V.1-3. Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same mind. For he who suffers in the flesh ceases from sins, that he may henceforth live, what is yet in the flesh, not according to the lusts of men, but according to the will of God. For it is enough that we have spent the past time of life according to the will of the Gentiles, walking in lust, lusts, drunkenness, gluttony, drunkenness and abominable idolatries.
St. Peter still remains on one track. As he has hitherto admonished us in general that we should suffer if it is God's will, and has set Christ as an example for us, so he now confirms this further and brings it back again; thus he wants to say: Since Christ suffered in the flesh, who is our duke and head, and has set an example for us all, that he has redeemed us through his suffering, we should follow him and also equip ourselves and put on such armor.
(2) For in the Scriptures the life of the Lord Christ, and especially his passion, is held out to us in two ways. Firstly, as a gift, as St. Peter has already done in the third chapter, and firstly, as a building and teaching of faith, that through the blood of Christ we are redeemed and our sins are taken away, and how he is given and bestowed upon us, which cannot be grasped in any other way than by faith. Of this he said, speaking, v. 18. "Christ hath once suffered for our sins." This is the main and the best part of the Gospel. Secondly, Christ is presented and given to us as an example and model to follow. For if we now have Christ by faith for a gift, we are to go on and also do as he does to us, and follow him in all life and suffering. This is how St. Peter presents it here. But here St. Peter does not speak primarily of the works of love, so that we may serve our neighbor and do good, which are actually called good works (for he has said enough about them above), but of such works.
We are told that the works that concern our body and serve ourselves will make faith stronger, that sin in the flesh will be put to death, and that we will be able to serve our neighbor all the better as a result. For if I tame my body so that it does not become lustful, I can also leave my neighbor his wife or child in peace. So, if I curb hatred and envy, I will be all the more skilled to be kind and friendly to my neighbor.
(3) Now we have often enough said, Though we be justified by faith, and have the Lord Christ for our own, yet must we also do good works, and serve our neighbor. For we are never completely pure because we live on earth, and each one still finds evil desire in his own body. Faith begins to kill sin and give heaven, but it has not yet become perfect and completely strong; as Christ says of the Samaritan [Luc. 10:33 ff], who was not yet healed, but was bound and accepted to be healed. So it is here also: When we believe, our sin is bound up, that is, the damage we brought from Adam, and begins to be healed; but this happens less in one, more in the other, the more each one mortifies himself and subdues the flesh, and the stronger he has faith. Therefore, if we have the two things, faith and love, let this be our doing henceforth, that we may fully bless sin until we die. Therefore Saint Peter says, "Arm yourselves with the same mind," that is, make a firm resolution, and strengthen your hearts with the mind you receive from Christ. For if we are Christians, we must say, "My Lord suffered and shed his blood for me, and died for my sake; should I be so lazy as not to suffer also? For because the LORD goeth up to the head in the battle, how much more shall the servants go up with joy? So let us gain courage, that we may pass through, and be harnessed in our minds, that we may pass through joyfully.
4 The word "flesh" in Scripture does not only mean the body externally, since flesh and blood, bone and skin are on, but everything that comes from Adam. When God speaks Gen. 6, 3: "My spirit will no longer quarrel with men, for they are flesh"; and Isa. 40, 5: "All flesh will see the salvation of God", that is, it will be revealed before all men. So we also confess in faith: I believe the resurrection of the flesh, that is, that men will rise again. So "flesh" means man through and through, as he lives here in this life. Now the works of the flesh are described in detail in Paul, Gal. 5, 19-21, not only the gross, carnal works, as unchastity, but also the highest and most delicious vices, as idolatry and heresy, which are not only in the flesh, but also in reason. Therefore it must be understood that man with reason and will, inwardly and outwardly, with body and soul, is called "flesh," therefore that he seeks with all his powers outwardly and inwardly only 1) what is carnal, and what is good for the flesh.
5 So St. Peter also says here that Christ suffered "in the flesh". Now it is certain that his suffering extended further than into the flesh alone: for his soul suffered the greatest 2) distress, as the prophet Isaiah says Cap. 53, 11. So also understand that which follows here: "He that suffereth in the flesh ceaseth from sinning." For this does not only apply to cutting off the head and tearing the body, but to everything that may hurt a person, to all the misery and distress he suffers. For there are many people who have healthy bodies, and yet inwardly feel much heartache and misery. If it is done for Christ's sake, it is useful and good. "For he that suffereth in the flesh (saith he) ceaseth to sin." The holy cross is good for this purpose, that sin may be subdued by it; so when it is granted to thee, the tickle, envy, hatred, and other evil things pass away;
2) Weimar's: great The second editing has: greatest. Bucer: extremam.
Therefore God has laid upon us the holy cross, that it may drive us and compel us, that we should believe, and one should reach out to the other. Therefore it follows:
V. 2: That he may live henceforth, which is yet in the flesh, not according to the lusts of men, but according to the will of God.
(6) Henceforth, as long as we live, we are to take captive the flesh by the cross and by mortification, that we may do what pleases God, not that we should or could earn anything thereby. "Not to human lusts" (he says), that is, that we do not do what other people lust after us; for we are not to conform ourselves to this world, as Paul says Rom. 12, 2. What the world wants from us, that we must avoid.
For it is enough that we have spent the past time of life according to the will of the Gentiles, walking in lust, lusts, drunkenness, gluttony, drunkenness and abominable idolatries.
(7) We have already done too much, that before faith we have spent our lives so shamefully "in pagan will", which is just as much as in human lusts. Therefore, as long as we continue to live, we should see to it that we do what pleases God. For we have our enemy in our flesh, that is, the real mischief, not only the coarse things, but especially the conceit of reason, which Paul calls prudentiam carnis, that is, "the prudence of the flesh" [Rom. 8:6]. When one has subdued this arrogance, the other can be tamed; it usually harms one's neighbor so secretly that one cannot notice it.
8 "Horniness" is the name of St. Peter, which is done with outward gestures or words, so that one gives evil signs, if one already does not do the work, and is lewd in sight and hearing, from which the lust and also the work follows. Then follows also such idolatry, which is abominable. Therefore we may well bring this upon ourselves, for since we have lost faith, we have certainly also lost God, and if we look at it rightly, we are practicing more abominable idolatry than the heathen.
V. 4. 5. And they are displeased that ye run not with them into the same mixture of disorderly things, and blaspheme you; who shall give account unto him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
(9) That is, ye have hitherto lived heathenishly; but because ye are now departed, it is strange unto men, and seemeth them to be shameful and foolish, saying, Yea, how great fools are these, that they turn away from all worldly goods and pleasures. But let them think it strange, let them also blaspheme you; they will have to give account, therefore command ye him that shall judge.
For to this end the gospel has been preached even to those who are dead, that they may be judged according to the 1) flesh, but live in the Spirit of God. But the end of all things is near.
(10) Now this is a strange and strange text. The words clearly state that the gospel is preached not only to the living, but also to the dead, and yet he adds that they will be judged according to the flesh. Now they have not flesh; therefore it cannot be understood as of the living. It is a strange speech, which it is. Whether the text comes to us in its entirety, or whether something has fallen out, I do not know. But I understand it thus: One must not worry how God will condemn the Gentiles who died many hundred years ago, but who are alive now; therefore it is said of men on earth.
(11) But you must understand the word "flesh" in the same way as I said above [§ 4], that the whole man is called flesh, as he lives; as he is also called whole spirit, when he strives for that which is spiritual. Now this is mixed together, as I speak of a man who is wounded, that he is whole and yet wounded, so that the healthy part is greater than the wounded part; but he is called wounded only according to the part in which he is wounded. So the spirit is also to proceed here. That is why he says that they are called "wounded" according to the outward part.
1) In the editions of the New Testament up to 1534 and in the first edition of our Scripture "to man". But because all printings after that have "to man" in the interpretation, so we have put it here also.
The first thing is to be condemned, but to be kept and live according to the inner being, that is, according to the spirit.
(12) But how is it that he says that they are alive, and yet says that they are dead? I will interpret it thus according to my understanding, but I will not set a goal for the Holy Spirit to call the unbelievers "dead. For I cannot accept the idea that the gospel should be preached to the dead and deceased, unless St. Peter means that the gospel went out freely and sounded everywhere [Col. 1, 23.It was not preached secretly in a corner, but so publicly that all creatures, if they had ears, might have heard it, as Christ commanded in the last chapter, v. 15: "Go, preach the gospel to all creatures." So when it is preached, it finds people who are condemned according to the flesh, but live according to the spirit.
V. 7. But the end of all things is at hand.
(13) This is also a strange speech. It is now almost a thousand and five hundred years that St. Peter preached; that is not a near or short time: nor does he say that the end of all things is near at hand and is already here, as John also says in his epistle, 1 John 2:18: "It is the last hour." If the apostle did not say this, one would say that it was a lie; but now one must firmly hold that the apostle is true. But what he means by it, he will himself strike out in the other epistle [Cap. 3, 8.). There he says why time is called near, and says: "One day in the sight of the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day," of which I said above [Cap. 3, § 68). So it must be reckoned that it will not be as long to the end of the world as it was from the beginning until that time, and we cannot wait to see two or three thousand years after the birth of Christ; the end will come before we know it. Therefore he says further:
V. 8: Be sober and sober in prayer. But above all, have under one
Another is a fervent love, for love also covers the multitude of sins.
(14) Then you see for what purpose we must be sober and chaste, that is, that we may be ready for prayer, for ourselves and for our neighbor. Even love cannot be ardent above these things, unless you subdue the body, so that love may have room with you.
15 Here St. Peter took a saying from the Book of Proverbs, Cap. 10, 12: "Hatred causes strife, but love covers the multitude of sins. And this is St. Peter's opinion. Restrain your flesh and lust; if you do not do this, you will easily enrage one another, and will not easily be able to forgive one another. Therefore, think that you are curbing evil desire, so you can love one another and forgive; for love covers sin.
(16) This saying has been interpreted to sound against faith; therefore they say: Thou sayest that faith alone maketh pious, and that no man by works may be loosed from sin: why then saith Solomon and Peter here, Love covereth sin? So answer: He that hateth another, saith Solomon, ceaseth not from striving after strife and contention: but where love is, it covereth sin, and forgiveth it gladly. Where there is anger, there 1) is an unconciled man, who will not be reconciled and remains full of anger and hatred; but a man who is full of love cannot be angered, no matter how much he is harmed; he covers up everything and acts as if he did not see it. So that the covering is said against the neighbor, not against God. No one shall cover your sin before God, except faith. But my neighbor's sin covers my love. And just as God covers my sin with His love when I believe, so I should also cover my neighbor's sin. Therefore he says: Love one another, that one may cover another's sin. And love does not cover one, two or three sins, but the multitude of sins, cannot suffer and do too much, covers everything. St. Paul also says this, and puts this saying from 1 Cor. 13:7 in the same way:
1) "there" taken by us from Walch. In the other editions: "that".
Love endures everything and tolerates everything, believes everything and hopes everything, is at its best with everyone, and can suffer and take credit for everything that is put to it. Follow on:
V. 9. 10. Be hospitable to one another without murmuring, and serve one another, each with the gift he has received.
(17) "Hospitable" means one who gladly lodges. When the apostles were walking together in the countryside, preaching, and sending the disciples to and fro, one had to give lodging to the other. As it should still be, that one should preach from place to place, from town to town, from house to house, and not stay too long in one place, that one might see where someone was weak, that one might help him, where someone had fallen, that one might raise him up, and the like. This should now be done without murmuring, St. Peter wants, so that no one will let it be too much for him.
(18) Now this also is a work of love, as it follows, that we should serve one another. With what? With the gifts of God that each has received. The Gospel wants each one to be a servant of the other, and to see to it that he remains in the gift he has received, which God has given him, that is, what his position is, to which he has been called. God does not want a master to serve a servant, a maid to be a wife, or a prince to serve a beggar, for He does not want to break the authorities. So he means that spiritually one should serve another with the heart; even though you are high and a great lord, you should still use your authority to serve your neighbor with it. So let each one consider himself a servant. Thus the master can remain a master, and yet not consider himself better than the servant, so that he would also gladly be a servant, if it were God's providence, and so on in other states.
As the good stewards of God's many graces.
God has not given us all the same grace, therefore each one should see what he is sent for, what gift is given to him. If he feels that he needs it for the service of his neighbor, as St. Peter further explains and says:
V. 11: If anyone speaks, he speaks it as the word of God.
(20) If any man have grace to preach and to teach, let him teach and preach, as St. Paul saith Romans 12:3-6: "That no man be wise too much, and think more of him than is fitting; but every man according as God hath divided unto him the measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same business, so we are many in one body in Christ, but one is another's member. And have divers gifts according to the grace that is given unto us." And follows, v. 7: "If any man have a prophecy, let it be like unto faith. If any man have an office, let him wait for the office. If any man teach, let him wait for doctrine." So he also teaches elsewhere to Corinthians and Ephesians [1 Cor. 12, 12. Eph. 4, 7.].
(21) For this reason God has poured out various gifts among the people, which are to be directed solely so that one may serve another with them, especially those who are in government, whether with preaching or other ministry. Now here St. Peter says: "If anyone wishes to speak, let him speak it so that it may be the word of God. It is almost easy to remember that no one should preach anything unless he is sure that it is God's word. Then St. Peter shut the pope's mouth; and behold, he wants to be St. Peter's chair heir, how fine he holds it. Further:
If anyone has an office to do it, than out of the wealth that God gives
(22) This is: Whoever rules in the Christian church and has an office or a ministry to care for souls, he shall not go as he pleases and say: I am a sovereign, I must be obeyed, what I create, 1) that shall be created. God wants it so that one should do nothing else but what he gives, so that it is God's work and order. Therefore a bishop shall do nothing unless he is sure that God does it, that it is God's word or work. And that is why: for God does not want anyone to think that what he does with the Christian Church is a joke. Therefore, we must stand in such certainty that
1) create - command. Cf. Col. 1035, s 67.
God speaks and works in us, and our faith can therefore say, "That which I have spoken and done, God has done and spoken, so that I also die on it. Otherwise, when I am not sure of things, my faith stands on sand, and the devil takes me away.
23 Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to accept any bishop's commandment unless he is certain that God does what he does, and can say, "I have God's word and commandment. Where this is not the case, he is to be considered a liar. For God has decreed that our conscience should stand on a rock. This is what is said of the common rule, that no one should follow his own conceit in it, and not do anything unless he is sure that God will have it. From this you can see how St. Peter has so long before pushed the Pope's and bishops' regiment to the ground, as it is doing now. Concludes:
So that in all things you may travel to God through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power forever and ever, Amen.
(24) Therefore you should be so sure that God speaks and does all that you speak and do. For if you do a work of which you are not certain that God has done it, you cannot praise Him and give Him thanks; but if you are certain of it, you can give Him thanks and praise Him because of His word and work; otherwise, you are suspicious of Him and consider Him to be an impostor. Therefore it is a shameful and harmful thing where one wants to rule in Christianity without God's word and work. That is why St. Peter made it necessary for him to instruct how the government of Christianity should be. Continue:
V. 12. Beloved, do not let the heat among you be strange to you, as if something strange were happening to you.
This is a way of speaking that is not common in our language. But St. Peter uses the same speech to remind us of what the Scriptures say. For this is how the Scriptures speak of suffering, that it is like an oven full of fire and heat. Thus, in the first chapter above, St. Peter says
v. 7: "That your faith may be proved more precious than the gold that perisheth by fire." Thus one also reads in the prophet Isaiah; Cap. 48, 10. God says: "I have tried you in the furnace of poverty"; and Psalm 17, 3.: "With fire you have tried me"; item Psalm 26, 2.: "Lord, you wanted to burn through my kidneys and my heart"; item, Psalm 66, 12.: "We have passed through fire and water." So the scripture has it in the custom that it calls the suffering Durchfeurung or a temptation through the fire. St. Peter agrees with this here, that we should not allow ourselves to be alienated or to think ourselves strange and weird, as if the heat or blaze should not happen to us, through which we are tempted, as if gold were melted in the fire.
When faith is challenged, God does not let it go, but sends us the holy cross on the nuck to strengthen us and make the faith strong in us. The holy gospel is a powerful word; therefore it cannot come to its work without challenge, and no one realizes that it has such power except those who taste it. Where there is suffering and the cross, it can prove and exercise its power. It is a word of life; therefore it must exercise all its power in dying. If there is not death and dying, it can do nothing, and no one can see that it does such virtue, and is stronger than sin and death. That is why he says, "that you may be tempted," that is, God does not put any fervency or heat (that is, the cross and suffering that makes you fervent) on you, because you are tempted, even though you cling to his word. So it is written in Wis 10:12 of Jacob: "God gave him a hard struggle, that he might know that divine wisdom is stronger than all things." This is the reason why God lays out the cross to all believers, so that they may taste and try the power of God, which they have grasped through faith.
V. 13. But be partakers of the sufferings of Christ.
27 St. Peter does not say that we should feel the suffering of Christ, so that we can feel his suffering.
He wants to say: Christ suffered, so you think that you also suffer and are tempted. So when you suffer, you have fellowship with the Lord Christ. For if we want to live with him, we must also die with him. If I want to sit with him in the kingdom, I must also suffer with him, as St. Paul often says:
Be glad, that you may have joy and gladness at the time of the revelation of his glory.
028 Though ye come into torment and burning, yet shall ye rejoice. For though it be bodily suffering, it shall be spiritual joy, that ye may rejoice for ever. For joy begins here in suffering and lasts forever. Otherwise, whoever does not bear the suffering joyfully, and becomes unhappy and wants to be angry with God, will have both, here and there, eternal torment and suffering. Thus one reads of holy martyrs that they went cheerfully to the torture, and thus acquired 1) that they rejoice eternally; as of St. Agatha, that she was so cheerful that she had to lie in prison, as if she should go to the dance. And the apostles went with joy and thanked God that they were worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ, Apost, 5, 41.
At the time of its revelation.
29 Christ is not yet seen as a Lord, but is still at work with us. For himself he is, but we, who are his members, are not yet lords. But then we shall become lords, when his glory shall be revealed in the sight of all men at the last day, clearer than the sun.
V. 14: Blessed are you when you are reviled by the name of Christ.
(30) Christ is an ugly name in the sight of the world, and when one preaches of him, he must suffer the best of the earth to blaspheme and revile his name. But this is more dangerous and greater in our day, that they which persecute us, having also the name of Christ, say they are Christians and are baptized, yet deny and persecute Christ in deed. This is a wretched controversy. They lead the same
1) This is still papistic, therefore changed in the second edit.
Names just as strong as we are, against us. Therefore, even though the wisest and most pious people persecute us, we can take comfort in standing still and being cheerful. Why is that?
For the Spirit, who is the Spirit of glory and of God, rests upon you. With them he is blasphemed, but with you he is praised.
31. You (he says) have with you a spirit, that is, the Spirit of God and of glory, that is, such a spirit as makes us glorious. But this he does not do here on earth; but he will do it when the glory of Christ shall be revealed at the last day. Above this he is not only a Spirit who makes us glorious, but also whom we glorify. For the Holy Spirit is specially credited with transfiguring and glorifying, just as He transfigured and glorified Christ.
32 Now this same Spirit (he says) rests on you, because the name of Christ rests on you; he is blasphemed by them, for he must suffer to be blasphemed and reviled exceedingly. Therefore, do not take up blasphemy; it appeals to the Spirit, who is the Spirit of glory; do not worry, he will avenge it and set you in honor. This is the comfort we Christians have, that we can say: The word is not mine, the faith is not mine, it is all God's works, he who reviles me reviles God; as Christ says Matt. 10:40, "He who receives you receives me"; and again, "He who reviles you reviles me."
33 Therefore St. Peter wants to say: Know that the spirit you have is so strong that it will punish its enemy, just as God says in Exodus 23:22: "If you listen to my commandments, I will be an enemy to your enemies. And the Scriptures indicate many times that the enemies of the holy people are the enemies of God. Now if we are reviled because we are Christians and believe, we are not reviled, but the reviling is actually against God Himself. Therefore he says: "Be of good cheer, for this happens to the spirit that is not yours, but God's. Now he adds a warning:
V. 15. 16. But let no one among you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a malefactor, or
addicted to other people's good. But if he suffers as a Christian, he is not ashamed; but he praises God in the matter.
034 So he says, Ye have heard how ye ought to suffer, and how ye ought to keep yourselves therein: but see that it be not because ye have deserved it of your iniquity, but for Christ's sake. But now it is not so with us, for we must suffer, regardless of the fact that those who persecute us also have the name of Christ; and no one can die because he is a Christian, but as an enemy of Christ, and those who persecute him say that they are righteous Christians, and also say that he who dies for Christ's sake is blessed. There only the spirit must separate; there you must know that you are a Christian before God. God's judgment is secret, for He has now turned it around and no longer wants to judge by the name, as at that time when the name went out from the first.
Now St. Peter says: When you suffer in this way, you should not be ashamed, but should praise God. There he makes the suffering and torture dear, that it is so great that we should praise God because of it, because we suffer, so that we are not worthy of it. But now no one wants to go there. What is the use of putting the cross in monstrances? Christ's cross does not make me blessed. I must believe in his cross, but I must carry my own cross. I must take his suffering into my heart, and then I will have the right treasure. St. Peter's bones are holy, but what does it help you? You and your bones must become holy yourself, which also happens when you suffer for the sake of Christ.
V. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin on the house of God. But first of all, what will be the end of those who do not believe in the gospel of God?
Here he touches two prophetic sayings at once. First, the prophet Jeremiah says Cap. 25, 29: "Behold, I begin to punish in the capital city where my name is called, and I first punish my dearest children who believe in me. And you, who do not believe and are my enemies, think that you want to be punished.
escape?" And Cap. 49, 12. He says: "Those who are not to blame for drinking the cup, they must drink it; and you think that you should not drink it? I smite my beloved, that thou mayest see what I will do to the enemies. Then see what words these are: the greater the saints God has, the more shamefully he has caused them to perish, and what will become of the others? According to Ezekiel, Cap. 9, 6, he saw some men in armor with their weapons, who were supposed to kill everyone, to whom God said: "Lift up my sanctuary. This is what St. Peter means here. Therefore he says: The time is here, as the prophets said, that judgment must begin on us. When the Gospel is preached, God begins to punish sin, to kill and to make alive. He strikes the pious with the fox's tail, and is first of all the motherwort; but what will become of those who do not believe? As if he were to say, "If he treats his dear children with such seriousness, you can count what punishment will befall those who do not believe.
V. 18. And if the righteous is hardly preserved, where will the wicked and the sinner appear?
37 This saying is also taken from the Book of Proverbs, Cap. 11, 31: Si justus in terra recipit, "if the righteous must be pushed, where will the wicked remain?" This is also what St. Peter says here, the Ge
right can hardly be preserved and goes exactly to. The righteous is the one who believes; it still takes effort and work in faith that he may pass through and become blessed, for he must pass through the embers; where then will he remain who does not believe? So if God gives faith a push so that it wriggles, how can he stay and stand who is without faith? Therefore, he resolves upon it:
V. 19. Therefore, those who suffer according to God's will command [Him] 1) their souls, as the faithful Creator, with good works.
(38) That is, those to whom God inflicts suffering, which they have not sought and chosen for themselves, should commit their souls to Him. They do well, remain in good works, do not turn away for the sake of suffering, and entrust themselves to their Creator, who is faithful. This is a great comfort to us. God created your soul without your care and without your doing, when you were still nothing; so he can well preserve it. Therefore trust it to him, but in such a way that it will be done with good works, not that you think, "Well, I will die free. You must see that you are a good Christian and prove your faith with works. But if thou goest so roughly thou shalt see how thou shalt fare. This is the last admonition that St. Peter gives to those who are to suffer for God's sake. Now follow:
1) "ihm" is missing in the German editions, but Bucer offers: eontrustunt ei. Also in the interpretation here follows immediately: "They shall command their souls to him."