1 Peter Chapter 01
Salutation
1From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residing abroad (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, and Bithynia) who are chosen
Peter the fisherman was the apostle to the Jews, while Paul the rabbi scholar was the apostle to the Gentiles. It seems as God should have reversed these audiences, but God knows what He is doing.
Peter possessed the keys to the kingdom, meaning that he opened the door of salvation to the Jews at Pentecost, then the Samaritans in Acts 10, and then to the Gentiles in Acts 11. He was writing to "those who are chosen", which were the Jews. After Stephen was martyred, Paul persecuted the Jewish church in Jerusalem. This caused the mostly Jewish church to scatter and live in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, and Bithnia. Those Jews living outside of the land were called the diaspora. The Jews had been scattered and were now sheep without a shepherd. Peter was the shepherd to the Jews of the diaspora.
Many replacement and covenant theologians spiritualize this passage, interpreting the diaspora to be Christians outside of Jerusalem. They will falsely claim that Israel and the church were used interchangeably. If read literally, then Peter was writing to Jewish messianic believers outside of Jerusalem. The church is not Israel, as many claim. The church is the church and Israel is Israel. There is no need to spiritualize this passage to make it fit one's own personal theology.
2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure!
The Greek word for "foreknowledge" is πρόγνωσις (prognosis), meaning to know beforehand because of pre-planning. God chose these messianic Jewish believers before the foundations of the world were created. These messianic Jews were set apart by the Holy Spirit to perform a service for God.
The Greek word for "obedience" is ὑπακοή (hupakoay), meaning to obey what is heard. The messianic believers were to obey what they heard from the Holy Spirit of God.
These messianic Jews were set apart by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. There were only three times in the Old Testament where the blood of the lamb was sprinkled. First, the blood was sprinkled at the signing of the Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 24:5–8; Heb. 9:19). Second, the blood was sprinkled at the ordination of the Aaronic Priesthood (Ex. 29:21). Third, the blood was sprinkled at the purification ceremony of a healed leper (Lev. 14:6–7).The picture here is that these messianic Jews were persecuted and spread out through the Roman Empire like seed. They were being watered and grown as plants by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ.
Grace was the Greek greeting. Peace was the Hebrew greeting. Peter prayed that God would be kind to these messianic Jews. He prayed that they would receive peace. Peace comes from listening and obedience to the Holy Spirit. One listens to the Holy Spirit by studying Bible doctrine at the deepest level. One obeys the Holy Spirit by applying Bible doctrine.
New Birth to Joy and Holiness
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
The Greek word for "blessed" is εὐλογητός (eulogaitos), meaning to speak good words, or to praise God. The praise goes to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the humanity of Jesus, the Father is His God. In the deity of Christ, God is His Father.
The Greek word for "he gave new birth" is ἀναγεννάω (anagennaow), an aorist active participle, meaning one who was born from above as a onetime completed action of the past. Once a person is born from above, then the action is completed. The person cannot be unborn. The active participle conveys a onetime completed action of the past which cannot be reversed. This active participle proves the doctrine of eternal security.
The messianic believers, like all men, were totally depraved and evil and headed to hell. They were only saved by the mercy (or the kindness) of God. He saved them by giving them a new birth. They were born with a dead spirit, but God made their dead spirit alive so that they could believe in Jesus. Their living hope is heaven, They receive this living hope through believing in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.
4that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you,
Those who believe in the resurrection of Christ will inherit a body in heaven that cannot perish or decay. This body will be undefiled, meaning that it cannot sin. The body will be unfading, meaning that it will never lose its beauty. It will never grow old and wrinkly.
5who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The Greek word for "protected" is φρουρέω (prone), a present passive participle, meaning to continually guard as that of a soldier in the military. The salvation of the Jewish messianic believers was continually and forever under the military protection of God's own power. The messianic believer will be revealed on the last day, which would be at the return of Christ to establish His literal 1000 year Millennial Kingdom.
6This brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials.7Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold – gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away – and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Many cults and isms have attempted unsuccessfully to explain human suffering. Peter gave the divine reason for suffering. The purpose of suffering is the proof that one possesses faith. When one is willing to suffer for Christ, then the entire angelic world and the entire satanic world system can see that the believer is indeed trusting in Christ for salvation. The believer is willing to give up the comforts of the satanic world system for a future eternity of co-reigning with Christ over an eternal kingdom.
Gold is tested by fire to prove that it is genuine and valuable. Faith is tested by suffering to prove that it is genuine and valuable. When one suffers for Christ, then he brings praise and glory and honor to Christ.
8You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
Peter was writing to second generation Jewish believers in Jesus who had never seen Him, yet they still loved Him. They came to love Jesus simply on the apostolic teaching of the apostles. The only way for a believer to love Christ today is by studying the Word of God at the deepest level. Those who claim that they love Jesus, but have never studied the entire counsel of the Word of God, do not love the Jesus of the Bible. They do not know Him. They love a Jesus of their own invention.
9because you are attaining the goal of your faith – the salvation of your souls.
The Jewish messianic believers of the diaspora were assured that God would complete the salvation process of their souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully.
The prophets predicted that this salvation of the soul would eventually come to those who were called by God. They investigated and studied this divine principle very eagerly and very carefully.
11They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory.
The Old Testament prophets sometimes had a difficult time understanding how the Messiah could suffer and die, but then rule as an eternal king over the Messianic kingdom. The prophets received divine revelations on some of the details, but they were limited in their understanding of how they would take place. This is why many or all of the Jewish leaders were looking for two Messiahs, one who would suffer and die and another who would rule the Davidic Kingdom forever. They did not understand with their limited knowledge that there would be one Messiah, but two different comings. Many of the rabbi believed that there would be two different Messiahs.
12They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things angels long to catch a glimpse of.
The prophets predicted the two comings of Christ, even though they possessed limited understanding. They knew that their words were for a future generation. The Holy Spirit gave the message through the Old Testament prophets, but he interpreted the message through the apostles. Salvation was such an important theme, that the good angels continually possessed a great desire and curiosity involving this doctrine. The good angels were never redeemed. The fallen angels can never be redeemed. Therefore, this is an experience that neither of these angelic groups possessed, but both are extremely interested in the doctrine. The good angels desire to learn everything they can about the process. The fallen angels are attempting to thwart the process.
13Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
In verse 1-12, Peter used the indicative mood to confirm divine Bible doctrinal facts. Throughout the rest of the letter, he will use 35 imperatives to get across his message. The message is that since these believers were already saved as a 100% statement of fact, now they were commanded to act. They were to be fully sober, and not scatter-brained, on the hope of reaching heaven. Heaven had been assured to them by the grace (or kindness) of God.
14Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance,
The Jewish messianic believers still had a totally depraved sin nature living inside their souls. At one time, they followed their evil impulses, because they were ignorant of Bible doctrine. Now that they knew Bible doctrine, they were to be obedient, like children, and apply what they had learned from the apostles.
15but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct,
God is holy and His children should be imitators. Notice that God is the One who does the calling. Peter was more than just an ignorant fisherman. He understood the doctrine of election and predestination.
16for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”
Peter quoted Leviticus 11:44. The chosen people of Israel were to imitate their God.
17And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence.
Since God the Father called these Messianic believers to become children, then the children need to address God as their Father. God the Father is also a judge, but He is not like a human judge who makes mistakes, accepts bribes, and possesses limited knowledge. God judges the works of everyone, but He does it impartially and perfectly. Peter reminded the Messianic believers that their existence on earth was only temporary. While they were living in this temporary residence, they were to respect their heavenly Father and live according to His will.
18You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed – not by perishable things like silver or gold,
The Messianic believers were rescued from an empty way of life. The empty way of life was Pharisaism. They were redeemed from the Mishnah, which was a Jewish man-made Oral Law which was handed down to them by the tradition of their fathers. The Mishnah added man-made traditions to the written Word of God. Jesus often taught against “the traditions of men”, which was the Mishnah.
The Greek word for “ransomed” is ἐλυτρώθητε (elutrophate), an aorist passive indicative verb, meaning to be delivered by payment. The Messianic believers were slaves of Pharisaism which was an invention of Satan to keep the Jews from recognizing their Messiah. The Messiah of Israel literally purchased the Messianic believers out of the slave market of Pharisaism with His own blood. The verb is aorist, meaning that this redemption was a onetime completed action of the past. The verb is passive, meaning that the Lord Jesus Christ was the one who purchased the believers. The verb is indicative, meaning that it is a 100% statement of fact. This one little verb destroys Arminianism because there was no free choice of man. Jesus did everything. There is no loss of salvation, because it was a onetime completed action of the past. There is no speculation, because it was a 100% statement of fact.
The Messianic believers were not purchased with perishable things, like gold or silver. Gold and silver are valuable to the satanic world system, but they will not make it into heaven. They are perishable and will rust away, becoming useless. They will be burned away when the new heavens and earth is brought into existence.
19but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ.
Since gold and silver are perishable and useless in heaven, the Messiah purchased the Messianic believers with the blood of God. The blood of God is that of Christ. It is unblemished and spotless, because Jesus is the perfect and holy Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.
20He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake.
The Greek word for “foreknown” is προεγνωσμένου (proegnosomen), a perfect passive participle, meaning to know ahead of time because of pre-planning. Before the foundation of the world was even created, the Council of the Triune Godhead foreknew and planned the entire program of redemption. Jesus was the second person of the Trinity. He was chosen by the Godhead to become the Redeemer before any sinners were even created. He made Himself known only in those who were living in the last times for the sake of the Messianic believers. The “last times” are the days prior to and including the church age.
21Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Jesus is different than other religious leaders, because His tomb is empty. After the resurrection, He returned to the glory that He had with God the Father before His incarnation. He is now God not in human flesh (which feels hunger, thirst, and pain), but God in a glorified body.
22You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
The Messianic believers were not to purify their souls by Mosaic rituals. They were to purify their souls by obeying “the truth”. The Truth possesses a definite article in Greek, so it is the specific truth of the gospel. Once they believed the gospel, then they could experience agape love. Agape love is divine love. Only believers can express agape love. Agape love is knowledge and application of Biblical doctrine. One applies Biblical doctrine not for salvation, but because of their love for Christ.
The Messianic believers are to love each other with a pure heart. The Greek word for love is different. It is the Greek word philadelphia, meaning brotherly love. Messianic believers love other believers as family members, but only because the Holy Spirit opened their minds and allowed them to understand the gospel.
23You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
The Greek word for “born anew” is ἀναγεγεννημένοι (anagegenamenoi), a perfect passive participle, meaning born from above. Many Arminians mistranslate this verse as “born again”, because they want to hide the election and predestination aspect of Bible doctrine. The perfect tense means that this process of being born from above happened in the past and its results continue forever. The passive voice means that the recipients received the birth from a different source other than themselves. These Greek tenses and voices destroy the false teaching of Arminianism.
All men are born through the natural seed of the father. This seed will eventually grow into adulthood and die. The Messianic believers experienced two types of births. Their second birth was the imperishable seed of the Holy Spirit. They heard the spoken Word of God. The Holy Spirit regenerated their dead spirit, making it alive so that they could understand the gospel.
24For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off, 25but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
The author quoted from Isaiah 40:6-8. Human flesh is like grass or flowers. They grow, are very beautiful, but then they all die.
The Greek for “word” is not logos, but rhema. Rhema is the spoken Word of God. The spoken Word of God endures forever. This spoken Word of God was proclaimed to the Messianic believers. They heard it and believed it, because the Holy Spirit gave them ears to hear it and a mind to understand it. Once they heard the gospel and believed it, then they become an eternal flower that will never die.