1 Peter 4:2 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Bible Comments

That he no longer. — The Greek admits at least equally of the translation, That ye no longer, Thus, this second verse will attach itself, not to the clause “that he that hath suffered,” but to the clause “arm yourselves.” And unless this be understood, we become involved in the difficulty that whereas, up to this very point, St. Peter has been urging the future martyrs, by the example of Christ, to face the death of the body bravely, he would now be sliding confusedly into treating of the baptismal death to sin, and indeed actually saying that a martyr’s death was a step to leading the rest of the life on earth becomingly! But if we attach 1 Peter 4:2 to the clause “arm yourselves,” it runs, without any confusion, thus: “As Christ suffered to the flesh without shrinking, take for your protection and support the same thought which proved. a protection and support to Him — viz., that to be rid of sin for ever was the greatest of all possible blessings, and that this is only attainable through the bodily death; and the result of embracing this thought will be, that for the rest of your lives on earth (so soon, perhaps, to be cut violently short.) you may no longer live to men’s lusts, but to God’s will.”

1 Peter 4:2

2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.