Greetings!

To Continue:

1 Peter 2:11-12

11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

11. Amici, adhortor vos tanquam inquilinos et peregrinos, ut
abstineatis `a carnalibus desideriis, que militant adversus animam;

12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas
they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which
they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

12. Conversationem vestram inter gentes bonam habentes, ut in quo
detrahunt de vobis tanquam maleficis, ex bonis operibus aestimantes
(vel, considerantes) glorificent Deum in die visitationis.


11 As strangers, or sojourners. There are two parts to this
exhortation, -- that their souls were to be free within from wicked and
vicious lusts; and also, that they were to live honestly among men, and
by the example of a good life not only to confirm the godly, but also
to gain over the unbelieving to God.

And first, to call them away from the indulgence of carnal lusts, he
employs this argument, that they were sojourners and strangers. And he
so calls them, not because they were banished from their country, and
scattered into various lands, but because the children of God, wherever
they may be, are only guests in this world. In the former sense,
indeed, he called them sojourners at the beginning of the Epistle, as
it appears from the context; but what he says here is common to them
all. For the lusts of the flesh hold us entangled, when in our minds we
dwell in the world, and think not that heaven is our country; but when
we pass as strangers through this life, we are not in bondage to the
flesh.

By the lusts or desires of the flesh he means not only those gross
concupiscences which we have in common with animals, as the Sophists
hold, but also all those sinful passions and affections of the soul, to
which we are by nature guided and led. For it is certain that every
thought of the flesh, that is, of unrenewed nature, is enmity against
God. (Romans 8:7.)

Which war against the soul Here is another argument, that they could
not comply with the desires of the flesh, except to their own ruin. For
he refers not here to the contest described by Paul in the seventh
chapter of Romans, and in the fifth of the Galatians, as he makes the
soul to be an antagonist to the flesh: but what he says here is, that
the desires of the flesh, whenever the soul consents to them, lead to
perdition. He proves our carelessness in this respect, that while we
anxiously shun enemies from whom we apprehend danger to the body, we
willingly allow enemies hurtful to the soul to destroy us; nay, we as
it were stretch forth our neck to them.

12 Your conversation The second part of the exhortation is, that they
were to conduct themselves honestly towards men. What, indeed, precedes
this in order is, that their minds should be cleansed before God; but a
regard should also be had to men, lest we should become a hindrance to
them. And he expressly says among the Gentiles; for the Jews were not
only hated everywhere, but were also almost abhorred. The more
carefully, therefore, ought they to have labored to wipe off the odium
and infamy attached to their name by a holy life and a well-regulated
conduct. [26] For that admonition of Paul ought to be attended to, "To
give no occasion to those who seek occasion." Therefore the evil
speakings and the wicked insinuations of the ungodly ought to stimulate
us to lead an upright life; for it is no time for living listlessly and
securely, when they sharply watch us in order to find out whatever we
do amiss.

That they -- may glorify God He intimates that we ought thus to strive,
not for our own sake, that men may think and speak well of us; but that
we may glorify God, as Christ also teaches us. And Peter shews how this
would be effected, even that the unbelieving, led by our good works,
would become obedient to God, and thus by their own conversion give
glory to him; for this he intimates by the words, in the day of
visitation. I know that some refer this to the last coming of Christ;
but I take it otherwise, even that God employs the holy and honest life
of his people, as a preparation, to bring back the wandering to the
right way. For it is the beginning of our conversion, when God is
pleased to look on us with a paternal eye; but when his face is turned
away from us, we perish. Hence the day of visitation may justly be said
to be the time when he invites us to himself.
__________________________________________________________________

[26] Neither "conversation" nor "honest" are suitable words. It is
difficult to find a proper word in English for anastrope which means
deportment, behavior, carriage, conduct, manner of live: perhaps life
would be the best word, "Having your life good among the Gentiles;"
that is, morally good (kalen) right, or upright. -- Ed.