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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
8. τὴν … ἀγάπην ἐκτενῆ ἔχοντες. ἐκτενῆ is the predicate. It is assumed that they have love towards one another, but they are bidden to maintain it in a fervent, strenuous condition, cf. 1Pe 1:22.
ἑαυτούς. For ἀλλήλους as often in N.T. and also class. Greek.
ἀγάπη καλύπτει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν. The words are borrowed from Pro 10:12 “Hatred stirreth up strife but love covereth all transgressions.” The LXX. however is πάντας δὲ τοὺς μὴ φιλονεικοῦντας καλύπτει φιλία but the versions of Aquila and Theodotion read ἐπὶ πάσας ἀθεσίας καλύψει ἀγάπη. On the relation of this passage to Jam 5:20 see Intr. p. lviii. In Proverbs there can be little doubt that the meaning is Love refuses to see faults, it passes over without notice and so forgives the sins of others. St Peter’s form of the words occurs in Clem. 1 Cor. 49 where Lightfoot explains it, Love forgives the sins of others, which he thinks is probably the meaning in St Peter. Similarly in St James he explains that the sins of the man who is converted are buried from the sight of God, being wiped out by the conversion and repentance of the sinner.
But in 2 Clem. 16 the same words are quoted as follows: “Almsgiving is good as repentance from sin (is good). Fasting is better than prayer but almsgiving (is better) than both. But love covereth a multitude of sins and prayer from a good conscience rescues from death … for almsgiving removes the load of sin.” The meaning adopted is evidently that love atones for the sins of him who loves, the rest of the passage being borrowed from Tob 12:9 “Almsgiving rescues from death and it purgeth all sin.” Cf. Dan 4:27 “redeem thy sins by almsgivings and thine iniquities by acts of pity to the poor,” Sir 3:3 “He that honoureth his father shall atone for sins,” Sir 3:30 “almsgiving shall atone for sins,” Sir 3:14 “pity for a father … shall be imputed to thee for good against thy sins.” Tertullian Scorp. 6 explains the words as meaning that love wins forgiveness for a man’s own sins, so also Origen in Hom. Lev. ii.4, illustrating them by Luk 7:47 “Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much.” Clement Al. Paed. iii. 12 quotes the words with the formula φησί. Consequently Resch regards them as one of the unwritten sayings of Christ, but as the preceding passages in Clement are quotations from the O.T. this explanation is doubtful, but in Didascalia ii. 3 the words are quoted with the formula λέγει Κύριος. Clement Al. Strom. ii. 15 explains the words as referring to God’s love in Christ which forgives men’s sins, but in Quis div. salv. 38 he says that love working in a man enables him to repent and put away his own sins.
For the idea that deeds of love to others affect a man’s own pardon, cf. Luk 16:9; Mat 25:34-40. On the whole the primary meaning in St Peter probably is that love forgives the sins of others, but our Lord said “If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will forgive you,” therefore by love which forgives others a man does enable God’s forgiveness to be extended to himself.