Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: (11) Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. (12) Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
Reader! pray observe, what an honorable testimony the Holy Ghost here gives to the Prophets, for their diligent search and enquiries after Christ and his salvation. And yet still more observe, how, and by what means, they were enabled so to do; namely, by the Spirit of Christ which was in them. Oh! the preciousness of this testimony of God the Holy Ghost, to the Godhead of Christ! We can never be sufficiently thankful to the Lord the Spirit, for such tokens of his love, By his servant Peter, in this most blessed passage, and by a similar one in the third Chapter of this same Epistle, we have a double testimony of Christ's personal ministry, in those first ages of the Church. Here, it is said, that when the Prophets were searching, and enquiring diligently, concerning the grace that should come unto the Church, in the latter day dispensation; the Spirit of Christ was in them. And there, it is said (1 Peter 3:19-20), that it was His Spirit which went and preached unto the spirits in prison, in the days of Noah. From both which passages nothing can be more plain, than that it was Christ, both in the Prophets, and in Noah, which wrought in the acts of those ministries. Christ's Spirit in the Prophets, and in Noah. And as Stephen, when full of the Holy Ghost, explained in like manner, of the ministry of Moses. This is He (said Stephen speaking of Christ) that was in the Church in the wilderness, with the angel which spoke to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers who received the lively oracles to give unto us, Acts 7:55-56; Acts 7:55-56. Reader! in the view of such palpable testimonies to the Godhead, and glory of the Son of God, are you astonished at that is going on around you, in marking the signs of the times, in the present Christ - despising generation? So am not I. By this same Apostle, the Holy Ghost foretold the Church to expect it. 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, 2 Peter 2:1 etc. And, by another Apostle, the Holy Ghost hath taught the Church how to explain the cause. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation. Mark, that Jude 1:4 there needs no Comment.
Let the Reader further observe, on this passage of Peter, that the Spirit of Christ by the Prophets, marked out two great volumes in the history of Christ, by which his Person and Offices should be known; namely, his sufferings, and the glory that should follow. On these, in proof, I need not dwell; for the Old Testament in predicting, and the New Testament in recording, their accomplishment, are full in testimony. But I pray the Reader to notice, with particular attention, what is added, in proof of the Lord's mercy over his Church, that the ministry of those holy men, with all their diligence and earnestness, was not unto themselves, but unto us. Not that they themselves were altogether ignorant of the Person of Christ, and of both his sufferings and glory: For all that died in faith, saw, with less or more clear view, the day of Christ, with Abraham afar rejoiced, and were glad. But they had a revelation, that to us they ministered, meaning, the accomplishment would be in the fulness of time. And the Gospel is therefore said to be preached, with the Holy Ghost, sent down from heaven; meaning, that the Lord the Spirit presides over his Church and ministry, and when he is pleased to bless his word to the people, he speaks to them by his inward grace, while their ears are engaged, in attending the outward word, as it is said, Acts 10:44. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. Concerning the desire of Angels for information, and their ministry, I have already dwelt on this subject, Hebrews 2:17, to which I refer.