1 Peter 1

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those residing as foreigners and scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

The Trinity and believers

2 who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling by the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, be multiplied.

The hope of believers

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in accordance with his abundant mercy has given us new birth into a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 for an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

It is a hope living in those who are kept safe themselves

5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice. Though now for a while, if need be, you are distressed by various trials. 7 These have come so that the proving of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found to result in praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

1:7 Men use fire to refine gold and prove it. God puts believers in fiery trials for the same reasons. Compare Ps 66:10-12. Faith is far more precious than gold. Is it not a sad thing then that men neglect faith and go after gold and other riches of this world? Faith is so precious because it lays hold of eternal riches in heaven.⚜

8 Him you have not seen, but love. Though now you do not see him, yet believing in him, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 and receive the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, made earnest search and enquiry, 11 trying to find out what the Spirit of Christ who was in them indicated, or what time it would take place, as he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that would follow.

1:11 The Spirit of Christ was in OT prophets and caused them to write words they themselves did not fully understand. They searched their own writings to try to understand them better. Observe that the Spirit of Christ was in the world before Christ came into the world. He “predicted” Christ’s suffering and glory. For example compare Psalm 22 – in vs 1-21 there is suffering, in vs 22-31 there is glory. The same is true of Isaiah chapter 53. In vs 1-9 there is suffering, in vs 10-12 glory. Both sufferings and glory appear in Isa 52:13-15, and glory in Isaiah chapter 54. Other examples could be given.⚜

12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but us, in these things which are now made known to you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. The angels desire to look into these things.

1:12 God revealed to the prophets that their words would be fulfilled afterwards, and that they were serving future generations. The Old Testament is for the instruction of Christian believers (Rom 15:4; 1 Cor 10:11). They spoke of things which gospel preachers now proclaim to the world – the death, resurrection and exaltation of Christ. All gospel preachers should preach “by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven” – John 14:16-17; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8; 2:1-4.⚜

How believers in Christ should live

13 Therefore gird up your mind for effort, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1:13 Angels are eager to know more of this great gospel of salvation. Should we who have been given this salvation be less eager? We should have new minds (Rom 12:2; Eph 4:23-24) and fill them with God’s Word. The Christian life demands effort in thinking, meditation, and careful study to try to understand all that God has revealed to us. Compare Ps 1:2; 119:26-27, 34, 73 etc; Eph 1:18; 3:18; Phil 1:9-10; Col 1:9.⚜

Being obedient

14 As obedient children, do not let yourselves be conformed to the cravings you formerly had in your ignorance,

Being holy

15 but just as he who has called you is holy, so you be holy in your whole way of life. 16 Because it is written,

You be holy, for I am holy.

1:15-16 Lev 20:7; Isa 6:3; John 17:17-19; Rom 6:19, 22; 2 Cor 7:1; Eph 4:24; Heb 12:10, 14. This must be, and is, the aim of every believer.⚜

Having the reverent fear of God

17 And if you call on the Father, who, without partiality, judges according to everyone’s deeds, spend the time of your stay on earth in reverential fear.

Recognizing the price of redemption

18 For you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, from your empty way of life received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

1:19 Here is the price God paid to redeem us and make us His own (Matt 20:28; 26:28; Acts 20:28; Rom 3:24-25). It is precious beyond words.⚜

20 He was indeed foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for you.

1:20 Before He created the world, before mankind fell into sin God had a plan for the salvation of man, and Christ was at the heart of that plan. Compare Eph 1:4; Acts 2:23.⚜

21 Through him you believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

Possessing love for fellow believers

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit into a sincere love for the brethren, fervently love one another with a pure heart,

1:22 Observe the only way we can be holy and purified – it is by obeying God’s truth revealed in the Bible. Compare Rom 6:17-19; John 8:31-32. The result of this purification is sincere love. If there is no love in our hearts for God’s people we may be sure that we have no real purification, no salvation (1 John 3:14; John 13:34). See here the kind of love believers should have for one another – sincere, fervent, pure.⚜

23 being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever. 24 For,

All flesh is like grass,

and all the glory of man

as the flower of grass.

The grass withers, and its flower

falls away,

25 But the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word, which, by the gospel, was preached to you.

1:24-25 Isa 40:6-8. All that man apart from God does, or can do, has no permanence. The Word of God (and those who have been given new life through that Word) will stand forever – Matt 24:35; 1 John 2:17.⚜