Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Peter 1:12

"To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angel desire to look into." — 1 Peter 1:12 (ASV)

Unto whom it was revealed. They were not permitted to know fully the import of the predictions they were made instruments to communicate to humankind, but they understood that these predictions were intended for the benefit of future ages. That not unto themselves. We are not to suppose that they derived no benefit from their own predictions; for, as far as they understood the truth, it was as much suited to sanctify and comfort them as it is us now. But the meaning is that their messages had reference mainly to future times, and that the full benefit of them would be experienced only in distant ages (see the commentary on Hebrews 11:39-40).

Unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you. This means not to us by name, but their ministrations had reference to the times of the Messiah. Those to whom Peter wrote, in common with all Christians, were those who were to enjoy the fruits of the communications which the prophets made. The word reported means announced, or made known. By them that have preached the gospel unto you. This refers to the apostles, who have made known to you, in their true sense, the things which the prophets predicted, the meaning of which the prophets themselves were so eager to understand.

With the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. This means accompanied by the influences of the Holy Ghost, bearing those truths to the heart and confirming them to the soul. It was the same Spirit who inspired the prophets, who conveyed those truths to the souls of the early Christians, and who discloses them to true believers in every age (Acts 2:4; Acts 10:44–45).

Peter’s object in referring this way to the prophets, and to the interest they took in the things which those to whom he wrote now enjoyed, seems to have been to impress on them a deep sense of the value of the gospel and of the great privileges they enjoyed.

They were reaping the benefit of all the labors of the prophets. They were permitted to see truth clearly, which the prophets themselves saw only obscurely. In many respects, they were more favored than even those holy men had been.

It was for them that the prophets had spoken the word of the Lord. It was for them and their salvation that a long line of the most holy men the world had ever seen had lived, toiled, and suffered. And while the prophets themselves had not been allowed to understand the full meaning of their own predictions, the most humble believer was permitted to see what the most distinguished prophet never saw .

Which things the angels desire to look into. The object of this reference to the angels is the same as that to the prophets. It is to impress on Christians a sense of the value of the gospel they had received and to show them the greatness of their privileges in being made partakers of it.

It had excited the deepest interest among the most holy men on earth and even among the inhabitants of the skies. Christians were enjoying the full revelation of what even the angels had desired more fully to understand, and to comprehend which the angels had employed their great powers of investigation.

The things to which this refers, eis ha—unto which—are those that the prophets were so eager to understand: the great truths respecting the sufferings of Christ, the glory that would follow, and the nature and effects of the gospel. In all the events pertaining to the redemption of a world, the angels felt a deep interest.

The word translated “to look” (parakypsai) is rendered stooping down and stooped down in Luke 24:12 and John 20:5, 11; looketh in James 1:25; and look in the passage before us. It does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It properly means to stoop down near anything, to bend forward near something to look at it more closely (Robinson, Lexicon).

It would denote that state where one, who was previously at such a great distance that he could not clearly see an object, would draw nearer, stooping down to observe it more distinctly. It is possible, as Grotius supposes, that there may be an allusion here to the posture of the cherubim over the mercy seat, represented as looking down with an intense gaze, as if to behold what was in the ark. But it is not necessary to suppose this is the allusion, nor is it absolutely certain that that was the posture of the cherubim (see the commentary on Hebrews 9:5).

All that is necessarily implied in the language is that the angels had an intense desire to look into these things; that they contemplated them with interest and fixed attention, like one who comes near to an object and looks narrowly upon it. In illustration of this sentiment, we may make the following suggestions:

1. The angels, doubtless, desire to look into all the manifestations of the character of God, wherever those manifestations are made.

   1. It is not unreasonable to suppose that, to a great degree, they acquire the knowledge of God as all other creatures do. They are not omniscient and cannot be supposed to comprehend at a glance all His works.

   2. They doubtless employ their faculties, substantially as we do, in the investigation of truth; that is, from things known they seek to learn those that are unknown.

   3. It is not unreasonable to suppose that there are many things regarding the Divine character and plans that they do not yet understand. They undoubtedly know much more than we do, but there are plans and purposes of God that are not yet made known to any of His creatures. No one can doubt that these plans and purposes must be the object of the attentive study of all holy created minds.

   4. They doubtless feel a great interest in the welfare of other beings—of their fellow creatures, wherever they are. There is in the universe one great brotherhood, embracing all the creatures of God.

   5. They cannot but feel a deep interest in man—a fallen creature, tempted, suffering, dying, and exposed to eternal death. This they have shown in every period of the world’s history (see the commentary on Hebrews 1:14).

2. It is probable that in each one of the worlds which God has made, there is some peculiar manifestation of His glory and character, something not to be found at all in any other world, or, if found, not in such great perfection. It is also probable that the angels would feel a deep interest in all these manifestations and would desire to look into them.

   1. This is probable from the nature of the case and from the variety we see in the form, size, movements, and glory of the heavenly orbs. There is no reason to suppose that on any one of those worlds all the glory of the Divine character would be manifest that He intends to make known to the universe.

   2. This is probable from what we can now see of the worlds that He has made. We as yet know comparatively little of the heavenly bodies and of the manifestations of the Deity. Yet, as far as we can see, there must be far more striking exhibitions of the power, wisdom, and glory of God in many of those worlds that roll above us than there are on our earth.

      On the body of the sun—on the planets Jupiter and Saturn, so vast in comparison with the earth—there must be far more impressive exhibitions of the glory of the Creator than there are on our little planet. Saturn, for example,Isaiah 82,000 miles in diameter, 1,100 times as large as our earth; it moves at the rate of 22,000 miles an hour; it is encircled by two magnificent rings, 5,000 miles apart, the innermost of which is 21,000 miles from the body of the planet and 22,000 miles in breadth, forming a vast illuminated arch with brightness far exceeding that of our moon, and giving a most beautiful spectacle to the heavens there. It is also doubtless true of all that God has made, that in each one of them there may be some peculiar manifestation of the glory of the Deity.

   3. The universe, therefore, seems designed to give eternal employment to mind in contemplating it; and, in the worlds that God has made, there is enough to employ the study of His creatures forever. On our own world, the most diligent and pious student of the works of God might spend many thousand years and then leave much, very much, that he did not comprehend. It may yet be the eternal employment of holy minds to range from world to world, and in each new world to find much to study and to admire—much that shall proclaim the wisdom, power, love, and goodness of God, that had not elsewhere been seen.

   4. Our world, therefore, though small, a mere speck in creation, may have something to manifest the glory of the Creator that may not exist in any other. It cannot be its magnitude, for in that respect, it is among the smallest that God has made. It may not be the height and majesty of our mountains, or the length and beauty of our rivers, or the fragrance of our flowers, or the clearness of our sky; for in these respects, there may be much more to admire in other worlds. It is the exhibition of the character of God in the work of redemption, the illustration of the way in which a sinner may be forgiven, the manifestation of the Deity as incarnate, permanently assuming a union with one of His own creatures.

      This, as far as we know, is seen in no other part of the universe; and this is honor enough for one world. To see this, the angels may be attracted down to earth. When they come, they come not to contemplate our works of art, our painting and sculpture, or to read our books of science or poetry. They come to gather around the cross, to minister to the Savior, to attend on His steps while living, and to watch over His body when dead; to witness His resurrection and ascension, and to bless with their offices of kindness those whom He died to redeem (Hebrews 1:4).

3. What, then, is there in our world that we may suppose would attract their attention? What is there that they would not see in other worlds? I answer that the manifestation of the Divine character in the plan of redemption is what would peculiarly attract their attention here and lead them from heaven down to earth.

   1. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God would be to them an object of the deepest interest. This, as far as we know or have reason to suppose, has occurred nowhere else. There is no evidence that in any other world God has taken upon Himself the form of one of His own creatures dwelling there, and stooped to live and act like one of them, to mingle with them, to share their feelings, and to submit to toil, want, and sacrifice for their welfare.

   2. The fact that the guilty could be pardoned would attract their attention, for:

      • It is elsewhere unknown, as no inhabitant of heaven has the need of pardon, and no offer of pardon has been made to a rebel angel.

      • There are great and difficult questions about the whole subject of forgiveness, which an angel could easily see but could not so easily solve. How could it be done consistently with the justice and truth of God? How could He forgive and yet maintain the honor of His own law and the stability of His own throne? There is no more difficult subject in a human administration than that of pardon, and there is none that so much perplexes those who are entrusted with executive power.

   3. The way in which pardon has been shown to the guilty here would excite their deep attention. It has been in a manner entirely consistent with justice and truth, showing, through the great sacrifice made on the cross, that the attributes of justice and mercy may both be exercised; that while God may pardon to any extent, He does it in no instance at the expense of justice and truth.

      This blending of the attributes of the Almighty in beautiful harmony, this manifesting of mercy to the guilty and the lost, this raising up a fallen and rebellious race to the favor and friendship of God, and this opening before a dying creature the hope of immortality—this was what could be seen by the angels nowhere else. Hence, it is no wonder that they hasten with such interest to our world to learn the mysteries of redeeming love.

      Every step in the process of recovering a sinner must be new to them, for it is unseen elsewhere. The whole work—the atonement, the pardon and renovation of the sinner, the conflict of the child of God with his spiritual foes, the supports of religion in the time of sickness and temptation, the deathbed, the sleep in the tomb, the separate flight of the soul to its final abode, the resurrection of the body, and the solemn scenes of the judgment—all must open new fields of thought to an angelic mind and attract the heavenly inhabitants to our world to learn here what they cannot learn in their own abodes, however otherwise bright, where sin, suffering, death, and redemption are unknown.

In view of these truths we may add:

1. The work of redemption is worthy of the study of the most profound minds. Higher talent than any earthly talent has been employed in studying it, for to the most exalted intellects of heaven, it has been a theme of the deepest interest. No mind on earth is too exalted to be engaged in this study; no intellect here is so profound that it would not find in this study a range of inquiry worthy of itself.

2. This is a study that is peculiarly appropriate to man. The angels have no other interest in it than that which arises from a desire to know God and from a benevolent regard for the welfare of others; we have a personal interest in it of the highest kind. It pertains primarily to us. The plan was formed for us. Our eternal all depends upon it. The angels would be safe and happy if they did not fully understand it; if we do not understand it, we are lost forever. It has claims to their attention as a wonderful exhibition of the character and purposes of God, and as they are interested in the welfare of others; it claims our attention because our eternal welfare depends on our accepting the offer of mercy made through a Savior’s blood.

3. How amazing, then, how wonderful, is the indifference of man to this glorious work! How wonderful that he cannot be induced, either as a matter of speculation or of personal concern, to look into these things! “How wonderful that all other subjects engross his attention and excite inquiry, but that for this he feels no concern, and that here he finds nothing to interest him!” It is not unreasonable to suppose that amidst all the other topics of wonder in this plan as seen by angels, this is not the least—that man by nature takes no interest in it; that in so stupendous a work, performed in his own world, he feels no concern; that he is unmoved when he is told that even God became incarnate and appeared on the earth where he himself dwells; and that, busy and interested as he is in other things, often of a most trifling nature, he has no concern for that on which his own eternal happiness is suspended. If heaven was held in mute astonishment when the Son of God left the courts of glory to be poor, to be persecuted, to bleed, to die, no less must be the astonishment when, from those lofty heights, the angelic hosts look down upon a race unconcerned amidst wonders such as those of the incarnation and the atonement!