English · KJV

Andreas of Caesarea

Late Patristic · AD 500–800 · 414 passages across 10 books

Commentary

81–100 of 414
1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Again Peter expounds Christ’s death and resurrection. Notice how he proclaims the mystery to us. For by saying that he died in the flesh and that he was made alive again in the Spirit, what he is really saying is that he died for the sake of our flesh, which is under the power of corruption, but that he rose again as God, for the word spirit means “God” in this instance.

CATENA

1 Peter 3:21

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

The water of the flood is a type of baptism because it both punished evil people and saved the good, just as baptism expels evil spirits and saves those who turn to Christ. This shows the great power of baptism, and how much we need it.

CATENA

1 Peter 3:22

Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Look how clearly the dispensation of grace is set out for us. Peter recalls Christ’s death and resurrection and then goes on to mention his ascension as well, and the fact that he sits at the right hand of the Father, lest you imagine that when he suffered he lost something of his glory.

CATENA

1 Peter 4:5

Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

Some people say that the soul is living and the body dead, but it is impossible for a soul to come to judgment without its own body. Rather here Peter calls the righteous “living,” because they do the works of the life to come, and the unrighteous he calls “dead,” because they are dead in their transgressions and dead works. But the gospel has been preached to both the righteous and the unrighteous, even to those who are dead in their sins, so that they may judge themselves by casting their vote against themselves.

CATENA

1 Peter 4:6

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Here Peter uses “dead” to refer to the Gentiles, who are dead because of their insurmountable sins and whom he wants to see turn to Christ. Such sinners, after they accept his commandments, judge themselves in the flesh according to their human understanding, by mortifying it in fasting, prostrations, tears and other forms of suffering. They do this in order that they may live in the spirit as God wants them to, being inspired by the word of the apostle Paul, who said: “If our outer man is being destroyed, our inner man is being renewed day by day.”

CATENA

1 Peter 4:10

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

It is not merely that the rich man is obliged to meet the needs of those who are less well off than he is but also that each one of us must use the gifts which we have received either by nature or by the Holy Spirit, so that no one may say that we are keeping these things to ourselves and refusing to share them with our neighbors.

CATENA

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Peter tells us that we have a guide and leader and that if we act according to his instructions, we shall keep ourselves pure and spotless.

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1 Peter 5:10

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

See how the beginning and the end of the epistle are the same. At the beginning Peter said that the Father has mercy on us through the Son and here he once again says that the Father has called us into his eternal glory through Jesus Christ.

CATENA

1 Peter 5:11

To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

It is ultimately the role of the Father and of the Son to proclaim the mystery of faith, because the glory and power belong to them, although they condescend to make use of us and of our preaching.

CATENA

1 Peter 5:13

The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

Peter calls Rome Babylon in a metaphorical sense. The woman who is chosen along with us is the church of Christ established in that city. He also mentions Mark the Evangelist, whom he calls his son in Christ and to whom he entrusted the task of writing the Gospel.

CATENA

2 John 1:1

The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

John is either writing to a church, or else to a particular woman who has ordered her household spiritually, according to the commandments of God. He writes this letter to one of the women who has accepted the proclamation and exhorts her to do two things. The first of these is to walk in love, and the second is to avoid welcoming false teachers. John also tells us that the overall purpose of his letter is to keep her informed until he is able to come to her in person.

CATENA

2 Peter 1:1

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Notice how right from the start Peter encourages the souls of the believers by raising them up to the same spiritual level as that of the apostles. For the grace of baptism is the same in every believer.

CATENA

2 Peter 1:4

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

God has blessed us abundantly—that is the meaning of this passage. We have received thousands of good things as a result of Christ’s coming, and through them we can become partakers of the divine nature and be turned toward life and godliness. Therefore we must behave in such a way as to add virtue to faith, and in virtue walk along the way which leads to godliness until we come to the perfection of all good things, which is love.

CATENA

2 Peter 1:10

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Lest you be judged unmindful of God’s gift, you must stand fast, having a sure calling.

CATENA

2 Peter 1:12

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

Peter repeats what he has already said about virtue and the commandments consequent on it, through which we shall enter the kingdom of heaven with great assurance. Notice how, when speaking of the kingdom of heaven, Peter first goes over the things we should be afraid of and then over the good things, ending up with the judgment seat.

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2 Peter 1:15

Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

The reason why we have to remember these things is that we hope that Christ will soon come back and transform our present life.

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2 Peter 1:18

And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

This was the third time this happened. The first was at Jesus’ baptism, and the second was when the Son cried to the Father: “Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with you before the foundation of the world.” The transfiguration was therefore the third time.

CATENA

2 Peter 1:19

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

The prophets of the New and of the Old Testament spoke in the same Spirit. If it is true that some things were saved to be revealed in the New Testament, it is also true that the prophets of the Old Testament were commanded to be silent about them. For prophets are not what they are merely because of what they say. Their whole being proclaims their calling. Willingly and knowingly they ministered to the word which came to them, for no such word ever came by the will of man. Rather it was conveyed by God to men, and the men who received it ministered to it. Thus even Balaam was commanded to speak what had been given to him, even though he had the power not to say anything if he did not want to. Jonah is another example of the same phenomenon.

CATENA

2 Peter 1:21

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Peter does not say that the prophets interpreted their own sayings. They were not speaking to themselves but serving the Holy Spirit. What is the interpretation of their words if not the works which Christ revealed when he came? So if anyone wants to understand the words of the prophets properly, let him obtain faith in Jesus Christ, through which he will recognize the divine message. John bore witness before we did. Christ came from heaven, enlightening everyone. Likewise he showed that the power to prophesy is of the Holy Spirit, as did the apostle Paul when he said: “To another [the gift of] prophecy, etc.” So the one who prophesies is undoubtedly speaking with a tongue inspired by the Holy Spirit.

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2 Peter 2:1

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Peter says this so that people will not just listen to everyone who claims to be a prophet, without discerning whether they really are or not. He tells them to be careful not to listen to false prophets instead of the true ones.

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