1 Peter 1
Greetings and Encouragement to Persevere in Suffering
Peter began the body of this epistle by reminding his readers of their identity as Christians. He did this to enable them to rejoice in the midst of present suffering. They could do this since they would ultimately experience glorification. The tone of this entire epistle is warm, pastoral, and full of encouragement. - Thomas Constable
Peter
Vs. 1 - Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ:
Peter is a Greek name (lit. Petros, meaning a stone or rock). No one else in the New Testament has the name Peter. Jesus gave the name Cephas to Simon (The Greek transliteration of Simeon, Peter’s Hebrew name) as a prediction of what this apostle would become (John 1:42; Matthew 16:18).
The word "apostle" has both a technical and a general sense in the New Testament. It refers to the Twelve and Paul, but also to others who went out as the Twelve and Paul did to represent Jesus Christ. Peter was one of the Twelve. He wrote with full apostolic authority. - Thomas Constable
To The Chosen
Exiles
Vs. 1 - To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad
In relation to their place of local residence, they are God’s people scattered throughout northern Asia Minor. But in relation to heaven, they are God’s people scattered in a foreign land. Their true homeland is heaven, and the foreign land is the world. - Don Fleming
Barclay notes that Peter described Christians in this greeting with terms that would have historically been reserved for Jews only: “elect” and “exiles.” Luke recorded (in Acts) how Peter came to understand that the death and resurrection of Jesus opened the door for all people to come to salvation by grace through faith.
Once the people who had been different from others were the Jews; now the people who are different are the Christians. They are the people whose King is God, whose home is eternity, and who are exiles in the world. - William Barclay
Chosen
Vs. 2 - according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ.
Peter packed a textbook worth of soteriology into this brief description of God’s redemptive plan and provision for His people.
Foreknowledge - The sovereign God planned and prepared this great salvation.
Sanctifying - He “separated” a people by giving them His Spirit…
Obedient - …calling them to obey…
Sprinkled - …and forgiving their sins through Jesus’ death as a sin offering.
Hope And Inheritance
He Has Given
Vs. 3-4 - Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
Hope - Because Jesus conquered sin and death, He is now the “living hope” that we can also.
Inheritance - Christians will inherit complete salvation because of the mercy of God.
Guarded by God
Vs. 5 - You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Peter wrote about an imperishable inheritance to a group of people who had probably lost many possessions. And to people who may have rarely felt truly safe, he spoke of the power of God to guard them to ultimate deliverance.
Suffering And Rejoicing
Persecution
Vs. 6 - You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials
Peter pivoted at this point to acknowledge his audience’s current experience. Many commentators note that Peter was likely referencing the increased persecution Christians were facing in the Roman Empire. One of the primary purposes of his letter was to encourage believers to persevere.
Refining
Vs. 7 - the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Trials do to faith what fire does to gold. They purify it and show it to be what it really is. - Thomas Constable
If it survived the refiner's fire, it was real gold. “Trials reveal the authenticity of our faith.” - Jon Azzarello
The Goal of Your Faith
Vs. 8-9 - Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Most commentators believe Peter wrote to a mostly Gentile church in the early to mids 60s AD, a group of people who had not witnessed Jesus’ miracles and passion, but had heard and believed the apostolic message. So, in this letter, the elder apostle encouraged these suffering saints to not to lose sight of the end goal of their perseverance. They had not yet seen their hope, but their joy was waiting.
Salvation Has Been Announced
Vs. 10-11 - Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
The Old Testament prophets had predicted that Messiah would experience both suffering and glory. However, they did not understand how His suffering and glory would fit together. It is possible to understand that mystery only after Jesus’ earthly ministry.
These verses clearly distinguish, by the way, between the divine author and the human writers of Scripture. The prophets were not merely religious geniuses. They were people through whom God spoke (2 Peter 1:21). At times they knew that they did not fully comprehend what they were communicating. At other times they probably thought they understood but did not completely realize the full significance of what they communicated. - Thomas Constable
Old Testament prophets, who by God’s Spirit foretold this salvation, tried unsuccessfully to find out when it would come about and who the great Messiah-Saviour would be. God showed them that their prophecies would be understood by a future generation. When Christ died and rose again, other messengers of God, guided by the same eternal Spirit, saw the real meaning of their prophecies and then taught others. - Don Fleming
Therefore, Set Your Hope
Because of the great hope and inheritance Peter had just described, he encouraged these Christians to persevere in persecution. Peter’s logic is similar to most NT epistles: Because of the great mercy and salvation we have received, we should live in hope and holiness.
Because
Vs. 3 - Because of his great mercy
Vs. 18 - For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life
Vs. 22 - Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth
Vs. 23 - because you have been born again
One of the reasons commentators believe these Christians were primarily Gentile is that Peter referenced their “former ignorance” in verse 14 and their “empty way of life” in verse 18. It seems that his audience’s past was more pagan than pious.
But these sinners were now saints, purified by “obedience to the truth” (22). So Peter called them to remember the mercy they had received and how it should lead them to assume a posture of hope.
Therefore
Vs. 13 - be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Vs. 14-15 - do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct
Vs. 22 - from a pure heart love one another constantly
Peter urged these believers to allow their hope in God to separate them for a life of loving others. They should not be a despairing people but rather dedicated to “love one another constantly” (22).
The apostle quoted a similar message from Moses’ (Leviticus 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7) to Israel. Because God had delivered His people from captivity, He called them to trust and follow Him.
The Living And Enduring Word of God
Vs. 23 (NLT) - 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.
Peter quoted Isaiah (40:7-8) to illustrate the enduring nature of the new life and future of a Christian. The hope and inheritance he described was as sure and eternal as God’s word.
