I wanted to followup on this topic of hospitality that Peter writes to us about in this verse. One might also look at the post I made earlier today
1 Peter 5 – Feed my sheep….
Which helps to explain what Peter is doing when he speaks encouragement about hospitality.
I greatly desired to speak to our pastor about his earlier presentation of this passage in his sermon. We were recently in a charity golf tournament, but he was in another foursome so there was not conversation time. I could tell though he did his homework in preparation well and gave a good exhortation himself. Even point out the Greek meaning.
My wife is particularly good at this, though as to open hospitality I prefer more direct one on one, or couple to couple conversation and entertainment.
Anyway looking back, even this can be a touchy subject in today’s world. There are lots of ways to go astray on this in a world filled with illegal immigrants, and refugees, homeless and among those the many or few (depending on your perspective) who would abuse the systems we have in place for offering help. One organization, which was the actual sponsor of the golf tournament is the Bay Area Rescue Mission, at their website they say:
At the Bay Area Rescue Mission, we offer help for the “whole person”:
• Food, shelter, warm showers and fresh clean clothes for the body
• A gospel message of eternal hope for the soul
• Biblical studies, computer-aided learning, and GED preparation for the mind
• Job skills training in culinary arts, warehousing, heavy equipment operation, office work, construction, security, janitorial service, and automotive sales and service for the hands
• Parenting classes, job preparedness, anger management, counseling, and personal financial management classes for the character
• Compassion, friendship, fellowship, retreats, outings, and prayer meetings for the heart
They do reflect the hospitality mentioned in various ways and we get to meet many of those participating during the day of golf as well as supporting the mission financially.
G5382
φιλόξενος
philoxenos
Thayer Definition:
1) hospitable, generous to guests
Part of Speech: adjective
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G5384 and G3581
fil-ox’-en-os
From G5384 and G3581; fond of guests, that is, hospitable: – given to (lover of, use) hospitality.
Total KJV occurrences: 3
G240
ἀλλήλων
allēlōn
Thayer Definition:
1) one another, reciprocally, mutually
Part of Speech: pronoun plural reciprocal
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: gen. plural from G243 reduplicated
al-lay’-lone
Genitive plural from G243 reduplicated; one another. (Sometimes with G3326 or G4314.): – each other, mutual, one another, (the other), (them-, your-) selves, (selves) together [sometimes with G3326 or G4314].
Total KJV occurrences: 100
Old John Gill writes:
1 Peter 4:9
Use hospitality,…. Or, “be lovers of strangers”, as the phrase may be rendered, and as it is in the Syriac version; that is, such as are of a distant country, or come from afar, and are unknown by face, especially good men, that are obliged to remove from their native country for the sake of religion, or by one providence or another; and these are to be loved: and love is to be shown them, both negatively, by not vexing them, and making them uneasy in body or mind; by not oppressing them by violence and injustice, and making any exorbitant demands upon them; or by not perverting judgment with respect to them; and positively, by directing, counselling, and advising them, and if need be, by giving them food, and raiment, and lodging: and it is what men have been led to by the very light of nature, as in the instances of Jethro the Midianite towards Moses, and the inhabitants of Melita with Publius, the chief man of the island, towards the Apostle Paul and his company; and is what God enjoined the Israelites by divers laws, since they had been strangers in the land of Egypt; and various are the exhortations to it in the New Testament; and some, by the practice of it, have entertained angels unawares, as Abraham, and Lot; and even Christ himself, as the two disciples travelling to Emmaus; and is what is highly regarded and commended by Christ, and the contrary is resented by him; and therefore it ought to be used and practised frequently; saints should inure themselves to it, be given to it, pursue and follow hard after it; See Gill on Rom 12:13; see Gill on Heb 13:2.
The apostle adds here, one to another; which clause is left out in the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; the reason of which may be, because the authors of these versions might think this not so consistent with the duty exhorted to, since the objects of it are strangers; but it should be observed, that so were these persons the apostle writes to; see 1Pe 1:1, they were scattered about, and lived in different countries, and were strangers to one another, and therefore the clause is pertinent enough; and the sense is, that as they were in foreign countries, and at a distance one from another, whenever by any providence they were brought where each other were, that they would be hospitable to one another: and that
without grudging: food, raiment, and lodging, or what they want, whether direction or advice, thinking it no trouble to give them either; or without murmurings, as it may be rendered, as if they were burdensome, and they were too chargeable to them, and their stay too long; and without complaints of them, finding fault, and picking quarrels with them, and laying charges against them, in order to get rid of them. This is one branch of charity before recommended.
Rainbow Trout 