Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
III. 1 PETER 4:12-5:14 - MOTIVATION FOR ENDURANCE
A. 4:12-19 THE CHRISTIAN OUTLOOK ON TRIALS
a. 4:12-13 REJOICING: OUR ATTITUDE TO TRIALS
Aga-peTOI, me xeNIzes-the [3579] te en huMIN puROsei [4451],
Beloved, think not strange the fiery trial among you,
pros pei-rasMON [3986] huMIN gi-noMEne,
which comes upon you to prove you,
hos XEnou [3581] huMIN sumBAInon-tos [4819]:
as though aught strange happened to you:
alLA kaTHO koi-noNEIte [2841] tois tou ChrisTOU
13 but insomuch as you are partakers of the sufferings
paTHEma-sin [3804], CHAIre-te [5463]: HIna kai en tea-po-kaLUpsei [602]
of :Christ, rejoice: that at the revelation
tes DOxes auTOU chaREte a-gal-liOme-noi [21].
of his :glory also you may rejoice with exceeding joy.
b. 4:14 THE BLESSING OF REPROACH: A PROOF OF SPIRIT ON US
ei o-neiDIzes-the [3679] en oNOma-ti ChrisTOU, maKAri-oi [3107];
If you are reproached in Christ's name, blessed you;
HOti to tes DOxes kai to tou TheOU PNEUma eph' huMAS a-naPAUe-tai [373].
because the Spirit of :glory and :of :God rests upon you.
c. 4:15-16 CHRISTIAN! SUFFER NOT FOR WRONGDOING, BUT FOR CHRIST
me gar tis huMON pasCHEto [3958] hos phoNEUS [5406], e KLEPtes [2812],
For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or thief,
eka-ko-poiOS [2555], e hos al-lo-tri-o-ePISko-pos [244]:
or evil-doer, or as an inspector of others:
ei de hos Chris-ti-aNOS [5546], me ais-chuNEStho[153];
16 but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;
do-xaZEto[1302]de ton TheON en tooNOma-ti TOUto.
but let him glorify :God in this :name.
d. 4:17 TRIAL OF JUDGMENT: FIRST FOR THE CHURCH
HOti ho kaiROS tou ARxas-thai [756] to KRIma [2917]
For the season is comefor the judgment
aPO tou OIkou [3624]tou TheOU: ei de PROton aph' heMON,
to begin at the house of :God: and if first at us,
ti to TElos [5056]ton a-peiTHOUNton [544]to tou TheOU eu-ag-geLIo [2098]?
what the end of them that obey not the gospel of :God?
e. 4:18 A NARROW GATE FOR BOTH SAVED AND UNSAVED
kai ei ho DIkai-os MOlis [3433]SOze-tai [4982],
And if the righteous is scarcely saved,
ho de a-seBES [765]kai ha-mar-toLOS [268]pou phaNEItai [5316]?
where then shall the ungodly and sinner appear?
f. 4:19 WHEN PERSECUTED: COMMIT SELF TO YOUR CREATOR
HOSte kai hoi PASchon-tes [3958]kaTA to THEle-ma tou TheOU
Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of :God
pisTOKTISte [2939]pa-ra-tiTHEStho-san [3908]tas psuCHAS [5590]en a-ga-tho-poiIa [16].
commit their souls in well-doing to a faithful Creator.
B. 5:1-5 RESPONSIBILITY IN RELATIONSHIPS
a. 5:1-3 RESPONSIBILITY OF ELDERS TO FLOCK
pres-buTErous [4245] oun en huMIN pa-ra-kaLO [3870], ho sun-presBUte-ros [4850],
Theelders therefore among you I exhort, the fellow-elder,
kai MARtus [3144]ton tou ChrisTOU pa-theMAton,
and witness of the sufferings of the Christ,
ho kai tes melLOUses [3195]a-po-kaLUPtes-thai [601]DOxes koi-noNOS [2844]:
who am also partaker of the glory to be revealed:
poiMAna-te [4165]to en huMIN POIMni-on [4168]tou TheOU,
2 Tend the flock of :God which isamong you,
mea-nag-kasTOS [317], alLA e-kouSIos [1596];
not of constraint, but willingly;
meDE ais-chro-kerDOS [147], alLA proTHUmos [4290];
nor yet for filthy lucre, but of ready mind;
med' hos ka-ta-ku-riEUon-tes [2634]ton KLEron [2819],
3neither as lording it over thoseallotted you,
alLA TUpoi [4179]giNOme-noi tou poimNIou.
but being examples to the flock.
b. 5:4 THE REWARD OF CHRIST FOR FAITHFULNESS
kai pha-ne-roTHENtos [5319]tou ar-chiPOIme-nos [750],
And when the chief Shepherd shall be manifested,
ko-miEISthe [2865]ton ha-maRANti-non [162]tes DOxes STEpha-non [4735].
you shall receive the unfading crown of :glory.
c. 5:5a THE RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUNGER TO ELDERS: SUBJECTION
HoMOIos, neOte-roi [3501], hu-poTAge-te [5293]pres-buTErois [4245].
Likewise, you younger, be subject to elders.
d. 5:5b MUTUAL SUBJECTION: TO MERIT GOD'S GRACE
PANtes de, alLElois ten ta-pei-no-phroSUnen [5012]eg-komBOsas-the [1463]:
Yes, all gird yourselves with :humility toward one another:
HOti ho TheOS hu-pe-rePHAnois an-tiTASse-tai [498],
for :God resists theproud,
ta-peiNOIS de DIdo-sin CHArin.
but gives grace to thehumble.
C. 5:6-11 GOD'S METHOD OF STABLISHING US THROUGH TRIALS
a. 5:6-7 SUBJECTION TO GOD: A MEANS TO RECEIVE HIS CARE
Ta-peiNOthe-te [5013]oun huPO ten kra-taiAN [2900]CHEIra tou TheOU,
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of :God,
HIna huMAS huPSOse[5312]en kaiRO[2540];
that he might exalt you in season;
PAsan ten MErim-nan [3308]huMON e-piRIpsan-tes [1977]ep' auTON,
7casting all your :anxiety upon him,
HOti auTOMElei [3199]peRI huMON.
because he cares for you.
b. 5:8-9 OUR STEADY STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL.
NEpsa-te [3525], gregoREsa-te [1127]: ho anTIdi-kos [476]huMON diAbo-los [1228],
Be sober, watch: the devil, your Adversary,
hos LEon [3023]o-ruOme-nos [5612], pe-ri-paTEI, zeTON [2212]ka-ta-piEIN [2666]:
as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking to gulp down:
hoanTIStete [436]ste-reOI [2731]tePIStei,
9 whom withstand stedfast in the faith,
eiDOtes ta auTA ton pa-theMAton
knowing thatthe same :sufferings are being accomplished
teen toKOSmohuMON a-delPHOte-ti [81]e-pi-teLEISthai [2005].
in your :brotherhood which isin the world.
c. 5:10 STABLISHMENT BY GOD COMES AFTER SUFFERING
Ho de TheOS PAses CHAri-tos,
And the God of all grace,
ho kaLEsas huMAS eis ten aiOni-on [166]auTOU DOxan en ChrisTO,
who called you unto his eternal :glory in Christ,
oLIgon paTHONtas [3958],
after you have suffered a little,
auTOS ka-tarTIsei [2675], steRIxei [4741], stheNOsei [4599].
shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.
d. 5:11a ASCRIPTION OF PRAISE
auTOto KRAtos [2904] eis tous aiOnas [165].
To him the dominion unto the ages.
e. 5:11b Amen. aMEN.
D. 5:12-14a. TESTIMONY AND GREETINGS.
a. 5:12 TESTIMONY TO THIS GOSPEL OF GRACE
DiA Si-lou-aNOU huMIN tou pisTOU a-delPHOU,
By Silvanus, as I account him,
hos loGIzo-mai [3049], di' oLIgon Egra-PSA, pa-ra-kaLON [2870],
the faithful brother to you I have written briefly, exhorting,
kai e-pi-mar-tuRON [1957]tauTEN EInai a-leTHECHArin tou TheOU:
and testifying that this is the true grace of :God:
eis hen STEte [2476].
stand therein.
b. 5:13 GREETINGS FROM THE CHURCH OF BABYLON
AsPAze-tai [782]huMAS, heen Ba-buLOni su-ne-klekTE[4899]:
She in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you;
kai MARkos ho huiOS mou.
and so does Mark my :son.
c. 5:14a THE GREETING WITH THE KISS OF LOVE
asPAsas-the alLElous en phiLEma-ti [5370]aGApes.
Greet one another with a kiss of love.
E. 5:14b A BENEDICTION OF PEACE
EiREnehuMIN PAsin tois en ChrisTO.
Peace to you all thosein Christ.
NOTE: Trials! Testings! We often think that we as individuals are the only ones sustaining such terrible difficulties. Not so! Allmembers of the human race are tested: Jesus the Son of man, Paul, Peter, all the apostles and all early believers. So - let us not think that we alone face these things!
And - persecution for Jesus' sake is a goodsign! He that chooses to live a godly life in Christ Jesus shallsuffer persecution! To let the Holy Spirit have His way in us will bring us into the same type of fiery trials as experienced by King David! There was a young man of Port Alberni BC who was working in the woods. When confronted with the above truth, he responded with surprise - “Why, I neversuffer persecution from my fellow-workers in the woods.” “Well, what do you tell them in your Christian testimony?” “Why, he said, “I never tell them I'm a Christian!”
In 4:17 Peter reveals to us that judgment willbegin with God's people, and thenwith the world. God wants His church to be in shape as a visible witness to the world both in life and word - and thenHe will use us along with His returned Son - to bring judgment on the world.
4:18 is a most sobertruth. God gave His all in giving His Son in death for our Redemption. ThenHe gives the Holy Spirit on the basis of Christ's Redemption to work out godliness in and through us. Such is a mightywork. In the light of this, consider the precarious position of sinners!
In 5:1-3 we see that apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors and evangelists are allfellow-elders. These five compose the Bible Eldership, a synonym for the term “Presbytery.” Do allbelong today in the Eldership Category? Paul in 1 Cor 12:29 says, No!” Only those called by Jesus and confirmed by an existing Eldership can qualify. And - all elders are - or should be - servants of the people, God's sheep.
And humility(5:5b) is the key test of true elders, members of the 5-fold ministries of Eph 4:11. By this test, it is easyto discern the frauds. By their fruitsyou shall know them.
5:8-9. Many professing believers today do not believe in a personal devil. Such are notin the camp of Jesus, Peter, Paul - and all who like Rees Howells have allowed themselves to be possessed by the Holy Spirit. Why should he make himself real to anyone who is not threatening his kingdom? But as soon as Rees Howells made this decision as a 2-year old believer - immediatelythe enemy attacked him, and the blinders fell off of Rees's eyes. Doctrine is understood by obedience, not by study or supposition.
5:10. This, like allScripture passages, is a richportion of the Word of God! Thank God for the Holy Spirit through Peter, who has left us such a marvelous inheritance! And remember, Jesus and the Word (LOgos) are one! John 1:1.
Jim Watt
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