1 Peter 1:22

1:17-25 Holy confidence in God as a Father, and awful fear of him as a Judge, agree together; and to regard God always as a Judge, makes him dear to us as a Father. If believers do evil, God will visit them with corrections. Then, let Christians not doubt God's faithfulness to his promises, nor give way to enslaving dread of his wrath, but let them reverence his holiness. The fearless professor is defenceless, and Satan takes him captive at his will; the desponding professor has no heart to avail himself of his advantages, and is easily brought to surrender. The price paid for man's redemption was the precious blood of Christ. Not only openly wicked, but unprofitable conversation is highly dangerous, though it may plead custom. It is folly to resolve, I will live and die in such a way, because my forefathers did so. God had purposes of special favour toward his people, long before he made manifest such grace unto them. But the clearness of light, the supports of faith, the power of ordinances, are all much greater since Christ came upon earth, than they were before. The comfort is, that being by faith made one with Christ, his present glory is an assurance that where he is we shall be also, Joh 14:3. The soul must be purified, before it can give up its own desires and indulgences.

And the word of God planted in the heart by the Holy Ghost, is a means of spiritual life, stirring up to our duty, working a total change in the dispositions and affections of the soul, till it brings to eternal life. In contrast with the excellence of the renewed spiritual man, as born again, observe the vanity of the natural man. In his life, and in his fall, he is like grass, the flower of grass, which soon withers and dies away. We should hear, and thus receive and love, the holy, living word, and rather hazard all than lose it; and we must banish all other things from the place due to it. We should lodge it in our hearts as our only treasures here, and the certain pledge of the treasure of glory laid up for believers in heaven.

{13} Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: (13) He commends the practice of obedience, that is, charity: earnestly repeating again, that he speaks not of any common charity, and such as proceeds from that our corrupt nature, but of that whose beginning is the Spirit of God, which purifies our souls through the word laid hold on by faith, and engenders also in us a spiritual and everlasting life, as God himself is most pure and truly living.

1 Peter 1:22-23 . Seeing you have purified your souls — By applying to this fountain which God has opened for sin and for uncleanness, and by believing and obeying the truth, which God hath appointed to be the grand means of sanctification, delivering such as obey it from the power, and purifying them from the defilement of sin, John 8:32 ; John 17:17 ; through the Spirit working by the word, unto the unfeigned love of the brethren — For the fruit of the Spirit is love to the children of God, as well as to God their heavenly Father. See that ye love one another with a pure heart — A heart purified from all earthly and sensual affections, and corrupt passions; from all selfish, interested views, designs, and desires; and that fervently as Christ loved the church; and so as to be willing, if called to it, to lay down your lives for the brethren, 1 John 4:16 . Peter’s description of Christian love here is excellent; it springs up in a heart purified by the truth of God, through the influence of his Spirit. It is sincere in its operation, it is unmixed with carnal passions, and it is fervent and increasing. Being born again — Born from above, born of the Spirit of God, and therefore his genuine children; a consideration which lays you under an indispensable obligation to love all your brethren and sisters in Christ, who are born of the same Spirit. See the note on John 3:3 .

Not of corruptible seed — Not by virtue of any descent from human parents; but of incorruptible — Namely, the truth of God, rendered effectual through his grace; which liveth — Is full of divine virtue and vital energy; and abideth for ever — Produces effects which will continue for ever, or begets in us that spiritual life which will issue in life eternal.

Purified (ἡγνικότες) The Septuagint translation of the Old-Testament technical term for the purification of the people and priests (Joshua 3:5; 1 Chronicles 15:12; 1 Samuel 16:5). Also, of the separation from wine and strong drink by the Nazarite (Numbers 6:2-6). In this ceremonial sense, John 11:55; Acts 21:24, Acts 21:26; Acts 24:18. In the moral sense, as here, James 4:8; 1 John 3:3. Compare καθαρίσας, purifying, Acts 15:9. Obeying (ὑπακοῇ) Rev., obedience. A peculiarly New Testament term unknown in classical Greek. In the Septuagint only 2 Samuel 22:36; rendered in A. V. gentleness. Rev., condescension, in margin. Unfeigned (ἀνυπόκριτον) Ἀ, not, ὑποκριτής, actor. The latter word is from ὑποκρίνεσθαι, to answer on the stage, and hence to play a part or to act. A hypocrite is, therefore, an actor. With a pure heart (ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας) The best texts reject καθαρᾶς, pure. Render, therefore, as Rev., from the heart. Fervently (ἐκτενῶς) Used by Peter only, and only in this passage. He uses the kindred adjective ἐκτενής without ceasing, in Acts 12:5, where the narrative probably came from him, and also at 1 Peter 4:8; "fervent charity." The words are compounded with the verb τείνω, to stretch, and signify intense strain; feeling on the rack.

1 Peter 1:22 . Τὰς ψυχὰς , your souls ) Without the copula, as 1 Peter 1:14-15 .— ἡγνικότες , ye who have purified ) who have undergone purification of your souls. Hence follows presently καθαρᾶς , pure . The word ἁγνίζειν denotes both chastity and all other purity. See Septuagint.— ὑπακοῇ , in obedience ) This is faith, to which love is accustomed to be joined: for Peter attributes purification to faith, Acts 15:9 .— τῆς ἀληθείας , of the truth ) revealed in Christ.— διὰ Πνεύματος , by the Spirit ) The Holy Spirit bestows that obedience and purity. Comp. ch. 1 Peter 1:2 .— εἰς φιλαδελφίαν — ἀγαπήσατε , unto love of the brethren — love ye ) These are two steps: comp. 2 Peter 1:7 ; from which the statements concerning the graces which go before [these two steps of love ], here in the 22d verse, and there in 5th and 6th, may in like manner be compared.— ἀνυπόκριτον , unfeigned ) For it flows from the truth. Comp. ch. 1 Peter 2:1-2 .— ἀγαπήσατε , love ye ) The sentiments agree, ch. 1 Peter 2:3 ; 1 Peter 2:10 .— ἐκτενῶς , earnestly ) ch. 1 Peter 4:8 .

Your souls; i.e. yourselves; the whole person is implied, the soul being the principal part. In obeying the truth; in subjecting yourselves to the truth of the gospel, by faith, to which the purification of the heart is ascribed, Acts 15:9 , not only as to justification, and purging away the guilt of sin, but as to sanctification, and cleansing from the defilement of it: q.d. Seeing ye have begun to purify your hearts by faith in Christ, set forth in the gospel, and made sanctification to them that believe, 1 Corinthians 1:30 . Through the Spirit; by the operation of the Spirit working faith in you. Unto unfeigned love of the brethren; without hypocrisy, and which is not in word only, but in deed and in truth, 1Jo 3:18 . Love to the brethren in Christ, and for Christ’s sake. This notes one great end of our sanctification, viz. the exercise of brotherly love, whereby our love to God is likewise manifested, when we love them upon his acconut. The whole clause may likewise be understood, as an exhortation to purify themselves more and more by faith, that so they might (being purged from carnal affections) be the better able, and more disposed, to love one another. Love one another with a pure heart; as the source and fountain of your love to each other, and from whence it proceeds, 1 Timothy 1:5 2 Timothy 2:22 . Fervently; or, vehemently, and intensely, strongly.

1 Peter 1:22-25 . The combination of purification of souls with love of the brotherhood suggests that the temptations to relapses were due to former intimacies and relationships which were not overcome by the spiritual brotherhood which they entered. Different grades of society were doubtless represented in all Christian churches and those who were marked out for leaders by their wealth and position were naturally slow to love the slaves and outcasts. As at Corinth old intimacies and congenial society led the better classes ( 1 Peter 4:3 f.) to fall back on the clubs to which they had belonged and in the company of their equals to sneer at their new brothers—“the brethren” ( 1 Peter 2:1 ). St. Peter reminds them that they must purify their souls from the taint—with a side-glance perhaps at the rites proper to the associations in question. They must love the brotherhood and its members as such. Earthly relationships are done away by their regeneration; they have exchanged the flesh for the spirit. The section is full of echoes; compare ἡγνικότες with ἅγιοι (15), ἐν ἁγιασμῷ (2), τῇ ὑπακοῇ with τέκνα ὑ . (14), ἀναγεγεννημένοι with ἀναγεννήσας (3), φθαρτῆς with φθαρτοῖς (18), εὐαγγελισθέν with τῶν εὐαγγελισαμένων (12). It should be compared throughout with Ephesians 4:18-24 .— τὰς … ἡγνικότες from Jeremiah 6:16 ,“ see what is the good way and walk in it and you shall find purification ( ἁγνισμόν LXX) to your souls . ἁ . usually of ceremonial purification in LXX.

Compare Jam 4:8 , ἁγνίσατε καρδίας δίψυχοι ( cf. ἀνυπόκριτον ). The perfect participle is used as indicating the ground of the admonition, so ἀναγεγεννημένοι (23). Pagan rites professed to purify the worshipper but cannot affect the soul, the self or the heart any more than the Jewish ceremonies can ( Hebrews 9:9 f.). Scripture declares ὁ φόβος Κυρίου ἁγνός ( Psalm 19:10 ). They must realise that they have cleansed themselves ideally at baptism, cf. 1 John 3:3 ; 1 John 3:15 f. above with context.— ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ τῆς ἀληθείας , in your obedience to the truth, cf. Jer. l.c. above. They are no longer ignorant (14) but have learned the truth ( cf. John 17:17-19 , and γνώσεσθε τὴν ἀ ., John 8:32 ) from the missionaries. They must persist in the obedience to it which they then professed, in contrast with those who are disobedient to the truth ( Romans 2:8 ; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:12 ). Hortsays: “St. Peter rather means the dependence of Christian obedience on the possession of the truth,” relying on Ephesians 4:24 , and the probability that “St. Peter would have distinctly used some such language as ἐν τῷ ὑπακούειν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ”. In regard to the latter point it should be observed that St. Peter is curiously fond of using nouns instead of verbs ( e g. , 2).— εἰς φιλαδελφίαν , love of the brethren , Vulgate, in fraternitalis amore , mutual love which exists between brothers. It is the primary Christian duty, Matthew 23:8 , the first fruits of their profession of which St.