fond of guests · adjective — nominative plural masculine
one
ἀλλήλουςallēlous
G240
one another · reciprocal pronoun — accusative plural masculine
to
εἰςeis
G1519
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
another
ἀλλήλωνallḗlōn
G240
one another
without
ἄνευaneu
G427
without · preposition
grudging
γογγυσμοῦ·gongusmou
G1112
a grumbling · noun — genitive singular masculine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Titus 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
James 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 4:7-11
We have here an awful position or doctrine, and an inference drawn from it. The position is that the end of all things is at hand. The miserable destruction of the Jewish church and nation foretold by our Saviour is now very near; consequently, the time of their persecution and your sufferings is but very short. Your own life and that of your enemies will soon come to their utmost period. Nay, the world itself will not continue very long. The conflagration will put an end to it; and all things must be swallowed up in an endless eternity. The inference from this comprises a series of exhortations.
1. To sobriety and watchfulness: "Be you therefore sober, Pe1 4:7. Let the frame and temper of y…
(Rom 12:13; Heb 13:2.) Not the spurious hospitality which passes current in the world, but the entertaining of those needing it, especially those exiled for the faith, as the representatives of Christ, and all hospitality to whomsoever exercised from genuine Christian love.
without grudging--Greek, "murmuring." "He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity," that is open-hearted sincerity; with cordiality. Not secretly speaking against the person whom we entertain, or upbraiding him with the favor we have conferred in him.
Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 4:9
Use hospitality - Be ever ready to divide your bread with the hungry, and to succor the stranger. See on Heb 13:2 (note).
Without grudging - Ανευ γογγυσμων· Without grumblings. Do nothing merely because it is commanded, but do it from love to God and man; then it will be without grumbling.
John Gill on 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…
The Church Fathers
Those who offer hospitality to others make themselves happy and content, not so much because they are giving of their own as because they are being helped by others. And this in two ways; first, because they enjoy the company of their guests, and second, because they earn a reward for their hospitality. But if you receive a brother, do not be distracted by too much serving, and do not attempt what is beyond your strength. Unnecessary effort is always tedious, and such exertions will only embarrass your guests. Do not let your guest become a cause for impoverishing yourself, but even in hard times be as generous as you can.
If you receive your neighbor as though he were Christ, you will not complain or feel embarrassed but rather rejoice in your service. But if you do not receive him as if he were Christ, you will not receive Christ either, because he said: "Whoever receives you, receives me." If you do not show hospitality in this way, you will have no reward. Abraham received passers-by and travelers just as they were. He did not leave them to his servants. On the contrary, he ordered his wife to bring flour, even though he had domestic help. But he and his wife wanted to earn the blessing, not only of hospitality but of service also. This is how we ought to show hospitality, by doing all the work ourselves, so that we may be sanctified.
Behold, the Lord was not recognized while He was speaking, and He deigned to be recognized while He was being fed. Therefore, dearest brothers, love hospitality, love the works of charity. For hence it is said through Paul: "Let brotherly love continue in you, and do not forget hospitality. For through this some have pleased, having received angels as guests." Hence Peter says: "Be hospitable to one another without murmuring." Hence Truth itself says: "I was a stranger, and you took me in." There is a story well regarded and handed down to us by the account of our elders. A certain father of a household served with great zeal for hospitality along with his whole house; and while he received strangers at his table daily, one day a certain stranger came among others and was led to the table. And while the father of the household, from his custom of humility, wished to pour water on his hands, he turned and took the pitcher, but suddenly did not find the one on whose hands he had wished to pour water. And while he marveled at this occurrence to himself, that same night the Lord said to him through a vision: On other days you received me in my members, but yesterday you received me in myself. Behold, coming to judgment, He will say: What you did for one of my least ones, you did for me. Behold, before the judgment, when He is received through His members, He also visits His hosts through Himself; and yet we are sluggish toward the grace of hospitality. Consider, brothers, how great is the virtue of hospitality. Receive Christ at your tables, that you may be worthy to be received by Him at the eternal banquet. Offer now hospitality to Christ the stranger, that He may not disregard you as strangers at the judgment, but may receive you as His own into the kingdom.
Dictionary and topics
Hospitality — Hospitality was regarded by most nations of the ancient world as one of the chief virtues. The Jewish laws respecting strangers (Leviticus 19:33,34) and the poor, (Leviticus 23:14) seq. Deuteronomy…
Hospitality · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
1 Peter 4:6-11
6. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
6. In hoc enim et mortuis evangelizatus fuit (vel, praedicatum fuit evangelium,) ut judicentur quidem secundum homines carne, vivant autem secundum Deum spiritu.
7. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
7. Porro omnium finis propinquus est: sobrii itaque estote, et vigilantes ad precandum.
8. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
8. Ante omnia vero charitatem inter vos intentam habentes; q…
By its nature, love overlooks sins committed against us by others (see Prov 10:12; Matt 18:21-22; 1 Cor 13:4-7). Peter might also mean that our attitude of love, because it displays our relationship with Christ, covers our own sins and causes them to be forgiven (see Luke 7:47).