Searching (εραυνωντες). Present active participle of εραυναω, late form for older ερευναω (both in the papyri), uncompounded verb (John 7:52), the compound occurring in verse 1 Peter 1:10 above.

What time or what manner of time (εις τινα η ποιον καιρον). Proper sense of ποιος (qualitative interrogative) kept here as in 1 Corinthians 15:35; Romans 3:27, though it is losing its distinctive sense from τις (Acts 23:34). The prophets knew what they prophesied, but not at what time the Messianic prophecies would be fulfilled.

The Spirit of Christ which was in them (το εν αυτοις πνευμα Χριστου). Peter definitely asserts here that the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was in the Old Testament prophets, the Holy Spirit called the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9), who spoke to the prophets as he would speak to the apostles (John 16:14).

Did point unto (εδηλου). Imperfect active of δηλοω, to make plain, "did keep on pointing to," though they did not clearly perceive the time.

When it testified beforehand (προμαρτυρομενον). Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομα, a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as "it" in English, but should be rendered "he" (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament.

The sufferings of Christ (τα εις Χριστον παθηματα). "The sufferings for (destined for) Christ" like the use of εις in verse 1 Peter 1:10 (εις υμας for you).

The glories that should follow them (τας μετα ταυτα δοξας). "The after these things (sufferings) glories." The plural of δοξα is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1; 1 Peter 5:6.