Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Peter 2:12

"having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." — 1 Peter 2:12 (ASV)

Instead, Christians are to have a “noble lifestyle” among the pagans. The purposes of the godly life of Christians are twofold. (1) As the pagans take careful notice of our good works, they will not slander us. (2) In the future they will glorify God. What kind of charges did non-Christians make in Peter’s time? Some of the more common were disloyalty to the state or Caesar , upsetting trade or divination (Acts 16:16ff.; 19:23ff.), teaching that slaves are “free” (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:13; Galatians 3:20), not participating in festivals because of “hatred of mankind” (cf. Colossians 2:16), holding “antisocial” values, and being “atheists” because they had no idols (cf. Acts 15:29).

The meaning of “on the day he visits us” is problematic. Does Peter mean “on the return of the Lord” or “on God’s gracious visitation of salvation that may come to the non-Christian?” In favor of the latter is the word “see” (GK 2227), which suggests that the pagans will continuously observe the good works and perhaps God will grant them repentance unto life.