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anpoffcavoXTirtrus, without respect of persons) whether any one is a Hebrew or a Greek. — a^poau^oX^rug — h (pofifi) Comp. 2 Chron. xix. 7. — spyov, work ) The singular. The work of one man is one, whether it be good or evil.— h <po(3u , in fear ) Fear is joined to hope, each flowing from the same source. Fear prevents us from falling away from hope. — Kapoixtag, of sojourning) He calls them strangers , because they are in the world, ch. ii. 11 ; not however without an allusion to the biaanopd, the dispersion in Asia, ver. 1.
18. Ou pdaproTg, not with corruptible things) ver. 23. — //-ara/ac, vain) A vain course of life, which leaves no fruit behind, when the time has passed away. — ku rpovapuborov, received from the fathers) There is only one Father to be imitated, ver. 17. There is the same antithesis, Matt, xxiii. 9. In religion men too willingly and perti- naciously tread in the footsteps of their fathers, and the Jews in particular.
19. T//4/w, precious) The blood of Christ is incorruptible , ver. 18. — wf, as) This explains the reason1 for his use of the word precious. — a/xw/xou, without blemish) Jesus Christ had in Himself (a^dfiov) no taint of evil. — da^iXov, without spot) Nor did He contract any stain from without (dan/Xov).
20. Uposyvcaff/jj'svov , who was fore-ordained) Acts ii. 23. — wpo, before) Therefore all the good pleasure of God is fulfilled in Christ. — powepwO'evrog bs, but manifested) The foreknowledge was in God alone. — Xpovwv) times , viz. of the world.
21. A/’ auroD, by Him) by Christ , in whose resurrection all the argument and efficacy of faith and hope centre. — [ jnarsvovrag , who be- lieve) by the power of that manifestation. — Y. g.] — dan) that so. — -r/Vr/v v/jju v nai iX-r/da, your faith and hope) These two are most inti- mately joined together, and yet they differ with respect to the pre- sent and the future. [ Faith is derived from the resurrection of Christ : hope from His glorification. — Y. g.] — eig ©soy, in God) alone, ch. iii. 5, who hath exalted Jesus, and prepared an anchor for us ; Heb. vi. 19 ; Rom. viii. 34 ; whereas, apart from Christ, we could but have feared Him. Now we clearly believe and hope.
22. Tag -\pu^dgy your souls) Without the copula, as ver. 14 and 15. — fiyvncong , ye who have purified) who have undergone purifica- tion of your souls. Hence follows presently xaOapag, pure. The word dyviliiv denotes both chastity and all other purity. See Sep-
1 This is an instance of the figure iEtiologia, which is used to express the reason why we make use of any particular proposition or assertion.
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