1 Peter 1

1:1 Peter, an apostle [means “one who is sent”] of Jesus Christ, to the strangers [refers to an alien residing in a foreign land] scattered throughout [the recipients (both Jews and Gentiles) of the letter lived in the five provinces of he Roman Empire in what is now northern Turkey; Jews from these provinces heard Peter preach on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9-10)] Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

1:2 Elect [chosen; shows God’s initiative in all matters of salvation] according to the foreknowledge [means our salvation was not an afterthought on God’s part] of God the Father [the One who planned salvation before the beginning], through sanctification [to set apart or dedicate someone or something to God’s use] of the Spirit, unto obedience [the act of responding in faith to the gospel; characterizes the life of a believer] and sprinkling of the blood [expression possibly comes from the sprinkling of the blood on the ark of the covenant on the Day of Atonement (cf. Lev. 16) or from the red heifer ceremony of Num. 19] of Jesus Christ [the One who shed His blood]: Grace [God’s undeserved favor; God’s initiative in reaching out to undeserving sinners] unto you, and peace [the wholeness resulting from salvation; there is no peace without grace first], be multiplied [God has an inexhaustible supply of grace and peace].

1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy [means God has not given us what our rebellion against Him does deserve] hath begotten [cf. Jesus and Nicodemus (Jn. 3:1-21)] us again unto a lively hope [underscores the future orientation of believers’ lives in Christ; to live in the present with eyes on eternity; cf. Peter’s use of the word “hope” in 1:3,13,21; 3:5,15] by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead [the central reality of our faith; in the resurrection, God vindicated Jesus as His Son (Rom. 1:4)],

1:4 To an inheritance [means “a possession”] incorruptible [stated positively: perpetual], and undefiled [stated positively: pure], and that fadeth not away [stated positively: permanent], reserved in heaven for you [for believers],

1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [at the return of Christ].

1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season [a short time in comparison with their eternal salvation (1:5) and reward (1:4)], if need be, ye are in heaviness [to be distressed] through manifold [various or “many colored”] temptations [“trials” (NIV); included persecution]:

1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious [genuine faith will not perish when tested thus making it more valuable than gold] than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried [refined; tested] with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing [second coming] of Jesus Christ:

1:8 Whom having not seen [cf. Jn. 20:29], ye love [Gr. “agapao” or love in its highest form]; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing [Gr. “pisteuo” is the verb form of the noun translated “faith” in 1:9], ye rejoice with joy unspeakable [nobody can fully explain it] and full of glory [the opposite of the distress or sorrow caused by various trials]:

1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls [in NT refers to the entire person: body, mind, and spirit].

1:10 Of which salvation the prophets [Isaiah (9:2-7; 11:1-9; 53:1-12), Joel (2:28-32), and Micah (4:1-5) foretold God’s coming salvation and grace] have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

1:11 Searching what [concerning the Messiah’s coming], or what manner of time [when their prophecies (concerning the Messiah) would be fulfilled] the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves [i.e., the people of their own time] but you [recipients of Peter’s letter were privileged to experience what the prophets did not live to see (the fulfillment of the prophetic vision of Messiah)], but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you [including Peter] by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things [how God’s plan of salvation is being accomplished] the angels [have not experienced the kind of salvation from sin that saved humans have experienced] desire to look into.

1:13 Wherefore [word indicates that what follows flows from what preceded (1:1-12); marks transition from declaration of truth (1:1-12) to exhortation to action] gird up the loins of your mind [as men who wore long robes gathered them up in order to run or to work], be sober [self-comtrolled, serious, fully-rational], and hope [“a lively hope” (1:3)] to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [second coming; God’s ultimate deliverance in eternity] of Jesus Christ;

1:14 As obedient children [believers must behave in the way their Heavenly Father asks them to], not fashioning [Gr. “suschematizo” means to fashion or conform (cf. Rom. 12:2)] yourselves according to the former lusts [Gr. “epithumia” often refers to sexual lusts or passions and also to other worldly desires such as greed for material things; any desire for satisfaction apart from God; former pagan practices; former moral laxity] in your ignorance [of God and His Word; cf. “empty way of life” in 1:18]:

1:15 But [word signals change between former pagan lives and present Christian lives] as he which hath called you is holy [utterly set apart from sin], so be ye holy [set apart for God’s service; to conform our lives to God’s standards and character; the plural of the word “holy” is “saints”] in all manner of conversation;

1:16 Because it is written [cf. Lev. 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7], Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth [obeying the gospel command to repent and receive Christ as Lord by faith] through the Spirit unto unfeigned [Gr. “anupokritos” which means “not hypocritical”] love [Gr. “agapao”] of the brethren [Gr. “philadelphia”], see that ye love one another [fellow believers (members of God’s family)] with a pure heart fervently:

1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed [as of an earthly father whose seed gives temporal (or perishable) life], but of incorruptible [as of our Heavenly Father whose seed (used metaphorically) gives eternal (or imperishable) life], by the word of God [His Word is the standard for all our faith and practice], which liveth and abideth for ever.

1:24 For [or “for it is written” as in 1:16; cf. Isa. 40:6-8] all flesh is as grass [cf. Ps. 103:15-16], and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.


Source:	Omar C. Garcia
Location:	BibleTeachingNotes.com