precious because it was the blood of One who was not only a true man but also true God, so that with Paul we may say that "the Church has been purchased with the blood of God" (Acts xx. 28). And since it is by means of "His own blood" that Christ enters into the Holy of holies (Heb. ix. 12), it is clear that to God Himself this ransom was paid (Heb. ix. 14; Eph. v. 2). As of a lamb. Peter has in view Isa. liii. 7. Without blemish and without spot. As with Paul (I Cor. v. 7), Peter saw in Christ the Paschal Lamb, perfectly pure within and unstained by sin from without (2 Cor. v. 21; Heb. vii. 26). (See Lev. xxii. 21.) Even the blood of Christ. The preciousness and redemptive power of this blood lies in this, that it is the blood of Christ, the divine Mediator, who offered Himself as a sacrificial lamb without blemish and without spot. 20. Who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world. Before the foundation of the world (John xvii. 24; Eph. i. 4) it was a part of God's plan, known and provided for, that Christ should redeem the world by His blood. But was manifested. At the time of His Incarnation. We have here a distinct testimony to the pre-existence of Christ. At the end of the times. This refers to the whole period reaching from the time of the Incarnation to the Second Advent of Christ. For your sake. This has reference not only to the original readers of this letter, but to all believers. 21. Who through him are believers in God. This has special reference to the Gentile Christians among his readers. Through Christ and His Gospel they become believers in the true God, as their own God and Father. Which raised him from the dead. The resurrection of Christ was an act of the Triune God, but it is especially ascribed to the Father (Acts iii. 15; iv. 10; Acts xiii. 30; Rom. iv. 24; vi. 4; etc.). And gave him glory. This glory was given to His human nature (John xvii. 22), for according to His divine nature Christ always possessed this glory (John xvii. 5). What this glory was, which was given Him according to His human nature, is described by Paul in Eph. i. 20-23. So that your faith and hope might be in God. Their faith was to rest on Christ's resurrection, their hope on His glorification. The work of Atonement was indeed potentially accomplished when Christ shed His blood on the cross, but the Resurrection, Ascension, and Glorification at the right hand of God were the final acts of the work of redemption, necessary to complete the work which Christ came to perform. 7. EXHORTATION TO BROTHERLY LOVE. 22-25. Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth : And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you. 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls. The form of the Greek verb implies that this purification must always continue. The new life in the believer manifests itself in a twofold way, negatively, as purification or renovation, and positively, as sanctification. Purification or renovation consists in putting off the Old Man and the dominion of sin, in order that we may be renewed in the image of God. This purification does not refer so much to the outward life, for this is always implied, as to the inward consecration and purifying of all the desires and selfish aims of life (James iv. 8; 1 John iii. 3). This purification must progress from day to day (Eph. iv. 22), for we must die unto sin continually (1 Pet. ii. 24; Rom. vi. II). The positive side of the new life, sanctification (John xvii. 17, 19; 1 Thess. v. 23; 1 Cor. i. 2; Rom. xv. 16), is the putting on of the New Man (Eph. iv. 23, 24 ; Col. iii. 10; Rom. xiii. 14; vi. 19, 22), “in sanctification of the Spirit" (1 Pet. i. 2). In your obedience to the truth. In i. 2, Peter lays stress on sanctification, the positive side of the new life, but here the additional truth is taught that purification (the negative side) is promoted by obedience to the truth, by believing what it proclaims and doing what it requires. Unto unfeigned love of the brethren. The truth, if not resisted, has a purifying power and will drive out all selfishness. If we truly love Christ and become members of His spiritual body, which is the Church, we cannot, but love our brethren, whom Christ also loves. Love one another from the heart fervently. Many ancient authorities read from a clean heart. We are to love with "the persevering intensity of love." (See 2 Pet. i. 7.) Brotherly love must be true and pure (unfeigned) (1 John iii. 18), as well as earnest and ardent, and no love can be pure unless the heart is clean. 23. Having been begotten again. (See notes on i. 3; James i. 18.) The brotherhood of Christians has its origin in the new birth, and it is this very fact that makes such intense love of the brethren possible. This new birth from God is a creative act (Eph. ii. 10), and for this reason the regenerate one is called a new creature, a new man (2 Cor. v. 17; Gal. vi. 15). Of the divine operation in itself by which we are regenerated we are not conscious, save only in its results. It is effected as unconsciously to ourselves as our conception and birth in the natural life (John iii. 8). Not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible. The origin of the new birth is now stated in an emphatic way. Our natural birth is of corruptible seed, itself subject to death and bringing those begotten of it to corruption and death, but the new birth is out of (ek) incorruptible seed, the Word of God implanted in man (James i. 21). Through the word cf God. This is the outward instrument through which as a means the Holy Ghost implants and begets the new life and regenerates us to faith. This Word of God is especially the Gospel in contrast to the Law. Which liveth and abideth. The relative refers to word, not to God, as in margin of R. V. These attributes define the inner essence of the Word. It is living (Heb. iv. 12), because it has life in itself, is endued with eternal, divine power, and therefore begets life in its turn. It is abiding, because it remains forever in its nature, power, and effects, -its results are eternal and itself never perishes (after Fronmueller). 24. For, All flesh is as grass. This verse is almost a literal quotation from the Greek Bible of Isa. xl. 6-8. And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. Therefore the new birth must take place through some means which has life and power,-through the living and abiding word, for this new life is to continue forever. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth. A type of the frailty of man. 25. But the word (saying) of the Lord abideth forever. And this is the word (saying) of good tidings which was preached unto you. LUTHER admirably says: "The Word is a divine and eternal power; for although voice and speech pass away, the substance remains, that is, the sense, the truth which the voice conveyed. The word falls into our hearts and lives, while the voice remains without and passes away. Therefore it is indeed a divine power; yea, it is God Himself." CHAPTER II. 8. EXHORTATION TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH. I-10. Putting away therefore all wickedness and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation; if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. For you therefore which believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, and, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may shew forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 1. Putting away therefore, Closely connected with the exhortations of the preceding chapter. This putting away is a figure taken from clothing and is often used in Scripture (Eph. iv. 22; Col. iii. 8; James i. 21). wickedness (malice). Malice is that vicious disposition which seeks to injure our neighbor. And all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies. BENGEL: "Guile wrongs; hypocrisy deceives; envy assails our neighbor; all do wrong |