who bore the name of “minister” or “deacon” as a title of office, but takes in all works of ministration in act as distinct from teaching, visiting the sick and needy, teaching children, helping those that were in trouble. Men were to set about that work also as stewards of a gift.

The strength to work for others was not their own but was supplied by God. The word for “giveth,” used by St Paul in 2 Corinthians 9:10 , and again in a compound form by St Peter in 2 Peter 1:5 , had, as its primary meaning in Classical Greek, that of defraying the expense of a chorus in the performance of a drama. As this took its place among the more munificent acts of a citizen’s social life, the verb came to be connected with the general idea of large or liberal giving, and was used in that sense long after the original association had died out of it. that God in all things may be glorified ] This is pointed out as the end to be aimed at in the use of all gifts whether of speech or action. In so teaching, St Peter was but reproducing what he had heard from his Lord’s lips, “that men may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven” ( Matthew 5:16 ), perhaps also what he had read in St Paul’s Epistles, that men should “do all to the glory of God” ( 1 Corinthians 10:31 ). to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen ] It was but natural with St Peter, as with St Paul, that the thought of “glorifying” should be followed up by the utterance of a doxology. For “praise” it would be better to read glory as expressing the sequence of thought more clearly, and instead of “for ever and ever,” for ages of ages .