John Calvin Commentary 1 Peter 3:14

"But even if ye should suffer for righteousness` sake, blessed [are ye:] and fear not their fear, neither be troubled;" — 1 Peter 3:14 (ASV)

Therefore, Peter adds, But if you suffer for righteousness’ sake. The meaning is that the faithful will do more toward obtaining a quiet life by kindness than by violence and readiness in taking revenge; but that when they neglect nothing to secure peace, should they suffer, they are still blessed, because they suffer for the sake of righteousness. Indeed, this latter clause differs greatly from the judgment of our flesh; but Christ has not without reason so declared; nor has Peter without reason repeated the sentence from His mouth. For God will eventually come as a deliverer, and then it will openly appear what now seems incredible: that is, that the miseries of the godly have been blessed when endured with patience.

To suffer for righteousness means not only to submit to some loss or disadvantage in defending a good cause, but also to suffer unjustly when anyone is innocently in fear among men on account of the fear of God.

Be not afraid of their terror. He again points out the source and cause of impatience: that we are unduly troubled when the ungodly rise up against us. For such a dread either disheartens us, degrades us, or kindles within us a desire for revenge. In the meantime, we do not trust in the defense of God. Therefore, the best remedy for restraining the turbulent emotions of our minds will be to conquer immoderate terrors by trusting in the aid of God.

But Peter no doubt meant to allude to a passage in the eighth chapter of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:12–17); for when the Jews, against the prohibition of God, sought to fortify themselves by the aid of the Gentile world, God warned His prophet not to fear as they did. Peter, at the same time, seems to have turned “fear” into a different meaning; for it is taken passively by the Prophet, who accused the people of unbelief because, at a time when they should have relied on the aid of God and boldly despised all dangers, they became so overcome and broken down with fear that they sent to all around them for unlawful help.

But Peter takes fear in another sense, as meaning that terror with which the ungodly are accustomed to fill us by their violence and cruel threats. He then departs from the sense in which the word is taken by the Prophet; but in this, there is nothing unreasonable; for his object was not to explain the words of the Prophet. He wished only to show that nothing is better suited to produce patience than what Isaiah prescribes: namely, to ascribe to God His honor by resting in full confidence on His power.

I do not, however, object if anyone prefers to render Peter’s words in this way: Fear you not their fear; as though he had said, “Be you not afraid as the unbelieving, or the children of this world, are accustomed to be, because they understand nothing of God’s providence.” But this, as I think, would be a forced explanation. Indeed, there is no need for us to labor much on this point, since Peter here did not intend to explain every word used by the Prophet, but only referred to this one thing: that the faithful will stand firm, and can never be moved from the right course of duty by any dread or fear, if they will sanctify the Lord.

But this sanctification should be confined to the present case. For why is it that we are overwhelmed with fear and think ourselves lost when danger is impending, except that we ascribe to mortal man more power to injure us than to God to save us? God promises that He will be the guardian of our salvation; the ungodly, on the other hand, attempt to subvert it. Unless God’s promise sustains us, do we not deal unjustly with Him and, in a way, profane Him?

So the Prophet teaches us that we should think honorably of the Lord of hosts; for however much the ungodly may contrive to destroy us, and whatever power they may possess, He alone is more than sufficiently powerful to secure our safety. Peter then adds, in your hearts. For if the conviction that the help promised by the Lord is sufficient for us takes full possession of our minds, we will be well fortified to repel all the fears of unbelief.