1 Peter 4:17

Contextual Overview

¹²Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; ¹²Don't wig out when you suffer for the sake of Christ. It don't mean you're doing something wrong. It means you're doing something right. ¹² Dear brothers, do not be surprised, as if it was something strange, if your faith is tested as by fire: ¹² Beloved, take not [as] strange the fire [of persecution] which has taken place amongst you for [your] trial, as if a strange thing was happening to you; ¹² Beloved, don't be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. ¹² Beloved, wonder not at the burning which is among you, which is for your trial, as if some strange thing befell you: But as ye partake of the sufferings of Christ, ¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at finding that that scorching flame of persecution is raging among you to put you to the test--as though some surprising thing were accidentally happening to you. ¹² Beloued, thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened vnto you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

judgment: Isaiah 10:12, Jeremiah 25:29, Jeremiah 49:12, Ezekiel 9:6, Malachi 3:5, Matthew 3:9, Matthew 3:10, Luke 12:47, Luke 12:48

and if: Luke 23:31

what: Matthew 11:20-24, Luke 10:12-14, Hebrews 2:2, Hebrews 2:4, Hebrews 12:24, Hebrews 12:25

obey: 1 Peter 2:8, Galatians 3:1, Galatians 5:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, Hebrews 5:9, Hebrews 11:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 28:17 - the house Leviticus 10:3 - before Leviticus 19:30 - reverence Deuteronomy 32:51 - because ye Judges 2:2 - but ye have 1 Samuel 4:18 - his neck 1 Samuel 6:19 - he smote 1 Kings 2:29 - he is by 1 Kings 13:24 - a lion 1 Kings 13:26 - the man 2 Kings 18:12 - they obeyed not 2 Chronicles 28:10 - not with Proverbs 11:31 - General Jeremiah 25:18 - Jerusalem Lamentations 1:9 - she remembereth Ezekiel 7:7 - the time Amos 3:2 - therefore Obadiah 1:16 - as ye Zechariah 14:21 - in the Matthew 7:13 - that Matthew 22:7 - he was Matthew 24:8 - General Mark 13:29 - know Luke 13:1 - mingled Luke 21:23 - great Acts 13:41 - for Romans 2:8 - and do not Romans 2:9 - of the Jew Romans 5:3 - but we Romans 6:17 - but ye Romans 6:21 - for the 1 Corinthians 7:26 - that 1 Timothy 5:12 - damnation Hebrews 2:3 - How 1 Peter 1:22 - in 1 Peter 3:1 - obey

Cross-References

Genesis 4:4
But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4
And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4
Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering;

Genesis 4:4
Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering;

Genesis 4:4
Habel also brought of the firstlynges of his sheepe, & of the fatte thereof: and the Lorde had respect vnto Habel, and to his oblation.

Genesis 4:4
and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4
and Abel offride of the first gendrid of his floc, and of the fatnesse of tho. And the Lord bihelde to Abel and to the yiftis of hym;

Genesis 4:4
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flocke, and of the fat thereof: and the LORD had respect vnto Abel, and to his offering.

Genesis 4:4
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Genesis 4:4
And Abell brought also of the firstlinges of his shepe, and of ye fat of them. And the LORDE had respecte vnto Abell and to his offerynge:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God,.... By the house of God is either meant the temple at Jerusalem, which is often so called, because it was built for God, and where were the symbol of his presence, and his worship; and now the time was come, or at hand, that God would begin at his sanctuary, and leave this house desolate, and not one stone should be left upon another, as Christ had foretold: or else the church of God, which is frequently called the house of God, because it is of his building, where he dwells, and grants his gracious presence, and which he beautifies, fills, repairs, and defends; and so may design believers in Christ, those that are of the household and family of God: and by judgment is meant, not punishment for sin, strictly speaking, because Christ has endured this in the room and stead of his church and people, and therefore in justice cannot be inflicted on them; but afflictions and persecutions, and which are fatherly chastisements, and different from God's judgment on the world, and condemnation with it; see 1 Corinthians 11:32 and these may be said to "begin" with them, because it is only in this life the saints have their afflictions; and which are in love to them, and therefore are early brought upon them to try them, and purge them, and make them partakers of his holiness: besides, wicked men are often made use of as instruments, by which God chastises his people; upon which account they are reserved till last, to be the objects of his vengeance, when they have filled up the measure of their sins; and then what is begun in love at the house of God, will end in wrath and severe punishment on them: and whereas it is said, "the time" is come, or at hand, it may be observed, that as God has his set time to favour his Zion, so likewise to chastise her; all his people's times are in his hand, as of comfort, so of temptation, affliction, and persecution. The first times of Christianity, or of the preaching of the Gospel, were times of trouble and distress; for as it was necessary the Gospel should be confirmed by signs and wonders, so that it should be tried and proved by the sufferings of the saints for it: and the phrase also suggests, that these sufferings and afflictions were but for a time, and even as it were for a moment, for a little while; and is a reason why the saints should glorify God, as these words imply, being introduced with the causal particle, "for"; that they have their sufferings now, and not with the wicked in the world to come, which will have no end:

and if [it] first begin at us; either us Jews, for Peter, and those he writes to, were such; or us Christians, who believe in Christ, have embraced his Gospel, and profess his name:

what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? of which God is the author, and which contains things relating to him; as the grace of God, the righteousness of God, peace with him, pardon from him, justification before him, and acceptance with him; and which he commits to men, and qualifies them for preaching it, and succeeds the ministry of it; and it being his Gospel, as it makes it the more valuable in itself, so it is to be had in the greatest reverence and esteem; and the greater is the sin of such who despise and reject it, as did the unbelieving Jews, who seem chiefly designed, here; it was first preached to them, but they disbelieved the doctrines of it, and submitted not to its ordinances, and rejected Christ, the Saviour, the sum and substance of it; and put it away from them, judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life: and what shall the end of such be? in this world wrath came upon them to the uttermost, ruin upon their nation, city, and temple; and in the world to come everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and eternal vengeance in flames of fire. The Jews have various phrases, and frequent expressions in their writings, which resemble these, and serve to illustrate them. When Noah told the old world of the flood, and called upon them to repent, they are represented as saying to him o,

"where does punishment begin? מן ביתיה, "at the house" of that man does it "begin?" when Methuselah died, they said unto him, does not punishment begin at the house of that man?''

and elsewhere p, says R. Jonathan,

"punishment does not come into the world, but in the time that the wicked are in the world; and it does not begin (i.e. at them) אלא מן הצדיקים תחלה, but it begins at the righteous;''

and again q

"when God executes judgment on the righteous, he is praised; for if he executes this on them, how much more on the ungodly?''

see Isaiah 10:11.

o Midrash Kohelet, fol. 79. 4. p T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 60. 1. Caphtor, fol. 70. 2. q Jarchi in Numb. 179. apud Grotium in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For the time is come - That is, this is now to be expected. There is reason to think that this trial will now occur, and there is a propriety that it should be made. Probably the apostle referred to some indications then apparent that this was about to take place.

That judgment must begin - The word “judgment” here (κρίμα krima) seems to mean “the severe trial which would determine character.” It refers to such calamities as would settle the question whether there was any religion, or would test the value of that which was professed. It was to “begin” at the house of God, or be applied to the church first, in order that the nature and worth of religion might be seen. The reference is, doubtless, to some fearful calamity which would primarily fall on the “house of God;” that is, to some form of persecution which was to be let loose upon the church.

At the house of God - Benson, Bloomfield, and many others, suppose that this refers to the Jews, and to the calamities that were to come around the temple and the holy city about to be destroyed. But the more obvious reference is to Christians, spoken of as the house or family of God. There is probably in the language here an allusion to Ezekiel 9:6; “Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women; and begin at my sanctuary.” Compare Jeremiah 25:29. But the language used here by the apostle does not denote literally the temple, or the Jews, but those who were in his time regarded as the people of God - Christians - the church. So the phrase (בּית יהוה bēyt Yahweh) “house of Yahweh” is used to denote the family or people of God, Numbers 12:7; Hosea 8:1. Compare also 1 Timothy 3:15 and the note on that verse. The sense here is, therefore, that the series of calamities referred to were to commence with the church, or were to come first upon the people of God. Schoettgen here aptly quotes a passage from the writings of the Rabbis: “Punishments never come into the world unless the wicked are in it; but they do not begin unless they commence first with the righteous.”

And if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? - If God brings such trials upon us who have obeyed his gospel, what have we not reason to suppose he will bring upon those who are yet in their sins? And if we are selected first as the objects of this visitation, if there is that in us which requires such a method of dealing, what are we to suppose will occur in the end with those who make no pretensions to religion, but are yet living in open transgression? The sentiment is, that if God deals thus strictly with his people; if there is that in them which makes the visitations of his judgment proper on them, there is a certainty that they who are not his people, but who live in iniquity, will in the end be overwhelmed with the tokens of severer wrath. Their punishment hereafter will be certain; and who can tell what will be the measure of its severity? Every wicked man, when he sees the trials which God brings upon his own people, should tremble under the apprehension of the deeper calamity which will hereafter come upon himself. We may remark:

(1) That the judgments which God brings upon his own people make it certain that the wicked will be punished. If he does not spare his own people, why should he spare others?

(2) The punishment of the wicked is merely delayed. It begins at the house of God. Christians are tried, and are recalled from their wanderings, and are prepared by discipline for the heavenly world. The punishment of the wicked is often delayed to a future world, and in this life they have almost uninterrupted prosperity, but in the end it will be certain. See Psalms 73:1-19. The punishment will come in the end. It cannot be evaded. Sooner or later justice requires that the wicked should be visited with the expressions of divine displeasure on account of sin, and in the future world there will be ample time for the infliction of all the punishment which they deserve.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. Judgment must begin at the house of God — Our Lord had predicted that, previously to the destruction of Jerusalem, his own followers would have to endure various calamities; see Matthew 24:9; Matthew 24:21; Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:12; Mark 13:13; John 16:2, c. Here his true disciples are called the house or family of God. That the converted Jews suffered much from their own brethren, the zealots, or factions into which the Jews were at that time divided, needs little proof and some interpreters think that this was in conformity to the purpose of God, (Matthew 23:35: That on you may come all the righteous blood shed from the foundation of the world,) "that the Jewish Christians were to be involved in the general punishment; and that it was proper to begin at them as a part of the devoted Jewish nation, notwithstanding they were now become the house of God, because the justice of God would thereby be more illustriously displayed." See Macknight. But probably the word κριμα, which we here translate judgment, may mean no more than affliction and distress; for it was a Jewish maxim that, when God was about to pour down some general judgment, he began with afflicting his own people in order to correct and amend them, that they might be prepared for the overflowing scourge. In Bava Kama, fol. 60, 1, we have the same sentiment, and in nearly the same words, as in Peter, viz.: "God never punishes the world but because of the wicked, but he always begins with the righteous first. The destroyer makes no difference between the just and the unjust, only he begins first with the righteous." See Ezekiel 9:1-7, where God orders the destroyer to slay both old and young in the city: But, said he, begin at my sanctuary.

And if it first begin at us — Jews, who have repented, and believed on the Son of God; what shall the end be of them-the Jews who continue impenitent, and obey not the Gospel of God? Here is the plainest reference to the above Jewish maxim; and this, it appears, was founded upon the text which St. Peter immediately quotes.