1 Peter 3:15 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

But sanctify the Lord God— Grotius thinks that to sanctify God means here, to give thanks to, or glorify him; that is, in a time of persecution; or as some of the martyrs gave thanks to God when they heard the sentence of condemnation. See Acts 5:41. But in general it may be said, that sanctifying God, is behaving towards him as convinced that he is a holy God, who loves truth and integrity; who will reward the righteous, if they persevere, but punish all such as apostatize. Of the hope that is in you, means, their hope of a resurrection, and happy immortality, for the sake of which, and the glory of God, they were to endure all manner of persecution and evil treatment, and even to sacrifice their lives. For this some would be apt to ridicule them, and others would be curious to know what grounds they had for so surprizing an expectation; especially as they, from such a prospect, exposed themselves to many temporal evils: (Acts 26:6-8.) for this conduct, and that hope which was the foundation of it, they were to be ever ready to give a reason; for every part of Christianity is agreeable to right reason, and therefore capable of a rational apology and just defence. Some would understand the last words, of the heathen magistrates, or other persons who should ask the Christians a reason of the hope that was in them; as if the Christians had not been obliged to answer, but when the Jews or Heathens demanded an account of them with meekness and fear. It seems, however, very unlikely that the heathen magistrates would commonly examine the Christians with so much mildness and respect: and therefore it is more probable that this meekness and fear related to the conduct of Christians in making an apology; or that it was a description of the temper of mind with which they were to apologize, rather than what they were to expect in those to whom they were to make their apology. If any person desired them to assign a reason of the hope that was in them, they were to give one; but in a soft and gentle manner, with meekness, and fear of offending any person; lest they should thereby stir up a persecution against the Christians, or prejudice any against the gospel. Nothing can more become the professors of the simple and meek religion of Jesus, than reverence and modesty towards their superiors, lenity and mildness to all men, and a fear of offending any. As to those who have no reason to assign for their opinions, they will be very apt to fall into a passion, to calumniate such as oppose them, and frequently to manifest an intemperate zeal; but they would do well to remember, that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God; James 1:20.