Wherefore lay apart all filthiness
All manner of filthiness, both of flesh and spirit; all pride, vanity, wrath, malice, and evil speaking, under hearing the word: the allusion seems to be to a boiling pot, which casts up scum and filth, which must be taken off: and such is the spirit of wrathful men; it throws up the filth of haughtiness and pride, of anger, wrath, and wickedness, which must be taken off, and laid aside; or the word will not be heard to any profit, or advantage:
and superfluity of naughtiness,
or "malice"; the abundance and overflow of it, which arises from such an evil heart, where wrath prevails, and governs: see ( 1 Peter 2:1 ) . There seems to be an allusion to the removing of the superfluous foreskin of the flesh, in circumcision, typical
of the foreskin of the heart,
spoken of in ( Jeremiah 4:4 ) which the Targum, in that place, calls (Nwkbl evr) , "the wickedness", or "naughtiness of your hearts" to be removed:
and receive with meekness the ingrafted word;
which becomes so when it is received; when it is put into the heart by the Spirit of God, and is mixed with faith by them that hear it; so that it is, as it were, incorporated into them, and becomes natural to them, which before was not; and taking deep root in them, brings forth much fruit: and where it comes with power, it reduces every high thought into the obedience of Christ, and makes men meek and humble; and only such receive the truth in the love of it; and to such is the Gospel preached, ( Isaiah 61:1 ) , and none but such hear it with profit and edification:
which is able to save your souls;
even your whole persons, both soul and body: but the soul is only mentioned, as being the more excellent part of man: this must not be understood of the word, as if it was the author or cause of salvation, but as an instrument; it being a declaration of salvation by Christ, or what shows unto men the way of salvation by him; and is the power of God unto salvation to them, when it is attended with the energy of the Spirit, and the efficacy of divine grace. See ( 2 Timothy 3:15 ) .