1 Peter 4:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We must not be concerned only to belong to one Church, or to hold one and the same doctrine. It is not good that, while having communion with one another in all other things, we lack it in what is necessary. Nor is it good that, seeming to be at peace with all, we do not keep peace among ourselves.

Do not look only at the fact that we do not quarrel with one another every day. Look rather at the fact that we do not have true and sincere love. We need binding up and oil (Lk 10:34). Let us remember that love is the mark of Christ's disciples (Jn 13:35). Without it all the rest means nothing. It is not a difficult work, if we wish to have it.

Yes, someone will say, we know this. But how are we to attain it? What is needed for it to be in us? How shall we make ourselves love one another? First let us remove what is contrary to love, and then we shall acquire love itself. Let no one remember wrongs, envy, or rejoice in evil. These things hinder love, while other things assist it.

It is not enough to destroy the obstacles. We must also possess what assists love. Sirach lists the actions that break love down and do not build it up: "reproach, pride, disclosure of a secret, and a treacherous blow" (Sir 22:25). For them, as carnal people, this was enough. For us it is not. We teach you not only this, but something else also.

For us, without love everything is useless. Suppose you have countless good things. What profit is there in them? Suppose there is wealth and luxury, but no one who loves you. What profit is there in that? Even in worldly terms there is no good more beautiful than this. On the contrary, there is nothing worse than enmity.

Love covers a multitude of sins. Enmity, on the contrary, suspects even what does not exist. It is not enough merely not to be an enemy. One must also nourish love. Remember that Christ commanded this, and that is enough.

Affliction itself assists love and strengthens it. But what now, someone will say, when there is no affliction? Explain how we may become friends. Tell me, then, do you not have any friends? How did you become friends? How do you remain friends?

At least let no one be hostile to another, and this is no small thing. Let no one envy. The one who does not envy cannot be a slanderer. We all live in one universe and are nourished by the same fruits.

This is little. We are counted worthy of the same mysteries and the same spiritual food. Here are motives for love. But how, someone will say, shall we preserve the warmth of love? What arouses fleshly love? Bodily beauty. Let us make our souls beautiful, then, and let us nourish love for one another. For one must not only love, but also be loved.

Let us first accomplish this, namely, that we be loved. Then the other will be easy. How shall we make ourselves loved? Let us be good, and we shall attain the result that there will always be people who love us. Let each one take care not so much to acquire property, slaves, or houses, as to be loved and to have a good name. "A good name is better than great riches" (Prov 22:1).

The one is lasting, the other swiftly passes away. This can be acquired, but the other cannot. One who has earned a bad name finds it hard to be delivered from it. But a poor man with a good name can quickly become rich.

Let one man have thousands of talents, and another a hundred friends. The latter is richer than the former. Let us do this not carelessly, but as one conducts a purchase. How is this? "A sweet mouth will multiply friends, and a gracious tongue will multiply courtesy" (Sir 6:5).

Let us have lips filled with praise and pure manners. With such qualities one cannot remain hidden. See what bonds of love outsiders have devised: sponsorship, neighborhood, kinship. But we have something greater than all these. It is the most holy table.

Yet many of us who approach it do not even know one another. This happens, they say, because of the multitude. No, it happens because of our negligence. There were three thousand and five thousand believers in the beginning, and all had "one soul" (Acts 4:32). Now they do not even know one another, and they are not ashamed of this, but plead the multitude.

The man who has many who love him is unconquerable by anyone. He is stronger than any ruler. A ruler is not guarded by his armor-bearers as much as this man is guarded by those who love him. He is more glorious than the ruler. One is guarded by his slaves, the other by men equal to himself. One is guarded unwillingly and from fear, the other willingly and without fear.

A wondrous thing occurs here: unity in multitude, and multitude in unity. In the playing of a harp, although the sounds differ, the symphony is one, and the musician playing the harp is one. So it is here. The harp is love. The sounds are the friendly words that arise from love. Together they produce one harmony and symphony. The musician is the power of love, which brings forth a sweet song.

I would wish, if it were possible, to bring you into such a city, where there would be one soul. You would see what concord is there, sweeter than any harp or flute, and not sending forth a single discordant sound.

This concord gives joy to the angels and to the Lord of the angels Himself. It is a pleasing spectacle for all the powers of heaven. It tames the fury of demons and restrains the impulses of the passions. This concord not only tames the passions, but does not allow them to rise at all. It produces a great silence.

At a spectacle, all listen in silence to the chorus of players and make not the slightest noise. So it is with those who love one another. When love sings its song, all the passions are quieted and calmed, like wild beasts restrained and tamed. Where there is enmity, everything is the opposite.

But let us not speak now of enmity. Let us speak only of love. If you say something rashly, no one condemns you, but all excuse you. If you do something, no one entertains suspicion, but shows great forbearance. All are ready to give a helping hand to the one who falls. All willingly try to raise him up.

Truly, love is a strong wall, inaccessible not only to men but also to the devil. One who is surrounded by many who love him cannot fall into danger. He has no occasions for anger, but always feels peace, joy, and gladness in his heart. There are no occasions for envy, and no opportunities for remembrance of wrongs.

See how easily he accomplishes both his spiritual and worldly affairs. What can be compared with him? He is like a city fortified with walls on every side. But the man who lacks love is like a city with no defenses at all.

To be the cause of love is great wisdom. Destroy love, and you destroy everything. You overthrow everything. If even the likeness of love has such power, what must true love itself be? Therefore I exhort you, let us strive to have people who love us. Let each one exercise himself in this art.

But look, someone will say, I care about this, while the other does not. For that reason a greater reward awaits you. Yes, you will say, but this is difficult. Why, tell me? I say and affirm that if only ten of you unite and take up this work, you will receive a great reward. Do this as the apostles took up the work of preaching, or as the prophets took up the work of teaching. So also you should acquire friends.

Let us fashion for ourselves images of the King. This means recognizing His disciples. Are we not doing more than if we placed in them the power to raise the dead? Diadem and purple are marks of a king. Without them, even if he wears golden garments, he does not yet appear as king. So you also should make this mark your own, and you will acquire those who love both you and others. No one, being loved, will begin to hate.

Let us learn the colors with which this image is painted and from which it is composed. Let us be affable, and let us not wait for this from our neighbors. Do not say, if I see that another is waiting, then by doing this I humble myself before him. On the contrary, if you see him in such a state, anticipate him yourself and quench his passion. You see a sick man. Why then do you make his illness worse?

Above all and more than all, let us strive to be "kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another" (Rom 12:10). Do not think that giving another the first place means lowering yourself. By preferring another, you honor yourself, since you become worthy of greater honor.

Let us always yield precedence to others. Let us not remember the wrong done to us, but only the good. Nothing wins for us the love of others as much as a tongue filled with gratitude, lips ready for praise, a soul free from pride, the absence of vainglory, and contempt for honors.

If we fulfill this, we shall become uncatchable by the nets of the devil. By carefully exercising ourselves in virtue, we shall be counted worthy of the good things prepared for those who love God, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ. With Him, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

"And now abide," he says, "these three: faith, hope, love" (1 Cor 13:13). Faith turns us away from the filth of vices through fear of future judgment and torments.

Hope, through expectation of heavenly rewards, tears our mind away from present things and makes it despise all fleshly pleasures.

Love, kindling in our soul by its fire love for Christ and for progress in spiritual virtues, moves us to turn away with perfect hatred from everything opposed to them.

Although these three virtues appear to lead us to one end, that is, to move us to abstain from everything forbidden, they differ greatly from one another in degrees of excellence.

The first two belong to people who strive to advance in virtues, but do not yet have a constant disposition toward them.

The third belongs especially to God and to those people who have restored within themselves the image and likeness of God.

For God alone does every good thing not from the motives of any fear or recompense, but by His goodness alone.

The apostle gives this reason why such love must be acquired and held before all else: love covers a multitude of sins. Whose sins? Those of the one who loves in this way, or those of the neighbors whom he loves?

The saying appears to be borrowed from the book of Proverbs (Prov 10:12; cf. Prov 17:9). In the context there, it means that love covers or forgives the sins of neighbors, whereas hatred stirs up quarrels.

In that case, the sense in which the apostle cites this saying is this: have love, because it covers a multitude of the neighbors' sins. In this way it produces the most beneficial influence on the common life of the Christian community.

Thus it greatly assists the moral advancement of the whole community and prepares it for a worthy meeting of the Lord on the day of His coming to judgment.

Or this saying may be understood in the same sense in which the Apostle James uses the expression "will cover a multitude of sins" concerning one who turns a sinner back (Jas 5:20).

Then the apostle's words may be interpreted thus. Constant and sincere love for neighbors, forgiving them their sins, draws upon the one who loves in this way the special mercy and goodwill of God.

This mercy forgives him many of his own sins. Thus the one who loves in this way is worthily prepared to meet the Lord's day of judgment.

Blessed Theophylact interprets the saying in this sense, saying: "Peter calls it, love, able to cover sins, because mercy toward one's neighbor makes God merciful toward us."

In this sense the apostle's saying finds its direct explanation in the words of the Lord Himself: "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you," and so forth (Mt 6:14-15).

Is there not an intentional double meaning in the apostle's speech, so that he might express and compel acceptance of both thoughts? Both have full application and persuasive force in the present case.

The covering of sins by love can be understood in the broadest sense, both with respect to those who love (cf. Jas 5:20) and with respect to those who are loved.

For the latter, under the influence of love, may become gentler and in turn may exert a beneficial influence on others (cf. Prov 10:12).

As special, particular works of love, the apostle points to hospitality (cf. Rom 12:13; Heb 13:2). This work, like all works in general, he commands everyone to perform according to his means or gifts of grace.

In the first verse one may see an indication that among the first Christians there existed, among other things, certain special gifts (cf. 1 Cor 12:4).

These, however, were not gifts independent of God, such as uncalled teachers sometimes boasted of (cf. 1 Tim 1:7).

Among such divine gifts the apostle points to the gift of teaching and the gift of service. By service one may understand the manifold church and prayerful ministries in which he earlier advised them to spend their time while watching.

"To this," he says, "I exhort you, so that God may be glorified in all, whether they be pagans or those near to you."

However numerous these sins may be, love covers a multitude of sins, forgiving them. This is precisely the meaning of these words in the book of Proverbs (Prov 10:12), from which they are taken.

The Apostle Paul says the same: "love bears all things" (1 Cor 13:7).