Bible Studies

---

We continue this verse-by-verse study of 1 Peter 4:1-6 here in Part 2, starting with 1 Pet. 4:6. We will also discuss 1 Pet. 5:10.

(6) For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even [[Verse 6 shows that God had the gospel preached to those who were spiritually dead to get those who will (fully) submit to the gospel (fully) ready to "give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead" (verse 5). Those who submit to the gospel in faith leave spiritual death behind and become part of "the living" of verse 5: they have life in union with the Lord Jesus Christ, being indwelled by the Holy Spirit of life (see the discussion of the words "they may live by the Spirit" below). Those who fully submit to the gospel end up living in full agreement with the will of God (in His truth, righteousness, and holiness), by the enablement of the Holy Spirit. They will, therefore, be fully ready to give account to God. Verse 6 (along with most of 1 Pet. 4:1-6, much of this epistle, and much of the New Testament) shows what is required of Christians (those who submit to the gospel with repentance and faith). It must also be understood that those who reject the gospel and "do not obey the gospel of God" (1 Peter 4:17) will have to give account to God for that foundational sin that shows where their hearts are.

The fact that Peter spoke in terms of the gospel having been preached (using the aorist in the Greek), instead of being preached, undoubtedly includes the ideas that the gospel had been preached to his readers in the past, as in 1 Pet. 1:12, 25 (and to those who rejected disobeyed the gospel; see the next paragraph), and goes with his viewpoint expressed in this epistle that the Lord Jesus was coming very soon; apparently he wasn't thinking in terms of many more people leaving spiritual death behind and becoming Christians.

All the spiritual dead (all mankind) are called to repent and submit to the gospel, but many reject and disobey the gospel (see 1 Pet. 4:17; 2:8; 2 Thess. 1:8, 9; 1 Tim. 2:1-7; 1 John 2:2, for example). 1 Peter 2:8 shows that God isn't surprised when many reject and disobey the gospel. He also isn't surprised by those who submit to the gospel (see 1 Pet. 1:1, 2, for example; cf. Eph. 1:4; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28-30). For one thing, God knows (and foreknew) the hearts of all people. It is important to see that this epistle (along with most of the New Testament) was written for the most part to, and for, the elect, the people who would become Christians. See 1 Pet. 4:1-5, for example.

I'll mention a detail that is not of crucial significance. I prefer a translation without the word "even," with the NEB, but I would interpret this verse the same with, or without, the "even." "The dead" here undoubtedly refers back to "the dead" at the end of verse 5. (For the record, the definite article is not included before the word "dead" in verses 5 or 6 in the Greek.) The NIV has "even" and the KJV and NKJV have "also." "Kai," the word translated "even" by the NASB, is left untranslated in some verses in some English translations. In 1 Pet. 4:19, for example, the NASB translated "kai" "also," but the NIV, KJV, and NKJV left it untranslated.

One factor that confuses the interpretation of this verse is that some believe that the preaching here refers to Christ's supposed preaching to the dead in 1 Peter 3:19. I don't believe 1 Peter 3:19 says anything about such preaching. See my discussion of 1 Pet. 3:18-22 on pages 27-31 of my paper, "More Regarding God's Salvation Plans for the Nations," that is on my internet site (karlkempteachingministries.com). Also, many who do not see any connection to 1 Pet. 3:19 believe that "the dead" of verses 5 and 6 refers to those who are physically dead.

I'll quote three sentences from D. Edmond Hiebert ("First Peter" [Moody Bible Institute, 1984], page 249) that show that 1 Pet. 4:6 has been interpreted many different ways: " '[1 Pet. 4:6] has been described as the most difficult text in the Bible' (J. Howard B. Masterman, 'The First Epistle of S. Peter,' p. 143). Lillie notes that 'perhaps a score [twenty] different interpretations' of it have been proposed. (John Lillie, 'Lectures on the First and Second Epistles of Peter,' p. 269) It would be unprofitable to trace all the confusing and often contradictory views that have been advanced."]] to those who are dead [[or, better yet, "to the dead." In the Greek this is all one word, the adjective for dead in the dative case. The dead here are the spiritually dead, as in 1 Pet. 4:5 (cf., e.g., John 5:25 with 5:28). The gospel always comes (is preached) initially to those who are spiritually dead. All mankind, which is spiritually dead, is called to repent and submit to the gospel. At one time all of Peter's born-again Christian readers (including us) had been spiritually dead, but after hearing the gospel and submitting to it in faith, they were born again; they became part of "the living" spoken of in 4:5.

As the words that follow in this verse demonstrate, Peter is zeroing in on those who had heard the gospel and repented and submitted to the gospel. His words (like 1 Pet. 4:1-3, 5 and so many other verses of this epistle and throughout the New Testament) exhort and warn his Christian readers with the need to live (with the spiritual life of God) by the Spirit, in accordance with the righteous and holy will of God.

We must make it top priority to believe and live in accordance with the truth of God. This in spite of the fact that living for Christ will involve some suffering, as (for one thing) we are judged in accordance with the judgments of people who are spiritually dead. We certainly cannot coast into heaven. Faith is active. We must make God, His Son, His gospel, and His righteousness and holiness top priority, and all the more so because of the very real opposition (the world, the old man, and the devil and his multitudinous hosts). We cannot be passive and coast into heaven.]], that though they are judged [or, condemned] in the flesh as men [[First let's discuss the words "as men." For one thing, these two words come before "in the flesh" in the Greek, and it is probably better to translate in the order of the Greek words. Instead of translating "as men," I would translate "according to [or, in accordance with] men." The Greek preposition "kata," used here with the word for men, is normally translated this way. (This preposition isn't translated "as" anywhere else in the New Testament by the NASB, but it is translated "according to" 140 times and "in accordance with" 12 times.) It is significant that kata is used later in this verse, and it is translated "according to" by the NASB. As we have seen, Peter's original Christian readers were being judged/condemned "in accordance with" the wrong judgments of "men" (their non-Christian opponents). (1 Peter 4:4 shows that they were being maligned by non-Christians; 1 Peter 4:14 speaks of their being reviled for the name of Christ; and there are quite a few similar verses in this epistle.)

Now we'll discuss the words "in the flesh." These three words in English are one word in the Greek, the word for flesh in the dative/instrumental/locative case, as in 1 Pet. 4:1 (twice). Here the translation "in the flesh" would be acceptable, or we could translate "so far as the flesh is concerned," or "in the realm of the flesh." Spiritually dead men (men in the flesh, men without the Spirit) are doing the judging, condemning, maligning, and reviling. The "flesh" here is contrasted with the "Spirit" spoken of later in this verse (as it often is throughout the New Testament), even as "in accordance with (kata) men" is contrasted with "in accordance with (kata) God."]], they may live in the spirit according to the will of God." [[The order of the words in the Greek is preferable to show the symmetry with "though they are judged/condemned in accordance with men in the realm of the flesh": We could translate, "they may live in accordance with God in [or, by] the Spirit."

Let's discuss the verb [Greek "zao"] "they may live." They live by the life of God, through the indwelling Spirit of God as born-again Christians. The BAGD Greek Lexicon says the Greek verb "zao" is used here with the meaning "have eternal life," as in, for example, John 6:51, 58; and 1 John 4:9. They are "the living" of 1 Pet. 4:5, and it is understood that they are living righteous and holy lives (in accordance with God). Their faith and transformed lives were what brought about the judging/condemning of the non-Christians.

We very much need to keep in mind that Peter (and the other writers of the New Testament) doesn't just assume that his Christian readers are all living in the truth, righteousness and holiness of God. As I have pointed out, this passage (I Peter 4:1-6) along with the much of the rest of this epistle and much of the New Testament, exhorts and warns Christians with the need to live as they are called, enabled, and required to live, and all the more so in that the coming of the Lord Jesus and the day of judgment is near. As I demonstrated, the apostle Peter wrote from the point of view that it was very near (1 Pet. 4:7, 17, 18). Peter was apparently thinking in terms of his being the last generation. Apparently WE ARE living in the last generation!

Now we'll discuss the words "according to [or, in accordance with (kata)] the will of God," which come before "in [or, by] the Spirit [the NASB has "spirit

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR