4 But let them be those of the unseen man of the heart, the ever-shining ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the eyes of God.
But he is a Jew who is a secret one, whose circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
To say no evil of any man, not to be fighters, to give way to others, to be gentle in behaviour to all men.
As saints of God, then, holy and dearly loved, let your behaviour be marked by pity and mercy, kind feeling, a low opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, and a power of undergoing all things;
You blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside may become equally clean.
The spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am marked out by him to give good news to the poor; he has sent me to make the broken-hearted well, to say that the prisoners will be made free, and that those in chains will see the light again;
Who has wisdom and good sense among you? let him make his works clear by a life of gentle wisdom. But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true. This wisdom is not from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One. For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing. But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy, then gentle, readily giving way in argument, full of peace and mercy and good works, not doubting, not seeming other than it is.
For the Lord has pleasure in his people: he gives the poor in spirit a crown of salvation.
O you foolish ones! did not he who made the outside in the same way make the inside?
And that you may take pride in being quiet and doing your business, working with your hands as we gave you orders;
Gently guiding those who go against the teaching; if by chance God may give them a change of heart and true knowledge,
For this reason, putting away all dirty behaviour and the overweight of evil, take into your souls without pride the word which, being planted there, is able to give you salvation.
For kings and all those in authority; so that we may have a calm and quiet life in all fear of God and serious behaviour.
Now to such we give orders and make request in the Lord Jesus, that, working quietly, they get their living.
Because you have had a new birth, not from the seed of man, but from eternal seed, through the word of a living and unchanging God.
In the great house the king's daughter is all shining: her clothing is worked with gold.
Your desire is for what is true in the inner parts: in the secrets of my soul you will give me knowledge of wisdom.
The Lord gives help to the poor in spirit; but he sends sinners down in shame.
He has no delight in the strength of a horse; he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in his worshippers, and in those whose hope is in his mercy.
And the poor will have their joy in the Lord increased, and those in need will be glad in the Holy One of Israel.
For this is the word of him who is high and lifted up, whose resting-place is eternal, whose name is Holy: my resting-place is in the high and holy place, and with him who is crushed and poor in spirit, to give life to the spirit of the poor, and to make strong the heart of the crushed.
He will be an upright guide to the poor in spirit: he will make his way clear to them.
Say to the daughter of Zion, See, your King comes to you, gentle and seated on an ass, and on a young ass.
Being conscious that our old man was put to death on the cross with him, so that the body of sin might be put away, and we might no longer be servants to sin.
Now I, Paul, myself make request to you by the quiet and gentle behaviour of Christ, I who am poor in spirit when with you, but who say what is in my mind to you without fear when I am away from you:
That you are to put away, in relation to your earlier way of life, the old man, which has become evil by love of deceit; And be made new in the spirit of your mind, And put on the new man, to which God has given life, in righteousness and a true and holy way of living.
For your life on earth is done, and you have a secret life with Christ in God.
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,