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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Pe_1:22-25
22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For, "All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off, 25But the word of the Lord endures forever." And this is the word which was preached to you.
1Pe_1:22 "in obedience" Obedience is a recurrent theme in chapter one (cf. 1Pe_1:2; 1Pe_1:14; 1Pe_1:22). It refers to receiving the gospel (i.e., truth, cf. Joh_17:17; 2Th_2:12) and walking in it. Remember the gospel is (1) a person; (2) truth about that person; and (3) a life like that person. Jesus expressed the importance of obedience so clearly in Luk_6:46. Obedience is the evidence that we have truly met Him and been changed by Him. Eternal life has observable characteristics.
▣ "to the truth" Literally "by obedience of the truth," which is an objective genitive. Truth is the characteristic of both God and His children. See Special Topic: Truth at 2Pe_1:12.
▣ "purified your souls" This is a perfect active participle. Obedience to the truth issues in a personal purging (cf. Jas_4:8; 1Jn_3:3). This spiritual purging does not earn God's love and acceptance, but reflects it instead. This purifying process starts at salvation and continues throughout life (perfect active participle). It results in a sincere love of the brothers (cf. 1Jn_4:7-21). Christianity is both (1) an individual faith response to God's offer of salvation through Christ and (2) a corporate experience of service to the body of Christ (cf. 1Co_12:7). Believers express their love for God by loving His other children (cf. Rom_14:1 to Rom_15:13). See fuller note on "souls" at 1Pe_1:9.
▣ "love of the brethren. . .fervently love another" The first use of "love" in this phrase is in a compound Greek word philadelphi (brotherly love). The second is an aorist active imperative of the verb agapaô. These terms (phileô and agapaô)were used interchangeably in the NT (cf. Joh_5:20 versus Joh_3:25 and Joh_16:27 versus Joh_17:23). In some passages like Joh_21:15-17, they might convey different aspects of love. The early church took a relatively unused noun (agapç) and began using it to express the unique self-giving love of God in Christ.
1Pe_1:23 "for you have been born again" This is a perfect passive participle. This develops the theological thought from 1Pe_1:3. It is a family metaphor used to describe Christians as new members of God's family through their faith in Christ (cf. Joh_1:12-13). It is similar in meaning to John's "born from above" in Joh_3:3.
Notice the marvelous truth conveyed in the verb.
1. perfect tense = our salvation started in the past and continues into a current state of being
2. passive voice = we did not save ourselves, it was an outside act by the Triune God
3. This same verb form (different Greek word) is found in Eph_2:5; Eph_2:8, which is also a wonderful verse on the believer's assurance and security.
▣ "not of seed which is perishable" Seed is a biblical metaphor for (1) procreation (i.e., used by the rabbis for sperm) or (2) physical descent (i.e., Gen_12:1-3 for Abraham's descendants). It is that which brings forth life.
▣ "through the living and enduring word of God" Gospel preaching is personified as the means by which the Father has brought forth believers (cf. Jas_1:18). This Apostolic preaching of the truth of the gospel is described as both alive and remaining (cf. Heb_4:12), which are both aspects of YHWH!
1Pe_1:24 1Pe_1:24-25 a are a quote from the LXX of Isa_40:6-8 (cf. Job_14:1-2; Psa_90:5-6; Psa_103:15-17) which also emphasized the frailty and finitude of human life (cf. Jas_1:10-11) versus the eternality of God's Word (cf. Jas_1:21). In their original context these verses referred to Israel, but now they refer to the church (cf. 1Pe_2:5; 1Pe_2:9). This transfer is characteristic of 1 Peter.
1Pe_1:25 "the word of the Lord" There are two Greek words usually translated "word" or "message." In Koine Greek logos (cf. Joh_1:1; 1Pe_1:23) and rçma (cf. the OT quote from the Septuagint in 1Pe_1:25 a and alluded to in 1Pe_1:25 b) are usually synonymous. Context, not a lexicon, determines synonymity. God has revealed Himself (i.e., revelation)!