16 Being conscious that you have done no wrong; so that those who say evil things about your good way of life as Christians may be put to shame.
Being of good behaviour among the Gentiles; so that though they say now that you are evil-doers, they may see your good works and give glory to God when he comes to be their judge.
Make prayers for us, for we are certain that our hearts are free from the sense of sin, desiring the right way of life in all things.
Because it is God's pleasure that foolish and narrow-minded men may be put to shame by your good behaviour:
For it is a sign of grace if a man, desiring to do right in the eyes of God, undergoes pain as punishment for something which he has not done.
But the effect of the order is love coming from a clean heart, and a knowledge of what is right, and true faith:
And baptism, of which this is an image, now gives you salvation, not by washing clean the flesh, but by making you free from the sense of sin before God, through the coming again of Jesus Christ from the dead;
For our glory is in this, in the knowledge which we have that our way of life in the world, and most of all in relation to you, has been holy and true in the eyes of God; not in the wisdom of the flesh, but in the grace of God.
And we have given up the secret things of shame, not walking in false ways, and not making use of the word of God with deceit; but by the revelation of what is true, as before God, we have the approval of every man's sense of right and wrong.
I give praise to God, whose servant I have been, with a heart free from sin, from the time of my fathers, because in my prayers at all times the thought of you is with me, night and day
Saying true and right words, against which no protest may be made, so that he who is not on our side may be put to shame, unable to say any evil of us.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Peter 3
Commentary on 1 Peter 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
Wherein the apostle describes the duties of husbands and wives one to another, beginning with the duty of the wife (v. 1-7). He exhorts Christians to unity, love, compassion, peace, and patience under sufferings; to oppose the slanders of their enemies, not by returning evil for evil, or railing for railing, but by blessing; by a ready account of their faith and hope, and by keeping a good conscience (v. 8-17). To encourage them to this, he proposes the example of Christ, who suffered, the just for the unjust, but yet punished the old world for their disobedience, and saved the few who were faithful in the days of Noah (v. 18-22).
1Pe 3:1-7
The apostle having treated of the duties of subjects to their sovereigns, and of servants to their masters, proceeds to explain the duty of husbands and wives.
1Pe 3:8-15
The apostle here passes from special to more general exhortations.
1Pe 3:16-17
The confession of a Christian's faith cannot credibly be supported but by the two means here specified-a good conscience and a good conversation. conscience is good when it does its office well, when it is kept pure and uncorrupt, and clear from guilt; then it will justify you, though men accuse you. A good conversation in Christ is a holy life, according to the doctrine and example of Christ. "Look well to your conscience, and to your conversation; and then, though men speak evil of you, and falsely accuse you as evil-doers, you will clear yourselves, and bring them to shame. Perhaps you may think it hard to suffer for well-doing, for keeping a good conscience and a good conversation; but be not discouraged, for it is better for you, though worse for your enemies, that you suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.' Learn,
1Pe 3:18-20
Here,
1Pe 3:21-22
Noah's salvation in the ark upon the water prefigured the salvation of all good Christians in the church by baptism; that temporal salvation by the ark was a type, the antitype whereunto is the eternal salvation of believers by baptism, to prevent mistakes about which the apostle,