What Does 1 Peter 1:6 Mean?

(6) **Wherein ye greatly rejoice**.—“His scope,” says Leighton, “is to stir up and strengthen spiritual joy in his afflicted brethren; and therefore having set the matter of it before them in the preceding verses, he now applies it, and expressly opposes it to their distresses.” There is a little doubt as to the antecedent of the word “wherein.” At first sight it would seem to be “in the last time,” and the thought would then be that this “last time,” with all its predicted afflictions, was already begun, and that the Pontine Hebrews were fulfilling the injunction of our Lord in Luke 21:28, and “rejoicing” (the word is one of enthusiastic and demonstrative joy) in the near approach of their redemption. This makes good sense, but it is better to see the antecedent in “the whole complex sense of the preceding verses, concerning the hope of glory. In this thing ye rejoice, that ye are begotten again; that there is such an inheritance, and that you are made heirs of it; that it is kept for you, and you for it; that nothing can come betwixt you and it, and disappoint you of possessing and enjoying it, though there be many deserts and mountains and seas in the way, yet you are ascertained that you shall come safe thither.” (Leighton.) **Though now for a season.**—Literally, *after having been grieved in the present* (*if it must be so*)* for a little while in the midst of manifold temptations.* The Apostle takes his stand at the moment of the revelation and *looks back* upon the fast-passing present and its griefs. What the temptations were we cannot tell; but the word “manifold” shows that it was not only *one* type of temptation under which all lay alike. The chief was probably the unkind attitude of Gentile neighbours (1Peter 2:12; 1Peter 2:15; 1Peter 3:14-17; 1Peter 4:4; 1Peter 4:12-19), which was the most searching “test of faith.” Identical words (in *the* Greek) occur in James 1:2-3, so as almost to suggest a common origin—possibly to be found in Romans 5:3. **If need be**.—Or, *if it must be so.* To encourage them to bear up St. Peter throws in this phrase, so as not to take it for *granted* that they will have to suffer; he hopes it may not be so. (Comp. 1Peter 3:17.)