The Book of 1 Peter

Word Study

"meek," Greek praus (πραΰς). The word means meek, gentle, mild; it does not mean weak, but strength held under control, power harnessed and gentled. "The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." Peter contrasts two kinds of adornment: the outward, "plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel," which is passing and corruptible, and the inward, "the hidden man of the heart," which is "not corruptible." The jewel God prizes is "a meek and quiet spirit." The word praus, "meek," is the same word Jesus used of Himself, "I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29), and in the Beatitude, "Blessed are the meek" (Matthew 5:5); it is not spinelessness but a gentle, submissive strength that trusts God rather than grasping and fighting for its own way. Paired with "quiet" (a calm, tranquil, undisturbed spirit), it describes a soul at rest in God, gentle toward others, unruffled by circumstances. And Peter says this inner beauty is "in the sight of God of great price", literally very costly, precious. What the world spends fortunes to put on the outside, God treasures on the inside. So praus teaches that true, lasting beauty is not applied to the surface but grown in the heart, a gentle, God-trusting, tranquil spirit, which is of great price in the sight of God.

Explanation

Peter counsels wives to win even disobedient husbands "without the word," by "chaste conversation coupled with fear," adorned not outwardly but with "the hidden man of the heart... a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." Husbands are to "dwell with them according to knowledge," honoring the wife as a fellow "heir together of the grace of life," lest their prayers be hindered. Then a word to all: "be ye all of one mind, having compassion," and "not rendering evil for evil... but contrariwise blessing." He seals it with Psalm 34: "he that will love life... let him refrain his tongue from evil... seek peace, and ensue it."

Gospel Focus

Peter applies the gospel first to marriage. Wives are counseled that even an unbelieving husband, one who "obey not the word," may "without the word be won by the conversation of the wives", won not by argument but by the silent sermon of a godly, "chaste conversation coupled with fear." And their true beauty is to be inward: "not that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold," but "the hidden man of the heart... the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." This is not a ban on all ornament, but a call to prize the inner beauty God treasures above the outer. Peter points to "the holy women... who trusted in God," like Sarah, as models. Then husbands are charged, "dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life." The husband is to live with understanding and honor, treating his wife as a fellow heir of eternal life, and Peter adds a striking warning: failure here means "that your prayers be not hindered." How a man treats his wife affects his fellowship with God. Then Peter widens to the whole church: "be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." Unity, sympathy, tenderness, and courtesy are to mark God's people. And in a hostile world, believers are called to a radical response: "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing." We do not repay insult with insult but with blessing, "knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." We were called to bless, and blessing others is the path to inheriting God's blessing. Peter seals it with Scripture from Psalm 34: those who would "love life, and see good days" must "refrain the tongue from evil," "eschew evil, and do good," and "seek peace, and ensue it," for "the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers." So the gospel shapes every relationship, home and church alike: gentle, honoring, unified, and returning blessing for evil, under the watchful, hearing eyes of the Lord.

Word Study

"an answer," Greek apologia (ἀπολογία). The word means a defense, a reasoned reply, the kind of answer one gives to a formal charge; it is a legal term, and it gives us "apologetics" and "apology" (in its older sense of a defense). "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." Every believer is to be prepared to make an apologia, a reasoned defense, of the Christian hope, not just trained apologists or preachers. Notice several things. First, the readiness is "always" and to "every man", we should never be caught with nothing to say about why we believe. Second, the subject is "the hope that is in you", our confidence in Christ and the life to come, which is meant to be so visible that people ask about it. Third, and vital, the manner: "with meekness and fear." Our defense is not to be arrogant or combative, but gentle and reverent, offered in humility toward people and awe toward God. And it flows from a prior command: "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts", set apart Christ as Lord within, so that He, not fear of men, rules the heart. So apologia calls every believer to be a ready, thoughtful, gentle witness: knowing why we hope, willing to explain it to anyone, and doing so with the meekness and reverence that adorn the gospel we defend.

Explanation

Even if believers "suffer for righteousness' sake," they are "happy," and need not fear. Instead, "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." The ground of it all is Christ's own suffering: "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." Peter then speaks of the days of Noah and of baptism as "the like figure" that "doth also now save us... by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," who is "gone into heaven," all powers "made subject unto him." Suffering saints follow a Saviour who suffered, rose, and reigns.

Peter's words about Christ preaching "unto the spirits in prison... in the days of Noah" have puzzled many, and some have wrongly drawn from them a second chance of salvation after death. Two readings are held among Bible-believing Christians, and both shut that door. The first: by the same Spirit that "quickened" Him, Christ "preached" long beforehand through Noah to that wicked generation while "the ark was a preparing" -- the men who heard the warning and rejected it are the "spirits" now "in prison," awaiting judgment; the preaching happened in their lifetime, through God's prophet. The second: between His death and resurrection Christ went and proclaimed His triumph to imprisoned fallen spirits -- an announcement of victory over the powers, not an offer of the gospel. Either way, Peter is not teaching that the lost receive a fresh chance beyond the grave, for Scripture is settled: "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). His real aim is to comfort suffering saints: as Noah's little household was carried safely through the very waters of judgment, so the risen Christ, now "on the right hand of God," brings His people safely through.

Gospel Focus

Peter turns to suffering for doing right. Normally goodness disarms hostility, "who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?", but even when the righteous do suffer, "happy are ye." Believers are not to fear their persecutors' threats. Instead, "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts", enthrone Christ as Lord within, so that reverence for Him, not fear of men, governs the soul. From that settled heart flows readiness to witness: "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." Every believer is to be a ready, gentle witness, explaining the hope within, with humility and reverence, backed by "a good conscience" and a blameless life, so that slanderers are "ashamed." And if suffering comes, better to "suffer for well doing, than for evil doing." Then Peter grounds the whole call to endure in the supreme example and atonement: "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." The sinless One suffered once for all, the Just for the unjust, to bridge the gulf and bring us home to God. He was "put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit", His body died, but He was raised in the power of the Spirit. Peter then draws a comparison from Noah's day, when "eight souls were saved by water," passing safely through the flood in the ark. This becomes "the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us." Here Peter speaks plainly of the saving significance of baptism, yet he carefully explains what he means: "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh," it is not mere bodily washing or an outward rite that saves, "but the answer of a good conscience toward God," a heart truly turned to God in faith and obedience, and it saves "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Baptism saves not as a magic washing but as the God-appointed act in which faith responds to God with a good conscience, united to the risen Christ. This fits the whole Apostolic pattern of the new birth of water and Spirit (John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5). And the risen Christ is exalted supreme: "gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." So under suffering we set Christ apart as Lord in our hearts, stand ready to give a gentle reason for our hope, and rest in the One who suffered once for sins to bring us to God, raised, exalted, and reigning over all.