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 James 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 (Psalms 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. Paul has no need to remind the Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 4:9. ἀνυπόκριτον, unfeigned, contrasted with the love which they professed towards their fellow Christians (cf. 1 Peter 2:1) which was neither hearty nor eager. There was pretence among them whether due to imperfect sympathy of Jew for Gentile or of wealthy and honourable Gentiles for those who were neither the one nor the other. For a vivid illustration of this feigning see James 2:15 f. and 1 Peter 2:1-5, etc., for the friction between rich and poor. ἀλλήλους ἀγαπήσατε. St. John's summary of the teaching of Jesus (John 13:34 f., John 15:12; John 15:17) which he repeated in extreme old age at Ephesus, till the disciples were weary of it: “Magister quare semper hoc loqueris”. His answer was worthy of him: “Quia praeceptum Domini est et si solum fiat sufficit (Hieron. in Galatians 6:10). ἐκτενῶς, intentius (Vulg.), in LXX of “ strong crying to God” (Jonah 3:8 = בחזקה violently, cf. Judges 4:12; Joel 1:14; 3Ma 5:9 : in Polybius of a warm commendation (xxxi. 22, 12) a warm and friendly welcome (viii. 21, 1), a warm and magnificent reception (xxxiii. 16 4).