The first conciliar epistle of the holy apostle peter. The second epistle of the holy apostle peter

The Apostle Peter is rightfully considered one of the most famous disciples of Jesus Christ. Mentions about him are repeatedly found in the pages of the Gospels, and in the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles. Also included in the New Testament are two epistles written by the Apostle Peter in his own hand. In all the above-mentioned texts, Peter appears before us as a deeply sincere person, possessing a hot temperament and strong faith in God. These qualities made him the informal leader of the apostolic community and, as a result, one of the most famous disciples of Christ. The Apostle Peter was a direct witness to the greatest deeds of the Savior. Before his eyes, Jesus raised from the dead the daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the Jewish synagogue. With the permission of Christ, Peter walked on the waters of the Sea of ​​Galilee. But, as it seems, most of all the apostle was inspired by the miracle of the Transfiguration, which the Savior performed on the top of Mount Tabor. About the Transfiguration of Christ, which Peter saw with his own eyes, he told his disciple, the Apostle Mark - he, in turn, described the miracle in the Gospel he wrote. Peter also tells about the Transfiguration in his second epistle, which was included in the books of the New Testament. An excerpt from this text was read this morning during the service:

Brethren, try to make your calling and election strong 10 more and more; In doing so, you will never stumble, 11 for in this way a free entrance will be opened to you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 For this, I will never cease to remind you of this, although you know that and are confirmed in the present truth. 13 But I consider it just, while I am in this bodily temple, to excite you with a reminder, 14 knowing that I must soon leave my temple, just as our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to me. 15 But I will try so that after my departure you will always bring this to mind. 16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we announced to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but when we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received honor and glory from God the Father, when such a voice came to Him from the glorious glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice, which came from heaven, we heard when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And besides, we have the most sure prophetic word; and you do well that you turn to him as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

The Apostle Peter, prior to his calling into the ranks of the Savior's disciples, was a simple fisherman. He did not have a good education, as, for example, the apostle Paul had. Nevertheless, Peter's epistles are filled with wisdom that can only be found in a person enlightened by the grace of God. However, the simplicity of the fisherman is also visible in the texts of the apostle. For example, here is how the Apostle Mark describes the event of the Transfiguration from the words of Peter: "His clothes (that is, Christ's) became shining, very white, like snow, like a whiteware on earth cannot whiten it." In front of Peter's eyes, the Savior shows His Divine essence, and he (Peter), to convey his emotions, mentions the laundromat. However, despite such simplicity of perception, the event of the Transfiguration left an indelible imprint on the apostle. Seeing the divine essence of Christ hidden until the time, Peter gained faith, which helped him to overcome the bitterness of betrayal, and before death did not be afraid of terrible torment. According to legend, the apostle was crucified upside down by pagans in Rome. In an excerpt from the second epistle, written on the eve of these sad events, Peter tells of the approaching death. But at the same time he does not experience sorrow, but is strengthened by the memory of the Transfiguration of Christ. The light that emanated from the Savior at that moment, according to Peter's word, drives away the longing of death from him. Therefore, he calls on Christians who read his epistle to rely on faith, to turn to it "as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day begins to dawn and the morning star rises in your hearts."

Apostolic husband and disciple of St. Apostle John the Theologian, in his epistle to the Philippians, as Eusebius testifies (Church History IV, 14) “cites some evidence from the first epistle of Petrov,” and this is fully confirmed by comparing Polikarp's epistle to the Philippians with the first conciliar epistle of Ap. Peter (of the latter, St. Polycarp gives: I 8, 13, 21, II 11, 12, 22, 24, III 9, 4, 7). Equally clear evidence for the authenticity of the first epistle of Ap. Peter is at St. Irenaeus of Lyons, who also cites passages from the epistle indicating their belonging to the Apostle. Peter (Adv. Halres. IV, 9, 2, 16, 5), at Euseb. (Church. Ist. V, 8), in Tertullian ("Against the Jews"), in Clement of Alexandria (Strom. IV, 20). In general, Origen and Eusebius call 1 Peter the indisputable true επιστολή όμολογουμένη (Church history VI, 25). The evidence of the general faith of the ancient Church of the first two centuries in the authenticity of 1 Peter is, finally, the finding of this epistle in the Sir Peshito translation of the 2nd century. And in all subsequent centuries, the ecumenical in the East and West agreed to recognize this message by the Petrovs.

About the same belonging to the Epistle of Ap. Peter is also told the inner signs represented by the very content of the epistle.

The general tone or emphasis of the views of the holy writer of the Epistle, the nature of his theology, morality and exhortation, fully corresponds to the properties and characteristics of the personality of the great Supreme Apostle Peter, as she is known from the gospel and apostolic history. Two main characteristics appear in the spiritual image of St. Apostle Peter: 1) a lively, concrete way of thinking, inclined, in view of the distinguishing Ap. Peter's fervor, easily turns into a motivation for action, and 2) the constant connection of the worldview of the Apostle with the teachings and aspirations of the Old Testament. The first feature of the Apostle Peter is clearly evident in the evangelical mentions of him; (see;;;;; etc.); the second is certified by his calling as the Apostle of circumcision (); both of these features were equally reflected in the speeches of Ap. Peter, set out in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Theology and writings of Ap. Peter's are generally distinguished by the predominance of images and representations over abstract reasoning. In the Apostle Peter we do not find such sublime-metaphysical contemplations, as in the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, nor such a subtle clarification of the logical relationship of Christian ideas and dogmas, as in the Apostle Paul. St. Peter dwells mainly on events, history, mainly Christian, and partly the Old Testament: illuminating Christianity, mainly as a fact of history, Apostle. Peter is, one might say, a theologian-historian, or, in his own words, a witness of Christ: he believes the apostolic vocation to be a witness to everything that the Lord has created, and especially to His resurrection. It is said about this many times in the speeches of the Apostle (), and the same is affirmed in his epistles (;). Equally characteristic of the Apostle Peter is the connection between his teaching and the Old Testament. This feature is very noticeable in the writings of St. Apostle Peter. He illuminates Christianity everywhere mainly from the point of view of its connection with the Old Testament, since it fulfilled the Old Testament predictions and aspirations: it is enough, for example, to compare the passage from the speech of the Apostle Peter on the healing of the lame man and the word to see that all the judgments and proofs of the Apostle proceed from the fact of Old Testament revelation and everywhere presuppose Old Testament prophecy, preparation and New Testament fulfillment. In this regard, in the teachings of Ap. Peter is very prominent in the idea of ​​divine foresight and pre-ordination (the very word πρόγνωσις, foresight, foresight, except for speeches and the epistle of Ap. Petra -; - not found anywhere else in the New Testament). And in his speeches, and in the epistles of Ap. Peter quite often speaks about the pre-establishment of one or another event in the New Testament (Acts Ï16, 2: 23–25, 3: 18–20, 21, 4:28, 10:41, 42;). But unlike Ap. Paul, who fully developed the doctrine of predestination (), Ap. Peter, without giving a theoretical explanation of the idea of ​​Divine foresight and predestination, offers the most detailed disclosure about the actual discovery of Divine foresight and predestination in history - about prophecy. The teaching about prophecy, about the inspiration of the prophets by the Holy Spirit, about the revelation of the mysteries of God to them, about their independent penetration into these mysteries, etc. - is revealed by Ap. Peter with such fullness and clarity, like none of the sacred writers - and this teaching was equally expressed in the epistles and in speeches (;, see).

Finally, a characteristic feature of the Epistles, as well as of the speeches of the Apostle Peter, is the abundance of direct quotations from the Old Testament. According to the opinion of the scholar A. Clemen (Der Gebrauch des Alt. Testam. In d. Neutest. Schriften. Guitersloh 1895, s 144), “none of the New Testament scriptures is so rich in references to as 1 Epistle of Ap. Peter: there are 23 verses of Old Testament quotations for 105 verses of the Epistle.

This is a close coincidence in spirit, direction and main points of teaching between the speeches and epistles of Ap. Peter, as well as between the peculiarities of the content and the characteristic features of the personality known from the Gospel in the activities of Apostle. Peter, gives convincing proof that the two Epistles of the Council belong to the same great supreme Apostle Peter, whose speeches are recorded in the book of Acts of St. of the apostles, it is in the first part of this book (). After a speech at the Apostolic Council (), the further activities of St. Peter becomes the property of church traditions, which are not always sufficiently definite (see Chet.-Min. June 29). As for now the original appointment and the first readers of the First Council Epistle of Ap. Peter, then the Apostle writes his letter to the chosen aliens of the scattering ( έκλεκτοις παρεπιδήμοις διασποράς ) Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (). In view of the fact that “scattering e”, διασπορα, often denotes in Scripture (;;) the totality of Jews living in the diaspora, outside Palestine, in pagan countries, many ancient and new interpreters of the Epistle of St. Peter believed that it was written to Christians (έκλεκτοις, chosen) from the Jews. This view was held in ancient times by Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea (Church Ist. III 4), Epiphanius of Cyprus (Arch. Heresies, XXVII 6), blessed Jerome (About famous men, ch. I) , Icumenius, Blessed Theophylact; in modern times - Berthold, Gutsch, Weiss, Kuehl, etc. But in all its exclusivity, this opinion cannot be accepted: there are places in the message that can be attributed to language Christians, but by no means to These are, for example, the words of the Apostle in, where the reason for the former carnal and sinful life of the readers έν τή αγνοία is in the ignorance of God and His holy law, and this very past life is called "vain (ματαία) life, betrayed by the fathers“: Both are applicable only to the religious and moral pagans, and not to the Jews. The same should be said for places like. Therefore, one should 1) accept a mixed composition of readers - Judeo-Christians and language-Christians; 2) under the name "scatter I" one should understand Christians in general, without distinction of nationality; 3) “chosen newcomers” are not individual Christians, but entire Christian church communities, as can be seen from the final greetings from the whole Church. If in the list of geographical names of 1Pet 1 they saw an indication of the existence of Judeo-Christian communities in Asia Minor, founded here earlier and independently of the evangelism of Ap. Paul, and the founding of these communities was adopted by Ap. Peter, then all this is not confirmed by the New Testament data, which, on the contrary, ascribe the first planting of Christianity in the Asia Minor provinces of Ap. Paul (;; v. Acts 14, etc.). Likewise, church tradition does not say anything definite about the preaching of Ap. Peter in the places he named 1Pet 1.

What prompted Ap. Peter to send a letter to the Christians in these provinces? The general purpose of the epistle, as can be seen from its content, is the intention of the Apostle - to confirm the readers of various social positions in the faith and rules of Christian life, to eliminate some internal disorders, to calm them in external sorrows, to prevent them from temptations from false teachers - in a word, to plant Asia Minor in their lives. Christians of those true spiritual benefits, the lack of which in life and behavior was perceptible and became known to the Apostle Peter, perhaps through the help of the zealous collaborator Pavlov Silouan, who was with him at that time (;;). One can only notice that both the instructions and especially the warnings of Ap. Peter is distinguished by a more general character than the instructions and warnings in Paul's epistles, which is natural in view of the fact that Ap. Paul was the founder of the churches of Asia Minor and knew the conditions of their life better from personal direct experience.

The place of writing the first Epistle to the Council of the Apostle. Peter is Babylon, from where, on behalf of the local Christian community, the Apostle sends greetings to the churches of Asia Minor, to which he sends a message (). But what should be understood here by Babylon, the opinions of the interpreters differ. Some (Keil, Neander, Weisog, etc.) see Babylon on the Euphrates, famous in antiquity, here. But this is already argued against by the fact that by the Gospel time this Babylon lay in ruins, representing one vast desert (έρημος πολλή - Strabo, Geograph. 16, 736), and then even more - the complete absence of evidence of church tradition about the presence of Apostle. Peter in Mesopotamia and his sermons there. Others (here, Reverend Michael) understand in this case Babylon of Egypt - a small city on the right bank of the Nile, almost opposite Memphis: there was a Christian church (Chet.-Min. June 4). But about the stay of Ap. Peter and in Egyptian Babylon the tradition does not tell anything, it only considers the Evangelist Mark, a disciple of Ap. Peter, the founder of the Alexandrian Church (Evsev. Ts. I. II 16). It remains to accept the third opinion, expressed in ancient times by Eusebius (C. I. II 15) and now dominating in science, according to which Babylon () must be understood in an allegorical sense, namely: to see Rome here (Corneli, Hoffmann, Tsan, Farrar, Harnac, Prof. Bogdashevsky). In addition to Eusebius, of the ancient interpreters of Babylon, they meant Rome blessed. Jerome, blessed Theophylact, Icumenius. The textual tradition also speaks in favor of this understanding: many minuscule codes have a gloss: έγράφη από Ρώριης ... If it was pointed out against this that before the writing of the Apocalypse (see), the allegorical name of Rome by Babylon could not have formed, then in reality such a rapprochement between the former and the latter took place, according to Shettgen's testimony (Horae hebr. P. 1050), much earlier, being caused by analogy between the ancient oppression of the Jews by the Chaldeans and the later one by the Romans. And the fact that in the final greetings of Paul's letters written from Rome (to the Philippians, Colossus, Timothy, Philemon), the latter is not called Babylon, does not exclude the possibility of such word use in the Apostle. Peter, who is generally characterized by allegory (for example, the word διασπορα в has a spiritual, figurative meaning). Thus, the place of writing 1 of the Epistle of the Council of the Apostle. Peter was Rome.

It is difficult to determine with certainty the time of writing the message. Many ancient church writers (St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius the God-bearer, Dionysius of Corinth, St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Tertullian, Origen, the canon of Muratorium) testify to the presence of St. Peter in Rome, but all of them do not date his arrival in Rome even with even approximate accuracy, but mostly speak about the martyrdom of the chief apostles, again without exact dating of this event. Therefore, the question of the time of origin of the message in question must be decided on the basis of the New Testament data. The Epistle presupposes the dispensation of St. Ap. Paul of the churches of Asia Minor, which took place, as you know, in the third great evangelistic journey of the Apostle of tongues, about 56-57. according to R. X .; therefore, earlier than this date, the first Epistle of the Council of Ap. Peter could not be written. Then in this epistle, not without reason, they indicated signs of similarity with Paul's epistles to the Romans and Ephesians (cf., for example, 1 Pet 1 and others), but the first appeared not at the age of 53, and the second - not earlier than 61. In favor of the relatively late appearance of the epistle in question, the already mentioned, known from the epistle (), the presence of Ap. Petre Siluan, companion of Ap. Paul. Based on all this, it can be considered likely that the letter was written after the missionary activity of the Apostle. Paul's attitude to the churches of Asia Minor ceased when he was sent from Caesarea as a prisoner to Rome for the judgment of Caesar (). It was then that it was natural for Ap. Peter to address with a letter to the churches of Asia Minor, who have lost their great evangelist, and teach them instruction in faith and piety and encouragement in the sorrows of life. Thus, the likely time for the writing of the letter is between 62-64. (shortly after the first epistle, shortly before his martyrdom, the Apostle wrote the second epistle).

By the peculiarities of his personal spiritual life, as well as by the special purpose of the epistle, the Apostle Peter most of all and repeatedly teaches readers the Christian hope in God and the Lord Jesus Christ and for salvation in Him. As the Apostle James is the preacher of righteousness, and the Evangelist John is the love of Christ, so the Apostle. Peter is primarily the Apostle of the Christian hope.

Isagogical and interpretative literature about the epistles of Ap. Peter in the West is very significant, such are, for example, the works of Hofmann "a, Wesinger" a Kuhl "I, Usten, Sieffert" and others. In Russian bibliological literature there is no special scholarly monograph on the epistles of St. Ap. Peter. But very valuable isagogical-exegetical information about the subject is contained in the works of 1) prof. prot. D.I.Bogdashevsky. The message of St. Ap. Paul to the Ephesians. Kiev 1904 and 2) prof. O. I. Mishenko. Speeches of Saint Ap. Peter in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Kiev 1907. The brochure of Bishop George also deserves full attention. An explanation of the most difficult passages of the first epistle of St. Apostle Peter. 1902. The closest of all to the explanation of the epistles of Ap. Peter, and other Epistles of the Council, serves as the classic work of His Eminence. ep. Michael "Explanatory Apostle", book. 2nd Ed. Kiev. 1906. The "Publicly Available Explanations" of the Cathedral Epistles of Archimander also have a certain meaning. († Archbishop) Nikanor. Kazan. 1889.

Interpretation of the First Epistle of the Apostle Peter
The Apostle Peter, as he himself says, writes to the Jews who are in the diaspora and have become Christians. His message is instructive. Since some of the Jews believed, the apostle confirms them in faith. First of all, he explains and proves that faith in Christ was foreshadowed by the prophets, just as redemption by His blood was foretold through them, and that to Jews and pagans everything that angels desire to penetrate was proclaimed. Then he convinces those to whom he writes to behave worthy of the One who called them, exhorts them to honor the rulers, and commands wives and husbands to have like-mindedness. Further offering several moral admonitions, declares that the Lord in hell preached about salvation and resurrection, so that the first dead might be raised, and judged in the body, and abide in the grace of the resurrection; adds that everything has come to an end, and everyone should be ready to give an account to the Judge, and then finishes the message.
Regeneration in Christ; about patience in trials and about saving faith, foretold by the prophets; hope and sanctification, and the firm conduct required by adoption; about a life worthy of adoption in Christ for the benefit of outsiders (pagans) for the glory of God; about submission to rulers, brotherly love and godliness, where: a) about the submission of slaves to masters and gentle patience for Christ's sake, b) about the obedience of wives, their like-mindedness with their husbands, and salvation given from the Spirit, in the image of Sarah, c) about the duty of husbands to wives, d) about gentle gentleness towards all, the example of which is the love of God, manifested in Noah, and the compassion of Christ for us, manifested in baptism; about putting aside bad deeds, and about bearing the fruits of the Spirit according to the difference of gifts; that, in communion with Christ, one must conquer sensual passions and, with trust in Him, bear harm from others; admonitions to shepherds to care for the flock; about all humility of mind in relation to everyone for the victory over the devil. Prayer for the perfection of believers.

CHAPTER FIRST

Peter, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the newcomers, scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, chosen, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, sanctified by the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling with the Blood of Jesus Christ.

He said to “strangers” either because they are scattered, or because all who live according to God are called strangers on earth, as, for example, David says: “For I am a stranger with you and a stranger like all my fathers” (Ps. 38 , thirteen). The alien's name is not the same as the alien's name. The latter means someone who came from a foreign country and even something more imperfect. For as an extraneous matter (πάρεργον) is lower than the present work (τοΰ εργου), so an alien (παρεπίδημος) is lower than an immigrant (έπιδήμου). This inscription must be read with a permutation of words, just like that; Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, with sanctification by the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. The rest of the words must be put after this; for they designate those to whom the message is written. "According to the foreknowledge of God." With these words, the apostle wants to show that, with the exception of time, he is no lower than the prophets, who were themselves sent, and that the prophets were sent, Isaiah says about this: to preach the gospel to the poor sent Me (Isa. 61: 1). But if he is lower in time, then he is not lower in the foreknowledge of God. In this respect, he declares himself equal to Jeremiah, who, before being formed in the womb, was known and sanctified and appointed as a prophet for the nations (Jer. 1: 5). And as the prophets, along with other things, foreshadowed the coming of Christ (for for this they were sent), it explains the ministry of the apostleship, and says: I was sent to obedience and to be sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus Christ when sanctified by the Spirit. Explains that the work of his apostleship is to separate. For this means the word “sanctification”, for example, in the words: “for you are a holy people with the Lord your God” (Deut. 14, 2), that is, separated from other nations. So, the work of his apostleship is through spiritual gifts to separate nations that are obedient to the cross and sufferings of Jesus Christ, sprinkled not with the ashes of a calf, when it is necessary to cleanse the defilement from communion with the pagans, but with the Blood from the sufferings of Jesus Christ. The word “Blood” simultaneously foretells the torment for Christ of those who believe in Him. For whoever obediently follows in the footsteps of the Teacher, he, no doubt, himself will not refuse to shed his own blood for the One who shed His own for the whole world.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Grace because we are saved free of charge, without contributing anything from ourselves. Peace because, having insulted the Lord, we were in the ranks of His enemies.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by His great mercy has revived us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to the living hope, to an incorruptible, pure, unfading inheritance.

He blesses God, thanking Him for all the benefits that He gives. What does He give? The hope, but not that which was through Moses, about a settlement in the land of Canaan, and which was mortal, but the hope is living. Where does it get life from? From the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. For He Himself was resurrected, so He also gives power to those who come to Him through faith in Him to be resurrected. So, the gift is a living hope, imperishable inheritance, not laid down on earth, as, for example, to the fathers, but in heaven, from which it has the property of eternity, which is why it predominates over the earthly inheritance. With this hope, there is still a gift - the preservation and observance of the faithful. Because the Lord also prayed about this when he said: “Holy Father! keep them ”(John 17:11). By force... What is the power? - before the appearance of the Lord. For if the observance had not been strong, it would not have extended to such a limit. And when there are so many and such gifts, then it is natural for those who receive them to rejoice.

Kept in heaven for you, kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

If the inheritance is in heaven, then the discovery of the millennium on earth is a lie.

Rejoice in this, having grieved now a little, if necessary, from various temptations, so that your tried faith may turn out to be more precious than gold that is perishing, although by fire.

Just as the Teacher in his promise declares not only joy, but also sorrow, saying: "In the world you will have sorrow" (John 16:33), so the apostle added to the word about joy: "having grieved." But as regrettable as it is, it adds “now”, and this is in accordance with its Leader. For He also says: “you will be sad, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16:20). Or the word “now” should be attributed to joy, since it will be replaced by future joy, not short-term, but long and endless. And since the speech about temptations produces confusion, the apostle indicates the purpose of temptations: because through them your experience becomes the most obvious and most precious of gold, just like the gold tested by fire is more valuable by people. He adds: “if necessary,” teaching that not everyone who is faithful, nor every sinner is tested by sorrows, and neither one nor the other is left in them forever. The righteous who mourn suffer in order to receive crowns, and sinners as punishment for their sins. Not all righteous people experience sorrow, so that you do not find malice praiseworthy and hate virtue. And not all sinners experience sorrow - so that the truth of the resurrection would not be questioned, if everyone here still received their due.

To praise and honor and glory in the appearance of Jesus Christ, Whom, having not seen, you love, and Whom you have not seen, but believing in Him, rejoice in joy unspeakable and glorious, finally attaining by your faith the salvation of souls.

With these words, the apostle indicates the reason why the righteous here endure evil, and partly consoles them that through sorrow they become glorious, partly encourages them by adding “in the appearance of Jesus Christ,” that it was then that, through the discovery of labors, he would deliver great glory to the ascetics. He also adds something else that attracts one to the enduring of sorrows. What is it? the following: "Whom you have not seen, love." If, he says, without seeing Him with bodily eyes, love Him by hearing only, then what kind of love will you feel when you see Him, and, moreover, appearing in glory? If His sufferings have tied you to Him in this way, then what kind of attachment should His appearing in unbearable splendor produce on you, when the salvation of souls will be given to you as a reward? If you have to appear before Him and be rewarded with such glory, then now show the patience corresponding to it, and you will fully achieve the intended goal.

To this, salvation included the research and research of the prophets who predicted the grace assigned to you.

Since the apostle mentioned the salvation of the soul, and it is unknown and strange to the ear, it is testified by the prophets who sought and researched about it. They were looking for a future, as, for example, Daniel, whom the angel who appeared to him called for this “the man of desires” (Dan. 10, 11). They investigated what the Spirit in them pointed to and at what time. “For which,” that is, the time of fulfillment, “for what,” that is, when the Jews, through various captives, reach perfect reverence for God and become capable of receiving the sacrament of Christ. Note that by naming the Spirit Christoff, the apostle confesses Christ as God. This Spirit pointed to the sufferings of Christ, speaking through Isaiah: “like a sheep, He was led to the slaughter” (Isa. 53, 7), and through Jeremiah: “Let us put a poisonous tree in his food” (11, 19), and on resurrection through Hosea, who said: "He will revive us in two days, on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before Him" ​​(Hos. 6: 3). To them, says the Apostle, it was revealed not for themselves, but for us. With these words, the apostle accomplishes a twofold matter: he proves both the foreknowledge of the prophets and the fact that those called now to the faith of Christ were known to God before the creation of the world. With the word about the foreknowledge of the prophets, he inspires them to accept with faith what the prophets foretold to them, because even prudent children do not neglect the works of their fathers. If the prophets, who had nothing to use, sought and investigated, and, having found, concluded them in books and passed them on to us as an inheritance, then we would be unjust if we began to treat their works with contempt. Therefore, when we also declare this to you, do not despise, and do not leave our gospel in vain. Such a lesson from the foreknowledge of the prophets! And by the fact that the believers are foreknowled by God, the apostle frightens them so that they do not show themselves unworthy of the foreknowledge of God and a call from Him, but urge one another to become worthy of the gift of God.

Investigating to which and for what time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed, when He foretold the sufferings of Christ and the glory that followed them, it was revealed to them that it was not themselves but us that served.

If both the apostles and prophets acted by the Holy Spirit, proclaiming some prophecies and others the Gospel, then obviously there is no difference between them. So, you must, says the Apostle, have the same attention to us that their contemporaries had for the prophets, so as not to be punished by the disobedient prophets. It should also be noted that in these words the Apostle Peter reveals the mystery of the Trinity. When he said: "The Spirit of Christ," he pointed to the Son and the Spirit, and he pointed to the Father when he said: "from heaven." For the word “from heaven” should be understood not about a place, but mainly about God, who sends the Son and the Spirit into the world.

What is now preached to you by those who have preached the gospel by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, into which the Angels wish to penetrate.

Here is an admonition deduced from the high dignity of the subject. The searchings of the prophets about our salvation served us, and the work of our salvation is so wonderful that it has become coveted for the angels as well. And that our salvation is pleasing to the angels is evident from the joy that they expressed at the Nativity of Christ. They sang then: "Glory to God in the highest" (Luke 2:14). Having said this, the Apostle gives the reason for this and says: since this salvation is kind to everyone, not only to people, but also to angels, then you do not treat it with neglect, but concentrate and take courage. This is indicated by the words: “girding the loins” (v. 13), which God commanded Job to do (Job 38: 3; 40: 2). What are the loins? “Your mind,” says the apostle further. Prepare in this way, stay awake, and fully hope for the joy that is coming to you, the joy at the second coming of the Lord, about which he spoke a little earlier (v. 7).

Therefore, (beloved,) having girded the loins of your mind, being awake, trust completely in the grace given to you in the manifestation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not conform to your former lusts, which were in your ignorance, but, following the example of the Holy One who called you, be holy in all your deeds. For it is written: be holy, for I am holy.

The apostle refers to being carried away by present circumstances as a conformist. For even now, some madmen say that one must adapt to circumstances. But since it is frivolous to surrender oneself to the will of circumstances, the apostle commands that they, whether in knowledge or in ignorance, adhere to this until now, but henceforth conformed to the One who called them, Who is truly Holy, and become saints themselves.

And if you call the One Father who impartially judges everyone according to their deeds, then spend the time of your pilgrimage with fear, knowing that you are not redeemed by corruptible silver or gold from the vain life that was given to you by the fathers, but by the precious Blood of Christ, as blameless and pure. Lamb.

Scripture distinguishes between two kinds of fear, one initial and the other perfect. The initial fear, which is also the main one, is when someone turns to an honest life out of fear of responsibility for their deeds, and the perfect one is when someone, for the perfection of love for a friend, for jealousy of a loved one, is afraid not to stay to him I owe nothing that is required by strong love. An example of the first, that is, the initial fear is found in the words of the psalm: “let the whole earth fear the Lord” (Psalm 32: 8), that is, those who do not care about heavenly things, but only fuss about earthly things. For what will they have to endure when “the Lord rises to crush the earth” (Isa. 2:19; 21)? An example of the second, that is, perfect, fear can also be found in David, for example, in the following words: “fear the Lord, all his saints, for there is no scarcity for those who fear him” (Ps. 33, 10), and also in the words: “the fear of the Lord is pure , abides forever ”(Psalm 18:10). In such a perfect fear of living, the Apostle Peter convinces those who listen to him, and says: by the inexpressible mercy of the Creator God, you are accepted into the number of His children; therefore, always let this fear be with you, since you became like that because of the love of your Creator, and not because of your deeds. The apostle uses many arguments in his persuasion. He convinces, first, by the fact that angels take a sincere and living part in our salvation; secondly, by the sayings of the Holy Scriptures; thirdly, by necessity: for whoever calls God Father, he, in order to retain the right of adoption, must do something that is worthy of this Father; and fourthly, by the fact that they received countless benefits through the price paid for them, that is, the Blood of Christ shed as a ransom for the sins of people. Therefore, he commands them to have this perfect fear as a companion throughout their life. For people striving for perfection are always afraid lest they be left without some kind of perfection. Take note. Christ said that the Father does not judge anyone, but “has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). But the Apostle Peter now says that the Father judges. How is it? to this we also answer with the words of Christ: “The Son can do nothing from Himself unless he sees the Father doing” (John 5:19). This also shows the consubstantial of the Holy Trinity, the identity perfect in Her, and the peaceful and imperturbable harmony. “The Father judges” is said indifferently, because everything that anyone says about One of the three Persons should apply to all of Them. On the other hand, since the Lord also calls the apostles “children” (John 13:33), He says to the paralytic: “child! your sins are forgiven you ”(Mark 2, 5); then there is no inconsistency that He too is called the Father of those whom He revived, imparting holiness to them.

Designed even before the foundation of the world, but which appeared in the last times for you, who believed through Him in God, who raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory.

Having spoken about the death of Christ, the apostle added to this the word about the resurrection. For he fears that the converts will not again bow down to unbelief because the sufferings of Christ are humiliating. He also adds that the sacrament of Christ is not new (because it also revolts the unreasonable), but from the beginning, before the creation of the world, it was hidden until a time that was fitting for him. However, it was revealed to the prophets, who sought it, as he said a little above. And now he says that what was intended before the creation of the world is now manifested or accomplished. And for whom was it done? For you. For for you, he says, God raised Him from the dead. What's the point for you? so that, having cleansed yourself by obeying the truth through the Spirit, you may have faith and hope in God. Why “clearing”? Because believing in the One who, by the resurrection from the dead, laid the foundation for your incorruptible life, you yourself must walk in a renewed life (Rom. 6: 4), following the example of Him who called you to incorruption. Do not be embarrassed that here the Apostle Peter and repeatedly the Apostle Paul say that the Father raised the Lord (Acts 13:37; 17:31). So he says, using the usual way of teaching. But listen to how Christ says that He has raised Himself. He said: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). And in another place: “I have the pleasure to lay down life, and I have the authority to take it up again” (John 10:18). It is not without purpose that the resurrection of the Son to the Father is assimilated; for by this is shown the one action of the Father and the Son.

So that you have faith and trust in God. Obedience to the truth through the Spirit, having cleansed your souls to unfeigned brotherly love, constantly love one another from a pure heart, as those who have been reborn, not from a corruptible seed, but from an incorruptible one, from the word of God, living and abiding forever, for all flesh is like grass, and all glory human - like the color on the grass: the grass has dried up, and its color has fallen; but the word of the Lord abides forever; and this is the word that has been preached to you.

Having said that Christians are regenerated not from perishable seed, but from incorruptible, by the word of God living and abiding forever, the apostle exposes the insignificance and extreme fragility of human glory, thereby prompting the listener to hold on to the previously taught teaching more strongly, since it is constantly and extends forever, and the earthly soon decays in its essence. To confirm this, grass and a flower on the grass are cited here, which are weaker in being than grass; David likens our life to them (Psalm 102, 15). Having shown the low value of our glory, the apostle again returns to explaining what exactly revived them with the word of God, living and abiding forever, and says: this is the word that has been preached to you. He affirms about this word that it abides forever, because the Lord Himself said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away" (Matt. 24, 35). You should know that the words “to unfeigned brotherly love” should be read in this order: from a pure heart, love each other constantly, to unfeigned brotherly love. For the end of the case usually follows what was done for him. And how the constant love for each other from a pure heart is followed by unhypocritical brotherly love; it is just that the words “from a pure heart” and others should stand in front, and the words “unhypocritical brotherly love” after them. It should also be noted that the preposition to (είς) must be taken instead of the preposition “for a reason, for” (διά).

The apostle showed the advantage of spiritual rebirth before carnal birth, and exposed in appearance the inferiority of mortal glory, namely, that birth is combined with corruption and impurity, and glory does not differ in anything from spring plants, while the word of the Lord experiences nothing of the kind. For all human opinion soon ceases, but the word of God is not so, it has an eternal dwelling. For this purpose, he added: "the word that has been preached to you."

CHAPTER TWO

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all slander, like newborn babies, love the pure milk of words, so that from it you may increase to your salvation; for you have tasted that the Lord is good. Coming to Him, a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God, precious, and you yourself, like living stones, build out of yourself a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, in order to bring spiritual sacrifices that are favorable to God by Jesus Christ. For it is said in the Scripture: behold, I lay in Zion the cornerstone, chosen, precious; and he who believes in Him will not be ashamed.

So, he says, "putting aside all malice and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all slander." With these few words, he embraces all the multitude and variety of evil. For those who have been reborn to an imperishable life should not fall into the net of anger and prefer the non-existent to the real. For evil is not essence, but lies in the error of the born essence. And there is a big difference between personal life and that which only comes with it. They, he says, must appear free from deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. For deceit and backbiting are far from the truth and the doctrine preached to you. Deceit seeks the destruction of the one deceived by it, hypocrisy succeeds in contrast to reality, meanwhile the saving doctrine with which you have been announced succeeds in the opposite. And what place is there in you for envy and slander - in you, who, being bound by the indissoluble union of brotherly love, can not suffer harm from anyone who separates you? That envy and backbiting are the cause of quarrels and mutual hatred, does not he who does not know the sad story of Cain, who through envy broke the fraternal union, then fell into deceit, hypocrisy and murder (Gen. ch. 4). And that an envious person is unclean from slander, one can be convinced of this from the example of Joseph's brothers, who very much slandered him to their father (Gen. ch. 37). Therefore, he says, having cleansed yourself of all these evils, approach as newborn babies (for such, said the Lord, is the Kingdom (Luke 18:16)), and, feeding on an ingenuous teaching, grow up to the "measure of the full age of Christ" (Eph. 4 , thirteen). “For you have tasted,” that is, through the exercise in the sacred commandments of the gospel, you tangibly learned how good this teaching is. And feeling in the deed of knowledge is stronger than any word, just as the feeling experienced in deed is more pleasant than any word. So, having experienced the goodness of the Lord, and yourself show kindness and mercy to one another, and lay yourself on a living cornerstone, rejected by men, but honored and chosen by God, and who is and prophesied by the prophets. Be closer to each other through the union of love, and articulate in the fullness of the spiritual home, not in the least caring about contempt on the part of people, because they also rejected the cornerstone - Christ. Having achieved a consensus among yourself, and having made a spiritual home out of yourself, and having acquired the holy priesthood, offer spiritual sacrifices. And do not think that you can offer God blameless sacrifices when you do not keep the union of love between you. Lift up, it is said, “clean hands without wrath and doubt” (1 Tim. 2, 8). How can one who wants to unite with God through prayer achieve this when he rejects himself from his brother through anger and evil doubts?

So He is for you, believers, a jewel, and for unbelievers - a stone that the builders rejected, but which became the head of the corner, a stone of piercing and a stone of temptation, against which they stumble, not obeying the word, for which they were forsaken.

To unbelievers, God even now says the following: I lay down for you in Zion a stumbling stone and a seduction stone. He is a stumbling block for unbelievers, who stumble, not obeying the word, for which they are supposed to. The complete thought is this: behold, I lay in Zion the cornerstone, precious, chosen one; and he who believes in Him will not be ashamed; for you, believers, precious, and for unbelievers - a stumbling stone. They stumble over the word of the Gospel, which is what they are supposed to be. "To which they are left." This is not what it says, as if they were determined for this from God. For from the One who wants “all people to be saved” (1 Tim. 2, 4), there can in no way be a reason for perdition. But how they made themselves vessels of anger, adding to this also rebelliousness, what situation they prepared for themselves, in that they were left. For if man, as a rational being, was created free, and freedom can not be forced, then it would be unfair to blame the One who gives a person exactly the honor that he has prepared for himself by his deeds. Christ is called the cornerstone because He unites both walls that make up the spiritual home, that is, the pagans and the Jews, with His arms and binds them into one accord, destroying the useless sacrifices of some, and replacing the demonic superstition of others in piety.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people, people taken as an inheritance, in order to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light; once not a people, but now the people of God; once not pardoned, but now pardoned.

Not approving the bad behavior of unbelievers, saying that they themselves became guilty of their unbelief, the apostle now goes on to approve of those who did the right thing and says: you who did the right thing are the chosen race, the royal priesthood. He seems to say so: those, in their cruelty and stubbornness, stumbled against the cornerstone, and did not enter the building with it; but through your humility you have become part of the royal priesthood, as a chosen race, as a holy people. However, so as not to weaken them with unnecessary praise and so that they do not think that they have become a holy people by inheritance, that they have received such an honor because they are descended from Abraham and never stumbled, the apostle, in order to keep them from such (thoughts, adds and says: do not think too much about the race; you were not chosen to the royal priesthood for the sake of Abraham, for those who descended from him had a priesthood separate from the kingdom; you are a holy people and a chosen generation and were appointed to the royal priesthood not for the sake of Abraham, but for the sake of Christ, who is also called “priest according to the order of Melchizedek "(Psalm 109: 4), and" a meek, righteous and saving King. " holy baptism, you are justly called the chosen race and the royal priesthood. You have this by His mercy, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light, therefore, by works of light proclaim His perfection to other people. This, he says, you have according to His love for mankind. to you it is appropriate to add what has been said: “Once not a people, but now the people of God; formerly not pardoned, but now pardoned ”(cf. Hos. 2:23). So that this speech does not seem heavy, he quotes reproachful words from the prophet Hosea. So proclaim His perfections by your virtue. How can they proclaim them? The Lord himself teaches this when he says: “so let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Heavenly Father” (Matthew 5: 6). “People taken as an inheritance” (είς περιποίησιν), that is, a people taken into possession, or inheritance. For God's creation is everything, but God's inheritance is only those who have been rewarded for this for their virtue.

Beloved! I ask you, as strangers and strangers, to withdraw from the carnal lusts that rise up against the soul, and to lead a virtuous life among the pagans.

It is the custom of teachers of faith to add moral lessons to dogmatic teaching. This is what the holy Apostle Peter is doing now. He calls them “beloved,” and not just amiable, because they are pleasing to him in every way; for the pleasant in only one respect are called amiable, and not beloved. He says that carnal lusts rise up against the soul, because, in the words of the blessed Apostle Paul, “the flesh desires the opposite of the spirit” (Gal. 5:17). For the desires of the flesh revolve around sensual pleasures and thus darken the memory and enslave the soul.

That they, for what they reproach you, as evildoers, when they see your good deeds, glorify God on the day of their visit.

The apostle calls us evil ones the pagans, and the day of visiting is inheritance according to the laws of this world. For when they examine our life and find that their concept of us is contrary to reality, then they themselves are corrected in their shameful deeds and thus glorify God.

So be submissive to every human rulership, for the Lord: whether to the king, as the supreme power, or to rulers, as sent from him to punish criminals and to encourage those who do good, for this is the will of God that, while doing good, we block the lips of the ignorance of the fools people.

A human creation calls rulers appointed by kings, and even the kings themselves, since they are also elected or appointed by people, and the scripture sometimes calls creation and establishment, as, for example, in the following place: “in order to create one new man out of two” (Eph. 2 , 15). So, he says, be submissive to the rulers of the world, but be submissive to the Lord, as the Lord commanded. What did the Lord command? “Give what is Caesar's to Caesar, but what is God's to God” (Matthew 22:21). Therefore, if they command anything contrary to the ordinance of God, they should not be obeyed. This is what Christ commanded; His disciple now commands the same. This is so that the pagans could not say that Christianity brings about the overthrow of civil life, that it is the cause of turmoil and indignation. "For the Lord." This addition also makes for the faithful. Some of them could say: the apostle himself promises us the Kingdom of Heaven (1, 4), and thus ascribes great dignity to us. Why then again humiliates us, subordinating us to worldly leaders? So, if someone says this, let him know, he says that this commandment is not from me actually, but from the Lord Himself. The apostle Peter himself pointed out to whom and to which leaders one should obey, precisely those who give due. It also adds a reason: first, this is the will of God; secondly, our obedience to the leaders proves our good conduct and, moreover, shames the unbelievers. For when they curse us as being proud, but see that we are humble and, where it should be, obedient, then through this they are more ashamed.

As free, not as using freedom to cover up evil.

The connection of speech is as follows. Be submissive, as free, as the servants of God. Honor not only the rulers, but also everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. "How free." John Chrysostom explains these words as follows: “So that they do not say: we have freed ourselves from the world, become citizens of heaven; why do you again subject us to rulers and command us to obey them? And he commanded obedience. For by this you will show that the freedom by which you renounce obedience, you do not use to cover up intentional malice, that is, disobedience and disobedience. " It is possible to say something about this expression (as free) in another sense. Free in the Lord is he who does not submit to anything immoral. To live hypocritically is not characteristic of a free person, but of someone who is in bondage to passions, for example, devoted to man-pleasing or some other shameful passion. And the servants of God must be distant and alien to passions. Therefore, he now commands that obedience to the authorities be given good-natured and sincere, without hostility towards them and not under compulsion, without harboring malice in the heart, without pretending to be sincere and simple, to show obedience not only outwardly, but with a heartfelt disposition. "Not as using freedom to cover up evil." This can be briefly expressed as follows: outwardly appearing simple and sincere, as if under the cover of freedom, and when tested, it turns out to be terrible and completely different from what they look like.

But as servants of God. Honor everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. Servants, obey your masters with all fear, not only to the kind and meek, but also to the harsh. For it is pleasing to God if someone, thinking of God, endures sorrows, suffering unjustly. For what praise if you endure when you are beaten for wrongdoing? But if, while doing good and suffering, endure, this is pleasing to God. For you are called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, so that we follow in His footsteps. He committed no sin, and there was no flattery in His mouth.

See how accurate it is. He says to God, render fear, and honor to the king. If we must have fear of God, who can destroy both soul and body (Matt. 10:28), then we must not obey the kings when they command us something immoral. For the fear of God knows how to overcome and reverence for kings, and when he is forced to do evil, it even deprives them of their honor, in the words of the saint: "He that deceit is humbled before him" (Psalm 14: 4). The word “fear” is used in various meanings. Fear is called, first, conscious fear; the apostle now calls it conscience; it is also called reverence. Fear is called, secondly, fear filled with passion, experienced at the forthcoming punishment; this fear is also seen in the animals. Fear, thirdly, is called the initial fear, which happens to those approaching the Lord as a result of the consciousness that for many of their misdeeds they are worthy of punishment; Motivated by such fear, the harlot mentioned in the Gospel came to the Lord (Luke ch. 7). Fear is also called perfect fear, which is always inherent in all saints. For they are afraid that they will not be lacking in something that should be imbued with perfect love. The apostle urging servants to obey masters “with all fear” does not eliminate the idea that servants should treat masters “with fear” in all the meanings mentioned. For the initial and complete fear, if they have one, disposes them to good behavior: the former encourages them to beware of wrongdoing, so as not to suffer something unpleasant for them; the other encourages them not to think to do anything unpleasant to their masters. So, here the apostle speaks of fear according to conscience, that is, according to the consciousness of duty. He is directed by dishonest masters to their servants even when these are not guilty of anything. Approving this fear, the apostle commands to endure everything with patience. Because those who are afraid to endure for sins, committed in deed or from the commission of which they were spared, if they suffer for them, find in themselves prudent slaves and inclined to correction. But incomparably higher is the wisdom of one who, not realizing anything bad in himself, endures everything with gratitude. This is a great feat, accomplished by a few and bringing down the special favor of God, since this man competes with the sufferings of Christ, since Christ did not suffer for His own sins, for “He did not sin” (Is. 53: 9), but suffered for us and for our sins. “For the transgression of my people he endured execution,” says the prophet (Isa. 53, 8). This commendable fear is offered by the apostle, but no less wants the servants to be led by other fears. And this is evident from his words: "with all fear." However, above other fears he put fear for conscience, and in the most clear way expressed that only this fear is worthy of praise; for other fears have a reason for the anger of the masters against the servants, and this one does not have it.

While he was cursing, He did not curse one another; suffering, he did not threaten, but betrayed the Judge to the Righteous. He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, so that we, having died from sins, might live for righteousness.

Perhaps someone will say: "As the Apostle Peter says here that the Lord, when he was slandered, did not mutually slander, and when he suffered, he did not threaten, when we see that He calls the Jews dogs, deaf, the Pharisees blind (Mt. 15, 14), Judas says: “it would be better for this man not to be born” (Matt. 26, 24), and at other times: “it will be more joyful for Sodom than for that city” (Matt. 10, 15)? " We answer. The apostle not only says that the Lord never reproached or threatened, but that when He was reviled, He did not mutually revile, and when He suffered, He did not threaten. For if He reproached sometimes, it was not in vengeance on those who cursed Him, but reviled and rebuked those who were persistent in unbelief. Those who reviled Him said: “the devil is in You” (John 7, 20); “He casts out demons by the power of the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24), and: “Behold, a man. Who loves to eat and drink wine ”(Matthew 11:19). When He heard this, did He mutually slander? Not at all. But to one he said: "If by the power of Beelzebub I cast out demons, then by whose power are your sons casting out?" (Matthew 12, 27). He likened those who called Him loving to eat and drink wine to children playing in the marketplace and saying to their comrades: “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang sad songs for you, and you did not weep ”(Matthew 11: 16-17). And when He hung on the cross and suffered, He not only did not threaten, but also prayed for the evildoers (Luke 23, 34). He threatened Judas in order to distract him from betrayal. Likewise, to those who would not accept His disciples, he announced that it would be worse for them than the Sodomites, in order that the listeners, at least with fear, lean toward the hospitality and to that which is salvation for them. Therefore, the word of the Apostle Peter, persuading to be innocent by the example of the Lord, is very true. “He handed over all the Judges to the Righteous,” that is, to God, who at the future judgment will reward everyone according to his deeds, without any respect for persons, according to sheer justice (1 Peter 1:17).

By His stripes you are healed. For you were like a wandering sheep (not having a shepherd), but you have returned now to the Shepherd and Keeper of your souls.

When, by order of Pilate, they scourged Him, He also bore the wounds from the blows on His body.

CHAPTER THREE

Likewise, you wives, obey your failing husbands, so that those of them who do not obey the word may be acquired by the life of their wives without a word, when they see your pure, God-fearing life. Let it not be your external braiding of hair, not gold headdresses or elegance in clothes that will be your adornment.

The apostle set forth a moral teaching for all: for kings, rulers, masters and slaves. For the subordinates, he ordained by law that they obey the kings and rulers, whom they must and in what they must, and thus showed that the rulers themselves have some predestination and motivation for righteousness in the laws, and for everything that they do according to the laws, they will not be condemned. but for everything that they do in spite of them, lawlessly, unjustly and arbitrarily, they will perish. For the law was given to them for the benefit of the nations, as the Apostle Paul says (Rom. 13: 4). Like the laws, the rulers were given for some benefit, and not as some badly argue that the power existing on earth is from the devil, agreeing in this matter with the devil, who said to the Lord: all this is given to me, and I, whoever I want, I give this (Luke 4, 6). It is not by the will of the devil that kings are made; for they are given for the correction of evils, and the devil does not care to introduce anything of the kind between people. Authorities and rulers are given from God, on the one hand, in order to protect the right and arrange the benefit of the subordinates, on the other, in order to restrain those who sin by fear of punishment and reproof, and finally, in order to carry out due punishment to those who have inflicted untruth. Having shown this, namely, that obedience to authorities is good, and disobedience is evil, and having prescribed such relations to slaves and masters, the apostle now turns his speech to women. Wives, he says, must be preoccupied with two things: obey their husbands, and remove all adornment and adornment, imitating the holy wives. For, he says, they knew only one ornament, that they obeyed their husbands. What is the use of this? The one that pagans receive a good understanding of faith and zeal for it, which produces our obedience to the authorities, and for our sake they thank Christ, and for Christians it is a great praise, when for the sake of us and for the sake of our good behavior the pagans bless the name of God. The words “acquired without a word” mean either that they are acquired without any reasoning and contradiction, or that proof from deeds is stronger than words and skill, just like the holy man said: “A deed not accompanied by a word is better than a word not accompanied by deed ".

But the innermost of the heart is a man in the incorruptible beauty of a meek and silent spirit, which is precious before God.

For all the glory of the daughter of the King is within, her garments are adorned with gold, mottled (Ps. 44, 14). That is, our innermost location and external position must exactly correspond to one another. Decorating with gold means external activity. He calls the clothes dressed in gold and mottled because what is revealed from the inside is not how it will happen, but honest and important.

So once the holy women, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, obeying their husbands. So Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You are her children if you do good and are not embarrassed by any fear. Likewise, you husbands, treat your wives wisely, as with a weaker vessel, showing them honor, as joint heirs of a blessed life, so that you will not be hindered in your prayers.

Here adornment calls obedience, saying: they adorned themselves, obeying their husbands. Having said vaguely “holy women,” he calls them the daughters of Sarah, either by faith or by descent. For daughters must imitate their mothers. When adorned with proper Christian women, he persuades them to be merciful, without fear of reprisals from their husbands. He wants to express this in the words: "do not be embarrassed by any fear." For it is natural that husbands sometimes demand from them an account of costs. With such a lofty speech convincing thrifty and faint-hearted women to give out household things more generously, the apostle also keeps husbands from being strict with them, and says: “Husbands, treat your wives wisely,” that is, take into account the weakness and inclination of the female sex to cowardice and be generous to wives, not demanding with irritation an account of what is entrusted to them in the household. Urges husbands not to exact strict from their wives for, as we said, they were more generous in alms to the poor. And it seems to me that with these words the apostle is more intimate and more important than Paul, hinting at the exercise of the rights of marriage. For Paul bluntly says: “Do not deviate from one another, unless by agreement,” and so on. (1 Cor. 7: 5). And Peter, more importantly saying: “prudently” and thereby hinting at the matter, convinces the husbands, since the female sex is more inclined to this, not to be absent from their wives with prohibition and severity, but at first condescendingly, as to the weakest, to use them, then with with some caution to persuade them to get used to abstaining from it. For this, that is, condescension, he wants to point out with the words: "showing them honor." For one who is not paid attention to, there is no honor or mercy. Then, so should they use them in relation to the message, as the weakest, or as co-heirs of living grace. And that we have given such a meaning to the preceding utterance not without reason, this is indicated by the further addition: "so that you may not be hindered in your prayers." For what obstacle can there be to prayer from the severity of a husband to his wife? Meanwhile, leaving a message brings great care and diligence during prayer. This is my thought about it.

Finally, be all of one mind, compassionate, brotherly, merciful, friendly, humble; do not return evil for evil or curse for curse; on the contrary, bless, knowing that you are called to this, in order to inherit the blessing.

The connection with the previous instruction is as follows: finally, or to put it briefly, be of one mind, etc., knowing that you are called to this in order to bless everyone. For Paul also says: “Bless those who persecute you” (Rom. 12-14). In doing so, you will all hear the name of you “blessing” (Ps. 37, 20). For he who thirsts for eternal life should not slander anyone with his tongue. Therefore, David also urges those who strongly desire to achieve true life to “keep the tongue from evil” (Ps. 33, 14). When you arrange yourself in this way, the Almighty will be merciful to you. And in that case, who can harm you? But if an offense is inflicted on you even when doing good and zeal for it, then do not grieve, but rejoice, firstly, because this is not evil, and secondly, because you are blessed through it. Therefore, sanctify God in your hearts, and do not be afraid of human fear, and do not be embarrassed. Otherwise. After graduating from the private instruction concerning husbands and wives, he generalizes the conviction to all, husbands and wives, and says: "at last." Why private instruction? I tell everyone in general. For this is the end, all have one goal - salvation, all have one law - love. From here comes all virtue, humility, compassion, mercy, and so on. Of them like-mindedness there is perfect agreement about something. Compassion- regret for the suffering is the same as for ourselves. Brotherly love- disposition towards neighbors is the same as it should be towards brothers. Mercy- the spiritual striving for the benefit of the homogeneous. Friendliness- gentleness with everyone, as with acquaintances and friends. Humility or humility- the transfer of blasphemy from another, the consciousness of one's sinfulness, the transfer of accusations, which could be called prudence. Adorn yourself with these virtues; moreover, do not succumb to anger (swearing is an inclination to backbiting arising from a bad habit), but be jealous for good, leading a holy and perfect life. For he who is blessed by all is also a jealous one.

For whoever loves life and wants to see good days, keep his tongue from evil and his mouth from crafty speech; shy away from evil and do good; seek peace and strive for it.

That the instruction he deduces is not false, it confirms by pointing to the words of David, and says: “who loves life,” that is, who transforms himself for true life and wants to show it worthy (for this is indicated by the expression “loves”, wants to show it longed for by people), let him unswervingly adhere to what the prophetic word offers along with me.

For the eyes of the Lord are turned to the righteous and His ears to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil (to destroy them from the earth). And who will harm you if you are zealots of good? But if you suffer for the truth; then you are blessed; but do not be afraid of their fear and do not be embarrassed. Hallow the Lord God in your hearts.

From the words he quoted, the prophet makes a conclusion. It says: "the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." The Apostle adds to this: if you live like this, then God will be gracious and merciful to you. And in this situation, who will harm you? For everything is in His hand, life and death (Wis. 16:13). But as some considered it evil to suffer for faith, the Apostle Peter, in order to correct this opinion, says: do not consider this evil, on the contrary, consider it a pledge of bliss. For fear from people is not worth any attention, but one-day. For if the eyes of the Lord are turned to the righteous and His ears to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, threatening evil with destruction, then, if it were evil, the Giver of goodness, no doubt, would not return evil for our love to Him. For He brings evil upon the wicked: sorrow and oppression to every soul of a person who does evil. (Rom. 2: 9). Therefore, grief for godliness is not evil. Together with Isaiah (8, 13), he commands to sanctify the Lord in hearts, that is, not to be exalted with visible deeds, but to perform the sanctification of the Lord in the secret cell of the heart, which consists in removing from filth, that is, from the evil morals of the pagan. So sanctify Him. And He is sanctified through your good behavior, when other people glorify Him, just as the God-man Himself commands: “so let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds” (Matthew 5:16).

Always be ready to give an answer with meekness and reverence to anyone who requires you to account for your hope. Have a good conscience, so that those for which they reproach you as evildoers may be ashamed of those who condemn your good life in Christ.

The words “ready to answer” and so on. must combine with the words: to show good deeds (“have a good conscience”). For when you do this with meekness and decency, then you yourself will be convinced that you have a good conscience, and you will be ashamed of those who have a bad idea of ​​you. The Apostle commands a faithful person to always be ready for an account of faith, so that whenever they ask us about faith, we can always easily answer, and do it with meekness, like everything else, as if in the presence of God Himself. For in the presence of his master, no prudent slave is impertinent. The benefit of this is that the unbelievers will know who we are and will be fair to us. It should be noted that these words of the apostle do not contradict the words of the Lord. When the Lord says that we, when they lead us to rulers and authorities, do not care what to answer us (Luke 21:14), and Peter commands us now to prepare for an answer, then the Lord speaks of testimony, and the Apostle Peter - about teaching. For whoever thinks that he knows something without understanding and research, he invokes blasphemy. For the knowledge of the foolish is unsearchable words. Otherwise. Since they accused us of many iniquities and presented our hopes in vain, the apostle commands us to prepare thoughtful answers and have a worthy life, which he calls conscience.

For, if the will of God pleases, it is better to suffer for good deeds than for evil; because Christ, in order to bring us to God, once suffered for our sins, the righteous for the unrighteous.

There seems to be a reason, not for what was said before, but for what was said a little above, precisely in words: if you suffer for righteousness, then you are blessed (v. 14), because it is better to endure evil for good deeds, rather than for the wicked. If anyone wants to attribute this reason to the next preceding speech, then the words "good deeds" should be understood not about charity to another, but about virtue in general; the word "evil" must be understood in the same way. He adds: “if the will of God pleases”, showing by this that nothing happens to us without God's permission, but it happens either to relieve us from sins, or to reveal and our glory, or even to save others. And this is in two ways. Or some righteous man suffers evil for the wisdom of other sinners, as it was said: "If the righteous is barely saved, where will the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:18). And hence there is a twofold benefit: for the suffering righteous man - the increase in righteousness through patience, and for the sinner - conversion, as it is said. Or the righteous person suffers both for his own glory and for the conversion and salvation of others, just like Christ. Therefore, Peter takes Christ here as an example, because Christ once suffered not for His sins, but for ours; why he adds: “the righteous for the unrighteous”, for Christ Himself did not commit any sin (1 Peter 2:22). To show the power of the Sufferer, he added “once”. And how He suffered in order to bring us to God and His Father, He showed that not all those who suffer for their sins. And as Christ and God, and Man, by His sufferings He also gave us a twofold grace. Having died as a man, He freed us from death, initiating our resurrection, and in Himself gave an example that the dying do not die without the hope of resurrection. Having revived, that is, having risen from the dead by the power of Divinity (for He rose from the dead, not as a man, but as God), He brought all beings in hell to life, having resurrected with Himself. For, according to the Evangelist (Matthew 27, 52-53), many bodies of the departed saints were resurrected and appeared to many.

He was put to death in the flesh, but he was revived in the spirit, by which He also descended to the spirits in prison and preached.

Having been put to death “according to the flesh,” that is, as a man; but quickened by the “spirit,” like God. By the word "Spirit" they mean God, and by "flesh" - man. The Evangelist testifies to the first when he narrates that Christ, the true Wisdom, talking with the Samaritan woman, said: “God is spirit” (John 4:24), and the second is witnessed by all Holy Scripture. Hence, it is clear that Christ is augmented (binary) not by His Face, but by nature. “Which” is used instead of “why”. For having said that He died for us, the unrighteous, the apostle then says that He also preached the contents in hell. Having come to this, the apostle also had to explain how the death of Christ was useful for the formerly departed, and decide the question: if the incarnation of the Lord was for the salvation of all, then what salvation did the formerly dead receive? "He immediately permits both and says that death Christ produced both together, the hope of resurrection through His resurrection and the salvation of those who have fallen asleep before. For those who had a good time in their lives, and then received salvation through the descent of the Lord into hell, as St. Gregory thinks. He says: "Christ, appearing to to those in Hell, it saves not all without exception, but only believers. "For it depended on the will of each (as reasoning demanded) not to remain insensitive to the Creator's rich gift, but to present oneself worthy of the Giver's goodness.

Once disobedient to God's longsuffering that awaited them, in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved from the water.

This is put in the resolution of the objection. Another could say: "Who else preached before Christ, and to whom are those who disobeyed condemned"? Like the apostle Paul (Rom. 2:15), he could point to the innate rational powers to us: for those who are created capable of distinguishing between good and evil and, despite this, did not do good, are worthy of condemnation. But he doesn't point it out. Why? Because it is understandable for a higher mind and reasoning more wise than the mind of the Jews, tied to the earth. The apostle confirms disobedience from Scripture, and not from the time of the prophets, but almost from the very creation of the world. Hence, he imagined that salvation was preached to people from the beginning, but they, due to their inclination to vanity, neglected it, and while there were countless people, only eight souls submitted to the sermon and were saved in the arranged ark. Since salvation was in water, he incidentally refers this to holy baptism and says that this water indicated our baptism, for it also destroys rebellious demons, and saves those who come into the ark, that is, into the Church with faith, and how water washes away uncleanness, so does baptism, only it produces the deposition of impurity not of the flesh, but through the mediation of an external sign it cleans away the filth of the soul. It is, as it were, a pledge and delivery of a good conscience before God.

Likewise, baptism similar to this image today, not washing of fleshly uncleanness, but the promise of a good conscience to God, saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven.

The connection is as follows: in the same way we are saved now by a baptism similar to this image, not washing of fleshly impurity, but asking or asking for a good conscience before God. For those who are conscious of the good of themselves, that is, attached to a life of blamelessness, it is they who resort to holy baptism. What makes baptism salvation? Resurrection of Christ. For before His suffering and resurrection, Christ declared: “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3: 5), and after his resurrection he commanded to baptize all coming nations “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit ”(Matthew 28:19).

Abides at the right hand of God and to whom the Angels and Authorities and Powers have submitted.

To whom is this “Him”? The Person accepted by Him into union with Himself.

CHAPTER FOUR

So, as Christ suffered flesh for us, then you will arm yourself with the same thought.

“By the same thought” instead of: by the same striving, by the same goal. For the preposition κατά is missing, because it is said with an omission. Having told about the economy of salvation, about the Lord's descent into hell, and about why He went there, namely, to save those contained in hell, the apostle finds in the death of the Lord another reason for exhortation to virtue. If Christ died for us in the flesh (for, no doubt, not by His immortal and divine nature), then we, in return for Him, must die for Him, not go into human lusts anymore, but the rest of the time in the flesh is to live only according to the will Of God.

For he who suffers from the flesh ceases to sin, so that the rest of the time in the flesh is to live no longer according to human lusts, but according to the will of God.

“Suffering” instead of: deceased. Peter says like Paul: “if we died with Him, we will also live with Him” (2 Tim. 2:11), and: “Consider yourself dead to sin, but alive to God” (Rom. 6: 11).

For it is enough that in the past time of your life you acted according to the will of the pagan, indulging in impurities, lusts (sodomy, bestiality, thoughts), drunkenness, excess in food and drink and absurd idolatry.

The apostle seems to say so: are you not satisfied, having spent so much time in the pleasures of life? Didn't you live in the same filthiness as the Gentiles? And then he names some kinds of impurity.

Why do they wonder that you do not participate with them in the same debauchery, and they slander you.

The pagans will be amazed (ξενίζονται) to you that you do not participate with them in the same wickedness. Therefore, after their surprise at your change and bewilderment, they will not only be ashamed, but will also begin to curse; for godliness is abhorrent to the sinner. But they will not remain unpunished for such slander, but will give an answer to the Judge of all, who for this sits immutably and firmly. And how the Judge is the judge of the living and the dead, the apostle writes about this further.

They will give an answer to the One who will soon judge the living and the dead.

The connection is this: those who curse you will give an answer to the Judge of all the living and the dead. The dead are also tried. This is evident from the descent of the Lord into hell. For, having appeared there after the death of the cross, He preached there, as on earth, preaching not in word, but in deed. And as His presence in the world for those who readily recognized Him served as justification, and for those who did not recognize Him, as condemnation: so from those contained in hell to those who lived according to the flesh, He appeared to be condemned, and those who lived in spirit, i.e. led a spiritual and virtuous life - for glory and salvation. Therefore, she is justly called Judge of the living and the dead. St. Kirill. Here he calls the dead those among the pagans who put themselves to death (in v. 3) sins, for which the apostle also prays, so that they will turn and give an unashamed answer to Him who has judged the living and the dead. He also calls the living and the dead the righteous and sinful, to whom God the Word, having appeared in the flesh, preached the Kingdom of Heaven. Those sinners who have accepted His commandments themselves, like people, judge themselves with the flesh, that is, they condemn their flesh in real human life to fasts, being thrown to the ground, tears and other sufferings, in order to live according to God in spirit, inspired in this case by the saying of the apostle: “ if our outward man smolders, then the inward one is renewed from day to day ”(2 Cor. 4:16).

For this is why the gospel was preached to the dead.

Some of the ancient fathers explained the words “the gospel was preached to the dead” as a special section, not paying attention to their connection with the previous speech, - to the fact that what is presented as a cause must be attributed to that which precedes. For these words must be understood as a reason. But they, as they said, explained them separately, just like this: dead, they said, Holy Scripture calls people of two kinds: either those who died in sins, who never knew life, or those who conformed to the death of Christ and died for this world, that is, for worldly lusts, but they live for Christ alone, as Paul says: “but what I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God” (Gal. 2:20). So, they say, those who died in this way for Christ, condemn themselves in their flesh in their former careless and scattered life, and they live in spirit, that is, a life after the example of Christ. For condemnation of past behavior makes them more complacent and caring about the present. This is how they explain. Some may approve of such an explanation, but the dictum has not yet been fully clarified. Since it is said above about those in hell that He preached to the spirits in prison (3, 19), then the real utterance must be attributed there, expressed as a reason, and not look at it as a new utterance. Therefore, we say: since before this the Apostle said: “He who has judged the living and the dead,” but they could object to this: where are the living and where the dead are judged, then he confirms this with the above, by the fact that He is in in prison he preached to the spirits, and that this sermon was in judgment, that is, in condemnation. Some, those who recognized their life as good, when Goodness appeared there, immediately united with It; but those who are wicked were filled with shame for this, and received condemnation. This is what it means: Judge dead... Judge alive: When the Lord came into this corruptible life, then people found in His coming condemnation for themselves. Some, the good ones, with zeal accepted His teaching, while others, the evil ones, abandoned the truth and closed their eyes on it themselves. That is why it is said: “for judgment,” that is, for condemnation, “I came into this world” (John 9, 39). So Christ is the Judge of the living and the dead!

That they, having been judged according to man by the flesh, live according to God in spirit.

"Subjected to the judgment of the flesh." The complete thought is this: when the Lord visited those in hell, then some who in this world lived according to the flesh were condemned, while others who lived spiritually, or rose up with the Lord, for many bodies of the departed saints rose up (Matt. 27, 52) , or livened up with good hope. “However, the end is near to everything,” that is, to those who are justified in life, and to those who are justified in hell. For at the second coming of the Lord, everyone is fully given their due. If someone begins to reject the Lord's preaching in Hell, saying that those who are in Hell, who have died, have no benefit from it, according to the said: "In the grave who will praise You?" (Ps. 6, 6); then such a person roughly understands the sermon that was in hell, and by confession does not mean praise to God, but confession, not understanding the saying: “The dead will not praise You, O Lord” (Psalm 113, 25). Since the accomplishment of all deeds ends with real life (for everything will die without activity), it is rightly said: “in the grave who will praise You?”, Because no one will do anything for which to be liberated and to be grateful.

However, the end is close to everything. So be discreet and watchful in your prayers. Above all, have zealous love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be strangely loving to each other without murmuring.

“End” is the same as fulfillment, fulfillment. “To everything,” he says, “the end is near,” and this end in the true sense is Christ. For He is the perfection of everything, and not that which the pagans in vain regard as the end of everything, when some, for example, Epicurus, say that the end of everything is pleasure, others are knowledge or contemplation, others are virtue. And as the perfection of everything, Christ, has come, and you are in conformity with this perfection, then let there not be a lack of anything in you yourself, neither in chastity, nor in sobriety, nor in vigilance in prayer (for prayer is characteristic of the awake), nor in love for each other. The Apostle Paul called love “the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13: 10), and Peter calls it the power to cover up sins: this is because mercy to our neighbor makes God merciful to us. Having said about love, he also adds that, in close connection with love, “strange love”, which commands to be performed without murmurings, and to those who are abundant in every gift, commands to share with a poor brother, for example, who has a teacher’s word (for this is indicated by “ as the words of God ”: v. 11) let him teach it to those in need; He who has an abundance of food, let him give to him who does not have them, give without stinginess, but as much as the power of the gift of God allows. To this, he says, I convince you that God would be glorified in all, whether it be pagans or your loved ones.

Serve one another, each with the gift that you have received, as good stewards of the many different grace of God. Does anyone speak, speak as the words of God; whether anyone serves, serve according to the power that God gives, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

It is extremely unfair to not make proper use of what belongs to us and to which we are gentlemen. For not only he must share with the one who has no money, but also the one who has other natural gifts, for he himself who did not have them received them from God in order to share with the one who does not.

Beloved! fiery temptation sent to you for testing, do not shy away from adventures strange to you, but as you participate in Christ's sufferings, rejoice, and in the manifestation of His glory you will rejoice and triumph.

This added the apostle to what was said before this. He noticed that some are tempted by the sorrows that overtake them, since the law promises peace to those who work the Lord (Rom. 2: 10); and although above, when he gave the rules to the servants, he briefly consoled in a similar way, but now he gives room for speech, and says: "beloved!" By this very name it immediately shows that sorrows happen to them not because God hates them, but because he loves them very much. “Do not shy away” - the same as - do not be surprised (ξενίζεσθε). Then, he called the afflictions “fiery temptation” (burning), and thus showed that they were sent down on them for testing. And the test makes the test object very valuable, like gold and silver. To this he added something that is most blessed of all, namely, that those who endure this are like their Teacher Christ, and now endure dishonor with Him, in order to be glorified together with Him in the age to come. This is the end of all aspirations.

If they revile you for the name of Christ, then you are blessed, for the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of God rests on you. He is blasphemed by that, and glorified by you. If only one of you does not suffer, as a murderer, or a thief, or a villain.

He is blasphemed by the wicked, but He is glorified by you. Why? Because when their accusation against you turns out to be false, they will be ashamed, and you will be glorified.

Or as one encroaching on someone else's, and if as a Christian, then do not be ashamed, but glorify God for such a fate.

“Encroaching on someone else's” - one who is too curious about other people's affairs in order to have a reason for backbiting. But such an occupation is characteristic of an impure soul, evil and ready for any evil.

For the time has come for judgment to begin with the house of God; if it begins with us first, what is the end of those who disobey the gospel of God? And if the righteous is barely saved, where will the wicked and sinful appear?

By the court what the apostle calls here is not condemnation, but research, consideration. Brings fear into them in order to divert them from a scattered life. Why he adds: if your life is inherited first, what end will be rebellious? Judgment begins first with the house of God. For, according to Basil the Great, we naturally resent our family members when they are guilty before us. And to God their essence is none other than the faithful, filling His house, that is, the Church. Therefore, the Savior also said: “He will speak first to those who are on His right side” (Matt. 25, 34). Judgment or consideration here refers to the afflictions inflicted on the faithful by the wicked, of the coming of which the Lord foretold, saying: "They will deliver you to the judges," etc. (Matthew 10, 17). Then, as if to comfort them, he says: if he does not spare you, who are so close to Him; then imagine what end will be wicked? and confirms this with a passage from Scripture: if the righteous is barely saved, then the wicked and sinful where will he appear? (cf. Proverbs 11:31). The meaning of the speech is this: if a righteous man receives salvation with labor and effort (for the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force, and if anyone receives it, then with many sorrows: (Matthew 11, 12. Acts 14:22), then what share will those who spend their lives receive in bliss and pleasures, - we must mean - the wicked, in the age to come? Therefore, we, who suffer according to the will of God, should not lose heart, but must surrender our souls to Him as a faithful Creator, doing good.

So those who suffer according to the will of God, give Him, as the faithful Creator, their souls, doing good.

"By the will of God." With the word "will of God" the apostle shows either that our sufferings are not without the providence of God, but are sent from Him as a test, or that, suffering for His will, we must also grant Him the end of suffering. For He is faithful and untrue in His promises, and “will not allow us to be tempted beyond our powers” ​​(1 Cor. 10:13). How should one surrender oneself to God? “By doing good,” he says. What does this mean? It means to rely on God with humility, not to attach much value to your sufferings, but the more someone suffers, the more they should consider themselves indecent, saying to the Lord: “You are righteous in all that you have done with us” (Dan. 3:27). The difference between the “wicked” and the “sinner” is that the wicked does not acknowledge God at all, and the sinner, having faith in God, despises His law. However, one and the same person can be wicked and sinful. For, committing lawlessness, he undoubtedly does not live, not thinking, during sin, about the existence of God (Psalm 9: 25).

CHAPTER FIVE

I implore your shepherds, co-shepherd and witness to the sufferings of Christ and partaker in the glory that must be revealed: feed the flock of God that you have, overseeing it not by constraint, but willingly and God-pleasing, not for vile self-interest, but out of zeal, and not dominating over the inheritance of God, but setting an example for the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you younger ones, obey the shepherds.

The apostle was supposed to speak of humility, which he already mentioned, saying: “doing good” (4, 19). He calls himself a “shepherd” (presbyter) either by age or by the dignity of a bishop; for the book of Acts (20, 17) also calls elders and bishops. Then, wishing to show that he prevailed over them and that he calls himself a “co-shepherd” in humility of mind, he exposes his dignity, namely, that he is “a witness to the sufferings of Christ”. He says, as it were: if I, who explained such visions to you, do not find it low to call myself a co-shepherd, then it is unfair for you to exalt yourself above your subordinates. Likewise, the Lord says about humility of mind: “if I, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet” (John 13, 14). The apostle adds that he is “a partaker in the glory that must be revealed” in order to represent the advantage of humility, just as Paul says: “when Christ, your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him” (Col. 3: 4 ). “Not compulsorily” is the one who in himself offers his flock an example of good activity, and thus encourages them to compete with each other before the teacher. “Not for vile selfishness” is grazed by one who does not come forward with pride and does not rise above his subordinates, but lives not luxuriously, or who does not covet precious clothes and luxurious dishes that produce pride and serve as a pretext for vile self-interest. “Legacy” refers to a sacred assembly. The addition of "setting an example for the flock" means the same thing as "do not feed by compulsion." In the words “and when the Chief Shepherd appears” the union “and” is placed instead of “in order,” that is, so that when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of incorruption.

Yet, submitting to one another, clothe yourself with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

“Put on” means: gird yourself, put on, or put on yourself, surround yourself on all sides.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.

The Apostle speaks of “its own time”, just as David says: which (the tree) bears its fruit “in its own time” (Ps. 1: 3); the word “in time” alludes to an elevation in the age to come, which elevation, and it is only one, is invariable and stable. For the exaltation here is not safe and not firm, but rather humiliated than exalted. And what humility raises, the Lord Himself says about this: “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11), and: “whoever of you wants to be the first, be the last of all” ( Mark 9, 35). With the word “in due time,” the apostle indicated that exaltation from humility is promised in the age to come. For the time of unchanging blessings is in the century to come. Then, in order to remove the fear that occurs during humility, he says: do not be afraid, but place all your care on the Lord, for He cares, that is, he cares about all this.

Be sober, stay awake, because your adversary the devil walks like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him with firm faith.

Those who are accustomed to sleeping mentally (and this means being absorbed in vanity) and thus burden the sobriety of the soul, are attacked by the crafty beast of despair. Warning against this, the disciple of Christ urges to always be awake and beware of the sower of tares, so that when we sleep, that is, we lead a carefree and lazy life, he secretly does not sow evil thoughts and does not distract from the true life. Because, he says, he constantly goes around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Saint Justin the Martyr believes that the reason for such unremitting deceit and slander on the part of the devil is that the devil before the coming of the Lord did not clearly know how strong his punishment was, since the holy prophets expressed themselves mysteriously about it (in this way Isaiah portrayed the whole sad story and fate of the devil in veil in the person of the Assyrian: Isa. 18: 4-27), and when, with the coming of the Lord, the devil clearly learned that “eternal fire” was prepared for him and his angels (Matthew 25, 41), since then he has ceaselessly , wanting to make many fellows of their apostasy, so that more than one endure the dishonor of condemnation, and in this to find cold and evil consolation.

Knowing that the same sufferings happen to your brothers in the world.

Probably, those to whom the Apostle Peter wrote this endured many sorrows for Christ; that is why he comforts them at the beginning and at the end of the epistle - at the beginning with the fact that they become fellows in the sufferings of the Lord and heirs of the glory that has to be revealed, and here with the fact that not only they suffer, but all the believers who live in the world.

But the God of all grace, who has called us into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, Himself, out of your short-term suffering, may perfect you, may confirm, may strengthen, may make you unshakable. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

And at the beginning of the epistle (1, 2-3) the Apostle said that the Father had mercy on us through the Son, and now, at the end of it, he teaches that the same Father called us through the Son. For this is the purpose of the apostles, to preach the sacrament, even if they did it together with exhortation.

I wrote this briefly to you through Siluan, your faithful brother, I think, in order to assure you, comforting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. The elect, like you, the church in Babylon salutes you, and Mark my son. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

This Silouan is an excellent believer and strives diligently in the preaching work. Paul also mentions him, and together with Timothy calls him, in the epistles, a collaborator; thus, he writes: “Paul and Siluan and Timothy” (1 Thess. 1: 1). Babylon names Rome because of its nobility, which Babylon enjoyed for a long time. Chosen calls the Church of God, formed in Rome. Mark calls the Evangelist, calling him a son according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. It was he who ordered him to write the Gospel. Whereas Paul writes (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20) that believers greeted one another with a “kiss of saints,” Peter says: greet with a “kiss of love”. But both have the same thought. Paul knows that love in the Lord is greater than all virtues, even martyrdom for Christ, and therefore he calls the kissing holy that which is given in God. And Peter, when he speaks of kissing love, understands: true love. Therefore, he adds: "Peace be to you all in Christ Jesus." He does not speak about the ordinary, human world, but wants them to receive the peace that Christ deigned for them, going into suffering and saying: “I leave the world for you”, and noticing the difference: “not as the world gives” (John 14, 27). For one must keep the peace, not out of partiality, but because you are bound by love, so that you must bear the blows from rivals. The Lord's disciples everywhere, at the end of the epistles, apply a prayer, as it were, a seal, and by this they show their sincere holiness. Some of those who were before us thought that Mark, about whom Saint Peter speaks, was his son and according to the flesh. They based this guess on the fact that in the Acts of the Apostles Luke says that after the angel of God miraculously freed the Apostle Peter from the dungeon in which Herod had put him, and ceased to lead him, he, the Apostle Peter, came to the house of John's mother. called Mark (Acts 12, 12). They believed that he had come to his own house and to his lawful wife.

The first conciliar epistle of the Apostle Peter was written from Rome.

Interpretation of the Second Epistle of St. Peter

And this epistle is written by the Apostle Peter to those who have already believed. It reminds us of what was previously written. Knowing that he would soon be released from the body, the apostle tried to remind everyone of the teaching by which they were announced. And first, it speaks of faith, showing that it was proclaimed by the prophets, and that the prophecies related to the Savior were uttered not by men, but by God. Then, he urges not to heed the seducers, saying that they will perish, as happened with the sinned angels. Predicts that the time will come when the scoffers will go around everywhere and try to deceive some, saying that we are in vain to preach the second coming of the Savior, because we always talk about it, but He still has not come. Those in particular are commanded to retire, and teaches them not to lose heart because of slowness; for all the time is nothing before the Lord, because He has one day as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day (Psalm 89: 5). However, he affirms and proves that the day of the Lord will come soon, and commands everyone to be ready for it with good deeds and to love the writings of the Apostle Paul, and not to heed those who pervert them, because they pervert all of Holy Scripture. Recalling this and teaching everyone to take care of their own affairs, he persuades them not to fall away from the goal of faith, and thus ends the message.
About a vocation in faith, confirmed by works of virtue, and the hope of future blessings. An admonition to remember the doctrine after his death and that on Mount Tabor he heard the voice of God about Christ. The prediction that deceiving heretics will appear, their wickedness and future punishment. Repetition of the malice of heretics; here about the fact that Christ will suddenly come at the end of this age and that therefore he must adorn himself with all virtue.

CHAPTER FIRST

Simon Peter, servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, who accepted with us the equally precious faith according to the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Simon is the abbreviated name of Simeon, as well as Mithr - Metrodora, Mina - Minodora, Fevda - Theodosius. From the very beginning, the apostle awakens the thoughts and souls of believers, encouraging them to try in the work of preaching to be equal to the apostles. For then, since all have received equally precious grace, it would be unfair to lack something in which all were found to be equal. The Apostle constantly wishes the believers peace, which Christ gave them after His resurrection from the dead and when he departed to the Father, crying out: “Peace be unto you” (John 20:19; 21; 26; Luke 24:36). And in the church we pray to the Lord to give us an "angel of peace", and the priest from the holy altar gives to the people peace; because the world is the mother of all good things. Therefore, the Lord also commanded His disciples that when they enter houses, they first of all give peace (Matt. 10:12; Luke 10, 5).

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord.

The connection is this: to you who, in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord, have taken with us equally precious faith, according to the righteousness of our God, may grace and peace be multiplied.

How from His divine power has been given to us everything that is necessary for life and piety, through the knowledge of Him who called us with glory and goodness, by which great and precious promises have been given to us.

The connection is this: may grace and peace be multiplied to you, since everything that is necessary for life and piety, in the knowledge of God and our Lord Jesus, by His divine power, this grace, is given to you for the knowledge of glory and virtue, for which the greatest promises are given, so that you, moving away from the corruption of the world, which is accomplished through lust, have become partakers of the divine nature. Otherwise. The exposition is lengthy, but the thought is this: having received innumerable blessings by the power of Christ, we can both become partakers of the Divine nature and achieve life and piety; therefore we must live in such a way as to add virtue to faith, and through virtue to prosper in piety, until we attain the most perfect good, which is love. We became partakers of the Divine nature through the manifestation of the Lord and God, who united the beginning of our nature in Himself and through perception sanctified; but if the beginning is holy, then the whole is holy.

So that through them you become partakers of the Divine nature, moving away from the corruption prevailing in the world by lust.

The connection is this: so that you, having freed yourself from worldly corruption that is committed in carnal lust, become partakers of the divine nature, for “retiring” means the same as “being freed”. The consequence of worldly lust is called corruption because it is built up and revolves around corrupted objects.

Then you, applying all your efforts to this, show in your faith virtue, in virtue prudence, in prudence, abstinence, in temperance, patience, in patience, piety, in piety, brotherly love, in brotherly love.

Shows the degree of success. At the first place faith, since it is the foundation and support of good. In second place virtue, that is, works, for without them, as the Apostle James says (2:26), faith is dead. Further judiciousness... What kind of prudence? Knowledge of the hidden secrets of God, which is not accessible to everyone, but only to those who constantly exercise in good deeds. Then abstinence... For the one who has reached the indicated measure also needs it, so that he does not become proud of the greatness of the gift. And just as with short-term abstinence it is impossible to strengthen the gift for oneself (for passions, despite the freedom that restrains them, always love to strive for the worst), then patience must be surpassed. It will do everything and piety will pacify, and hope in God will perfect. Will join piety brotherly love, and to all this love which the apostle Paul calls “the totality of perfection” ”(Colossians 3:14). For love manifested its power both over the Son of God and over His Father: I disposed the Father to give His Beloved (1 John 3:16), and the Son to shed His Blood for us (John 3:16).

If this is in you and is multiplying, then you will not be left without success and fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is it"? Faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, piety, brotherly love, love, which should not only exist, but also multiply. For if their acquisition is beneficial, then multiplication is much more useful. What is the use of them? The one who has them is safe at the second coming of the Lord. For whoever does not have them, blindness will follow, when the Judge comes in glory and shines like the sun; if the vision somehow survives, it will not be able to harmlessly look at the immeasurable brilliance, for an excessive brilliance of light usually darkens the weak eye looking at it.

And in whom this is not, he is blind, closed his eyes, forgot about the cleansing of his former sins. Therefore, brethren, strive more and more to make your calling and election strong.

Blind (μυωπάζων). This expression implies mice (μυων), which remain permanently blind under the ground. The saying of the Apostle Peter is similar to that of the Apostle James, namely: “Whoever hears the word and does not do it, is he like a person looking at the natural features of his face in a mirror? (James 1.23). For having learned that through cleansing by holy baptism he was washed from many sins, he must know that along with cleansing he received holiness, he must stay awake in order to thus preserve that sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord; and he forgot. Therefore, he says, my brethren, “try more and more to make your calling and election strong,” that is, that catechurative teaching that you heard at your election, and be not ashamed of your calling, so as not to be condemned to you in forgetting the gift of God, but stay firm in your rank.

In doing so, you will never stumble, for in this way a free entrance will be opened to you into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For that, I will never stop reminding you of this.

What - "about this"? About the above, namely: virtue, knowledge and so on. Note how before the apostle wanted to provoke with fear - the coming of the Judge, but now he convinces with the promise of good things - the entrance to the eternal kingdom of God.

Although you know that, and are confirmed in the present truth. I consider it fair, while I am in this bodily temple, to excite you with a reminder, knowing that I must soon leave my temple, just as our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to me.

So that, with the constant reminder of the same thing, they would not think that they were condemned in idleness, and would not be saddened, the apostle added: "although you know and are confirmed in the present truth." And in explaining the reason for the constant reminder, he added the fact that he knew that soon his permission from the body would follow.

I will try to make sure that after my departure you will always remember this.

Some understand this with such a permutation of words: "I will try to bring you to memory after my departure," that is, to remember every day and continuously, and from this they deduce that the saints remember those who remain here even after death and pray for the living. The justice of this is seen every day by those who invoke the divine grace of the saints. Some understand this; but others understand differently. The latter read and understand this verse simply: I will try so that after my departure you will always remember this, that is, we constantly repeat the same thing to you in order to turn it into a habit for you, so that you can get rid of it through constant and unchanging assimilation. from the accusation of disobedience and ignorance, but even after my death, the will of this was kept firmly and unchanged.

For we have announced to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, not by following cunningly devised fables, but by being eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Demanding on the part of believers strict attention to their gospel and insisting on this for a long time, although they know and have heard more than once, the apostle now says: I do not stop at this in vain, but because I realize the importance of this. Why is that? because when we announced to you the power and the coming of the Lord, we did not use human wisdom in relation to you and did not deceive your ears with eloquence, like pagans and heretics. For pagans seduce with beauty and poems, and heretics with fictions (they probably already began to appear then). Nothing of the kind can be suspected of us. For we have taught you the doctrine in a simple, artless word, as Paul says to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 2: 4; 13), and we have taught what we saw with our own eyes when they ascended the holy mountain with Him. The Apostle speaks of the glory of the Only Begotten, which was revealed to the Apostles in the Transfiguration, and of the voice of the Father, which they heard as they descended on the Lord from heaven from the Father. And as we from the very deeds learned what was foretold by the prophets, then we regard their prophecy as the most faithful. For the words were justified by the events. Therefore, you are doing well that you listen to the prophecy, that is, the predictions of the prophets, although the prophets in their time spoke and not quite clearly.

For He received honor and glory from God the Father, when such a voice came to Him from the glorious glory: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And we heard this voice, which came from heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

Not because there is any prophecy about the voice of the Father descending from heaven, but because from this voice of the Father from heaven, which testified to the sonship of Jesus Christ, we were convinced that everything revealed through the prophets indisputably refers to the One to whom the Father testifies. And the Father's testimony about the sonship of our Lord Jesus Christ we know three times: one - at Baptism (Matthew 3:17), the other - before suffering, when it is said: “I also glorified, and I will glorify again” (John 12, 28), and the third - on Mount Tabor (Matthew 17, 5).

And besides, we have the surest prophetic word; and you do well that you turn to him as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Listening, he says, to the predictions of the prophets, you will not be deceived in your hope. For in due time they will be justified by the very works that the apostle called "day", continuing the figurative speech, for he immediately spoke about the lamp, about the dark place, which is the night. So when, he says, it will come day, that is, the appearance of events, then the “morning star” will rise in your hearts, that is, the coming of Christ, foretold by the prophets, and how the true light will illuminate your hearts.

Knowing first of all that no prophecy in Scripture can be resolved by oneself. For the prophecy was never uttered according to the will of man, but the holy men of God spoke it, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

The prophets understood what and what the Spirit of the Prophetic instilled in them, but not so clearly and precisely how everything in particular was fulfilled. Therefore, they also wanted to see the fulfillment, as the Lord said (Luke 10:24). The apostle explains why the prophets did not interpret their sayings, and at the same time shows the difference between true prophecy from demonic and fictional, which is accepted by heretics. "For the prophecy was never uttered according to the will of man." This means: the prophets receive prophecy from God, but not as they want, but as the Spirit of God works; they recognized and understood the prophetic word sent down to them, but they did not explain it. That the prophets, during the action of the Spirit of God on them, realized that a word was sent to them from the Spirit of God, is evident from the fact that they obeyed voluntarily, and what they wanted, they expressed, and what they did not want, they were silent. This is not the case with false prophets. During the action they did not possess consciousness, but, driven into a frenzy, like drunken people, did not know what was happening to them. The holy prophets, although they understood, had no need to explain their predictions, both because they served others, namely us, and so that the coming of the Lord would be hidden and not subject to slander from the wicked. It could have escaped by the power of the Lord; but, probably, the deed of the accomplished incarnation would seem illusory, if several times such avoidance were an extraordinary way. That this is true can be seen from the example of the New Testament prophets who prophesied and explained themselves, although not all. For nothing of the kind is to be feared in the New Testament. And that the prophets did not prophesy in a frenzy is evident from the following. Old and New Testament prophets prophesied in one Spirit. And the Apostle Paul says: “if there is a revelation to another of those who sit, then the first be silent” (1 Cor. 14:30). It is clear from this that the prophets voluntarily prophesied while remaining in the natural state. Therefore, when another inspired one arose, the former speaker was commanded to be silent, which no one will find in those who rage. For how will he remain silent if he does not know what he is doing? That the Holy Spirit works in the prophets, the same Apostle Paul says about this: “To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another prophecy” (1 Cor. 12, 8; 10).

CHAPTER TWO

There were also false prophets among the people, just as you will have false teachers who will introduce destructive heresies and, rejecting the Lord who redeemed them, will bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their corruption, and through them the path of truth will be reproached. And out of covetousness they will catch you with flattering words.

By false teachers, the apostle means the like-minded people of Nicholas and Kerinth, and in the name of prophecy, which is generally given to both prophets and false teachers, he warns believers not to listen to false prophets. What is the difference between the one and the other, Paul taught this when he said that no one calls Jesus Lord “except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12: 3). Then he begins to denounce the heresy of the Nicolaitans, saying that they are doubly thin. For in teaching they are extremely wicked, since they blaspheme the Lord Christ; in life they are very vicious, which he now expresses, referring to their debauchery, and a little below will explain even more. The word “covetousness” shows what they acquire in a shameful way. For covetousness means sometimes injustice, and sometimes even the abomination of acquisition. Why is the word "to catch" decently used? To show that they are completely alien to the divine teaching, he says that they use flattering words. But, he says, they will receive their due for their wickedness, namely death.

The court has been ready for them for a long time; and their destruction does not sleep. For if God did not spare the angels who had sinned, but, having tied them with the bonds of hellish darkness, gave them over to be watched for judgment for punishment; and if he did not spare the first world, but in eight souls he preserved the family of Noah, the preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the wicked; and if the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, having condemned them to destruction, turned them into ashes, setting an example for the future wicked, and delivered righteous Lot, tired of turning among fiercely depraved people (for this righteous man, living among them, was daily tormented in a righteous soul, seeing and hearing deeds unlawful) - then, of course, the Lord knows how to deliver the pious from temptation, and keep the wicked by the day of judgment, for punishment.

The word "long ago ready" means the foreknowledge of God. For God, according to foreknowledge, has prepared good things for the good, and for the evil their proper place. For the judgment has long been ready. Not without reason does the apostle begin with believers who are more respectable, but he wants to show that they are guilty of greater condemnation for their sins. They have the advantage that the former are called to the apostleship. Therefore, for perverting from the right path, they will be subjected to greater condemnation. With the intention of presenting evidence in examples, he did not deduce consequences of the same kind, but he combined example and rewards for the righteous. And he would have to make a conclusion about what is suggested above, that is, about sinners, because of whom the example is presented, and say: if he did not spare them, then will he really spare the real wicked? or in the affirmative: all the more will he not spare these. But that is not what the apostle does. Why? Because the conclusion itself is revealed when two examples are offered, good and evil. What goes to evil alone does not yet refer to good. For good is not rewarded with evil. So, since it was not enough to end the sentence with one conclusion, he used a different expression, and with an exclamation finished the necessary one. Why, then, does he add examples of good people to examples of bad people? We will talk about this in the appropriate place. As we said above, in the form of a clear speech, thought does not follow from sentences, for the conclusion, which usually follows such a phrase, is not added, but it is simply proved by an example that there is a punishment for sins, and a reward for truth. The Apostle seems to say so: God knows how to inevitably punish without mercy those who live in sins, as he punished the angels who sinned, the people of the antediluvian, the cities of Sodom. He knows how to reward and do the truth, as he rewarded Noah, Lot. The course of speech is as follows: it is said that false teachers will be punished for their blasphemy and for their depraved life; examples are presented: God did not spare the angels who sinned, nor did he spare the first world. Then those who fought in righteousness are mentioned, and it is said that God both Noah and Lot, for their chastity, saved the people of their day from destruction. For Noah was not carried away by the wickedness of the people of the antediluvian, and Lot did not in the least imitate the depravity of the inhabitants of Sodom, and when they demanded the Angels, accepted by him in the form of people as pilgrims, for uncleanness, he did not betray Them, although he endured a lot of offensive from the crowd advancing on him. This is what is indicated by the word “weary” (v. 7). About Lot this is also said: “The Lord knows how to deliver the pious from temptation,” and so on. Above, the apostle did not say anything about the righteous; he spoke only about the wicked and about their punishment, and he mentioned the righteous in examples. This is in order, first, to remember the history of the destruction of the wicked and the salvation of the righteous; secondly, in order to expose the terrible malice of sinners and the bright perfections of the virtuous by comparing them; finally, in order to persuade his listeners to hate the wickedness of some because of the punishment for it, and to love the virtue of others because of its salvation.

And especially those who follow the nasty lusts of the flesh, despise the authorities, are impudent, self-willed and do not fear to slander the higher ones.

Now, from the above examples, the apostle skilfully moved on to the main subject. He speaks of the accursed Nicolaitans, Naasyans and Kerdonians; for their wickedness is of many names and is considered together, as similar in bad deeds and names. They represented the Abyss and Silence as the rudiments of the world’s existence and strangely called some of these rudiments mothers and centuries (αίώνας); from here Marcion also took the bad seeds. Then, rejecting the Lord's participation in the creation of the world and providence, they fearlessly plunged into all fleshly impurity. Whoever wishes to learn more fully about this, let him take in his hands the book of Irenaeus of Celtic, compiled about them and inscribed "Against false knowledge"; it describes their sins, especially the depraved Mark and the women corrupted by him, and other abominations committed by others, which, due to their malignity, no one can write down or remember. It is not surprising that those who despise and are not afraid of domination will fearlessly behave in front of all glory. The holy Apostle Judas Thaddeus will speak of this more clearly when he mentions the body of Moses. And Peter only hinted at it, touched it and finished his speech. But having received a reason from him, we are talking about the present one.

Whereas the Angels, surpassing them in strength and strength, do not pronounce reproachful judgment against them before the Lord.

Wanting to restrain them from such insolence, he says: whereas the angels, surpassing them in strength and strength, do not pronounce reproachful judgment against them before the Lord. The Apostle, as we have noticed, says the same thing with the Apostle Judas; for he, holding the insolent to his tongue, convinces them with the same example. However, he speaks more extensively: “Michael the Archangel did not dare to pronounce the reproachful judgment” (Jude 1, 9). Now Peter wants to say the same that these wicked ones have no mercy in blasphemy against glory, while the angels, surpassing these wicked ones in strength and strength, do not pronounce against them, that is, the authorities, a reproachful judgment before the Lord. And as the devil participates in some glory, because he is the beginning of the creation of the Lord (Job 40, 14), the Archangel did not utter a reproachful word against him. But if the more worthy of blasphemy, that is, the devil, as a partaker of glory, did not receive blasphemy from Michael before the Lord; then they are very unreasonable who hastily blaspheme the authorities, while they themselves are far below the dignity of the angels. By "principalities" is meant the divine powers, or the ecclesiastical authorities, against which they rebel and which they incessantly slander.

They, like dumb animals, led by nature, born to be caught and destroyed, slandering what they do not understand, in their corruption they will be destroyed. They will receive retribution for iniquity, for they believe pleasure in daily luxury.

Some explained it this way: they will be exterminated in their corruption, like dumb animals born naturally, that is, not in the least different from cattle, which are born for one extermination. As dumb animals "led by nature", that is, living only by sensibility, and not by the mind and rational life. Therefore, they are easily trapped for leading a corrupted life, they are carried away and carried away by anger and lust, they slander what they do not know, that is, with their characteristic ignorance, why they will be destroyed in the corruption they deserve, receiving retribution for the iniquity that they themselves have prepared voluntarily ... “Believe pleasure in daily luxury,” that is, in everyday throat delight, one posits true purpose, true and beloved prudence and pleasure. However, you should know that the Holy Scripture, when it condemns what is in people by nature, that is, what is inherent in animals, likens them to dumb. It says, for example: “a man who is honored and foolish is like animals that perish” (Ps. 48:13); and also: “do not be like a horse and a mule” (Ps. 31: 9); also: “these are the well-fed horses” (Jer. 5, 8); and again: “Be wise as serpents, and simple as doves” (Matthew 10, 16). Scripture says this without changing nature, but only urging people to refrain from natural inclinations. When it proclaims something salutary, the likeness borrows from the higher, for example: “be merciful, as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6, 36). And here he does not embody nature, but only commands to do this, as far as the strength becomes.

Shapers and defilers, they delight in their deceptions, feasting with you. Their eyes are full of lust and incessant sin; they seduce unconfirmed souls; their hearts are accustomed to covetousness: these are the sons of damnation. Leaving the straight path, they got lost, following in the footsteps of Balaam, the son of Vozorov, who loved an unrighteous reward, but was exposed in his iniquity: the dumb donkey, speaking in a human voice, stopped the madness of the prophet.

The order is as follows: shambles and defilers; “Their hearts are accustomed to covetousness,” that is, those who are skilled in covetousness; sons of damnation; feasting with you; having eyes filled with lust and incessant sin; they deceive unconfirmed souls, which Paul also called “women drowning in sins” (2 Tim. 3, 6); they, leaving the straight path, followed the path of Balaam, son of Vozorov, and so on; their voices are waterless springs, storm-driven clouds, and so on. And for what darkness lies before them in the century to come? For their excessive vanity, according to which they seduce those who were previously in error and sincerely left him to return, like a dog, to his vomit with impurities and carnal lusts. What is inserted explains and confirms their vanity. The meaning is this: they, he says, do not have anything characteristic of cleanliness, but stick to a clean, society, like stains on clean clothes. When they deceive someone and manage to make the husbands and wives caught in their networks unclean, they consider this business a pleasure, complementing their corruption. They, and feasting with you, do it not out of love and communication with others, but because they find this time convenient for seducing women. For they, having eyes, look at nothing more than covetousness, and ceaselessly having this in mind and sin, like sons of damnation, they deceive unconfirmed souls. For their hearts are not accustomed to anything else but to covetousness, that is, to debauchery or self-interest, and through both of them leaving the path that could lead them to salvation, they lost their way from it and were subjected to the same thing that Balaam did. son of Vosor, because he also loved the unrighteous reward out of love for gifts. But he was convicted of his iniquity. "The wordless donkey, speaking in a human voice, stopped the madness of the prophet." From here we learn that Balaam, having once been forbidden by God to go to Balak, was again prompted to that by his arrogant passion, which he fed with his frantic sorcery, but, bridled by the fear of God and the terrible signs that existed during the journey, did not change the word of blessing. which was not a matter of sorcery. For the prophets with consciousness pronounce their messages. Therefore, the apostle called him a prophet as aware of what he was saying. For if he was not conscious of his words, he could not have chosen which is better. So, his blessing was not a matter of sorcery, but the power of God.

These are waterless springs, clouds and haze driven by a storm: the darkness of eternal darkness is prepared for them. For, uttering puffed-up idle talk, they catch in fleshly lusts and debauchery those who have barely lagged behind those who are in error. They promise them freedom, being themselves slaves of corruption; for whoever is defeated by whom is also a slave.

Having inserted a lot into the middle of his speech, among other things, the example of Balaam, the apostle again begins to talk about impure Gnostics. Compares them to waterless sources, because they have lost the purity of preaching and the sweet water of life. He compares them with the clouds driven by the wind, meaning the opposite wind, which is why he called it a storm, since the storm leads the one driven by it into complete disorder. They, he says, are not light clouds, like the saints, but dark, full of darkness. This leads to the reason for this, namely, that they utter inflated speeches out of vanity, attracting with carnal lust into depravity those who have completely avoided him, or, if they once were. in error, then subsequently subdued themselves to the Lord. Themselves, he says, being slaves of the mentioned filth, which he justly called corruption, promise freedom to the deceived. And why they promise freedom to others, being themselves slaves of sin, leads to this excellent proof: whoever is defeated by what passion is its slave. But this will be clarified in more detail later.

For if, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome by them, then the latter is worse for such as the first. It would be better for them not to know the path of righteousness, than, having known, return back from the holy commandment that was committed to them. But it happens to them according to the true proverb: the dog returns to his vomit, and: the washed pig goes to wallow in the mud.

With these words, it confirms two things: first, that the defeated one necessarily works for his victor, and, secondly, that those who have come to know the truth, but again adhere to the previous wickedness, fall into evil, worse than the previous one. He also adds a parable confirming the same (Proverbs 26, 11). The meaning of the speech is this: if those who, through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, escaped the defilements of the world, again get entangled in them and are defeated by them, then they, no doubt, are enslaved by them, and their position becomes worse than it was before the knowledge of slavery, for Satan seeks to make them fall into greater evil. Therefore, the apostle says that with such a future for those who voluntarily return to evil, it would be better for them not to know the truth than, having learned, fall into greater evil. Because a dog that returns to its vomit is even more disgusting, just like a pig that seeks to wash itself from the mud, if it does so in the mud, it turns out to be even dirtier than before.

CHAPTER THREE

This is the second letter I am writing to you, beloved; in them, by reminding me, I awaken your pure sense, so that you remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior, betrayed by your apostles.

From here we learn that there are only two Epistles of the Apostle Peter. “In them I excite by reminder” means: in these messages or these messages I stir up your pure meaning. For it is characteristic of the pure sense to remember that the salvific has been heard or commanded, and to be excited to do this in practice with all the strength and zeal. And this is commanded through the preaching of the prophets and apostles. Therefore, Paul also says: “They were established on the basis of the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20). For they all announced the coming of the Lord. And one cannot but believe so many witnesses. Why am I talking about prophets and apostles? Because they proclaimed both the first and the second coming of our Lord and Savior Himself. The order of speech is as follows: so that you remember the words previously spoken (ύπό) by the holy prophets, the commandment (ύπό) of their apostles, according to (ύπό) the commandment of the Lord and Savior. For the preposition ύπό (from) refers to everyone. Why does it command to revive the memory of this? Therefore, he adds that those who passionately live according to their lusts shamelessly attack the believers and mock them, seeing that some are afraid of the coming of the Lord, which the Lord Himself foreshadowed together with the prophets, and therefore they abhor their unclean life, and especially because the prediction does not immediately follow the event, but a gap is allowed for the salvation of those who are being saved in the book.

First of all, know that in the last days there will be insolent scolders, walking according to their own lusts and saying: Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers began to die, from the beginning of creation, everything remains the same.

Due to the fact that for the salvation of many, written in the book of the living, the very coming of the Lord does not follow after the words, insolent people attack the faithful with mockery and say: “Where is the promise of His coming”? But due to the fact that, for the above reason, one promise has not yet been fulfilled, it is unfair not to believe the other saving commandments of the Lord, as wicked people desire and covet. This is how the Gnostics of that time talked, namely, the Naasians and the Lamphetians and the Euchites. All of them, he says, do not know; for willingly they close their eyes before the truth. What do they not know? The fact that the heavens, according to the book of Genesis Moses, were from the water, - for, according to him (Gen. 1, 6), God Himself commanded to be solid in the midst of the water, - equally the earth, at His command, appeared from the waters, in which before it was submerged, that since heaven and earth are made of waters, a flood suddenly came, and that as during the flood destruction followed through water, so now everything is to be destroyed through fire, with which the wicked will also perish. The two main elements of the universe: water and fire, from which two more elements receive being: air from evaporating waters, and the earth from thickening waters, evaporation and condensation are produced by fire, which anyone who has a mind will believe, for the nature of fire received such power from the Creator God Himself. So, if there are only two elements, and the first destruction of the wicked was through water, then it is absolutely necessary, he says, that the second destruction of the wicked was accomplished through fire.

Those who think so do not know that in the beginning by the word of God the heavens and the earth were made up of water and water.

“From water” as a material cause, “water” as a perfect cause, for water contains the earth, binding the dust with it and giving it hardness, and if this were not for this, then the earth would turn into dust and air. Another word of mouth, perhaps, will object to us: why did not God, who created the visible world, create it solid from the beginning, from which it is necessary to elevate it to perfection under Noah through the flood, and at the end of the world, as Peter now says, through fire? Let's say this, first of all, that the world cannot be immutable. For how will that which received being through change have immutability (for it is brought into being from non-being, which no prudent one would call non-change)? Since the change for the worse has come to the worst, the Creator of the world, in order to build it to the better, necessarily purified it under Noah by means of water, and at death he will do it by means of fire. And we tend to expose some things to the action of fire, not in order to destroy them, but in order to give them purity and brilliance. Probably no one will doubt this. God promises to do the same at the end of the age by means of fire: he will destroy, for example, plants, cattle, forests, which is superfluous and useless for the future state of people. Thus, creatures not needed for an imperishable life will be destroyed. If so, then it is in vain that those who assert that this visible world was incorruptible from the beginning will be vain. If anyone thought to think in the same way about mental beings, since they too are brought into being from non-being, let him understand that their very simplicity (uncomplicatedness) guarantees their indestructibility and for their closeness, in their very being, to blissful and divine nature.

Therefore, the world of that time perished, being drowned by water.

The world died through heaven and earth. The earth released water from its depths, and the abyss of heaven sent water down to the earth. The minds "perished" not about the whole world, but about only animals, which, as it were, represent the whole world: for the world created without them would not be the world either.

And the present heaven and earth, contained by the same Word, are preserved by fire for the day of judgment and destruction of wicked men.

That there will be destruction of the real world by means of fire is the thought not only of Christians, but also of pagan sages. But another will say: why create the world if it must again turn to corruption? Let us say to such a person that the world will not be completely destroyed, but will be destroyed in order to be renewed, which is why the prophet also says: “You will also renew the face of the earth” (Psalm 103, 30). The sensual creature, by its creation by God, was “very good” (Gen. 1:31), but for the crime of man, this creature itself “submitted to vanity” (Rom. 8:20), that is, it lost the firmness of its being. Then, when during the flood there were few godly people on earth, the world seemed to be restored a second time and received a beginning through Noah and other living creatures preserved in the ark in order to serve as the seed of a new state of the world. Meanwhile, the human race did not improve even then, but went for the worse of the previous one, from which neither the law, given through Moses, nor the coming of the Lord turned it away. So, since the vocation to salvation was diverse, and death from disobedience was many different, then a fiery flood will be necessary, that is, destruction, although not complete, destruction not of souls, but also not of bodies. For all of us must appear before the judgment of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10) not without bodies, with only souls, but together with incorruptible bodies. For how can one soul be punished without a body, when it bears on itself what it has done through the body? For it is not typical for a righteous Judge, when two have sinned in the same thing, to forgive one, and lay the entire burden of guilt on the other. Let's say, secondly, that we, by means of fire, usually cleanse impure things from impurities and restore their lordship. "They are saved for the day of judgment and destruction." “Judgments” are the same as convictions.

This one thing must not be hidden from you, beloved, that the Lord has one day as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord does not hesitate in fulfilling the promise, as some consider it to be slow; but is longsuffering to us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Having concluded the word about the end of the age, that it will certainly be and will be through fire (which we have explained at length), the apostle moved on to the length of the time of the end of the world and says that “the Lord does not hesitate in fulfilling the promise, as some believe it is slow, but is long-suffering”, waiting for our salvation and the fullness of those who have to be saved, and that before Him, endless, no time is long, but that with Him “and a thousand years are like one day”; even, according to David, there are not many days, for he says so: “a thousand years are in your sight, like the day yesterday, when he passed, and like a watchman in the night” (Psalm 89: 5). When he likens a thousand years to a night guard, he means the shortest possible time. And the night is divided into four intervals. So the Lord, according to the Gospel (Matt. 14:25), appeared to His apostles in the fourth watch of the night.

The day of the Lord will come, like a thief at night, and then the heavens will pass away with a noise, the elements, having flared up, will be destroyed, the earth and all the works on it will burn up. If this is how it all collapses, then what should be in a holy life and piety for you, waiting and wanting the coming of the day of God, in which the inflamed heavens will collapse and the elements that have flared up will melt?

To explain the uncertainty and unexpectedness of the coming of the Lord, the apostle compares it with the coming of a thief and night. The night indicates the unknown, and the thief indicates the unexpected; for no one waiting for a thief is robbed. Therefore, the Lord also says that as in the days of Noah there were people addicted to feasts and marriages until the flood overtook them, so the coming of the Lord will overtake the wicked unexpectedly (Matt. 24: 37-39). “Noisy” means with a crackle, and such a crackle usually happens when something is on fire. Take note. The apostle said: "the earth" and "works on it will be burned up", not "people"; therefore, he speaks only of the destruction of the wicked or their deeds of the wicked; for “the way of the wicked shall perish” (Psalm 1: 7), and not the wicked himself.

However, we, according to His promise, expect a new heaven and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, expecting this, strive to appear before Him undefiled and blameless in the world; and consider the longsuffering of our Lord salvation.

The Lord will arrange a new heaven and a new earth, new not in essence and substance; for if someone builds a new house, this does not mean that he is also building it from a substance that did not exist before. No, God once created a substance and formed it into all kinds and compositions, and what was necessary for the local only life, and for the incorruptible there is useless and unnecessary, He will cancel, and what is useful, he will give him a new image with an imperishable and unfading beauty, and will allow to fill another and imperishable world.

Just like our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, he wrote to you how he speaks about this in all the epistles in which there is something incomprehensible that the ignorant and unconfirmed, to their own destruction, turn, like other Scriptures. So you, beloved, being foreshadowed about this, take heed lest you be carried away by the error of the wicked and fall away from your affirmation, but grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory to Him, both now and in the everlasting day. Amen.

Paul wrote about this when he said, “The goodness of God leads you to repentance” (Rom. 2: 4). If the longsuffering of God leads to repentance, and repentance is salvific for us, then it is obvious that the longsuffering of God serves to our own benefit and salvation. Says the "inconceivable" that the wicked preach in a perverted sense, for that means "transform." Let's take one example of all their misinterpretations. The Apostle Paul said: “when sin multiplied, grace abounded” (Rom. 5:20). The perverters gave the words of the Apostle Paul the following meaning: let us sin more so that we may receive more forgiveness. They do it for their own destruction. For as those who killed the prophets and apostles, so also those who misinterpret their speeches, are subject to the same condemnation. As they were killed by those who did not want the benefit and salvation of their disciples, so their speech is perverted by those who do not want anyone to receive salvation through them. He calls faith in the Lord “his affirmation”. Finally, as the first epistle ends with a prayer, so in the second he asks them to grow in the faith of the Lord.

Notes (edit)
1 "There are two fears: one is initial, and the other is perfect, and one is characteristic of beginners, so to speak, to be pious, while the other is (fear) of perfect saints who have achieved a measure of perfect love." A lion. Dorof. Shower floor. lecture and ate., pp. 55, 56. St. Petersburg. 1862.
2 See St. Grigor. Bogosl. Words. 45: Created. Part 4, p. 179.M. 1844.
3 St. Justin. Oper pag. 1592-1593. Paris. 1857. Views: 3 144

The first Epistle of Peter is addressed to believers who experienced various forms of persecution, to those men and women whose faith in Christ made them strangers in the pagan world around them. The Apostle Peter encourages these believers to be patient and set an example for others by their behavior. Practical teachings delivered in a warm, soulful tone make this message a unique source of encouragement for all believers in conflict with the society in which they live.

author

Apostle Peter

The first verse definitely says about him: "Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ." His real name is Simon, but he received another name from Jesus Christ: Cephas (John 1:42). The Greek translation of the Aramaic word Kefas is "petros", which means "stone" or "rock." Jesus Christ, knowing the character of Simon, which will appear in the future, reflected him in this name. It is interesting to note that only one man is called Peter.

Constructed according to all the rules of oratory, using many metaphors, the speech of the author of the message testifies to the fact that it really was written by an outstanding orator and gifted writer. Both the time he worked for the apostle Peter and his inherent abilities undoubtedly enabled him to become a great preacher of the gospel.

Peter was apparently assisted in his work as his secretary by Silas (1 Pet. 5:12). Silas, although he was a member of the Jerusalem Church, was a Roman citizen (Acts 16: 36-37). But, regardless of this, the content of the epistle suggests that it is a personal epistle of Peter, marked with the authoritative tone to which he was entitled.

There is a clear parallel between this epistle and Peter's sermons recorded in.

The epistle had a great influence on the writings of early Christian writers. Polycarp, Clement, Irenaeus and others testify that the early church did not doubt that the letter was written by Peter, they confirm the truth of the words recorded in the first verse: "Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ."

Purpose of writing

This letter can be seen as a special instruction for envoys in a hostile country. The author, knowing that the wave of persecution will grow, tries to teach his brothers how they need to behave in order to glorify the One whom they represent. The purpose of the epistle, then, is to instill courage in Christians in the face of persecution, so that the true grace of Jesus Christ may be seen in them (5:12). This message is a practical instruction from the standpoint of theology, and at the same time it serves the daily consolation of believers. Peter links doctrines specifically with practice.

Jesus took all our sins upon Himself so that we can live better.

This letter refers to Peter's personal experiences with Jesus, as well as his sermons in the book of Acts. Peter confirms that Satan is the main enemy of every Christian, but the promise of Christ's coming gives impetus to hope.

Connections

Knowledge of Old Testament laws and prophets allowed Peter to explain various Old Testament passages in light of the life and work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. At 1 Peter 1:16, he quotes 11:44: “ Be holy for I am holy". But before that, he explains that holiness is achieved not with the help of the law, but by the grace bestowed on all who believe in Christ.

In addition, Peter explains that the “cornerstone” in Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 117: 22 was Christ, who was rejected by the Jews for their disobedience and unbelief. Additional references to mention the sinlessness of Christ (1 Peter 2:22 / Isaiah 53: 9) and call to a holy life by the power of God who gives blessings (1 Peter 3:10:12; Psalms 33: 12-16; 1 Peter 5: 5 ; Proverbs 3:34).

Practical use

The promise of eternal life is given to all Christians. One way to identify with Christ is by participating in His suffering. For us, this means enduring grievances and insults from those who call us "holy men" or "fanatics." These are just small things compared to what Christ endured for us on the cross. Stand on what you know and believe is right, and rejoice when the world seeks to hurt you.

1. Part 3
2. Part 4
3. ... Part 5
4. ... Part 6

Explanatory Bible Interpretation of the First Council Epistle of the Holy Apostle Peter

In the thought of the Apostle Peter himself, the concept of the apostolic ministry is inseparably connected with the analogous ministry of the Old Testament prophets. Blessed Theophylact perfectly notes this feature in the views of St. Peter to the work of the apostleship, saying: "in words, according to the foreknowledge of God, the Apostle wants to show that, except for time, he is no lower than the prophets, who were themselves sent, and that the prophets were sent, Isaiah says about this:" he sent me to preach the gospel to the poor"(). But if he is lower in time, then he is not lower in the foreknowledge of God. In this respect, he declares himself equal to Jeremiah, who, before being formed in the womb, was known and sanctified and appointed as a prophet for the nations (). And as the prophets, along with other things, foreshadowed the coming of Christ (for for this they were sent), then explains the ministry of the apostleship that the work of his apostleship is to separate. For this means the word "sanctification", for example, in the words: "you will be with Me a predominant people, sanctified" (), that is, separated from other nations. So, the work of his apostleship is through spiritual gifts to separate nations that are obedient to the cross and sufferings of Jesus Christ, sprinkled not with the ashes of a young woman, when it is necessary to cleanse the defilement from communion with the pagans, but blood from the sufferings of Jesus Christ. "

The Apostle calls the readers of the epistle (v. 1) "the elect and the strangers of the scattering" ( έκλεκτοίς παρεπιδημοις διασπορας ): the elect - in the sense of a vocation in Christ (by analogy with the election of the Jewish people in the Old Testament), "aliens of the diaspora" - not only in a narrow, literal sense - meaning Christians from the Jews living outside their homeland - Palestine, but also in in a broader, spiritual or figurative sense - in general, Christians who do not have an abiding city on earth (), since human life on earth is generally called wandering and alienation, and a person, according to the biblical view, - wherever he lives, there is a wanderer and a newcomer on earth ; the earth is his temporary residence, and his own fatherland is another world - spiritual, heavenly (cf.;;).

That is why, although the word "dispersion" in the New Testament has a technical meaning, denoting the Jews who lived outside Palestine between the pagans (;), in the same way the word "stranger" (Hebrew ger, toshab) in the Old Testament meant a person who lived outside limits of their fatherland, in a foreign land (;), but the Apostle Peter, in the already indicated improper, spiritual sense, Christians in general, not excluding language Christians (), are called strangers and aliens (), and the time of their life in the world is wandering time (). Thus, the Apostle Peter, imparting the highest, New Testament meaning into the Old Testament figurative expressions, with the words of greeting, means all Christians in general living in the areas listed by the Apostle, due to the fact that they, as Christians, constitute a special people, alien to the world and pagans and having a spiritual, true fatherland in heaven. The areas of residence of Christians listed by the Apostle are all located in Asia Minor. Namely: Pontus is the northeastern province of Asia Minor, which received its name due to its proximity to Pontus, the Euksian or Black Sea; from Pontus came Aquila, a collaborator of the Apostle Paul in the work of evangelism (). Galatia lay to the west of Pontus, it got its name from the Gauls who moved here from Western Europe, here Ap was planted. Paul. Cappadocia was located south of Pontus; Christians of this province, as well as from Pontus, were still at the first Christian Pentecost in Jerusalem (). The name of Asia denotes the so-called Proconsular Asia, which consisted of the provinces of Mysia, Lydia and Caria and embraced the entire western coast of the Asia Minor Peninsula (). Finally, Bithynia occupied the northwestern part of this peninsula ().

After naming the readers of the epistle, the Apostle immediately stops (v. 2) with his reverent thought on the greatness of the Christian vocation. Here he first of all draws the readers' attention to the fact that their choice for salvation has been accomplished. " according to the foreknowledge of God the Father", κατα πρόγνωσιν Θεοΰ Πατρός ... The concept of "foreknowledge" of God, as has already been said, occupies a prominent place in the theology of the Apostle Peter because of the closeness of his worldview to the Old Testament, or because of his special recognition of the organic connection between the two testaments. salvation of Christians indicates the participation of all three persons of the Holy Trinity: if to God the Father he assimilates the "foreknowledge" of salvation, then to the Holy Spirit: "sanctification", ῾εν άγιασμ Πνεύματος , that is, all the various actions of the Holy Spirit to bless the spirit and the whole nature of a Christian, and to Christ the Savior - the very accomplishment of the work of salvation, which has the highest goal: " into obedience and sprinkling of shelter eu "( εις υπακοήν και ραντισμον αίματος ) Jesus Christ. There are two concepts here: "obedience" and " sprinkling with blood»Jesus Christ, and both of them in the view of the Apostle are associated with the Old Testament prototype of the New Testament - the covenant of the blood of Christ (;). The Old Testament event, which typified the New Testament sprinkling of all people entering Christ, was the image or method of using the sacrificial blood during the conclusion of the covenant between God and the Jewish people at Sinai, when the people were sprinkled with blood: “ took moses blood(sacrificial) and sprinkled the people, saying: “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you"(; Cf.). Thus, just as the covenant of God with the Jewish people was made with blood, so the priceless blood of the incarnate Son of God, shed by Him on the cross, laid the foundation for the New Covenant of God with mankind; and just as through the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifice of the Jews the Jewish people entered into the covenant and became the holy people of the covenant, so, of course, to an incomparably higher degree, the sprinkling of the blood of Christ is a grace-filled force for the entry of people into a new covenant with God or into Christ. The above-mentioned narration of the book explains the meaning of another expression of the Apostle: “into obedience. The fact is that Moses sprinkled the sacrificial blood as a sign of his entry into a covenant with God only after, after reading the people "of the books and the Testament" aloud to all the people, the latter made a solemn promise: " everything that the Lord said, we will do and we will be obedient“(And), that is, it was concluded with the sprinkling of the sacrificial blood only under the condition of the obedience of the people to the will of Jehovah, expressed in the book of the Covenant. Likewise, the acceptance and entry of people into the bosom of the Church of Christ is accomplished only under the condition of "obedience," that is, the unconditional readiness of people to accept the entire Christian teaching with an irrevocable determination to fulfill it in life itself.

Having depicted the essence and basis of the salvation of people in Christ, the Apostle sends his readers a prayer of good will: “ grace to you and peace be multiplied"." Grace "- because we are saved free of charge, without bringing anything from ourselves; “Peace” - because, having insulted the Lord, we were in the ranks of His enemies ”(blessed Theophilus).

. Blessed is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by His great mercy has revived us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to the living hope,

. to an inheritance incorruptible, pure, unfading, kept in heaven for you,

. kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

After greeting the readers with the image of the source of Christian salvation, the Apostle is filled with a feeling of deep heartfelt gratitude to God for the redemption of the world and the calling of Christian readers into Christ, and pours out his believing feeling in solemn doxology or doxology, closely reminiscent of the same praise of the other supreme Apostle Paul at the beginning of the Epistle to the Ephesians (Ephesians 1 next). In his glorification to God, Ap. Peter calls God God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, just as Christ Himself called God not only Father, but also his God (), in the same way Ap. Paul often referred to, usually in hymns, God as the Father and God of Jesus Christ (;;;). It is possible that the form of praise was borrowed from its liturgical use in apostolic times (cf.).

The very salvation in Christ is characterized by the Apostle in his doxology in v. 3 from three sides: a) according to its source, it is the work of "great mercy" (το πολύελεος) of God, since the salvation of the sinful world and mankind is exclusively the work of God's love, merciful to man (); b) by its essential nature, it is " rebirth e "(αναγεννήσας), the grace-filled rebirth of people into a new, spiritual and eternal life (cf.;;;); finally, c) according to the final goal, salvation in Christ " leads to hope alive(εις ελπίδ Ζώσαν) resurrected by Jesus Christ from the dead ": a person who is spiritually dead in falling away from God through faith in Christ and in union with Christ is reborn into a new life and receives a firm hope for eternal blessed life, the pledge and foundation of this hope constitutes the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (;). “What does God give? hope, but not that which was through Moses, about the settlement in the land of Canaan, and that was, but the hope is living. Where does it get life from? From the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. For He, as He Himself was resurrected, also gives those who come to Him through faith in Him the power to resurrect ”(Blessed Theophilus). In Art. 4 the very object of the Christian hope is indicated in detail. This item is a "heritage", an inheritance (εις κληρονομίαν), that is, by its resemblance to the promised land of the Old Testament (), - the spiritual blessings of the Kingdom of Christ inherited by Christians (;), especially eternal bliss in heaven (), -called here at Ap. Peter “incorruptible” (άφθαρτον), “imperishable” (άμίαρτον), “unfading” (άμάραντον), that is, the heavenly inheritance expected by Christians is not subject to any corruption and destruction (), pure, holy and perfect, eternally blooming and always an equal to itself “not set aside on earth, as, for example, to the fathers, but in heaven, from which it has the property of eternity, which is why it predominates over the earthly inheritance” (blessed Theophilus).

This heritage, according to the Apostle, is “preserved” (τετηρημένη) in heaven for Christians: the image is taken from earthly treasures kept by parents in a safe place for their children. the petitions of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in His High-Sacred Prayer are preserved, guarded by the power of God (cf.) " through faith to salvation ready to be revealed in recent times". And from the person himself is required constant vigilance about his salvation (), but, due to human weakness, it is the almighty power of God that is needed to protect a Christian from many and various enemies and the dangers of his salvation. This salvation is ready to be revealed in its entirety " lately", ἐν καιρῶ ἐσχάτω , that is, according to the New Testament use of this expression (cf.;;), with the end of the kingdom of grace and the opening of the kingdom of glory, at the second coming of Christ. The expression "ready" gives an idea of ​​the proximity of this end time. “This closeness is understood here, without a doubt, in the same sense as other apostles, that is, that with the first appearance of Christ into the world came the last era of the economy of human salvation, during which one must constantly be ready for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for judgment (see) ”(His Grace Bishop Michael).

. Rejoice in this, having grieved now a little, if necessary, from various temptations,

. so that your tried faith may turn out to be more precious than gold perishing, although tested by fire, to praise and honor and glory in the appearance of Jesus Christ,

. Whom, having not seen, love, and Whom, hitherto not seeing, but believing in Him, rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious,

. finally attaining by your faith the salvation of souls.

. This salvation included the research and research of the prophets who predicted the grace assigned to you,

The high joy of the blessings of the Christian heritage, which fills the hearts of all true Christians, should shed grace-filled consolation in their souls in the face of sorrows and misfortunes that befall them. The high teaching on the beneficial meaning of sorrows in the moral life of Christians. Peter expounds similarly to the Apostle. James (James 1 following), but together with some features corresponding to the personal characteristics of the spiritual experience of the Apostle Peter. Namely, he first of all especially separates insignificance - both in duration and in character - of temporary sorrows and trials with eternal bliss prepared for a Christian in heaven, and then more than Ap. Jacob seeks to revive in the souls of readers personal communication with the Lord Jesus Christ through faith in him and love for him, as a means or path to that bliss. "As a teacher, in his promise, he declares not only joy, but also sorrow, saying:" in the world you will have sorrow“(), So the Apostle added“ little ”to the word of joy. But as it is regrettable, the latter adds "now ..." Or the word "now" should be attributed to joy, since it will be replaced by future joy, not short-term, but long and endless. Or the word “little” should be understood in relation to sorrow, in this very form, if it is necessary now, then to grieve a little from various temptations ... He adds “if it’s good to eat”, teaching that not every faithful, nor every sinner is tested by sorrows, and neither he, neither is left in them forever. The righteous who mourn suffer in order to receive crowns, and sinners suffer the punishment for their sins. Not all righteous people experience sorrow, so that you do not find malice praiseworthy and hate virtue. And not all sinners experience sorrow so that the truth of the resurrection would not be questioned, if everyone here still received their due "(Blessed Theophilus). In Art. 8 The Apostle points to the faith and love of the readers for the Lord Jesus Christ as a new impetus for the complacent enduring of trials, and the apostle expresses this praise in the form of a periphery of the words of Christ's Apostle. Thomas, that blessed are those who, not seeing Christ, believe in Him (). Readers of the Epistle, who have just such faith and love for Christ, should draw strength and support from this for their hope of final salvation. “If, he says, without seeing Him with bodily eyes, love Him by hearing only, then what kind of love will you feel when you see Him, moreover, appearing in glory? If His sufferings have tied you to Him in this way, then what kind of attachment should His manifestation in unbearable splendor produce in you, when the salvation of souls is also given to you as a reward? If you have to appear before him and be rewarded with such glory, then now show the patience corresponding to it and fully achieve the intended goal "(Blessed Theophilus).

. examining to which and at what time the Spirit of Christ, who was in them, pointed, when He foretold the sufferings of Christ and the glory that followed them.

. It was revealed to them that not themselves, but us, served what is now preached to you by those who have preached the gospel by the Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, into which the Angels wish to penetrate.

The greatness and glory of Christian salvation are evident from the fact that it constitutes the great mystery of God, which was long before the implementation of the thorough research and research of the prophets and the reverent penetration into it of the Angels themselves. The prophets investigated (cf.) not only when (τίνα καιρόν), after how many centuries and years the Messiah would come, but also what (ποίον καιρόν) character and spirit, what were the circumstances and relations of that time. The initiative of the prophets in this study consisted in the clarification and detailed distribution of the data of revelation. But the only source of the latter for the prophets was the Spirit of Christ (τό πνευΧρίστου), sent from God the Father into the world by God the Son: “in these words the Apostle Peter reveals the mystery of the Trinity” (blessed Theophilus). The subject of prophetic contemplation and research was the suffering (παθήματα) of Christ the Savior, with which He in due time accomplished the work of saving people, and the subsequent glory (δόξας - plural), in which all believers in Christ are also participants. “With the word about the foresight of the prophets, the Apostle inspires the readers to accept with faith what the prophets foretold to them, because even prudent children do not neglect the works of their fathers. If they (the prophets), who had nothing to use, sought and researched, and, having found, concluded it in books and passed on to us, as it were, some inheritance, then we would be unjust if we began to treat their works with contempt. Therefore, when we also declare this to you, do not despise, and do not leave our gospel in vain. Such a lesson from the foresight of the prophets ”(blessed Theophilus). The highest degree of appreciation of the cause of the salvation of people is represented by the concluding remark of the Apostle in v. 12 that the angels themselves desire and strive to penetrate into the mystery of the salvation of people and the whole world in Christ with all zeal and reverence (cf.;).

. Therefore, [beloved,] having girded the loins of your mind, being awake, trust completely in the grace given to you in the manifestation of Jesus Christ.

. As obedient children, do not conform to the old lusts that were in your ignorance,

. but, following the example of the Holy One who called you, be yourself holy in all your deeds.

. For it is written: be holy, for I am holy.

The contemplation of the heavenly height of the Christian vocation must, first of all, generate from the hearts of believers a firm and perfect hope for the grace of Christ that helps them to salvation, and then must completely regenerate their whole life according to the highest prototype of God the Father: spiritual courage (cf.;), perfect obedience to the Gospel , the complete abandonment of the sinful habits of the pre-Christian life and, conversely, the desire to imitate the holiness of God in accordance with the Old Testament command of God (). “Some madmen say you have to apply to circumstances. But how to give oneself to the will of circumstances lightly, the Apostle commands that they, whether in knowledge or in ignorance, adhere to this hitherto, but henceforth conformed to the One who called them, Who truly is holy, and themselves become holy ”(Blessed Theophilus).

. intended even before the creation of the world, but appeared in the last times for you,

. who believed through Him in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that you may have faith and hope in God.

As a new and strong motivation for a holy life, the Apostle now points to the filial relationship of readers and all Christians to God (v. 17), and then to their redemption with the priceless, pure Blood of Jesus Christ. The filial relationship to God (cf.), however, requires Christians to have a particularly reverent fear of God (cf.). “Scripture distinguishes between two kinds of fear, one is the original, the other is perfect. The initial fear, which is also the main one, is when someone turns to an honest life out of fear of responsibility for their deeds, and the perfect one is when someone, for the perfection of love for a friend, to the point of jealousy for a loved one, is afraid not to to remain indebted to him with nothing that is required by strong love ... By this perfect fear of living, the Apostle Peter convinces those who listen to him, and says: by the inexpressible mercy of the Creator God, you are accepted into the number of His children; therefore, always let this fear be with you, because you became like that because of the love of your Creator, and not because of your deeds ”(blessed Theophilus). The Apostle reinforces the feeling of fear of God in his readers by reminding them that their earthly life is a time of wandering (τής παροιχίας), which is fully consistent with earlier (v. 1) and later () the name of the readers used by the readers as strangers and aliens. Another high motivation for the holiness of life is offered by the Apostle further (vv. 18-19), pointing to the redemption of people from sin, guilt and vain life with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as the immaculate and most pure Lamb (cf.;; see:;), intended as a sacrifice for the world and people in the domir eternity (v. 20, see:) and only by the very act of fulfilling this destiny in the last, that is, the New Testament time. In Art. 21 The Apostle, “having spoken about the death of Christ, added to this the word about the resurrection. For he fears that the converts will not again bow down to unbelief because the sufferings of Christ are humiliating. He also adds that the sacrament of Christ is not new, but from the beginning, before the creation of the world, it was hidden until its proper time ... For all flesh is like grass, and all human glory is like a flower on the grass: the grass is withered, and its color has fallen;

. but the word of the Lord abides forever, and this is the word that has been preached to you.

From the doctrine of the rebirth of Christians by the grace of the Holy Spirit (v. 23, see), the Apostle concludes that the virtue of brotherly love is necessary for all, in its pure form, which is the fulfillment of the basic commandment of Christ the Savior about love, as a distinctive feature of Christians (), abiding in the age ( Wed). The mutual love of Christians for each other should be just as eternal ().