Saturday, June 12, 2010

1 Peter 2

(1) So get rid of ALL evil behavior. Be
done with ALL deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.

  • Notice the word "ALL"! These are all sins as related to how we treat others. The way we treat others directly affects our relationship with God. Harboring these sins keeps us from growing spiritually.
  • Galatians 5:19-21: When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
  • Ephesians 4:22-24, 31: throw off your
    old sinful nature     and your former way of life, which is corrupted
    by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and
    attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like
    God—truly righteous and holy. Get rid of all bitterness, rage,
    anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.
  • Colossians 3:1-10: Since you have been
    raised to new life     with Christ, set your sights on the realities
    of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right
    hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For
    you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ     in
    God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed
    to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put
    to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you    . Have
    nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires.
    Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping
    the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is
    coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of
    this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious
    behavior, slander, and dirty language    . Don’t
    lie     to each other, for you have stripped off your old
    sinful nature     and all its wicked deeds. Put on your
    new nature    , and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator
    and become like him.
  • James 1:21: So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

(2) Like newborn babies, you must *crave pure spiritual **milk
so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation.
Cry out for this nourishment,

  • *crave: The Greek word (epipotheo) for "crave" ("earnestly
    yearn" in the KJV) is also used in the Septuagint in Psalm 42:1 where
    the psalmist says that his soul longs after God "as the deer longs
    for streams of water    ." How desperate is a baby for milk? This is how we are to want to know and study the Word and to walk with Him. Ask God to give you a greater appetite for His Word.
  • **milk:
    • 1 Corinthians 3:2: I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready,
    • Hebrews 5:12-13: You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

(3) now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

  • Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

(4) You are coming to Christ, who is the living *cornerstone
of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but
he was chosen by God for great honor.

  • *cornerstone:
    • The cornerstone is placed at one corner of the foundation of a building, and functions as the starting point for the entire structure. It had to be strong and level - if it was off-level, the whole building will be crooked and weak.
    • 1 Corinthians 3:11: For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

(5) And you are living *stones that God is building
into his spiritual **temple. What’s more, you are
his ***holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ,
you offer spiritual ****sacrifices that please God.

  • *stones: Some, especially the Roman Church, believe that Peter was the rock or
    cornerstone. He, himself, says it was Christ (in verse 6) while we are
    the living stones that are built on Him.
    • Matthew 16:18: Now I say to you that you are *Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this **rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
      • *Peter: petros - means a (broken off) piece of rock, stone.
      • **rock: petra - means rock, a mass of rock, boulder, and stone as material.
      • Kenneth Wuest's interpretative translation: "You are Petros, a Rock-like man, and upon this petra, this huge Gibraltar-like rock, my deity, I will build my Church."
      • 1 Corinthians 10:1-4: I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.
  • **temple:
    • Ephesians 2:21-22: We
      are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the
      Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling
      where God lives       by his Spirit.
    • 1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
    • 2 Corinthians 6:16: And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God...
  • ***holy priests:
    • Greek holy priesthood. BUT, as Gentile members of the Body of Christ, are we priests, or does this more refer to saved Jews during the Acts period? We all are called by God to boldly approach the altar and the throne.
    • Hebrews 4:16; 10:19, 20, 22: So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. ... And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. ... By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. ... let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
    • God's purpose for Israel was that she be a nation of priests who would stand between God and the rest of humanity representing people before God. However, God withdrew this blessing from the whole nation because of the Israelites' apostasy with the golden calf and gave it to the faithful tribe of Levi instead.
  • ****sacrifices:
    • Romans 12:1: And so, dear brothers and sisters,
      I plead with you to give your bodies to God because
      of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy
      sacrifice      —the kind he will find acceptable. This
      is truly the way to worship him.
    • Hebrews 13:15-16: Therefore, let us offer
      through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise       to God, proclaiming
      our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and
      to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that
      please God      .

(6) As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a *cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

  • *cornerstone:
    • Isaiah 28:16: Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.
    • Romans 9:32-33: Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said “I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
    • Ephesians 2:20: Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
      • Jesus is the chief cornerstone, not Peter!

(7) Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”

  • Psalm 118:22: The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
  • Isaiah 8:13-14: Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah he will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.
  • Matthew 21:42: Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’
  • Mark 8:31, 12:10: Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead....Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
  • Luke 9:22, 20:17: “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” ... Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’
  • Acts 4:11: For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’

(8) And,“He is the stone that makes people stumble,the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

  • Isaiah 8:14: He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah he will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.

(9) But you are not like that, for you are a *chosen people.
You are **royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.
As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you
out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

  • *chosen people: Israel was the "chosen people", the holy nation. They were to serve as priests to the Gentiles to bring them to know God and turn them for idols.
    • Deuteronomy 14:2: You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.
  • **royal priests: Greek a royal priesthood.
    • Exodus 19:5-6: Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”

(10) “Once you had no identity as a people; now you
are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have
received God’s mercy.”

  • Hosea 1:6, 9; 2:23: Soon Gomer became pregnant
    again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to Hosea, “Name
    your daughter Lo-ruhamah—‘Not loved’—for I will
    no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them. And the
    Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi—‘Not my people’—for
    Israel is not my people,     and I am not their God. At that time
    I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself. I will
    show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to
    those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you
    are my people.’ And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’”
  • Romans 9:25: Concerning the Gentiles,
    God says in the prophecy of Hosea, “Those who were not my people,
    I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love
    before.”
  • Galatians 6:15-16: It doesn’t matter whether
    we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether
    we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace
    and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the
    new people of God.

(11) Dear friends, I warn you as “*temporary residents and
foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against
your very souls.

  • *temporary residents and foreigners: Hebrews 11:13: All
    these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did
    not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and
    welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads
    here on earth.

(12) Be careful to *live properly among your **unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God ***when he judges the world.

  • *live properly: Philippians 2:15: so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
  • **unbelieving neighbors: Greek "ethnos" - Gentiles.
  • ***when he judges the world: Or on the day of visitation.

(13) For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority—whether
the king as head of state,

  • Matthew 17:24-27: On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?” “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”
  • Acts 5:29: But Peter and the apostles replied,
    “We must obey God rather than any human authority.
  • "The situation presupposed by 2:11, 12; 2:13-17 and indeed 3:8-4:19 appears to be the general slander of non-Christians against Christians. The fact that Peter says that the non-Christians slander the Christians' good behavior, and that they are surprised that the Christians do not run with them any longer into their abominable lifestyles (4:4), demonstrates that what we have for background to 2:13-17 is not Christians rebelling against the authorities per se, but non-Christians inciting the authorities to action against the Christians on charges of being a threat to society. In 4:15 Peter refers to a list of crimes for which the Christians were probably accused, including murder, theft, doing evil (kakopoiov") and meddling in other's affairs." - The Apostle Peter on Civil Obedience: http://bible.org/article/apostle-peter-civil-obedience-exegesis-1-peter-213-17
  • "Because Daniel was faithful by diligently carrying out his duties in serving King Darius, God blessed his work. As Daniel was promoted by the king, his peers began to resent him, seeking to find some area of failure or wrong-doing in his life. They concluded they would only be able to accuse him in connection with his faith (Daniel 6:24-27). When the king was tricked into passing a law which was certain to make Daniel a law-breaker, the king reluctantly cast Daniel into the den of lions hoping that his God might save him. And his God did save him! The king joyfully received Daniel back alive and hastened to “silence” Daniel’s false accusers" - Submission to Civil Authorities: http://bible.org/seriespage/submission-civil-authorities-1-peter-213-17.
  • Ryrie observes that "Christians are to be law-abiding citizens. If the law of one's government violates the revealed will of God, then, of course, the believer must obey God, though he may have to suffer the penalties of that government's laws." (The Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Translation: 1995. Moody Publishers).
  • There is a time when obedience is not required. If a human government orders a believer to act contrary to the revealed will of God, then the believer must disobey the government. In that case he has a higher responsibility; he should obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). If punishment is meted out for his disobedience, he should endure it courageously. Under no circumstances should he rebel or seek to overthrow the government.

(14) or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.

  • Romans 13:1-7: Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
  • Titus 3:1: Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.

(15) It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.

  • Barnes writes that "One of the best ways of meeting the accusations of our enemies is to lead a life of strict integrity. It is not easy for the wicked to reply to this argument." (Barnes' Notes on the NT). Unbelievers may not read the Bible, but they can "read us" by observing how we live and how we react to adversity and unjust criticism.

(16) For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves,
so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

  • Romans 6:18: Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
  • Galatians 5:13: For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
  • 1 Corinthians 7:22: And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

(17) Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.

  • Proverbs 24:21: My child, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels,

(18) You who are *slaves must accept the authority
of your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only
if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.

  • *slaves:
    • There were by some estimates as many as 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire, every one of whom was considered by law to be, not a person, but a thing, with no rights whatsoever.
    • The Greek word here is oiketes from oikos (house) which means one who lives in the same house as another and then household slaves or domestic servants not as strongly servile as doulos. Many of these household or domestic slaves were well educated and held responsible positions in the households. Many of them were doctors, teachers, musicians, actors and stewards over great estates. The oiketes or household slave is one of the household of the “family” and yet to promote order he too is called by Peter to submit to those in authority.
    • "It is difficult for twentieth-century Christians to understand the slavery of the ancient world. During the time of the NT writings, slavery was not as bad as that practiced in America before the Civil War. Ancient slaves had fairly normal marital lives. Often people sold themselves into slavery (for a period of time) as a way to get ahead in the world. Nevertheless the lot of a slave could be very hard if the master was unkind." (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament. Zondervan Publishing).
    • EXAMPLE OF PHILEMON!!!
    • Ephesians 6:5-6: Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.
    • Titus 2:9-10: Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.

(19) For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right
and patiently *endure unfair treatment.

  • *endure: The word for "endure" (hupomeno)
    comes from two words which mean "to repair under." It is the
    picture of a plant which was crushed down and trampled upon, yet kept
    rising back up again.
  • James 1:12: God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

(20) Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten
for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure
it patiently, God is pleased with you.

  • The best way to respond to wrong is to do what's right.
  • "The story is told of an elderly missionary couple who were returning home on a ship after many years of sacrificial service in Africa. On the same ship was Theodore Roosevelt, who had just completed a highly successful big game hunt. As the ship docked in New York harbor, thousands of well-wishers and dozens of reporters lined the pier to welcome Roosevelt home. But not a single person was there to welcome the missionaries. As the couple rode to a hotel in a taxi, the man complained to his wife, 'It just doesn't seem right. We give forty years of our lives to Jesus Christ to win souls in Africa, and nobody knows or cares when we return. Yet the president goes over there for a few weeks to kill some animals and the whole world takes notice." But as they prayed together that night before retiring, the Lord seemed to say to them, "Do you know why you haven't received your reward yet, My children? It is because you are not home yet.'" - www.preceptaustin.org/1_peter_218-25.htm

(21) For God called you to do good, even if it means
suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He
is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

  • Acts 14:22: ...They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

(22) He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.

  • Peter had lived in closely company with Jesus for three years and knew that He was perfect, even under the worst of conditions. Peter knew first-hand that Jesus was the unblemished and spotless Lamb of God.
  • Isaiah 53:9: He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.
  • Matthew 27:4: “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”
  • Luke 23:47: When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.
  • John 18:38: “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21: For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
  • 1 John 3:5: And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.

(23) He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case
in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.

  • Isaiah 53:7: He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
  • Matthew 27:12-14: But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.

(24) He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.

  • Matthew 8:17: This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”
  • Isaiah 53:4-5: Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

(25) Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have
turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

  • Isaiah 53:6: All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation.

On-Line Sources:

Off-Line Sources:

Posted by at

Saturday, June 5, 2010

1 Peter 1

As always, I prefer to read the entire epistle first to discover the answers to the five W's (who, what, when, where and why):

  • Who:
    • 1 Peter 1:1: This letter is from Peter
    • 1 Peter 1:1: ...foreigners in the provinces of ****Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia...
    • 1 Peter 5:12: I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother...
      • Silas is Silvanus (with Paul in Acts 15:40).
    • 1 Peter 5:13: ... sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark.
      • Acts 15:38: But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.
      • 2 Timothy 4:11: Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.
    • Polycarp, who was personally acquainted with the Apostle John, cites the Epistle of Peter. All the other documents of the first and second centuries show that the Epistle was unanimously known and accepted as Peter's.
    What:
    • Peter stresses Christ's atoning death and glorious resurrection.
    • Theme: Suffering then glory! The Christian hope in the time of trial and trouble.
    • Practical exhortations to holy living, obedience to civil government, strong marriages, Christian humility and defense of the faith.
    • Key verses:
      • 1:7: These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more *precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
      • 3:17: It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
    • Key words:
      • Faith - 7 times in Peter's two epistles.
      • Glory - (with cognate words) - sixteen times.
      • Hope - four times. Peter has been called the apostle of hope; Paul, the apostle of faith; John, the apostle of love.
      • Revelation - (with cognate words) - five times.
      • Salvation - three times.
      • Suffer: (with cognate words) - 16 times.
  • When: Probably before the great Neronian persecution. Probably 63 AD, after the martyrdom of James in Jerusalem (which, according to Josephus, occurred in 62 AD). Some believe this was written during the Noronian persecution.
  • Where: 1 Peter 5:13: Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings...
    • There was at this time a large colony of Jews in Babylon who had fled Rome due to severe persecution under Claudius. In spite of the fact that Papias mentions the death of Peter as occurring in Rome, there is no substantial historical basis for this supposition and Paul never mentions Peter being in Rome.
  • Why:
    • 1 Peter 5:12: ... My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
    • The purpose for this letter shows us that we are to live a life that counts for eternity rather than for now.

(1) This letter is from *Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to **God’s chosen people who are living as ***foreigners in the provinces of ****Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

  • *Peter: Galatians 2:8 (Paul speaking): For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles
  • **God’s chosen people: These would be mostly Christian Jews of the dispersion; some were possibly pilgrims who had believed in Christ at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:4).
    • Romans 8:29: For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
    • Ephesians 1:4-6: Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.
  • ***foreigners:
    • Acts 8:1-4: Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
    • Philippians 3:20: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
  • ****Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia were Roman provinces in what is now Turkey. The list of countries in 1 Peter 1:1 is from east to west, which

    suggests that the writer was in the East at the time of writing. Babylon is directly mentioned as the origin in 1 Peter 5:13.

(2) God the Father knew you and *chose you long ago, and his Spirit has **made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been ***cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.

  • Here's the trinity - the Father, the Spirit and Jesus Christ. Those who deny the doctrine of the Trinity have difficulty with this and a number of other texts, for they clearly speak of three members of the Godhead, all of whom are involved in the work of salvation. Each member of the Trinity plays a distinct role in the salvation of the saint.
  • *chose you long ago:
    • Romans 8:29-30: For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory.
    • Ephesians 1:4-6: Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.
  • **made you holy: "sanctification" in the KJV.
    • Hebrews 10:10: For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
  • ***cleansed by the blood:
    • Refers to sprinkling the blood upon people or objects that were to be set apart for the service of God especially in the Torah and in Hebrews. In the Old Testament, the priest imparted holiness. In the New Testament, Jesus acts as our High Priest, who, by his own sacrifice and blood, atones for our sin and offers pardon and forgiveness for our sins.
    • Hebrews 9:22: In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

(3) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great *mercy that we have been **born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,

  • *mercy: Someone once said, "Grace is getting what we don't deserve. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve."
  • **born again:
    • The new birth is a theme in 1 Peter. It occurs here, in 1:23 and in 2:2.
    • John 3:3: Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

(4) and we have a priceless *inheritance—an inheritance that is **kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

  • *inheritance: Romans 8:17: And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
  • **kept (reserved in the KJV): The Greek word (tereo) translated "kept" is literally "having been kept (or reserved)." God had it planned for us from ages past per verse 2.
    • Matthew 6:19-20: “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
    • Revelation 22:12: “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.

(5) And through your faith, God is *protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on **the last day for all to see.

  • *protecting you: God does the protecting of the believer. The word "protecting" here, "shielded" in the NIV and "kept" in the KJV is the Greek verb phroureo, a military term: "to maintain a watch, guard, to provide security, protect, keep." This protecting or guarding will continue until Christ returns -- and personally completes our salvation (Hebrews 9:28; Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 15:54).
    • Romans 8:23: And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
    • Romans 8:35-39: Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    • 1 Corinthians 15:54: Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.
    • Hebrews 9:28: so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
  • **the last day:
    • Romans 14:10: So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
    • Revelation 20:11-15: And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

(6) So be truly glad. There is *wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many **trials for ***a little while.

  • *wonderful joy: "wonderful" (NLT), "inexpressible" (NIV) or "unspeakable" (KJV) is the Greek adjective aneklaletos describing a joy beyond the power of words to express.
  • **trials:
    • 2 Peter 2:9: So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.
    • James 1:2-4: Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
  • ***a little while: "little while" denotes the whole of their earthly life before they inherit future salvation.

(7) These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more *precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

  • *precious occurs seven times.
  • Job 23:10: But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
  • 1 Corinthians 3:11-15: For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
  • The story is told of a man who was visiting a gold factory and became very interested in watching the goldsmith purify the gold by heating it in a large vat. Finally he asked the goldsmith how he knew when the gold had been heated enough so that all the impurities were gone. The goldsmith responded, "When I can see my face clearly reflected in the gold.
  • Our faith isn’t tested because God doesn’t know how much or what kind of faith we have. It is tested because we often are ignorant of how much or what kind of faith we have. God’s purpose in testing is to display the enduring quality of our faith and to perfect it.

(8) You love him even though you have *never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

  • *never seen him: John 20:29: Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

(9) The reward for trusting him will be the *salvation of your **souls.

  • *salvation of your souls (soterian psuchon) is for the saved not the unsaved. This is the losing of self that we might gain the reward at His appearing.
    • Matthew 16:24-27: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
    • Hebrews 10:39: But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
    • James 1:21: So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
  • **souls: Greek - psuche.

(10) This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.

  • 2 Peter 1:21: or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
  • These are not verses on how to get into heaven. If this were so, it would be in direct contradiction to all the rest of Scripture which clearly asserts that salvation (from the penalty of sin) is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9) which comes by faith alone (Romans 5:1) apart from our own good works (Titus 3:5). These verses are talking about discipleship, (Luke 14:26-35). It is one thing to come to Christ by faith in His finished work for the forgiveness of our sins. It is quite another thing to come after Christ by following Him down the rugged and perilous road of discipleship. To follow Christ is a costly decision and therefore should be considered very carefully before beginning (Luke 14:28-31). Christ is talking about being saved from a profitless life, or in other words, a life that is of no eternal value.

(11) They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.

(12) They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the *angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

  • *angels: 1 Corinthians 4:9: Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.

(13) So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

(14) So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.

(15) But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

(16) For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

  • Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7.

(17) And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.”

(18) For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.

  • Acts 20:28: “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:20: for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
  • Ephesians 1:7: He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
  • Colossians 1:13-14: For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

(19) It was the precious *blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless **Lamb of God.

  • *blood of Christ: Hebrews 9:12: With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.
  • **Lamb of God: John 1:29: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

(20) God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.

  • John 1:1-2: In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.
  • John 17:24: Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
  • Ephesians 1:4: Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
  • 2 Timothy 1:9: For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

(21) Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

(22) You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

(23) For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

(24) As the *Scriptures say, “People are like grass;
their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.

  • *Scriptures: Isaiah 40:6-8.

(25) But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

  • In 303 a.d., the Roman Emperor Diocletian demanded that every copy of the Scriptures in the Roman Empire be burned. He failed, and 25 years later, the Roman Emperor Constantine commissioned a scholar named Eusebius to prepare 50 copies of the Bible at government expense.

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation.

On-Line Sources:

Off-Line Sources:

Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)