1 Peter 1:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The righteous are subjected to troubles in order to be crowned, and sinners in order to be punished. But not all sinners are punished here, lest many deny the resurrection.

Nor do all the righteous suffer, lest you think evil worthy of praise and come to hate virtue.

He adds something else that draws them to endure sorrows. What is it? The following: "Whom, having not seen, you love."

If, he says, you love Him by hearing alone, though you have not seen Him with bodily eyes, what love will you feel when you see Him, and see Him appearing in glory?

If His sufferings so attached you to Him, what attachment should His appearing in unbearable radiance produce in you, when the salvation of your souls will be given to you as a reward?

If you are to appear before Him and be counted worthy of such glory, then now show patience corresponding to it. Thus you will fully attain the goal set before you.

He who overcomes his division from God, which arose through transgression of the commandment, and is united to Him, first separates himself from the passions. Then he separates himself from passionate thoughts, and next from nature and the logoi proper to that nature.

After this he separates himself from contemplations and the knowledge connected with them. Finally, departing also from the manifold logoi of Providence, he reaches the logos of the Monad in an unknowable manner.

Only in this logos does the intellect behold its own immutability. It rejoices with joy unspeakable, having received the peace of God, which surpasses every mind (Phil 4:7), and which vigilantly guards its unshakable dignity.

The soul that has been saved from its enemies crosses the bitter sea by God's power. It sees before its eyes the enemies to whom it formerly served being destroyed.

It rejoices with unspeakable joy, and, glorified, is comforted by God and finds rest in the Lord.

If you love Him through hearing alone, though you have not seen Him with bodily eyes, consider what love you will show when you see Him, and see Him revealed in glory.

For if His suffering has so drawn you, into what state will His appearance in ineffable radiance bring you, when He gives you the salvation of your souls as a reward?

To seek joy of this kind means not only to strive with words to gain entrance into the heavenly homeland. It also means to strive to obtain it by worthy deeds.

"Whom having not seen, you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice." The apostle undoubtedly has in mind the words of Jesus Christ: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (Jn 20:29).

He praises Christians because, though they had not seen Christ in the flesh, they believed in Him and loved Him.

In these words the Apostle Peter compares the readers of the epistle with himself. He was an eyewitness of Christ (Lk 1:2), while they were not. Yet they love Christ, and therefore have greater merit (Jn 20:29).

Even without being eyewitnesses, as the apostles were, we can and should contemplate sacred images of Christ; see Jn 6:40. This in no way diminishes the merit of our love and faith.

For an image is not the object itself, and to see an image does not mean to be an eyewitness of the object.

“Whom, having not seen, you love,” and so forth. Having indicated the future reward of believers for their faith tested by temptations, the Apostle praises their present faith, love, and joy.

He does this to confirm them in this faith and hope. Their present joy is a foretaste, or reflection, of that future joy and blessedness.

The Apostle sets forth this praise by paraphrasing Christ’s words to unbelieving Thomas, that blessed are those who have not seen Christ and yet believe in Him (Jn 20:29; cf. note).

The readers of the epistle did not see Christ risen in the flesh, yet they love Him. They do not see Him in His second glorious coming, of which the Apostle spoke above, yet they believe in Him.

Having then told his disciples that the power of God, through faith, keeps them for salvation, the Apostle teaches that this salvation will be revealed for them in its full power only in the last time.

For now they must grieve a little, if need be, so that their faith, tested by the fire of temptations, may prove more precious than refined gold at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This means at His Second Coming. Here we see an indication of the persecuted condition of the Christians of Asia Minor.

Yet love for Jesus Christ, in whom they believe though they do not see Him, must constantly bring them heartfelt and inward joy, inexpressible and full of glory. At last, through their faith, they will definitively attain the salvation of their souls.

Faith itself in Jesus Christ as Savior can help Christians joyfully endure misfortunes, especially since complete salvation is granted to them through Him.

Therefore, if Christians do not see Christ directly, yet believe in Him and are comforted by the forgiveness of sins granted by Him, why should they not be comforted by the hope of complete salvation?

As they approach their goal, they should be comforted by the salvation that will be revealed through Christ in the life to come.

The Apostles rejoiced when they saw the risen Christ, but He said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Jn 20:29).

The Apostle is so deeply assured of the fruitfulness of faith in Jesus Christ and prayer to Him that he contemplates as though already accomplished that ineffable joy which believers must experience when they attain complete salvation.

Christ, the righteous Judge and Rewarder, will worthily and justly honor with praise, honor, and glory on the day of His glorious appearing those who love Him.

They did not see Him directly with bodily eyes during His earthly life. Yet faith in Him as the Only-begotten Son of God and Redeemer moves them to love Him.

Blessed are those who have such faith, although they do not behold Christ according to the flesh. Christ Himself calls such people blessed: “Blessed is he who has not seen, but has believed” (Jn 20:29).

Their blessedness consists in spiritual joy, “inexpressible and full of glory.” It is the most exalted joy, which they feel even in the present life as they attain the salvation of their souls, the goal of faith.