I Peter

We’ll move onto another of the “Hebrew Epistles,” written to Jewish believers to encourage them during a time of persecution. First and second Peter were written by Peter, of course, but some critics claim that this may not be so. It appears that the style of writing is more refined in the first epistle than the second. The reason for this is that Silas helped Peter write the first epistle (5:12). His grammar was better than that of the fisherman. Have you ever had a conversation with English major? I always feel self-conscious when I do, afraid that I’m going to use improper grammar, perhaps like Peter. Like James, this book is dated early, perhaps the early 60’s A.D. about the time of persecution by Nero.

1:1 “To God’s elect, strangers in the world.”

Have you ever walked through a mall and thought, “I don’t see much here that I’m interested in buying? I feel like a stranger amidst the orgy of materialism and consumerism.” I think as our values change, become more “Christianized,” we will feel less at home in an ever increasingly less Christian society.

1:3 “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Have you ever thought, “If I were God, I would probably have killed off everyone in the flood. Next time I’ll make more dogs. People have been too great a disappointment.” I’m glad that God is more merciful than I might have been. It is God’s mercy that gave us a new birth. He gave us new birth; it isn’t something that we hope to attain. And how did it come about? It was through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Paul said in

I Cor 15, if Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead, we’re all without hope.

1:13 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

Whenever I see the word “therefore,” I know the author is shifting from theory to action. During this time of trouble, Peter says they should focus on the future, rather than their present troubles.

2:1 “Therefore, rid yourself of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

We know better than we do. It’s easier said than done.

2:5 “Offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.”

What might these sacrifices be? They include our bodies (Rom 12:1-2); praise (Heb 13:15); self-dedication (Eph 5:1-2, Phil 2:17); good deeds (Heb 13:16); and material possessions (Phil 4:18; Heb 13:16). There’s a sermon in these passages alone.

2:13 “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.”

If you’ve been through basic military training, one thing you want to avoid is to stand out in the squadron or company. You don’t want to attract the attention of the drill instructor. You keep your mouth shut and do what you’re told. This is good advice for those undergoing persecution.

2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”

This passage is referring to healing of our sins, not our physical illnesses.  He bore our “sins” that we might be healed. This is obvious by the fact that all of us die from our last disease, unless something else, such as an accident, takes us first. And have you noticed that some of these “health and wealth” preachers wear glasses or have a large scar on their chest from coronary bypass surgery? Where were their healings?

3:1, 7 “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands.”

Don’t we husbands love to quote this verse? But what about verse 7, “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing hinders your prayers.”

This passage does not say that women are weak, but that they are weaker. She is weaker in authority of the husband.

3:15 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

This is the field of apologetics, defending our faith. Can you give others a reasonable explanation as to why you believe there is a God, that Jesus was raised from the dead, that the Bible is complete and accurate, etc.? A good book on this subject is When Skeptics Ask, by Norman Geisler.

3:18 “For Christ died for sins once for all. . .he went to preach to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.”

Christ died “once for all.” This isn’t something that has to be repeated in the Eucharist. Then he preached, or announced to the evil spirits who intermarried with women before the Flood. The announcement that he made was that the satanic attempt to corrupt the Seed of the Woman had failed. You can read about this in the Frequently Asked Questions article, Did Angels Intermarry with People in Genesis 6?

4:10 “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

According to this passage, who should be involved in ministry? Each one of us should be involved.

4:12 “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”

When tragedy strikes, some might ask, “Why me?” Why not you? We live in a fallen world, a world in need of outside help. We should not be surprised then bad things happen to us.

5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

I bought my wife a plaque, it reads: “Before you go to bed, give your troubles to God. He stays up all night anyway.”

5:12 “With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.



Isn’t this a nice way to end a letter?