Post by Jim Pate on Dec 5, 2013 9:16:37 GMT -5
Covers (2572) (kalupto akin to kalube = hut, cabin) means to cause something to be covered over literally (as with a lamp, Lk 8:16, dirt, Lk 23:30, water of waves, Mt 8:24) and hence not be visible.
Figuratively, kalupto means to to cause something not to be known and thus means to hide, conceal, keep secret (Mt 10:26, 2Cor 4:3, Jas 5:20, 1Pe 4:8).
The idea in this verse is that love covers so as not to harshly condemn or expose faults but to forbear and bear the other's burdens, forgiving and forgetting past offenses.
Peter is quoting Solomon's proverb...
Hatred stirs up strife, but love (Lxx = philia = friendship, affection) covers (Lxx = kalupto = present tense = continually) all transgressions (Pr 10:12)
The covering of sins is the ability that Spirit filled and empowered believers have to forgive one another because Christ has forgiven them.
There are 8 uses of kalupto in the NT...
Matthew 8:24 And behold, there arose a great storm in the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves; but He Himself was asleep.
Matthew 10:26 "Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
Luke 8:16 "Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, in order that those who come in may see the light.
Luke 23:30 "Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.'
2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
James 5:20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
There are 74 uses of kalupto in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (Exod. 8:6; 10:5, 15; 14:28; 15:5, 10; 16:13; 21:33; 24:15f; 26:13; 27:2; 28:42; 40:34; Lev. 13:12f; 16:13; 17:13; Num. 4:8f, 11f, 15; 9:15f; 16:33, 42; 22:11; Deut. 23:13; Jos. 24:7; 1 Sam. 19:13; 1 Ki. 7:41; Neh. 4:5; Job 15:27; 21:26; 22:11; 23:17; 36:30, 32; Ps. 32:5; 44:15; 55:5; 69:7; 78:53; 80:10; 85:2; 104:9; 106:11, 17; 140:9; Prov. 10:6, 11f, 18; 26:23; Eccl. 6:4; Isa. 60:2, 6; Ezek. 7:18; 16:8; 24:7f; 30:18; 32:7; 38:16; 40:43; 44:20; Dan. 12:4; Hos. 2:9; 10:8; Obad. 1:10; Hab. 2:17; 3:3; Mal. 2:13, 16;) Here are some representative uses...
Exodus 8:6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.
Exodus 14:28 And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh's entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.
Exodus 15:5 "The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone.
Exodus 16:13 So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.
Exodus 21:33 "And if a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Exodus 24:15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 And the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
Exodus 24:16 And the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
Leviticus 13:12 "And if the leprosy breaks out farther on the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of him who has the infection from his head even to his feet, as far as the priest can see
Numbers 9:15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. 16 So it (the tabernacle) was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to Thee, And my iniquity I did not hide (Lxx = kalupto); I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Psalm 44:15 All day long my dishonor is before me, And my humiliation has overwhelmed (Lxx = kalupto = covered) me,
Psalm 69:7 Because for Thy sake I have borne reproach; Dishonor has covered my face.
Psalm 85:2 Thou didst forgive the iniquity of Thy people; Thou didst cover all their sin. Selah.
Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals (Lxx = kalupto) violence.
Proverbs 10:18 He who conceals (Lxx = kalupto) hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool.
Isaiah 60:2 "For behold, darkness will cover the earth, And deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you, And His glory will appear upon you.
Ezekiel 16:8 "Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine," declares the Lord God.
Ezekiel 38:16 and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It will come about in the last days that I shall bring you against My land, in order that the nations may know Me when I shall be sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog."
Habakkuk 3:3 God comes from Teman, And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise.
Barton remarks that such a
Love works as a shock absorber, cushioning and smoothing out the bumps and irritations caused by fellow believers. (Barton, B, et al: The NIV Life Application Commentary Series: Tyndale or Logos)
Don't misunderstand Peter's exhortation. He is not advocating that our love condones or approves of another's sin. In fact if we really love someone, we will be grieved (even as the Spirit is grieved) to see them commit sins which ultimately hurt themselves and others.
Albert Barnes comments that...
For the truth of it we have only to appeal to the experience of everyone: (a) True love to another makes us kind to his imperfections, charitable toward his faults, and often blind even to the existence of faults. We would not see the imperfections of those whom we love; and our attachment for what we esteem their real excellencies, makes us insensible to their errors. (b) If we love them we are ready to cover over their faults, even those which we may see in them. Of love the Christian poet says:
“Tis gentle, delicate, and kind,
To faults compassionate or blind. (Barnes' Notes on the Bible)
Genesis 9:18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 gives us a beautiful illustration of this principle. Noah got drunk and shamefully uncovered himself. His son Ham saw his father’s shame and told the matter to the family. In loving concern, Ham’s two brothers covered their father and his shame. It should not be too difficult for us to cover the sins of others, for after all, Jesus Christ died that our sins might be washed away.
John MacArthur explains that...
It is the nature of true spiritual love, whether from God to man or Christian to Christian, to cover sins (cf. Romans 5:8). This teaching does not preclude the discipline of a sinning, unrepentant church member (cf. Mt18:15, 16, 17, 18; 1Cor 5:1ff). It means specifically that a Christian should overlook sins against him if possible, and always be ready to forgive insults and unkindnesses." (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word or Logos)
John Piper writes that...
our love needs to be the kind that covers each others sins. In other words the focus is on the effect of love that enables fellowship in spite of sins. Isn't that remarkable?...Peter is saying that bona fide, authentic love and fellowship is based, in part, on the covering of many sins. This is not sweeping things under the rug. It's not endorsing keeping skeletons in the closet. It's not renouncing church discipline. It's saying at least this -- probably more: When we've done all the confrontation -- when we've done all the argumentation and exhortation -- we cover it. Whatever side we are on we cover it; we give it up; we bury it as a cause of murmuring. (Read the full message)
William Barclay comments
It may mean that our love can overlook many sins. "Love covers all offences," says Pr 10:12. If we love a person, it is easy to forgive. It is not that love is blind, but that it loves a person just as he is. Love makes patience easy. It is much easier to be patient with our own children than with the children of strangers. If we really love our fellow-men, we can accept their faults, and bear with their foolishness, and even endure their unkindness. Love indeed can cover a multitude of sins. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series. The Westminster Press or Logos)
Figuratively, kalupto means to to cause something not to be known and thus means to hide, conceal, keep secret (Mt 10:26, 2Cor 4:3, Jas 5:20, 1Pe 4:8).
The idea in this verse is that love covers so as not to harshly condemn or expose faults but to forbear and bear the other's burdens, forgiving and forgetting past offenses.
Peter is quoting Solomon's proverb...
Hatred stirs up strife, but love (Lxx = philia = friendship, affection) covers (Lxx = kalupto = present tense = continually) all transgressions (Pr 10:12)
The covering of sins is the ability that Spirit filled and empowered believers have to forgive one another because Christ has forgiven them.
There are 8 uses of kalupto in the NT...
Matthew 8:24 And behold, there arose a great storm in the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves; but He Himself was asleep.
Matthew 10:26 "Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
Luke 8:16 "Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, in order that those who come in may see the light.
Luke 23:30 "Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.'
2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
James 5:20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
There are 74 uses of kalupto in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (Exod. 8:6; 10:5, 15; 14:28; 15:5, 10; 16:13; 21:33; 24:15f; 26:13; 27:2; 28:42; 40:34; Lev. 13:12f; 16:13; 17:13; Num. 4:8f, 11f, 15; 9:15f; 16:33, 42; 22:11; Deut. 23:13; Jos. 24:7; 1 Sam. 19:13; 1 Ki. 7:41; Neh. 4:5; Job 15:27; 21:26; 22:11; 23:17; 36:30, 32; Ps. 32:5; 44:15; 55:5; 69:7; 78:53; 80:10; 85:2; 104:9; 106:11, 17; 140:9; Prov. 10:6, 11f, 18; 26:23; Eccl. 6:4; Isa. 60:2, 6; Ezek. 7:18; 16:8; 24:7f; 30:18; 32:7; 38:16; 40:43; 44:20; Dan. 12:4; Hos. 2:9; 10:8; Obad. 1:10; Hab. 2:17; 3:3; Mal. 2:13, 16;) Here are some representative uses...
Exodus 8:6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.
Exodus 14:28 And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh's entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.
Exodus 15:5 "The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone.
Exodus 16:13 So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.
Exodus 21:33 "And if a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Exodus 24:15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 And the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
Exodus 24:16 And the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
Leviticus 13:12 "And if the leprosy breaks out farther on the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of him who has the infection from his head even to his feet, as far as the priest can see
Numbers 9:15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. 16 So it (the tabernacle) was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to Thee, And my iniquity I did not hide (Lxx = kalupto); I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Psalm 44:15 All day long my dishonor is before me, And my humiliation has overwhelmed (Lxx = kalupto = covered) me,
Psalm 69:7 Because for Thy sake I have borne reproach; Dishonor has covered my face.
Psalm 85:2 Thou didst forgive the iniquity of Thy people; Thou didst cover all their sin. Selah.
Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals (Lxx = kalupto) violence.
Proverbs 10:18 He who conceals (Lxx = kalupto) hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool.
Isaiah 60:2 "For behold, darkness will cover the earth, And deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you, And His glory will appear upon you.
Ezekiel 16:8 "Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine," declares the Lord God.
Ezekiel 38:16 and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It will come about in the last days that I shall bring you against My land, in order that the nations may know Me when I shall be sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog."
Habakkuk 3:3 God comes from Teman, And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise.
Barton remarks that such a
Love works as a shock absorber, cushioning and smoothing out the bumps and irritations caused by fellow believers. (Barton, B, et al: The NIV Life Application Commentary Series: Tyndale or Logos)
Don't misunderstand Peter's exhortation. He is not advocating that our love condones or approves of another's sin. In fact if we really love someone, we will be grieved (even as the Spirit is grieved) to see them commit sins which ultimately hurt themselves and others.
Albert Barnes comments that...
For the truth of it we have only to appeal to the experience of everyone: (a) True love to another makes us kind to his imperfections, charitable toward his faults, and often blind even to the existence of faults. We would not see the imperfections of those whom we love; and our attachment for what we esteem their real excellencies, makes us insensible to their errors. (b) If we love them we are ready to cover over their faults, even those which we may see in them. Of love the Christian poet says:
“Tis gentle, delicate, and kind,
To faults compassionate or blind. (Barnes' Notes on the Bible)
Genesis 9:18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 gives us a beautiful illustration of this principle. Noah got drunk and shamefully uncovered himself. His son Ham saw his father’s shame and told the matter to the family. In loving concern, Ham’s two brothers covered their father and his shame. It should not be too difficult for us to cover the sins of others, for after all, Jesus Christ died that our sins might be washed away.
John MacArthur explains that...
It is the nature of true spiritual love, whether from God to man or Christian to Christian, to cover sins (cf. Romans 5:8). This teaching does not preclude the discipline of a sinning, unrepentant church member (cf. Mt18:15, 16, 17, 18; 1Cor 5:1ff). It means specifically that a Christian should overlook sins against him if possible, and always be ready to forgive insults and unkindnesses." (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word or Logos)
John Piper writes that...
our love needs to be the kind that covers each others sins. In other words the focus is on the effect of love that enables fellowship in spite of sins. Isn't that remarkable?...Peter is saying that bona fide, authentic love and fellowship is based, in part, on the covering of many sins. This is not sweeping things under the rug. It's not endorsing keeping skeletons in the closet. It's not renouncing church discipline. It's saying at least this -- probably more: When we've done all the confrontation -- when we've done all the argumentation and exhortation -- we cover it. Whatever side we are on we cover it; we give it up; we bury it as a cause of murmuring. (Read the full message)
William Barclay comments
It may mean that our love can overlook many sins. "Love covers all offences," says Pr 10:12. If we love a person, it is easy to forgive. It is not that love is blind, but that it loves a person just as he is. Love makes patience easy. It is much easier to be patient with our own children than with the children of strangers. If we really love our fellow-men, we can accept their faults, and bear with their foolishness, and even endure their unkindness. Love indeed can cover a multitude of sins. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series. The Westminster Press or Logos)