Day #354

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1 Peter - Reading
1 Peter - Audio

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1 Peter

Chapter 1

v. 2 – “for sprinkling with his blood” refers to Christ’s atoning work on the cross, where all the believers’ sins were washed away, just as the old covenant was inaugurated with the shedding of blood (Ex: 24:3-8). Peter sees believers “sprinkled” with the blood of Christ, referring either to their initial entrance into a covenant with God or to their subsequent cleansings by the blood of Christ or possibly to both.

v. 4 – The OT inheritance points ahead to an even greater inheritance, reserved in heaven for the people of the new covenant. Nothing can tarnish or extinguish that secure inheritance.

v. 8-9 – Joy is not reserved only for the future when Jesus will be clearly seen at his revelation. Even now, his followers love him, believe in him and rejoice with an inexpressible joy. The end result is eternal salvation – the completion of God’s saving work.

v. 14-15 – While living on this earth, Christians have to fight the desires of sin, so they are called to be obedient children, separated form evil in all that they do. They are to be holy, for that accords with the character of God who is holy and has called believers to himself.

v. 17 – Fear is not a paralyzing terror but a fear of God’s discipline and fatherly displeasure; it is a reverence and awe that should characterize the lives of believers during their exile on earth.

v. 20 – God’s plan for the redemption of the cosmos and the benefits of that are rooted in what the Father, Son and Holy Spirit chose to do before time began. This is not a cobbled together plan of salavation, but one that has roots before the creation of the world.

Chapter 2

v. 1-2 – In comparing believers to newborn infants, Peter is not saying that they are immature in their faith, but that all Christians are to be like infants in their longing for pure spiritual milk, which likely refers to God’s word.

v. 7 – The quote is from Ps 118:22. This song was sung at Passover. Peter used the imagery of the Passover to show us the work of Christ. The Psalm itself speaks of God’s ruler who is rejected by his enemies.

v. 11-12 – Peter calls the people to abstain from their sinful desires so that they do good and others see that good. The reason this is so important is that Christians and their behavior were suspect in their behavior. Any questionable behavior could lead to persecution. Peter lays out the right kind of behavior that will protect them – at least should protect them if their rulers live with integrity.

v. 16 – Freedom in scripture is not a license to sin but expresses itself in devotion to what is good.

v. 25 – The word “soul” from a Hebrew standpoint means all of our being. So basically Jesus is one who oversees our lives to make sure we do life rightly. This idea connects perfectly with Peter’s call to the entire community to live rightly, but especially to Christian slaves who must have struggled with living out the words of Peter if they dealt with crooked masters.

Chapter 3

v. 7 – As we are co-heirs with Christ, so husband and wife are also co-heirs of the promises spoken of in 1 Peter 1:3ff. Men do not have an inheritance greater than their wives and so they should treat their wives not with and attitude of superiority, but as a co-heir of the promises of God.

v. 19 – This is a tough passage to interpret. However one interprets it, all agree that this is not a 2^nd chance to accept salvation given to people who have died. A couple of possible interpretations: 1) the spirit of Jesus was in Noah, calling people to repentance. 2) Jesus spoke to these people when he descended into hell and claimed God’s victory.

Chapter 4

v. 1 – “done with sin” – Peter tells us that if we willing suffer for the faith, it is evidence that sins hold on us has been broken. Even though we still sin, in our heart of hearts we are done with sin.

v. 3-4 – The lives of unbelievers have not fundamentally changed form the first century to the twenty-first; believers should have nothing to do with such behavior, even when their nonparticipation means that others will malign them.

v. 11 – Peter divides spiritual gifts generally into speaking and serving gifts. Those who speak must not propound their own ideas but faithfully declare God’s words. Similarly, those who serve must not depend on their own strength, but draw their strength from God, so that God alone my be glorified through Jesus Christ.

Chapter 5

v. 2 – The elders have the task, like Jesus, of making sure that life is done rightly. Elders are not meddlers when they seek to help a fellow believer walk God’s path, for this works is essential to their calling, not alien to it.

v. 13 – “She who is at Babylon, who is …chosen” almost certainly refers to the church in Rome, not a literal worman.