Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Peter 4:11

"if any man speaketh, [speaking] as it were oracles of God; is any man ministereth, [ministering] as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen." — 1 Peter 4:11 (ASV)

Hospitality is not a one-way virtue; all believers are in some way capable of ministering to others. Every Christian has a gift (Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:12–31) that he or she has received from God, presumably from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at the time of regeneration. That the Holy Spirit can take “natural” talents and abilities and redirect them for Christ was most dramatically shown in Paul’s ministry. Believers should not only view themselves as gifted but also as “serving” (GK 1354) others and as “administering” (GK 3313) the grace of God. One of the long-standing misconceptions in church practice is the idea that only one person is to “minister” in the local church. The biblical principle is that all can and should minister in various ways.

Peter puts these manifestations of grace in two broad categories: “speaking” (GK 3281) and “serving” (GK 1354). The former covers all forms of oral service —teaching, preaching, prophecy, perhaps even tongues. “The very words [GK 3359] of God” are utterances from God’s mouth. So what one says must be as God says it (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). As for service, it is to be empowered “with the strength God provides,” which means by dependence on God’s help by the Spirit (cf. Ephesians 3:16). The purpose of mutual Christian service is that through Jesus Christ God will be glorified. Serving fellow Christians does glorify God because people will praise him for his grace that comes to them through Jesus and through his followers.

Peter adds a doxology—something that is not uncommon in Christian letters at various places besides the end (cf. Romans 11:33–36; Ephesians 3:20–21). God possesses all glory (cf. Isaiah 6:1ff.) and all power (cf. Isaiah 46:9–10). The “Amen” signifies assent—“So it is!”