1 Peter 3:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

From the words of the prophet he has cited, he draws a conclusion. There it is said: "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous," and "the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." For if the eyes of the Lord are turned toward the righteous and His ears toward their prayer. But the face of the Lord threatens evildoers with destruction, then if suffering for piety were evil, the Giver of good things would not repay us with evil because of our love for Him. For He brings evil upon the wicked: "tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil" (Rom 2:9). Therefore sufferings for piety are not evil.

“For the eyes of the Lord,” and so forth. The general thought expressed by these words is this: the Lord God graciously blesses the righteous, that is, those who bridle the tongue, turn away from evil, and do good. He turns away from and punishes those who lack these virtues, and therefore their life is not ordered for good.

At times the opposite seems to happen. The righteous suffer calamities, and the ungodly prosper. Yet the righteous man, even in calamities, is spiritually happier than the ungodly man in his prosperity. Sooner or later both receive what the Psalmist, and with him the apostle, indicates.

Then follows a deliberate and rather extended instruction to the oppressed Christian sojourners of Asia Minor. It teaches them how to conduct themselves when attacked, and amid hostility from the pagans in general (1 Pet 3:9-13).

When the hateful feelings of the pagans are expressed outwardly, for example in words, then, “do not repay evil for evil, or reviling for reviling. On the contrary, bless, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For he who loves life and desires to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech... And who will harm you, if you become zealous for what is good?”

From positive counsels the apostle turns to prohibitions and commands them not to revile, but to bless. That is, they are to speak only good of people. “Bless those who curse you” (Mt 5:44; Lk 6:28), says Jesus Christ.

Yet the apostle also cites the word of the Psalmist, showing that evil speech disorders the whole of life. It destroys peace and sows evil (see Ps 33:13-17). Therefore, in the words of the Psalmist, he commands us to flee from evil and pursue peace (cf. Eph 2:14-15).

Only those who avoid evil in word and deed, and who pursue peace, are granted happiness in life. For they always live under the protection of God. His face and His ears are turned toward them.

The Lord also looks upon sinners, but not in this way. He looks wrathfully, to pronounce punishment and destruction upon them (cf. Ps 33 and Ps 2:12).