The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Peter — Section 143

the wo.ter which eaves le the water of hastens to explain his statement. Baptism baptism. Thus the literal tro.nelation will doth save us, hut not the mere out- be, "Which (as) antitype is saving you ward ceremony ; you may "make clean the o.lso, (no.mely) baptism ; " that is, the water outside" with the most scrupulous care; which is eo.ving you is the antitype of the you may be very careful in putting away water of the Flood. That water was made the filth of the flesh (or, if the genitive is the meo.ns of saving a few; it bore up the to be regarded as subjective, with Bengel, ark in which they were. It saved them, the flesh may put away its filth); but more perhaps, from the ma.lice of the ungodly ; is needed than the olrl Jewish washings, it saved them from that corruption which the frequent purifications. Comp. Justin was almost universal; it was the means of Martyr,' Dial. cum Trypho,' p. 331 (quoted saving the race of men as by a new birth by Ruther), Ti "fa.p 6pell.os i1<eivou -roii fJa,;r-r(r1- through death into a new life, a new begin- p.a-ros (the Jewish washing) t, -rhv r1ap1<a ning; it washed away the evil, those 1<a.l µ6vov -rb <Twp.a. pa,6pove, ; {Ja1r-r(,ra71-re who suffered for evil-doing, and so saved -r¾,v ij,vxfw. Observe that St. Peter uses the those who had doubtless been suffering word here rendered '' putting away" (a.1r6• for well-doing. Thus it is the figure ('r6'ros) 6e<Tis) again in the Second Epistle (i. 14) of of the e.ntitype (anl•nnrov) baptism; the putting off the earthly tabernacle (comp. two (the water of the Flood and the water abo eh. ii. I, where be nses the correspond- of baptism) correspond as type and anti- ing participle, a1ro6lp.evo,). The next clause type. The av-rl-r,nrov is the counterpart of (all.71.a. <Tvve,61J<Tews d"ya6,is breprl,-r71i,a els 0e6v) the -r{nros; and &e -r{nros sometimes means presents great difficulty. Is the genitive sub- the original, sometimes the figure, there is jective or objective? What i3 the meaning a correspondent variation in the meaning of /1repilrr71p.a? The word ,1reprfrr71µ.a occurs of av-rl-r,nrov. Delitzsch says, on Heb. ix. only in one other place in the Greek 24, " We have found -r{nros at oh. viii. 5 Scriptures (Dan. iv. 14 [in the Authorized used in the sense of 11D original figure-a Version, iv. 17)), where it is translated model from which a copy is ma.de; such " demand ; " the corresponding verb is of copy from an original (or architype) is that frequent occurrence; as in Rom. x. 20, designated as anl-rv1ra. here. T6iros oga.in " them that asked not after me; " and 2 (as at Rom. v. H) is used in the sense of Kings xi. 7 (2 Sam. xi. 7, in the Authorized a prophetic foretype, of which the accom- Version), where it is joined with the plishmtlnt is reserved for the future (-rif1ros preposition els, ea in this verse. Thus -rwv p.e71./\.6Jl'rwv); and that accomplishment ,1reprl,-r71µ.a seems to mean an "inquiry," and is age.in called av-rl-rv,rov (a.ntitype): e. g. the genitive is probably subjective. The baptism, at 1 Pet. iii. 21, is in this sense inner meaning of baptism is not that the an av-rl-rv,rov of the Deluge. The earthly flesh puts a.way its filth, but that a good reflection of the heavenly archetype, and conscience inquires after God. The out- the actual fulfilment of the prophetic -r6-iros, ward and visible sign doth not save if are each called av-r/-rv,rov." Here the water separated from the inward and spiritual of the Flood is the prophetic foretype: grace. The first is necessary, for it is an baptism is the aooomplishment. "Baptism," outward sign appointed by Christ: but it St. Peter says, "is saving you," the few will not save without the second: those Christiana, separating you from the vo.st who draw near to God must have their number of Gentiles, whom in some sense botlies washed with pure water, but also it condemns through their rejection of God's their hearts sprinkled from an evil con- offered mercy (comp. Heb. xi. 7), saving science (Heb. x. 22). The inner cle11nsing you from the corruption of their evil of the soul results in a good conscience, 11 example, bringing you into the ark of consciousness of sincerity, of good inten- Christ's Ohurch, bearing up that ark tions and desires, which will instinctively throngh the grace of the new birth. The seek after God. And that good conscience apostle says, "Baptism is saving you: " he is tbe effect of baptism, when baptism bas does not say," bns saved;" he is using the its perfect work, when those who have once present tense in its proper sense of au been gr11fted into the true Vine abide in incomplete action ; it brings us into a state Christ, when those who ho.ve once been of salvation, into coveno.nt with God. ·Bnt ba.ptized in one Spirit into one body keep it is only the beginning, the birth; tho the unity of the Spirit, Christ dwelling in growth must follow: the death unto sin, them, and they in Christ. Arch\Jillhop the new birth unto righteousness, must be Leighton exptilins the word ,1reprl,-rw,a as realized in actual life ; otherwise, alas I we "the whole correspondence of the conscience shall have received the grace of God in vain with God, uud with itself as towards God, (comp. Titus iii. 5). (Not the putting away or in the sight of God." If the genitive is of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a regarded as objective, the meaning will be, good oonsoienoe toward God.) St. Peter " an inquiry 11ddressed to God for o. ~ood  133 'l'HE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETEU. [ea. m. 1-22.