“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).
Packed with important teaching, this verse contains a metaphor based upon the style of clothing worn in the first century. It has three commands: “gird, be sober, and rest.”
“Therefore” indicates that these commands Peter is giving to his readers are to be heeded as a result of their blessings in Christ and in spite of the persecutions they may endure in the future. To “gird” means to gather up. “Loins” refers to intense thoughts.
“Being sober” means contemplating reflectively, seriously, and realistically the spiritual blessings from God. To “rest” means to place. “Hope” is the assurance God has given to all followers of Jesus—a trusting hope in the “grace” God extended to mankind when He sent Jesus to the earth and revealed Him to mankind.
Thus, in this metaphor, Peter says his readers are to gather “in” or to round up the intense, far-reaching thoughts of their minds so they will be intellectually and spiritually capable of understanding what it means to be sober and of trusting in the hope that God has revealed to all people. As God’s people, may we ever be comforted by the powerful assurance of these words.
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