“Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”
Download discussion questions: 1 Peter 1:4b-13
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I encourage you to look at the passage in 1 Peter before you read this Blog entry. What do you see in the text yourself? What questions come to your mind? How would you interpret what the writer says? After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.
Using a single translation in a group Bible study has a benefit and a limitation. One translation shared by all (as on a prepared handout) makes it easy to focus on the wording of the text and think together about the meaning. A common starting point avoids the distraction of differences in wording among various versions.
That benefit is also a limitation. Comparing translations can be a distraction (or even a competition). But comparing translations can provide insight by provoking questions.
Distractions?
After spending some time in the text individually, our discussion began with multiple “distractions:”
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- The handout for this week used the New International Version (NIV)[1] from the 2011 edition, while one of our members prefers the 1984 translation. He pointed out a noticeable difference in the wording of verse 7.
- Another person raised a question, also about verse 7, regarding the phrase “may result in praise, glory and honor,” wondering if this was some sort of condition. Someone else commented that their New Living Translation (NLT) says “will bring you much praise and glory and honor,” seeming to eliminate any possible doubt. Is the promise of “praise, glory and honor” certain or contingent?
- The comment from the NLT raised another puzzle, “will bring you….” Who gets the praise, glory and honor? Is it Christ (named at the end of the verse)? Is it God the Father from verse 3. Or is it Peter’s audience of believers?
As often happens, these “distractions” opened up questions that we might have missed without some translation variety.
Same Book, Different Years?
First, consider the two NIV translations.
These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though tested by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV 1984, cf. KJV, NLT)
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV 2011; cf. ESV, NASB, NET)
One part of the verse raises a question:
These have come so that your faith … may be proved genuine and may result …. (1984)
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith …may result …. (2011)
What results in praise, glory and honor? Is it faith that is proved genuine (NIV 1984), OR is it the genuineness itself, the proof of faith (NIV 2011). Clearly, this is a fine distinction, and the focus is on the praise, glory and honor. The question is about the cause: proven faith or the proof of faith.
Logically and grammatically the 2011 translation is preferable. Logically, as James made clear in his letter, evidence of faith is critical.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works [visible evidence – mw] is dead. (James 2:26)
The pastor writing to the congregation in Hebrews has stern warnings, but he recognizes the evidence of those who have authentic faith:
But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. (Hebrews 6:9-10)
Faith is intangible, but evidence is undeniable. Peter encourages perseverance as proof that is visible to all. Perseverance through “various trials” (v. 6, cf. James 1:2, using the same language) is the proof that results in praise, glory and honor.
Grammar also points to “proof” as the source. The form of the adjective “more precious” connects grammatically[2] with the noun “tested genuineness” or “proof”
The emphasis here is not on faith itself so much as on the nature of the faith that results from such trials. It is that tested and proven character (δοκίμιον) of faith which is more precious (πολυτιμότερον) than gold and which brings approval from God at the last judgment.[3]
In the pithy challenge of James,
show me your faith without the works,
and I will show you my faith by my works [evidence – mw]. (James 2:18)
May or Will?
Why do most English translations use the word “may” or “might” in verse 7[4]? Is there some uncertainty? Are the “praise, glory and honor” conditional, requiring something in addition to the proven genuineness of faith? But then why do some other versions use “will” instead of “may” as if there is no doubt?
If Peter’s use of “may” is intended to indicate a further condition, the natural question is, “What is the condition?” But the context contains no such condition. As our group discussed previously, the context is about the past (what God has already done) and the future (what we can anticipate) as encouragement for the present difficulties. The context is consistently positive and encouraging. We would expect Peter to be very clear if there was a further condition.
Once again, grammar clarifies. Peter is describing how trials have a purpose, a desired future result: the praise, glory and honor. Faith and theology affirm that the purpose is sure, that the future result is certain. However, the rules of grammar require that a future purpose or result is expressed as probable.[5] Usually when the text has words like “so that” or “in order that”[6] the writer’s intention is to describe a purpose or an expected result. Consequently, “may” or “might” language is used (cf. 1 Peter 2:2, 12, 21, 24; 3:1, 9, 16, 18; 4:6, 11, 13; 5:6).
Faith and theology benefit from detailed grammatical study, but they are not limited by it. This “probable” language is not unusual in the New Testament. There are familiar examples that demonstrate that grammatical probability is not inconsistent with theological certainty. Consider what must be the most common example:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(John 3:16, KJV, ESV; emphasis added)
Few, if any, believers would read this with a lack of certainty, as if they should not perish (but they might). Rather, the translators were faithfully following the grammar of the text, describing a future result that has not happened yet. The grammar of “should not perish” is the same as in 1 Peter 1:7, “may result.”[7]
Since the grammar of English is not as structured as first-century Greek, other translators have legitimately overruled the strict grammar. Those translations allow the overall Biblical theology to clarify the writer’s intention, such as:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (NASB1995; cf. NIV – both 1984 and 2011)
Likewise, in 1 Peter 1:7, several translations and paraphrases (NIRV, NLV, NLT, etc.)[8] use “will” instead of “may” to clarify the certainty of the result of God’s purpose in trials. Grammar acknowledges that human purposes have only probable results. As one writer clarifies, God’s purposes supersede grammar. Commenting on the Greek word for “in order that,”
Not only is [hina] used for result in the NT, but also for purpose–result. That is, it indicates both the intention and its sure accomplishment.”[9]
The grammatical “may” in verse 7 does not imply any uncertainty in the “praise, glory and honor” we can eagerly anticipate.
Praise, Glory and Honor to …?
The New Living Translation (NLT) raised the third question about verse 7. Most English versions[10] agree with the NIV used in the handout this week.
may result in praise, glory and honor (NIV)
may be found to praise, honor, and glory (NKJV)
may be found to result in praise and glory and honor (ESV, NASB1995)
But some versions insert an explicit recipient.
will bring you much praise and glory and honor (NLT, TLB; emphasis added)
That group of versions includes Greek scholar William D. Mounce:[11]
may be found to your praise and glory and honor (MOUNCE)
So then, who is the beneficiary of that “praise, glory and honor”? Praise and glory and honor are typically directed from worshippers to God. Why do at least a few translations or paraphrases suggest that believers, Peter’s audience then and now, are the objects? Do we resist that idea because it seems inconsistent with humility?
This is an example of the fine distinction between translation and interpretation. The text does not specify who the praise and glory and honor are directed to. There is no indirect object “you” in the text. But the context of the passage seems to center on the benefits to believers.
Our group considered that Peter’s ambiguity is likely intentional, including multiple possibilities.
He does not specify whether this praise is the praise which God gives to his people on the last day (as in Rom. 2:29; 1 Cor. 4:5; 1 Peter 5:4), or the praise which people give to God. It seems more likely that the initial thought is of praise which God gives to his people, since in this context Peter is encouraging his readers to hope in their heavenly reward (v. 4).[12]
Someone mentioned the passage in Revelation 4:8-11. It’s worth quoting here for its powerful image.
8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
In an amazing picture of eternity, believers (the elders) join unimaginable supernatural creatures in worship (“with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven”[13] in the Book of Common Prayer). The believers’ response is to “cast their crowns” (symbols of praise, honor and glory) back to God, returning His shared glory. (Notice that no crowns are mentioned for angels in this passage. Perhaps Peter is describing an honor especially reserved for those created in God’s image, capable of receiving and returning His glory.)
Our hope and perseverance are based on the work of the Triune God, His mercy and protection and our inheritance (v. 2-5). Our faithful perseverance through trials testifies to His faithfulness to us.
For of course, our tested faith does not earn the glory that will be given to us. We receive glory as we share in Christ’s glory. Indeed, it is not even certain that Peter is speaking of the praise, glory and honour we receive. He may be referring to the praise God receives from our proven faith.[14]
Peter joins our glory to the glory of God, our glory reflecting His glory, and His glory resulting at least in part from the proven faith He enables in us. Perhaps those aspects of glory will ultimately be inseparable.
Now we appear only as foreigners in the world (v. 1), all the praise, glory and honor are still unseen…. A complete revelation shall take place at the last day. When Christ shall be revealed to the whole earthly universe, our heavenly salvation shall also be revealed. This double revelation is one that shall take place before the universe, no less. No wonder Christians jubilate and exult.[15]
Peter’s main point takes us past the “distractions” of grammar and translations to that jubilation and exultation in God’s ultimate purpose for us.
Jubilate and Exult
We spent considerable time talking about the potential difficulties in the passage, differences in translations or puzzling wording. But we did get to the unmistakable theme of the passage.
The passage repeatedly refers to the past and to the future. Peter calls believers to recall what God has done in the past (the previous passage in verses 1-4), anticipating what is yet to be revealed (v. 5, 7, 13). He points to ancient prophets who also required revelation (v. 12a) to understand what God was doing. Even angels don’t have the full picture (v. 12b).
Much of our discouragement and our struggles in trials result from tunnel vision. We see the suffering, and it often fills our whole field of vision. Peter repeatedly reminds his readers that there is much more to see, both in the past work of God and in the future to be revealed. Clearly, along with prophets and angels, we don’t have the whole picture. Letting distress dominate our thinking is a distortion.
We talked about soul care as essential for helping each other remember Peter’s emphasis. The context of the letter is believers experiencing difficulties and suffering. Enduring those hardships depends on remembering the past and the future. God has already done amazing things for us by providing an indestructible inheritance. As an inheritance, the full benefit is in the future. The praise and glory and honor hint at the wonder and the beauty of our salvation. Our hope now is in that future grace to be fully displayed when Jesus is revealed in His glory.
Perspectives on Suffering
One person pointed to the different emphases of Paul, James and Peter on the topic of suffering.
Paul and James encourage their readers with the positive, present effect of trials.
we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope
(Romans 5:3-4)
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
(James 1:3-4)
Peter offers a different perspective. He looks to the ultimate result: praise, glory and honor – the culmination of the hope promised by Paul, the experience of the perfect and complete fulfillment expressed by James.
Our response to trials should be informed by all these perspectives.
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- Like athletes in training (Hebrews 12:3-11), strenuous testing builds endurance. Seeing God’s provision through today’s trial builds persevering trust for whatever tomorrow brings.
- We look forward to eternally experiencing “praise, glory and honor” and joyfully radiating glory back to God. That anticipation enables our endurance.
“Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”[16]
[1] Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture text from various versions is from Bible Gateway.
https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/1%20Peter%201%3A7
[2] Both are nominative neuter singular; “faith” (πίστεως, pisteōs) is genitive feminine.
“proof” ( δοκίμιον, dokimion) is the subject of the sentence, “of faith” (πίστεως pisteōs) describes what genuineness Peter means.
[3] Paul J. Achtemeier, 1 Peter, Hermeneia – A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996), 102.
[4] Forty-four of the sixty-three translations on Bible Gateway (as of December 4, 2024).
https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/1%20Peter%201%3A7
[5] “The subjunctive is the mood of mild contingency; the mood of probability.”
H.E.Dana and Julius R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (Toronto: The MacMillan Company, 1927), 170, original emphasis.
The subjunctive mood “expresses action which is not really taking place but which is objectively possible.”
Ray Summers, Essentials of New Testament Greek (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1950), 107.
[6] Translating ἵνα (hina); used over 600 times in the New Testament.
https://www.billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/hina
[7] εὑρεθῇ and ἀπόληται, both aorist subjunctive.
[8] https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/1%20Peter%201%3A7
[9] Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 473, original emphasis.
[10] https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/1%20Peter%201%3A7
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_D._Mounce
[12] Wayne Grudem, 1 Peter, The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 1988), 64.
[13] John E. Booty, ed., The Book of Common Prayer 1559: The Elizabethan Prayer Book (Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia Press, 1976), 262.
[14] Edmund Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 53, emphasis added.
[15] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of Peter, the three Epistles of John, and the Epistle of Jude (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1966), 40.
[16] Great is Thy Faithfulness, verse 3.
https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/19