What did Peter mean by "perishable" and "imperishable" seed? (1:23)
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
1 Peter 1:22 - 25
ESV - 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 23 Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.
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Asked November 23 2019
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Jack Gutknecht
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Tim Maas
I would say that the distinction between the perishable and imperishable seed to which Peter is referring pertains to the contrast between things or benefits that are purely temporal, and that will last only as long as we are in this world (or as the world lasts), versus those that are eternal, and that will last forever, even transcending death. Perishable seed grows into maturity, but, even in a mature form, it cannot exist forever, and will eventually wither. Water satisifes thirst, but only for a limited time before it must be resorted to again (as Jesus told the woman at the well in Sychar (John 4:1-26)). In the same way any material wealth or possessions that we may accrue, or any worldly achievements that we may accomplish, will cease to be of any value to us as individuals after our deaths. By contrast, the spiritual rebirth that Christians experience through faith in Christ imparts eternal life to them, which is not transient, and which will not end (perish), regardless of what may happen to Christians in this world (and even when Christians die and leave this world), but will last forever.
Andrew Reed
It’s talking about Jesus and the imperishable, everlasting love of God that he showed, and which he plants in us. Jesus is the Word of God as the Gospel of John says, He is the living word of God, and He is love. Because we have been born again by grace through faith, we are to also live in this imperishable love. As Paul writes, nothing in all existence can separate us from God’s love. It’s imperishable.
Robert Ross
1 Peter 1: 22-24 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. The key phrase here is the use of the term “born again” in verse 23. Peter is here differentiating between the human seed that occasioned our human birth and the Divine Seed implanted by faith in Jesus Christ at the event of the new birth. The human seed is contaminated by sin even before conception and is doomed to decay and corruption. By and because of its very nature it perishes. It is of the earth and is temporal. But upon confession and belief and the placing of faith in Jesus Christ we are born again of a supernatural seed that is eternal in nature and cannot die. It is imperishable. Verse 24 so clearly and so accurately likens our human frame to the grass and flower of the field that fades away in its season. But that which is born of God remains forever. A scripture that confirms this thought is John 1: 12-15: But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
Anthony Clinton
The Word of God is the imperishable seed that gives birth to those who repent and obey the Gospel. The perishable seed is human sperm that can only give human life. When the perishable seed gives life to the human ovum it transfers the corruption of sin and death in conception. When the Word of God entered the Flesh of Mary as incorruptible seed It immediately purified the Ovum that was of the Tribe of Judah the Son of David the Son of Abraham so that no corruption would enter at conception. The Word of God when it enters the human flesh transforms the ungodly to being godly. The entry of the Word at rebirth makes the receiver Holy and as if they had done no sin. They are totally purified by the miracle action of the Holy Spirit. It’s only those who keep the imperishable seed that enter eternal life. 1 Jn 2:24....... Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
James Kraft
In the parable of the sower Jesus used the word of God as the seed that was sown. The first one heard the word but the devil snatched away the seed before he believed. The next two believed and were saved, but never produced any fruit. First Corinthians 3:11-21. Saved but few or no rewards in heaven. The last believed and produced much fruit by bringing more into the kingdom by spreading the seed or the good news of the gospel. Seed is also used as the Holy Spirit. First John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doeth not commit sin, for His Seed, (the Holy Spirit) remaineth in him, and HE, (the Holy Spirit) can not sin, because HE is born of God. When did we get the seed? Ephesians 1:13-14 In whom ye also trusted, after ye head the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, (First Corinthians 15:1-4) in whom also AFTER ye believed, ye were sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise. Who is the eanest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession. Unto the praise of His glory. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit in whom ye are SEALED unto the day of redemption. It is the Holy Spirit in the believer that is our guarantee of eternal life in heaven. He is our perfect righteousness. Romans 4:6. First Timothy 2:13 If we believe not, He abideth faithful, He can not deny Himself. His Holy Spirit that lives in the believer. Hebrews 13:5 And be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said, I will never leave you or forsake you. it is the Spirit of God that gives us eternal life. John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. And my Father who is greater than all, no one can pluck them out of His hand. So the seed is the word of God. And the seed is also the Holy Spirit who seals us unto the day of redemption. We all die, but the GIFT of God is eternal life. Romans 6:23. It is the Holy Spirit in the believer that secures our place in heaven. It is why John 3:18 is true. Believers can no longer be condemned, but unbelievers are condemned already because they have not believed on the name of the Son of God. Once we believe the gospel, First Corinthians 15:1-4 we are sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise, and can never be condemned to hell again. We are made perfect in the Spirit, not in the flesh. We still sin, but the Holy Spirit that lives in us can not sin. He is our perfect righteousness before God.
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