John Calvin 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)

If any man speak—As he has spoken of the right and faithful use of gifts, he specifies two things as examples, and he has chosen those which are the most excellent or the most renowned. The office of teaching in the Church is a remarkable instance of God’s favor. He then expressly commands those called to this office to act faithfully, though he does not speak here only of what we owe to men, but also of what we owe to God, so that we may not deprive Him of His glory.

He who speaks, then, that is, who is rightly appointed by public authority, let him speak as the oracles of God; that is, let him reverently, in God’s fear and in sincerity, perform the charge committed to him, regarding himself as engaged in God’s work and as ministering God’s word, not his own. For he still refers to the doctrine that when we share anything with the brethren, we minister to them by God’s command what He has given to us for that purpose. And truly, if all those who profess to be teachers in the Church were to duly consider this one thing, there would be in them much more fidelity and devotedness. For how great a thing it is that in teaching the oracles of God, they are representatives of Christ! Hence, then, comes so much carelessness and rashness, because the sacred majesty of God’s word is kept in mind by only a few; and so they indulge themselves as in a worldly stewardship.

Meanwhile, we learn from these words of Peter that it is not lawful for those engaged in teaching to do anything other than faithfully deliver to others, as from hand to hand, the doctrine received from God. For He forbids anyone to go forth unless he is instructed in God’s word and proclaims infallible oracles, as it were, from His mouth.

He, therefore, leaves no room for human inventions, for He briefly defines the doctrine which should be taught in the Church. Nor is the particle of similitude introduced here for the purpose of modifying the sentence, as if it were sufficient to profess that it is God’s word that is taught.

This was, indeed, commonly the case in the past with false prophets; and we see today how arrogantly the Pope and his followers cover all their impious traditions with this pretense. But Peter did not intend to teach pastors such hypocrisy as this—to pretend that they had from God whatever doctrine it pleased them to announce—but he took an argument from the subject itself, that he might exhort them to sobriety and meekness, to a reverence for God, and to an earnest attention to their work.

If any man minister—this second clause extends wider; it includes the office of teaching. But as it would have been too long to enumerate each of the ministerial works, he preferred to speak of them all together summarily, as if he had said, “Whatever part of the burden you bear in the Church, know that you can do nothing except what has been given to you by the Lord, and that you are nothing else but an instrument of God. Take heed, then, not to abuse the grace of God by exalting yourself; take heed not to suppress the power of God, which puts forth and manifests itself in the ministry for the salvation of the brethren.” Let him then minister as by God’s power, that is, let him regard nothing as his own, but let him humbly render service to God and His Church.

That God in all things may be glorified—When he says, In all, the word may be in the masculine or in the neuter gender; thus, men or gifts may be meant, and both meanings are equally suitable. The sense is that God does not adorn us with His gifts so that He may rob Himself and make Himself, as it were, an empty idol by transferring to us His own glory, but that, on the contrary, His own glory may everywhere shine forth; and that it is therefore a sacrilegious profanation of God’s gifts when men propose to themselves any other object than to glorify God. He says through Jesus Christ, because whatever power we have to minister, He alone gives it to us; for He is the head, with which the whole body is connected by joints and bindings, and makes increase in the Lord, according as He supplies strength to every member.

To whom be praise, or glory. Some refer this to Christ, but the context requires that it should be rather applied to God; for he (Peter) confirms the last exhortation, because God justly claims all the glory. Therefore, men wickedly take away from Him what is His own when they obscure His glory in anything or in any part.