1 Peter 1:13

1 Peter 1:13

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

a. NLT: So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

b. NIV; Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

c. YLT: Wherefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly upon the grace that is being brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ,

d. Amplified Bible: So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.

e. Worrell Translation: Wherefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly for the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1. “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind…”

a. wherefore [1352 * dio] [Strong: from 1223 and 3739; through which thing, i.e. consequently:--for which cause, therefore, wherefore.]

b. gird up [328 * anazonnymi] [Zodhiates: Occurs only in 1 Peter 1:13, where it is applied to the mind being held in constant prepraration. It is taken from the custom of the eastern nations who, when they had occasion to exert themselves (as in journeying, running, etc.), used to bind up their long flowing garments by a girdle or belt about their hips.] [Bullinger: to gird up as with a belt.] [Strong: from 303 and 2224; to gird afresh:--gird up.]

c. the loins [3751 * osphys][Thayer: the hip (loin) to gird, gird about, the loins, a loin, the (two) loins, the place where…generative power…resided.] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; the loin (externally), i.e. the hip; internally (by extension) procreative power:--loin.]

d. of your [5216 * humon] [Strong: genitive case of 5210; of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves).]

e. mind [1271 * dianoia; dia-denoting separation; noeo-to think over] [Zodhiates: Understanding, intellect, intellectual faculty, though, mind] [Strong: from 1223 and 3563; deep thought, properly, the faculty (mind or its disposition), by implication, its exercise:-- imagination, mind, understanding.]

1). The phrase “gird up your loins” is used in a few places in the Old Testament. The two most notable are in Exodus and 1 Kings.

a). Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

(1) It is used here to show God commanded His people to be ready at a moments notice. The use of the phrase in 1 Peter 1:13 suggest that we must be ready also. [Compare 2 Timothy 4:2].

(2) We must remember that Jesus is our Passover, 1 Corinthians 5:7.

b). 1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

(1) The distance between Mt. Carmel and Jezreel is about 25 miles. Elijah ran the whole way because the hand of the LORD was upon him. It was a supernatural marathon.

2). The Apostle Paul included having our lions girded in reference to the armor of God that the Lord provides for us in order to live the victorious Christian life.

a). Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

(1) As believers, we need to gird or wrap the truth of the word of God around our minds. This phrase, “gird up the loins of your mind” is no doubt another way to exhort us to meditate the Scriptures, in order to strengthen our minds. When we gird ourselves we wrap something around us, such as a belt, it is to strengthen us. Peter is speaking of our minds, Peter is exhorting us to wrap and strengthen our minds. We are to strengthen and gird our minds with the word of God because as we shall see, it is from revelation knowledge through meditation that the empowering grace comes to us.

3). Girding the word of God around our minds is meditating the word of God and provides supernatural promises for life in Christ.

a). Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

(1) thou shalt make thy way prosperous [6743 * tsaleach] [Strongs:to push forward, in various senses (literally or figuratively), to break out, come mightily, go over, be profitable, (cause to, effect, make to) prosper, (to go on well, to succeed, to make successful, to accomplish prosperously, to finish well] [[The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old Testament, Baker & Carpenter: A verb meaning to rush, to break forth, to come mightily. It describes the Holy Spirit’s effect on persons, making them powerful] Judges 14:6; 1 Samuel 16:13.]

(2) Judges 14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

(3) 1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

(4) Meditating the word of God will not only prepare our heart for the Spirit, it is also a channel for the Spirit of God to come mightily upon us, to rise up in us more frequently on a daily basis and for longer periods of time during the day and evening. Nothing on earth can compare with His presence, when He speaks to our heart giving us wisdom, revelation and understanding.

2. “…be sober…”

a. sober [3525 * nepho] [Thayer: to be sober, to be calm and collected in spirit, to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect.][Vine: signifies "to be free from the influence of intoxicants;" in the NT, metaphorically, it does not in itself imply watchfulness, but is used in association with it][Strong: to abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. (figuratively) be discreet:--be sober, watch.]

3. “…and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

a. and hope [1679 * elpizo] [Strong: from 1680; to expect or confide:--(have, thing) hope(-d) (for), trust.]

b. to the end [5049 * teleios] [Strong: adverb from 5046; completely, i.e. (of hope) without wavering:--to the end.]

c. for [1909 * epi] [Strong: a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

d. the grace [5485 * charis] [Strong: from 5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):--acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace(- ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy).]

1). This is the grace Peter was referring to in verse 10 that is part of the salvation the prophets searched and inquired of. He is speaking of revelation knowledge.

e. to be brought [5342 * phero] [Strong: a primary verb -- for which other, and apparently not cognate ones are used in certain tenses only; namely, oio oy'-o; and enegko en-eng'-ko to "bear" or carry (in a very wide application, literally and figuratively, as follows):--be, bear, bring (forth), carry, come, + let her drive, be driven, endure, go on, lay, lead, move, reach, rushing, uphold.]

f. at [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

g. the revelation [602 * apokalupsis] [Strong: from 601; disclosure:--appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation.] [Thayer: laying bare, making naked, a disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning things before unknown, used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all, manifestation, appearance.] [Zodhiates: “…a grander and comprehensive word, includes not merely the thing shown and seen but the interpretation, the unveiling of the same.]

h. of Jesus [2424 * Iesous] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

i. Christ [5547 * Christos] [Strong: from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.

1). E. W. Kenyon, in his book, The Bible In the Light Of Our Redemption, writes that there are two kinds of knowledge, sense knowledge and revelation knowledge. He writes: “The source of man’s knowledge is man’s physical body and the material universe around him. All that man knows about reality, the great accumulation of knowledge that fills our libraries, our textbooks, has grown out of man’s contacts with the physical world. These contacts are based upon man’s sense perceptions.” Those 5 senses are sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste and without those senses there is no way to gain knowledge and understanding of anything. The things of the spirit require a different knowledge, it requires knowledge acquired through revelation.

a). 1 Corinthians 2:9-13 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

2:10 But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

2). The man governed by his physical senses cannot receive revelation knowledge and the things of the Spirit are foolishness to him.

b). 1 Corinthians 2:13 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

3). The man or woman who meditates the word will receive life, health, wisdom, expectation, discretion, preservation and understanding.

a). Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

b). Proverbs 24:13, 14 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

24:14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

c). Proverbs 2:10, 11 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

4). This is the grace Peter was referring to in his second epistle that comes through revelation knowledge.

a). 2 Peter 1:2, 3 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

5). As Jesus is revealed to us through the Scriptures by the Holy Ghost, there will be a grace that is given also, a grace that will give us the Divine ability to be obedient to what the Scriptures reveal.

a). Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,  

6). This is the grace, the word of his grace that we are to meditate in and allow it to build us up and give us our inheritance, and empower us to be obedient to His word.

a). Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

b). 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I abored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

7). It is also the grace that Paul warned us about receiving in vain, in other words, receiving the forgiveness and mercy of the grace but not yielding to its power to change our behavior. This also is a perfect example of the grace that was prophesied that would come to us.

a). 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

b). The above verse was a reference to a prophetic utterance written down from Isaiah.

(1) Isaiah 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

8). After Peter writes about grace, the divine ability that comes through revelation, he leads us into what to do with the divine ability that has been given to us. Be obedient to it.