16. "Tenderhearted, humbleminded" [friendly]. Here Peter has in mind
mankind in general--friends and enemies, Christians and persecutors.
Owing to original sin, man is naturally disposed to seek revenge,
especially upon those who injure him without cause. If he can do no
more, he at least maliciously invokes evil upon his enemy and
rejoices in his misfortune. Now, Christians more than any others in
this world are innocently persecuted, injured, oppressed and
aggrieved, even by those having the name and honor of Christians, a
thing of frequent occurrence today. God's people are aggrieved by
such treatment, and if the natural instinct of flesh and blood could
have its way, they would gladly revenge themselves; just as they of
the world mutually exercise their revenge, not content until passion
is cooled.
17. But a Christian should not, and indeed consistently he cannot, be
unmerciful and vindictive, for he has become a child of God, whose
mercy he has accepted and therein continues to live. He cannot seek
pleasure in injury to his neighbor or enjoy his misfortune. He cannot
maintain a bitter or hard and stubborn heart toward him. Rather he is
disposed to show mercy even to his hostile neighbor, and to pity his
blindness and misery; for he recognizes that neighbor as under God's
wrath and hastening to everlasting ruin and condemnation. Thus the
Christian is already more than revenged on his enemy. Therefore he
should be friendly towards the hostile neighbor and do him every
kindness he will permit, in an effort to lead him to repentance.
18. Yet, in showing mercy, as frequently enjoined heretofore we are
not to interfere with just and ordained punishments. God's Word does
not teach us to demand mercy or commend kindness where sin and evil
practices call for punishment, as the world would have us believe
when their sins merit rebuke, particularly the vices of those in high
places. These transgressors claim that when reproved their honor is
assailed and occasion is given for contempt of their office and
authority, and for rebellion, a thing not to be tolerated. This is
not true. The lesson teaches the duty of each individual toward all
other individuals, not toward the God-ordained office. Office and
person must be clearly distinguished. The officer or ruler in his
official capacity is a different man from what he is as John or
Frederick. The apostle or preacher differs from the individual Peter
or Paul. The preacher has not his office by virtue of his own
personality; he represents it in God's stead. Now, if any person be
unjustly persecuted, slandered and cursed, I ought to and will say:
"Thank God;" for in God I am richly rewarded for it. But if one
dishonors my baptism or sacrament, or the Word God has commanded me
to speak, and so opposes not me but himself, then it is my duty not
to be silent nor merciful and friendly, but to use my God-ordained
office to admonish, threaten and rebuke, with all earnestness, both
in season and out of season--as Paul says in 2 Timothy 4, 2--those
who err in doctrine or faith or who do not amend their lives; and
this regardless of who they are or how it pleases them.
19. But the censured may say: "Nevertheless you publicly impugn my
honor; you give me a bad reputation." I answer: Why do you not
complain to him who committed the office to me? My honor is likewise
dear to me, but the honor of my office must be more sacred still. If
I am silent where I ought to rebuke, I sully my own honor, which I
should maintain before God in the proper execution of my office;
hence I with you deserve to be hanged in mid-day, to the utter
extinguishment of my honor and yours. No, the Gospel does not give
you authority to say the preacher shall not, by the Word of God, tell
you of your sin and shame. What does God care for the honor you seek
from the world when you defy his Word with it? To the world you may
seem to defend your honor with God and a good conscience, but in
reality you have nothing to boast of before God but your shame. This
very fact you must confess if you would retain your honor before him;
you must place his honor above that of all creatures. The highest
distinction you can achieve for yourself is that of honoring God's
Word and suffering rebuke.
20. "Yes, but still you attack the office to which I am appointed."
No, dear brother, our office is not assailed when I and you are
reminded of our failure to do right, to conduct the office as we
should. But the Word of God rebukes us for dishonoring that divinely
ordained appointment and abusing it in violation of his commandment.
Therefore you cannot call me to account for reproving you. However,
were I not a pastor or preacher, and had I no authority to rebuke
you, then it would be my duty and my pleasure to leave your honor and
that of every other man unscathed. But if I am to fill a divine
office and to represent not my own but God's dignity, then for your
own sake I must not and will not be silent. If you do wrong, and
disgrace and dishonor come upon you, blame yourself. "Thy blood shall
be upon thine own head," says Scripture, 1 Kings 2, 37. Certainly
when a judge sentences a thief to the gallows, that man's honor is
impugned. Who robs you of your honor but yourself, by your own theft,
your contempt of God, disobedience, murder, and so on? God must give
you what you deserve. If you consider it a disgrace to be punished,
then consider it also no honor to rob, steal, practice usury and do
public wrong; you disgrace yourself by dishonoring God's commandment.
21. This much by way of reminder of the difference between official
rebuke and personal anger and revenge. It must constantly be kept
before us because of the artfulness of flesh and blood, which ever
seeks to disregard that difference. True, God would have all men to
be merciful and friendly, to forgive and not to avenge wrong; but the
office, which is ordained for the punishment of the wicked, will not
always admit of that course. Few are willing to forgive, and
therefore God must enforce his government over the merciless. They
must be punished without mercy. This divine principle must not be
restricted. Neither must it be applied beyond measure. Every official
must be careful not to exceed the demands of his office, exercising
his own revenge, his own envy and hatred, in the name and under
pretense of that position.
22. Peter continues to expatiate upon this topic--the good works he
has been discussing: gentleness, mercy, friendliness--citing
beautiful passages of Scripture and using other exhortations--to
incite Christians to practice these virtues. He says:
"Not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but
contrariwise blessing: for hereunto were ye called, that ye should
inherit a blessing."
23. We have now seen whose prerogative it is to avenge, rebuke and
punish evil. This passage does not refer to official duty. When the
judge declares sentence of execution upon a thief we have truly an
instance of vengeance and reproach, and a public and extreme
reflection upon honor. But it is God's judgment and his doing, with
which we are not here concerned. The Christian of true faith and
innocent life, who confesses his doctrine and belief, and as he is
commanded rebukes opposing forces, will provoke the devil and the
world, and will be persecuted, oppressed and harassed in the name of
office and right, even by individuals whose official duty it is to
protect the godly and restrain unjust power. If these cannot do more,
they will at least annoy, hinder and oppose that Christian as far as
possible. If the Christian be quick-tempered and fail to curb his
anger and impatience, he will effect no good. He will only bring upon
himself that disquiet of heart which consumes and worries itself with
thoughts of revenge and retaliation upon the offender; which when the
devil perceives, he rejoices. He so urges and instigates as to cause
more mischief on both sides. Thus he doubly injures the
Christian--through his enemy and through the anger wherewith the
Christian torments himself and spoils his own peace.