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Greek Lessons
- Warnings in Participles: The Grammar of Subtle Caution in Deuteronomy 8:12
- Knowledge and Sacrifice: Koine Clarity and Classical Nuance in Paul’s Admonition
- Declensions in Judgment Imagery: The Grammar of Revelation 8:10
- Command and Response: The Interplay of Imperatives and Indicatives in Matthew 8:9
- Neither Surplus Nor Lack: The Theology of Indifference in 1 Corinthians 8:8
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Category
Tag Archives: 1 Peter 4:19
Entrusting the Soul: The Hermeneutics of Suffering in 1 Peter 4:19
1 Peter 4:19 concludes a major section on Christian suffering (4:12–19). The verse is not just a summary but a pastoral exhortation couched in theological maturity. Peter speaks to those undergoing trials, giving them both ethical instruction and theological orientation. The verse pivots from explanation to exhortation, from theology to response, embedding deep assurance within the call to endure.
Structural AnalysisThe verse divides into two parts:
Ὥστε καὶ οἱ πάσχοντες κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς πιστῷ κτίστῃ παρατιθέσθωσαν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν ἀγαθοποιΐᾳ
The main verb is the imperative παρατιθέσθωσαν (“let them entrust”), in the present middle imperative, reflecting ongoing, voluntary action.… Learn Koine Greek
“Ὥστε… παρατιθέσθωσαν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν”: Entrusting the Soul in Suffering (1 Peter 4:19)
A Command to the Suffering
1 Peter 4:19 offers final counsel for Christians experiencing unjust suffering:
Ὥστε καὶ οἱ πάσχοντες κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς πιστῷ κτίστῃ παρατιθέσθωσαν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν ἀγαθοποιΐᾳTherefore, those who suffer according to God’s will must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.
This is the only place in the New Testament where God is called κτίστης (“Creator”), and it powerfully links suffering, trust, and ethical persistence.
Morphological Breakdown Ὥστε {hṓste} – Form: conjunction of result or inference; Meaning: “so then,” “therefore”; Usage: draws a conclusion from the previous verses. οἱ πάσχοντες {hoi páschontes} – Form: nominative masculine plural, present active participle from πάσχω; Meaning: “those who are suffering”; Function: subject of the main imperative verb.… Learn Koine Greek