Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Peter 1:8

"whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory:" — 1 Peter 1:8 (ASV)

Faith is directed toward Jesus Christ and produces love and joy in Christians. Without seeing Jesus (either because they were second-generation believers or because they were geographically removed), Peter’s readers have come to love Jesus because they believe he loved them enough to die for them. Christians do not rejoice with inexpressible joy because of sufferings but because of the glorious expectation of their future with Christ.