Chapter 4
[1 Peter 4:1] -- Therefore, Christ having suffered in the flesh, etc. After he had based the example of the Lord's resurrection and our cleansing which occurs in baptism on the sacrament of the ark and the flood, he returns to what he had begun to say, that, by imitating the work of our Redeemer, we should, in the midst of the good deeds we do, patiently endure the malice of wicked men. It should be noted, however, that he speaks distinctly when he says: Therefore, Christ having suffered in the flesh. For as blessed Ambrose says: "His flesh suffered, but Divinity, free from death, allowed the body to suffer by law of human nature." Or can Divinity indeed die, when the soul cannot? He says, do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul (Matt. X). If therefore the soul cannot be killed, how can Divinity be killed?
[1 Peter 4:1] -- Because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sins, etc. Whoever among the saints has subjected his body to martyrdom under the violence of persecutors, there is no doubt that, as much as possible given human nature, he has abstained from sins until the end of his life. For what could he think about perpetrating sin, what about carnal desires, what but the will of God could he entertain in his mind, who, whether affixed to a cross, surrounded by blows of stones, subdued by the bites of beasts, placed upon flames, pierced by the whips of scorpions, or afflicted by any other kind of punishment, was compelled to desire only this: that with the battle ended, he might receive the crown of life? Therefore, blessed Peter wishes us always to imitate the minds of such people, when he instructs us to arm ourselves with the same thought against the wickedness of the depraved and against the delights of vices, proposing the example of the Lord's passion, wishing it to be understood that even we, resting in the peace of the Church, if we assume the disposition of a sufferer, easily avoid the falls of all sins and submit all desires to the commands of divine will, aided by the Lord. Finally, even the Psalmist prays to the Lord, saying: "Pierce my flesh with your fear, for I am in awe of your judgments" (Psalm 118). And the Apostle: "Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5). Therefore, whoever extinguishes carnal desires in the mind with the fear of heavenly judgments, already similar to the crucified and suffering for Christ, lives dead to sins, living only in service to God.
[1 Peter 4:4] -- In which they marvel, not running with you, etc. Because (he says) you have crucified your flesh with its passions and desires, it follows indeed that although they blaspheme you on account of their own infidelity, as separated from their company, yet in your behavior they always see works of justice and piety, which they rightfully marvel at and for which they rightly praise and revere the Christian faith.
[1 Peter 4:5] -- Who shall give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Therefore (he says) care less, grieve less, if you are blasphemed by the reprobate while doing good, because even if you remain silent, God the judge, who is indeed just, will not remain silent or be restrained, and he will restore worthy rewards both for their blasphemy and for your patience.
[1 Peter 4:6] -- Because of this, the gospel was preached even to the dead, etc. So great is God's care, so great his love, so great is his desire that we be mortified in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, that he commanded the word of faith to be preached even to those who are involved in greater crimes and justly named among the dead, namely, in indulgences, desires, drunkenness, revelries, drinkings, and illicit idol worship, so that these too, being judged, that is, having spurned and rejected carnal desires, may live spiritually, and together with those whom the grace of the Gospel found living innocently, may expect eternal life.
[1 Peter 4:7] -- The end of all things is near. Let no one soothe themselves with the delay of the future judgment, in which he said that the living and the dead were to be judged; he prudently warns, for although the coming of the final judgment is uncertain, it is certain to all that in this mortal life they cannot long endure.
[1 Peter 4:7] -- Be therefore prudent, etc. And the Lord in the Gospel has commanded us to always pray and watch, in view of the uncertain end. For he says, speaking of the day of judgment: Watch therefore, praying continually, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke XXI). But we are rightly ordered to watch in prayers, so that when we stand for prayer, all carnal and secular thought may depart, nor should the mind then think of anything except what it is praying for. For often the enemy sneaks in and subtly deceiving, distracts our prayers so that we both have one thing in our heart and utter another with our voice, whereas with sincere intention, it is not the sound of the voice but the sense of the soul that ought to pray to God.
[1 Peter 4:8] -- Above all, have fervent charity among yourselves. He rightly added "fervent," because we can always love, but we cannot always be vigilant in prayers due to the frailty of the flesh; we might not always be able to engage in the virtues he subsequently mentions, that is, hospitality, teaching, the administration of graces, whether common or special to our neighbors, and other such things. For indeed, these must necessarily be done both through bodily effort and at appropriate times. However, the charity itself, under whose influence these external actions are performed, can always be present within the inner person, even though it cannot always be publicly displayed.
[1 Peter 4:8] -- Because charity covers a multitude of sins. Especially when it is truthfully said to God: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matth. VI). And indeed, it is certain that all the good works we do atone for and cover the faults we have committed, but this is particularly said of charity, through which we forgive our neighbors what they owe us, because it is most just with God that according to the measure of mercy we have used, it will be measured to us. As, on the contrary, the wise man severely rebukes the merciless, saying: "A man preserves anger against man, and seeks healing from God?" (Eccli. XXVIII). And there is no doubt that in the case of one who, through charity, does everything he can for the correction of his neighbor, admonishing, rebuking, chastising, charity itself covers a multitude of sins, as James attests, saying: "He who converts a sinner from the error of his way shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins" (James V).
[1 Peter 4:11] -- If anyone speaks, let him speak as the words of God. Fearing, indeed, lest he should say or command anything beyond the will of God or beyond what is clearly prescribed in the holy Scriptures, and be found as a false witness of God, or sacrilegious, or introducing something foreign to the doctrine of the Lord, or certainly omitting and passing over something of those things that are pleasing to God, since He Himself very manifestly instructs the preachers of truth concerning those whom they teach into life, saying: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew XXVIII). For He commands us to teach not just parts but all those things to be observed by their hearers.
[1 Peter 4:11] -- If anyone ministers, etc. Let everyone more humbly render every good thing he can to his neighbor, as certainly as he knows that he cannot have what he bestows from himself.
[1 Peter 4:11] -- That in all things God may be honored through Jesus Christ, etc. According to the command of Jesus Christ Himself, who said: "Let your good works be seen, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew V). Thus, God is honored in our actions when whatever good things we do according to His will, we attribute not to our own merits but to His grace; yet, on the contrary, we attribute the evil things we do only to our own wickedness or ignorance.
[1 Peter 4:12] -- Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal, etc. Some manuscripts read: Do not be strangers to the fiery ordeal. The meaning of both expressions is apparent, because a faithful person should neither be surprised at why he suffers tribulations in this life, as it is for the reason that he is now tried with tribulations so that, when proven, he may be deemed worthy to receive the crown of future life; nor should anyone consider himself to be a stranger and alien from the members of Christ because he is struck by the adversities of the present age, since the death exit of the Lord (Psalm LXVII), and never in His Church, from the first martyr Abel to the last elect who will be born at the end of the age, has the persecution by unbelievers ceased. Therefore, well did he say, Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal, he added:
[1 Peter 4:12] -- As though something new were happening to you. For it is very ancient and common for the chosen of God to endure adversities in this present life for eternal salvation.
[1 Peter 4:15] -- But let none of you suffer as a murderer, etc. For he suffers as a blasphemer who, at the time of his suffering, is carried away into the injury of his persecutor.
[1 Peter 4:17] -- For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. There are two judgments of God indicated by Scripture: one hidden, the other manifest. The hidden judgment is the punishment by which each human being is now either exercised for purification or admonished for conversion, or, if he has scorned the call and discipline of God, blinded for condemnation. The manifest judgment is when the Lord is to come to judge the living and the dead. Now it is said to be the time in which judgment begins from the house of the Lord, that is, from the Church, which is being prepared for future joys through the exercise of present afflictions. For the reprobate now lead a transient life so much more securely and without any scourge of retribution, as there remains nothing else for them in the future but retribution, according to that saying of the blessed Job: They spend their days in prosperity, and in a moment they go down to the grave.
[1 Peter 4:17] -- If it begins with us first, what will be the end of those, etc.? From this it is inferred how sternly the Judge will strike those whom he rejects, if he thus torments here those whom he loves. For if the children are scourged, what can the wicked servants expect?
[1 Peter 4:18] -- And if the righteous man is scarcely saved, etc. The Pelagians do not want to believe that in one man the entire mass of the human race is corrupted and utterly damned. From this vice and condemnation of one man alone, the grace of Christ heals and liberates. For why should the righteous man be scarcely saved? Is it a labor for God to free the righteous man? By no means. But in order to show that it was deservedly condemned by nature, the Almighty Himself does not wish to easily liberate from such a great evil. Because of this, both sins are easily fallen into and justice is laborious, except for those who love. But the charity that makes those who love comes from God. It is to be noted, however, that Blessed Peter took this sentence from the Proverbs of Solomon according to the ancient Editio, for which in our version that descends from the Hebrew truth, it is written: If the righteous man receives on earth, how much more the impious and the sinner (Proverbs XI)? Which is to say openly: If the fragility of mortal life is so great that not even the righteous who are to be crowned in Heaven pass through it without tribulation because of the innumerable errors of corrupted nature, how much more those who are deprived of heavenly grace expect the certain outcome of their perpetual damnation?