Trials Test Faith, and

1 PETER, L.

Prepare for Final Glory.

soul was what was lost, so "salvation" primarily con-
cerns the soul; the body shall share in redemption
hereafter; the soul of the believer is saved already: an
additional proof that "receiving... salvation" is here
a thing present. 10. The magnitude of this" salvation"
is proved by the earnestness with which "prophets"
and even "angels" searched into it. Even from the
beginning of the world this salvation has been testified
to by the Holy Spirit. prophets-Though there is no
Greek article, yet English Version is right, "the pro-
phets" generally (including all the Old Testament in-
spired authors), as "the angels" similarly refer to them
in general. enquired-perseveringly: so the Greek.
Much more is manifested to us than by diligent en-
quiry and search the prophets attained. Still it is not
said, they searched after it, but "concerning" (so the
Greek for " of") it. They were already certain of the
redemption being about to come. They did not like
us fully see, but they desired to see the one and the
same Christ whom we fully see in spirit. "As Simeon
was anxiously desiring previously, and tranquil in
peace only when he had seen Christ, so all the Old
Testament saints saw Christ only hidden, and as it
were absent-absent not in power and grace, but in-
asmuch as He was not yet manifested in the flesh."
(CALVIN.] The prophets, as private individuals, had
to reflect on the hidden and far reaching sense of their
own prophecies; because their words, as prophets, in
their public function, were not so much their own as
the Spirit's, speaking by and in them: thus Caiaphas.
A striking testimony to verbal inspiration: the words
which the inspired authors wrote are God's words ex-
pressing the mind of the Spirit, which the writers
themselves searched into, to fathom the deep and
precious meaning, even as the believing readers did.
"Searched" implies that they had determinate marks
to go by in their search. the grace that should come
unto yon viz., the grace of the New Testament: an
earnest of "the grace" of perfected “salvation" "to be
brought at the (second) revelation of Christ." Old
Testament believers also possessed the grace of God;
they were children of God, but it was as children in
their nonage, so as to be like servants; whereas we en-
joy the full privileges of adult sons. 11. what-Greek,
"In reference to what, or what manner of time." What

Lord's time to be manifested: He "is ready to judge." | last time-the last day, closing the day of grace: the day of judgment, of redemption, of the restitution of all things, and of perdition of the ungodly. 6. Wherein-In which prospect of final salvation. greatly rejoice-exult with joy "" are exuberantly glad." Salvation is realized by faith (v. 9) as a thing so actually present as to cause exulting joy in spite of existing afflictions. for a season-Greek, "for a little time." if need be "if it be God's will that it should be so" [ALFORD), for not all believers are afflicted. One need not invite or lay a cross on himself, but only "take up" the cross which God imposes ("his cross"). 2 Timothy, 3. 12, is not to be pressed too far. Not every believer, nor every sinner, is tried with afflictions. [THEOPHYLACT.] Some falsely think that notwithstanding our forgiveness in Christ, a kind of atonement, or expiation by suffering, is needed._ye are in heaviness-Greek, "ye were grieved." The "grieved" is regarded as past, the "exulting joy" present. Because the realized joy of the coming salvation makes the present grief seem as a thing of the past. At the first shock of affliction ye were grieved, but now by anticipation ye rejoice regarding the present grief as past. through-Greek, "IN:" the element in which the grief has place. manifold-many and of various kinds (ch. 4. 12, 13). temptations "trials" testing your faith. 7. Aim of the "tempta tions." trial testing, proving. That your faith so proved "may be found (aorist: once for all, as the result of its being proved on the judgment-day) unto (eventuating in) praise." &c., viz., the praise to be bestowed by the Judge. than that of gold rather "than gold." though-" which perisheth, YET is tried with fire." If gold, though perishing (v. 18), is yet tried with fire in order to remove dross and test its genuineness, how much more does your faith, which shall never perish, need to pass through a fiery trial to remove whatever is defective, and to test its genuineness and full value? glory-"Honour" is not so strong as "glory." As praise" is in words, so **honour" is in deeds: honorary reward, appearing -Translate as in v. 13, "revelation." At Christ's revelation shall take place also the revelation of the sons of God (Romans, 8. 19, "manifestation," Greek, ** revelation;" 1 John, 3. 2, Greek, "manifested...mani-expresses the time absolutely: what was to be the era fested," for "appear...appear"). 8. not having seen, ye of Messiah's coming "what manner of time;" what love though in other cases it is knowledge of the events and features should characterise the time of person that produces love to him. They are more His coming. The "or" implies that some of the problessed that have not seen and yet have believed," phets, if they could not as individuals discover the than they who believed because they have seen. On exact time, searched into its characteristic features Peter's own love to Jesus, cf. John, 21. 15-17. Though and events. The Greek for "time" is the season, the the apostles had seen Him, they now ceased to know epoch, the fit time in God's purposes. Spirit of Christ Him merely after the flesh. in whom-connected with...in them-(Acts, 16. 7, in oldest MSS., "the Spirit of ** believing?" the result of which is "ye rejoice" (Greek, exult). now-in the present state, as contrasted with the future state when believers "shall see His face." speakable-(1 Corinthians, 2. 9.) full of glory-Greek, glorified." A joy now already encompassed with glory. The "glory" is partly in present possession, through the presence of Christ," the Lord of glory," in the soul; partly in assured anticipation. "The Christian's joy is bound up with love to Jesus: its ground is faith; it is not therefore either self-seeking nor self-sufficient." (STEIGER. 9. Receiving-in sure anticipation; "the end of your faith," ie.. its crowning consummation, finally-completed "salvation" (Peter here confirms Paul's teaching as to justification by faith); also receiving now the title to it and the first-fruits of it. In the next verse (v. 10) the "salvation" is represented as already present, whereas "the prophets" had it not as yet present. It must, therefore, in this verse, refer to the present: Deliverance now from a state of wrath: believers even now "receive salvation," though its full "revelation" is future, of...souis-The immortal

un

Jesus;" Revelation, 19. 10.) So JUSTIN MARTYR says, "Jesus was He who appeared and communed with Moses, Abraham, and the other patriarchs." CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS calls Him "the Prophet of prophets. and Lord of all the prophetical spirit." did signify"did give intimation." of-Greek, "the sufferings (ap. pointed) unto Christ," or foretold in regard to Christ. "Christ" the anointed Mediator whose sufferings are the price of our "salvation" (v. 9, 10), and who is the channel of "the grace that should come unto you." the glory-Greek, "glories," viz., of His resurrection, of His ascension, of His judgment and coming kingdom, the necessary consequence of the sufferings. that should follow-Greek, after these (sufferings)," ch. 3. 18-22; 5. 1. Since "the Spirit of Christ" is the Spirit of God, Christ is God. It is only because the Son of God was to become our Christ that He manifested Himself and the Father through Him in the Old Testament, and by the Holy Spirit eternally proceeding from the Father and Himself, spake in the prophets. 12. Not only was the future revealed to

Prophets Searched their Own

1 PETER, I.

Prophecies Concerning Christ.

them, but this also, that these revelations of the future strength of your spirit." (HENSLER.] Sobriety, Le, were given them not for themselves, but for our good spiritual self-restraint, lest one be overcome by the in gospel times. This so far from disheartening, only allurements of the world and of sense, and patient quickened them in unselfishly testifying in the Spirit hopeful waiting for Christ's revelation, are the true for the partial good of their own generation (only of be- ways of "girding up the loins of the mind." to the lievers), and for the full benefit of posterity. Contrast end-rather, "perfectly," so that there may be nothing in gospel times, Revelation, 22. 10. Not that their deficient in your hope, no casting away of your cen prophecies were unattended with spiritual instructionfidence. Still there may be an allusion to the "er as to the Redeemer to their own generation, but the mentioned 9. Hope so perfectly (Greek teleios, as to full light was not to be given till Messiah should come; reach unto the end (telos) of your faith and hope, nz, it was well they should have this "revealed" to them, "the grace that is being brought unto you in so the lest they should be disheartened in not clearly dis- Greek) the revelation of Christ." As grace shall ther covering with all their enquiry and search the full par- be perfected, so you ought to hope perfectly. "Hope" ticulars of the coming "salvation." To Daniel is repeated from v. 3. The two appearances are Lut (Dantel, 9. 25, 26) the "time" was revealed. Our im- dfferent stages of the ONE great revelation of Christ, mense privileges are thus brought forth by contrast comprising the New Testament from the beginning to with theirs, notwithstanding that they had the great the end. 14. From sobriety of spirit and endurance of honour of Christ's Spirit speaking in them; and this, hope he passes to obedience, holiness, and reverenissi as an incentive to still greater earnestness on our fear. As-Marking their present actual character as part than even they manifested (v. 13, &c.). us-The "born again" (r. 3, 22). obedient-Greek, “children o oldest MSS. read "you," as in v. 10. This verse im- obedience:" children to whom obedience is their charplies that we, Christians, may understand the pro-acteristic and ruling nature, as a child is of the same phecies by the Spirit's aid in their most important part, viz., so far as they have been already fulfilled. with the Holy Ghost sent down-on Pentecost. The oldest MSS. omit the Greek preposition en, é e., “in ;” then translate, "by." The evangelists speaking by the Holy Spirit were infallible witnesses. "The Spirit of Christ" was in the prophets also (v. 11), but not manifestly, as in the case of the Christian church and its first preachers, "SENT down from heaven." How favoured are we in being ministered to, as to "salvation," by prophets and apostles alike, the latter now announcing the same things as actually fulfilled which the former foretold. which things "the things now reported unto you" by the evangelistic preachers, "Christ's sufferings and the glory that should follow" (v. 11, 12). angels-still higher than "the prophets" (v. 10). Angels do not any more than ourselves possess an INTUITIVE knowledge of redemption. "To look into" in Greck is lit., to bend over so as to look deeply into and see to the bottom of a thing. See note on the same word, James, 1. 25. As the cherubim stood bending over the mercyseat, the emblem of redemption, in the holiest place, so the angels intently gaze upon and desire to fathom the depths of "the great mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels." Their "ministry to the heirs of salvation" naturally disposes them to wish to penetrate this mystery as reflecting such glory on the love, justice, wisdom, and power of their and our God and Lord. They can know it only through its manifestation in the church, as they personally have not the direct share in it that we have. "Angels have only the contrast between good and evil, without the power of conversion from sin to righteousness: witnessing such conversion in the church they long to penetrate the knowledge of the means whereby it is brought about." [HOFMAN in ALFORD.] 13. Waerefore-Seeing that the prophets ministered unto you in these high gospel privileges which they did not themselves fully share in though "searching" into-deportment, course of life: one's way of going sh them, and seeing that even angels "desire to look into" them, how earnest you ought to be and watchful in respect to them. gird up... loins-referring to Christ's own words, Luke, 12. 35: an image taken from the way in which the Israelites ate the passover with the loose outer robe girded up about the waist with a girdle, as ready for a journey. Workmen, pilgrims, runners, wrestlers, and warriors (all of whom are types of the Christian), sogird themselves up, both to shorten the garment so as not to impede motion, and to gird up the body itself so as to be braced for action. The believer is to have his mind (mental powers) collected and always ready for Christ's coming. Gather in the

nature as the mother and father. Contrast Ephesians,
5. 6, "the children of disobedience." . e. 1.
"obeying the Father" whose "children" ye are
Having the obedience of faith (cf. v. 22) and so of
practice (cf. v. 16, 18. "Faith is the highest obedience,
because discharged to the highest command." (Le-
THER.] fashioning-The outward fashion Gret
schema) is fleeting, and merely on the surface The
"form," or conformation in the New Testament, tà
something deeper and more perfect and essential.
the former lusts in-which were characteristic of your
state of ignorance of God: true of both Jews and
Gentiles. The sanctification is first described nea
tively (v. 14. "not fashioning yourselves," &c.; the pat
ting off the old man, even in the outward fashwn, a
well as in the inward conformation), then positively
(v. 15, putting on the new man, cf. Ephesians, 4. 22,4
"Lusts" flow from the original birth-sin inherited
from our first parents, who by self-willed desire
brought sin into the world), the lust which, ever since
man has been alienated from God, seeks to flop
with earthly things the emptiness of his being; the
manifold forms which the mother-lust assumes n
called in the plural lusts. In the regenerate, as lu
as the new man is concerned, which constitutes his
truest self, "sin" no longer exists; but in the flesh or
old man it does. Hence arises the conflict, uninter
ruptedly maintained through life, wherein the new ma
in the main prevails, and at last completely. Butte
natural man knows only the combat of his lusts with
one another, or with the law, without power to com
quer them. 15. Lit., "But (rather) after the patie
of Him who hath called you (whose characteristics
that He is) holy, be (Greek, become, ye yourselves sist
holy." God is our grand model. God's calling is a
frequently-urged motive in Peter's epistles. Every c
that begets, begets an offspring resembling hiresel
EPIPHANIUS.] "Let the acts of the offspring indica
similarity to the Father." [AUGUSTINE.] Conversa

as distinguished from one's internal nature, to w
it must outwardly correspond. Christians are alres f
holy unto God by consecration; they must be so also it
their outward walk and behaviour in all respects. T
outward must correspond to the inward man. 16
Scripture is the true source of all authority in q
tions of doctrine and practice. Be ye...for I am-l
me you have to do with. Ye are mine.
There
abstain from Gentile pollutions. We are too preas
to have respect unto men. [CALVIN.] As I am the
fountain of holiness, being holy in my essence, De 1o
therefore zealous to be partakers of holiness, that ye
may be as I also am. [DIDYMUS.] God is essentia:@ :

Its Fruit is Holiness.

holy: the creature is holy in so far as it is sanctified | fruit of redemption "from our vain conversation:" for by God. God, in giving the command, is willing to give also the power to obey it, viz., through the sanctifying of the Spirit (v. 2). 17. if-i.e., "seeing that ye call on," for all the regenerate pray as children of God, "Our Father who art in heaven." the Father rather, "Call upon as Father Him who without acceptance of persons (Acts, 10. 34; Romans, 2. 11; James, 2. 1, not accepting the Jew above the Gentile, 2 Chronicles, 19. 7; Luke, 20, 21; properly said of a judge not biassed in judgment by respect of persons) judgeth," &c. The Father judgeth by His Son, His Representative, exercising His delegated authority (John, 5. 22). This marks the harmonious and complete unity of the Trinity. work-Each man's work is one complete whole, whether good or bad. The particular works of each are manifestations of the general character of his life-work, whether it was of faith and love whereby alone we can please God and escape condemnation. pass-Greek, “conduct your selves during." sojourning-the outward state of the Jews in their dispersion is an emblem of the sojournerlike state of all believers in this world, away from our true Fatherland. fear-reverential, not slavish. He who is your Father, is also your Judge-a thought which may well inspire reverential fear. THEOPHYLACT observes, A double fear is mentioned in Scripture: (1.) elementary, causing one to become serious; (2.) perfective: the latter is here the motive by which Peter urges them as sons of God to be obedient. Fear is not here opposed to assurance, but to carnal security: fear producing vigilant caution lest we offend God and backslide. "Fear and hope flow from the same fountain: fear prevents us from falling away from hope." [BENGEL] Though love has no fear IN it, yet in our present state of imperfect love, it needs to have fear going ALONG WITH it as a subordinate principle. This fear drowns all other fears. The believer fears God and so has none else to fear. Not to fear God is the greatest baseness and folly. The martyrs' more than mere human courage flowed from this. 18. Another motive to reverential vigilant fear (v. 17) of displeasing God, the consideration of the costly price of our redemption from sin. Observe, it is we who are bought by the blood of Christ, not heaven. The blood of Christ is not in Scripture said to buy heaven for us; heaven is the "inheritance" (v. 4) given to us as sons, by the promise of God. corruptible-Cf. v. 7, "gold that perisheth," 23. silver and gold-Greek, "or." Cf. Peter's own words, Acts, 3. 6: an undesigned coincidence. redeemed-Gold and silver being liable to corruption themselves can free no one from spiritual and bodily death; they are therefore of too little value. Contrast v. 19, Christ's "precious blood." The Israelites were ransomed with half a shekel each, which went towards purchasing the lamb for the daily sacrifice (Exodus, 30. 12-16; cf. Numbers, 3. 44-51). But the Lamb who redeems the spiritual Israelites does so "without money or price." Devoted by sin to the justice of God, the church of the firstborn is redeemed from sin and the curse with Christ's precious blood (Matthew, 20, 28; 1 Timothy, 2. 6; Titus, 2. 14; Revelation, 5. 9). In all these passages there is the idea of substitution, the giving of one for another by way of a ransom or equivalent. Man is "sold under sin" as a slave; shut up under condemnation and the curse. The ransom was, therefore, paid to the righteously-incensed Judge, and was accepted as a vicarious satisfaction for our sin by God, inasmuch as it was His own love as well as righteousness which appointed it. An Israelite sold as a bond-servant for debt might be redeemned by one of his brethren. As therefore, we could not redeem ourselves, Christ assumed our nature in order to become our nearest of kin and brother, and so our Goel or Redeemer. Holiness is the natural

He by whom we are redeemed is also He for whom we are redeemed. "Without the righteous abolition of the curse, either there could be found no deliverance. or, what is impossible, the grace and righteousness of God must have come in collision" [STEIGER]; but now, Christ having borne the curse of our sin, frees from it those who are made God's children by His Spirit. vain self-deceiving, unreal, and unprofitable: promising good which it does not perform. Cf. as to the Gentiles, Acts, 14. 15; Romans, 1. 21; Ephesians, 4. 17; as to human philosophers, 1 Corinthians, 3. 20; as to the disobedient Jews, Jeremiah, 4. 14. conversationcourse of life. To know what our sin is we must know what it cost. received by tradition from your fathersThe Jews' traditions. "Human piety is a vain blasphemy, and the greatest sin that a man can commit" LUTHER). There is only one Father to be imitated. v. 17; cf. Matthew, 23. 9, the same antithesis. [BENGEL.] 19. precious-of inestimable value. The Greek order is, "With precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish (in itself and without spot (contracted by contact with others), [even the blood] of Christ." Though very man, He remained pure in Himself (without blemish"), and uninfected by any impression of sin from without (“without spot"), which would have unfitted Him for being our atoning Redeemer: so the passover-lamb, and every sacrificial victim; so too, the church, the Bride, by her union with Him. As Is rael's redemption from Egypt required the blood of the Paschal Lamb, so our redemption from sin and the curse required the blood of Christ; "foreordained" (v. 20) from eternity, as the passover-lamb was taken up on the tenth day of the month. 20. God's eternal foreordination of Christ's redeeming sacrifice, and completion of it in these last times for us, are an additional obligation on us to our maintaining a holy walk, considering how great things have been thus done for us. Peter's language in the history corresponds with this here: an undesigned coincidence and mark of genuineness, Redemption was no afterthought, or remedy of an unforeseen evil, devised at the time of its arising. God's foreordaining of the Redeemer refutes the slander that, on the Christian theory, there is a period of 4000 years of nothing but an incensed God. God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. manifest-in His incarnation in the fulness of the time. He existed from eternity before He was manifested. in these last times-1 Corinthians, 10. 11, "the ends of the world." This last dispensation, made up of "times" marked by great changes, but still retaining a general unity, stretches from Christ's ascension to His coming to judgment 21. by him-Cf. "the faith which is by Him," Acts, 3. 16, Through Christ; His Spirit, obtained for us in His resurrection and ascension, enabling us to believe. This verse excludes all who do not "by Him believe in God," and includes all of every age and clime that do. Lit., "are believers in God." To believe IN (Greek eis) God expresses an internal trust: " by believing to love God, going INTO Him, and cleaving to Him, incorporated into His members. By this faith the ungodly is justified, so that thenceforth faith itself begins to work by love." [P. LOMBARD.] To believe ON (Greek epi, or dative case) God, expresses the confidence which grounds itself on God, reposing on Him. "Faith IN (Greek en) His blood" (Romans, 3. 25) implies that His blood is the element IN which faith has its proper and abiding place. Cf. with this verse, Acts, 20. 21. "Repentance toward (Greek eis, into,' turning towards and going into) God aud faith toward (Greek eis, into') Christ" where, as there is but one article to both "repentance" and "faith," the two are inseparably joined as to ether forming one truth; where repentance is, there faith is; when one knows God the Father

Love and the New-Birth Abide:

1 PETER, IL.

Fleshly Glory Perishes.

yet not without the use of means, but by the word of
God. The word is not the begetting principle itself,
but only that by which it works: the vehicle of the
mysterious germinating power. (ALFORD.] which
liveth and abideth for ever-It is because the Spirit of
God accompanies it that the word carries in it the
germ of life. They who are so born again live and
abide for ever, in contrast to those who sow to the
flesh. "The gospel bears incorruptible fruits, not
dead works, because it is itself incorruptible." [BES-
GEL The word is an eternal divine power. For
though the voice or speech vanishes, there still re-
mains the kernel, the truth comprehended in the
voice. This sinks into the heart and is living; yea, it
is God Himself. So God to Moses, Exodus, 4. 12, “I
will be with thy mouth." LUTHER ] The life is in
God, yet it is communicated to us through the word,
"The gospel shall never cease, though its ministry
shall." ICALOV.] The abiding resurrection-glory is
always connected with our regeneration by the Spirit.
Regeneration beginning with renewing man's scul at
the resurrection passes on to the body, then to the
whole world of nature. 24. Scripture proof that the
word of God lives for ever, in contrast to man's na-
tural frailty. If ye were born again of flesh, corruptible
seed, ye must also perish again as the grass; but DOW
that from which you have derived life remains eternal-
ly, and so also will render you eternal. flesh-man ic
his mere earthly nature. as-Omitted in some of the
oldest MSS. of man-The oldest MSS. read, "of it"
(ie., of the flesh). "The glory" is the wisdom,
strength, riches, learning, honour, beauty, art, virtue,
and righteousness of the NATURAL man texpressed
by "flesh"), which all are transitory (John, 3. 6), not
OF MAN (ns English Version reads absolutely, for the
glory of man, in his true ideal realized in the believer
is eternal. withereth-Greek aorist: lit., "withered."
i.e., is withered as a thing of the past. So also the
Greek for "falleth" is "fell away." i.., is fallen away: il
no sooner is than it is gone. thereof-Omitted in the
best MSS. and versions. "The grass" is the Ash:

spiritually, then he must know the Son by whom alone
we can come to the Father. In Christ we have life: if
we have not the doctrine of Christ, we have not God.
The only living way to God is through Christ and
His sacrifice. that raised him-The raising of Jesus by
God is the special ground of our believing" (1.) be-
cause by it God declared openly His acceptance of
Him as our righteous substitute; (2.) because by it and
His glorification He received power, viz., the Holy
Spirit, to impart to His elect "faith" the same power
enabling us to believe as raised Him from the dead.
Our faith must not only be IN Christ, but BY and
THROUGH Christ. "Since in Christ's resurrection and
consequent dominion our safety is grounded, there
'faith' and hope' find their stay." [CALVIN.] that
your faith and hope might be in God-the object and ef-
fect of God's raising Christ. He states what was the
actual result and fact, not an exhortation, except in-
directly. Your faith flows from His resurrection; your
hope from God's having "given Him glory" (cf. v. 11,
"glories"). Remember God's having raised and glori-
fled Jesus as the anchor of your faith and hope in God,
and so keep alive these graces. Apart from Christ we
could have only feared, not believed and hoped in God,
Cf. v. 3, 7-9, 13, on hope in connexion with faith; lore
is introduced in v. 22. 22. purified...in obeying the truth
-Greck, "in your (or the) obedience of (ie., to) the
truth" (the gospel way of salvation), i.e., in the fact of
your believing. Faith purifies the heart as giving it
the only pure motive, love to God (Acts, 15. 9; Ro-
mans, 1. 6, "obedience to the faith"). through the
Spirit-Omitted in the oldest MSS. The Holy Spirit
is the purifier by bestowing the obedience of faith (v. 2;
1 Corinthians, 12. 3). unto-with a view to: the proper
result of the purifying of your hearts by faith. "For
what end must we lead a chaste life? That we may
thereby be saved? No: but for this, that we may
serve our neighbour." [LUTHER.1 unfeigned-ch. 2.
1, 2, "laying aside. hypocrisies...sincere." love of the
brethren-.e., of Christians. Brotherly love is distinct
from common love. "The Christian loves primarily
those in Christ; secondarily, all who might be in
Christ, viz., all men, as Christ as man died for all, and
as he hopes that they, too, may become his Christian
brethren." [STEIGER.] BENGEL remarks that as here,
so in 2 Peter, 1. 5-7, "brotherly love" is preceded by
the purifying graces, "faith, knowledge, and godli-
ness," &c. Love to the brethren is the evidence of our
regeneration and justification by faith. love one an-
other-When the purifying by faith into love of the
brethren has formed the habit, then the act follows, so
that the "love" is at once habit and act. with a pure
heart-The oldest MSS. read, "(love) from the heart."
fervently-Greek, "intensely:" with all the powers on
the stretch (ch. 4. 8). "Instantly" (Acts, 26. 7). 23.
Christian brotherhood flows from our new birth of an Ver. 1-25. ExпORTATIONS: To guileless feeding en
imperishable seed, the abiding word of God. This the word by the sense of their privileges as new-born
is the consideration urged here to lead us to exercise babes, living stones in the spiritual temple built on
brotherly love. As natural relationship gives rise to Christ the chief corner stone, and royal priests, in co
natural affection, so spiritual relationship gives rise to trast to their former state: also to abstinence from
spiritual, and therefore abiding love, even as the seed fleshly lusts, and to walk worthily in all relations of
from which it springs is abiding, not transitory as life, so that the world without which opposes them
earthly things. of...cf...oy-" The word of God" is not may be constrained to glorify God in seeing their good
the material of the spiritual new birth, but its mean works. Christ, the grand pattern to follow in patience
or medium. By means of the word the man receives under suffering for well-doing. 1. laying aside-com
the incorruptible seed of the Holy Spirit, and so be- for all: so the Greek aorist expresses, as a garment
comes one born again" John, 3. 3-5, "Born of put off. The exhortation applies to Christians alce
water and the Spirit:" where there being but one for in none else is the new nature existing which,
Greek article to the two nouns, the close connexion of "the inward man" (Ephesians, 3. 161, can cast of the
the sign and the grace, or new birth signified, is im-old as an outward thing, so that the Christian, through
plied. The word is the remote and anterior instru- the continual renewal of his inward man, can also es
ment; baptism, the proximate and sacramental instru- hibit himself externally as a new man. But to unde
ment. The word is the instrument in relation to the lievers the demand is addressed, that inwardly, in
individual; baptism, in relation to the church as a regard to the nous mind, they must become changed
society (Janes, 1. 18). We are born again of the Spirit, meta-noeisthai (re-pent). [STEIGERJ The "the

the flower" its glory. 25. (Psalm 119. 89.) this is the word... preached unto you-That is eternal which is born of incorruptible seed (v. 24): but ye have received the incorruptible seed, the word (v. 25); therefore ye are born for eternity, and so are bound now to live for eternity (v. 22, 23). Ye have not far to look for the word; it is among you, even the joyful gospel message which we preach. Doubt not that the gospel preached to you by our brother Paul, and which ye have em braced, is the eternal truth. Thus the oneness d Paul and Peter's creed appears. See my Intredsttion, showing Peter addresses some of the same churches as Paul laboured among and wrote to. CHAPTER IL.

Guileless Feeding on the Word

1 PETER, II.

and Coming to Christ. fore" resumes the exhortation begun in ch. 1. 22. | followed by fuller and happier experiences. A taste Seeing that ye are born again of an incorruptible seed, whets the appetite. [BENGEL.] gracious Greek, be not again entangled in evil, which "has no sub-"good," benignant, kind; as God is revealed to us in stantial being, but is an acting in contrariety to the Christ, "the Lord" (v. 4), we who are born again ought being formed in us." [THEOPHYLACT.] "Malice," so to be good and kind to the brethren (ch. 1. 22). &c., are utterly inconsistent with the "love of the "Whosoever has not tasted the word to him it is not brethren," unto which ye have "purified your souls" sweet: it has not reached the heart; but to them who (ch. 1. 22). The vices here are those which offend have experienced it, who with the heart believe. against the BROTHERLY LOVE inculcated above. Christ has been sent for me and is become my own: Each succeeding one springs out of that which im- my miseries are His, and His life mine,' it tastes mediately precedes so as to form a genealogy of the sweet." LUTHER.] 4. coming-drawing near (same sins against love. Out of malice springs guile; out of Greek as here. Hebrews, 10. 22) by faith continually; guile, hypocrisies (pretending to be what we are not. present tense: not having come once for all at converand not showing what we really are: the opposite of sion. stone-Peter (i. e., a stone, named so by Christ) "love unfeigned," and "without dissimulation"); out desires that all similarly should be living stones BUILT of hypocrisies, envies of those to whom we think our- ON CHRIST, THE TRUE FOUNDATION-STONE; cf. his aelves obliged to play the hypocrite; out of envies, evil speech in Acts, 4. 11. An undesigned coincidence and speaking, malicious, envious detraction of others. mark of genuineness. The Spirit foreseeing the Guile is the permanent disposition; hypocrisies the Romanist perversion of Matthew, 16. 18 (cf. 16, "Son of acts flowing from it. The guileless knows no envy. the LIVING God," which coincides with his language Cf. v. 2. "sincere," Greek, "guileless." "Malice de- here, the LIVING Stone"), presciently makes Peter lights in another's hurt; envy pines at another's good; himself to refute it. He herein confirms Paul's teachguile imparts duplicity to the heart; hypocrisy flattery) ing. Omit the as unto of English Version. Christ is ipiparts duplicity to the tongue; evil speakings wound positively termed the "living stone :" living, as having the character of another." [AUGUSTINE.] 2. new-born life in Himself from the beginning, and as raised from babes-altogether without "guile" (v. 1). As long as we the dead to live evermore (Revelation, 1. 18) after His are here we are "babes," in a specially tender relation rejection by men, and so the source of life to us. Like to God (Isaiah, 40. 11). The childlike spirit is in- no earthly rock, He lives and gives life. Cf. 1 Corindispensable if we would enter heaven. "Milk" is thians, 10. 4, and the type, Exodus, 17. 6; Numbers. here not elementary truths in contradistinction to 20. 11. disallowed-rejected, reprobated; referred to more advanced Christian truths, as in 1 Corinthians, also by Christ Himself; also by Paul: cf. the kindred 3. 2: Hebrews, 5. 12, 13; but in contrast to "guile, prophecies, Isaiah, 8. 14; Luke, 2. 34. chosen of Godhypocrisies," &c. (v. 1); the simplicity of Christian lit., "with (or in the presence and judgment of) God doctrine in general to the childlike spirit. The same elect" or chosen out (v. 6). Many are alienated from ** word of grace" which is the instrument in regenera- the gospel, because it is not every where in favour, but tion, is the instrument also of building up. "The mo- is on the contrary rejected by most men. Peter anther of the child is also its natural nurse." [STEIGER.] Swers that, though rejected by men, Christ is peculiarly The babe, instead of chemically analysing, instinctive- the stone of salvation honoured by God, first so desigly desires and feeds on the milk; so our part is not nated by Jacob in his deathbed prophecy. 5. Ye aiso, self-sufficient, rationalizing, and questionings, but as lively stones-partaking of the name and life which simply receiving the truth in the love of it (Matthew, is in "THE LIVING STONE” (v. 4; 1 Corinthians, 3. 11). 11. 25). desire-Greek, "have a yearning desire for," or Many names which belong to Christ in the singular are ⚫ longing after," a natural impulse to the regenerate, assigned to Christians in the plural. He is "THE Son," * for as no one needs to teach new-born babes what "High Priest," "King." "Lamb" they, "sons." food to take, knowing instinctively that a table is " priests." kings," sheep." "lambs." So the provided for them in their mother's breast," so the be- Shulamite called from Solomon. [BENGEL.] are built liever of himself thirsts after the word of God (Psalm up-Greek, "are being built up," as in Ephesians, 2. 22. 119.). Cf. Tatius' language as to Achilles. of the word Not as ALFORD, "Be ye built up." Peter grounds his -Not as ALFORD, "spiritual," nor ** reasonable," as exhortations, v. 2, 11, &c., on their conscious sense of English Version in Romans, 12. 1. The Greek logos in their high privileges as living stones in the course of Scripture is not used of the reason, or mind, but of being built up into a spiritual house ti.e., "the habithe WORD; the preceding context requires that the tation of the Spirit"). priesthood-Christians are at word should be meant here; the adjective logikos fol- once the spiritual temple and the priests of the temple: lows the meaning of the noun logos, "word.' James, There are two Greek words for "temple:" hieron (the 1. 21. "Lay apart all filthiness. &c., and receive with sacred place), the whole building, including the courts neekness the engrafted WORD," is exactly parallel, wherein the sacrifice was killed; and naos (the dwelland confirms English Version here. sincere-Greek, ing, viz., of God, the inner shrine wherein God mileless." Cf. v. 1, laying aside quile." IRENEUS peculiarly manifested Himself, and where, in the ys of heretics, They mix chalk with the milk. The Holiest place, the blood of the slain sacrifice was Article "the," implies that besides the well known pure presented before Him. All believers alike, and not ilk, the gospel, there is no other pure unadulterated merely ministers, are now the dwelling of God (and doctrine: it alone can make us guileless (v. 1). grow are called the naos Greek, not the hieron and priests The oldest MSS. and versions read, "grow unto unto God (Revelation, 1. 6). The minister is not, like !ration." Being BORN again unto salvation, we are the Jewish priest (Greek hiereus), admitted nearer to also to grow unto salvation. The end to which growth God than the people, but merely for order's sake leads acs is perfected salvation. "Growth is the measure the spiritual services of the people. Priest is the abthe fulness of that, not only rescue from destruc- breviation of presbyter in the Church of England on. but positive blessedness, which is implied in Prayer Book, not corresponding to the Aaronic priest tation." (ALFORD.) thereby-Greek. "IN it" fed (hiereus, who offered literal sacrifices). Christ is the at: in its strength (Acts, 11. 14). The word is to only literal Hiereus-priest in the New Testament desired with appetite as the cause of life, to be through whom alone we may always draw near to God. Hlowed in the hearing, to be chewed as cud is by Cf. v. 9. "a royal priesthood," ie., a body of priestzination with the understanding, and to be digested kings, such as was Melchisedec. The Spirit never, in faith." (TERTULLIAN.) 3. Peter alludes to Psalm New Testament, gives the name hicreus, or sacerdotal The first tastes of God's goodness are afterwards priest, to ministers of the gospel, holy-consecrated