Today we are going to start reading the book of 1 Peter. Any time I read an epistle, I always like to have an idea who is writing the letter, and who they’re writing it to. The authorship of 1st and 2nd Peter were historically attributed to this Simon Peter. More recent scholars question whether this was really Peter, because it quoted the Septuagint, an Old Testament Greek translation which may not have been readily available to Peter. Now, at the end of the first letter, in chapter 5:12 the author mentions “By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him, I have written unto you briefly”. So the author, whether it was actually Peter or not, used Silvanus (who is the same Silas that traveled extensively with Paul) as a secretary or scribe. The scholars contest that the writings of the letter do not sound like a fisherman on the sea of Galilee, but a more well schooled and cultured Greek style, which was more appropriate for a Hellenic Greek audience. Some of the style issues and references to a certain translation of scripture can be reconciled if you understand that Peter could have dictated the message to a scribe (which is exactly what chapter 5 is saying), and that scribe could have polished and refined the letter, citing the relevant scripture that Peter was attempting to reference. Especially so, if that Scribe was the same Silas who wrote letters alongside Paul and Timothy. So I am going to set aside any of the more modern scholarly criticism and make the assumption that this letter is written by who it said it was written by. If that’s the case, what do we know about the Author? In this case, we know a lot! This is Peter, basically the right hand man of Jesus. Peter was kind of the Disciple at large.
Peter was the one man who combined the most miraculous display of faith, walking on water, with the most epic fail, getting nervous and falling into the water. When we study the gospels and read about Jesus’ ministry, Simon Peter is always one of the first disciples to offer an opinion or attempt to answer one of Jesus questions. His answers were always kind of “shoot from the hip” first instinct, gut type reactions, which were very honest and reasonable as a first guess with no critical in depth thought. So his answers were often wrong, but very illustrative of a first guess. And Peter’s answers served to springboard the discussion since they were usually how Jesus would explain the right answers. Peter was very close to Jesus and was very loyal. Yet it was Peter who disowned Jesus, three times denying any association with him. The Bible records that Peter was full of regret and despair for that denial, but was offered loving forgiveness and reconciliation when Jesus returned.
Let’s look at the content.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
He introduces himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He was writing to a group called God’s elect. He mentioned that they were exiles scattered around various provinces in the area. This language that God’s people are exiled, spread around and scattered from their homeland tends to make some readers believe he was writing to Jewish Christians, but in listing various sins and a empty way of life handed down by forefathers, other readers thought the readers were primarily Christians who were pagan beforehand. But he is writing to the people of God, and regardless of their past, they were described as exiles. We must remember, Our citizenship and our home are heaven, not earth. Anywhere we end up living or anywhere we call our homes is only a partially correct answer, because our true home is in heaven with God the Father. People who believe in God and are given that promise of an eternity with God, we are God’s people; his chosen people. We are his elect. We have this relationship with God, sin has compromised the relationship, but God reconciled us to Him. He forgave us our sins and sent his Son to die as punishment for our sins, Jesus took our place on the cross. This salvation is not something that we contributed to. All of this should be basic bible review, but is worth reviewing and reaffirming. Read verse 2. Christians have been chosen. We’ve been selected -passive voice. We aren’t the ones choosing or selecting anything. God is. We were called according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.
This foreknowledge of God the Father is something that is worth discussing. What did God know beforehand? The wrong answer to this question can sneak a works based salvation back into your theology, if you’re not careful. Were we chosen because God foreknew that we would do good things? Were we saved because God foreknew that we would accept him? Did God see our faith before we existed, and save us based on something we were to do? No, The Bible explains that God’s saving foreknowledge wasn’t as a result of works, so nobody has any act, quality, personality, anything they can boast in. God’s saving foreknowledge wasn’t as a result of any faith that we’ve been able to muster up, because that saving faith is a gift that comes from God himself. God’s foreknowledge is an awareness, or familiarity and acquaintence with us. That word familiar means close personal knowledge, a knowledge like family. So God is familiar and knowledgable about us, Not our bodies or our minds, because those things didn’t exist until a certain time in history. But God knew our spirit, our essence, our souls. He knew these things because he created us, he made us. God also knew these things because he is omniscient, and knows all. There is nothing God doesn’t know, so he has this foreknowledge of his Elect. Foreknowledge means knowing something beforehand, but that term is just a construct that humans who live within a linear timeline need to invent when they describe something. We call it “foreknowledge” when an eternal God who knows everything and is beyond time, knows something before it happens, in one sense Foreknowledge is the only knowledge that God experiences, which is just God Knowledge. Verse 2 says we have been chosen through Sanctifying work of the Sprit to be obedient to Christ and sprinkled with His Blood. That means God the father knew us beforehand, and planned for the Holy Spirit to do work in us to Sanctify us and set us apart as holy, in order that we can be obedient to Jesus Christ the Son, so we can be sprinkled with his Blood. Each part of the Godhead, each part of the Trinity plays a role here. The forms of God’s Divine nature each play a role in our reconciliation with God and salvation from our sins. God’s knowledge and choice, the Spirits’ work in sanctifying and making us Holy, and the sacrifice of the Son. Peter says we are chosen to be obedient to Christ and sprinkled with His Blood, but what is blood sprinkling? When you study the Old Covenant, the sprinkling of Blood and washing with Blood is how we are to be cleansed and purified. In the Passover, the Angel of Death passed over the Hebrews who had covered the door in the blood of the Lamb. Blood meant many things, but it was payment for sin, it was salvation, it was cleansing from sin, purification from sin. Blood was costly, it was life, in many contexts it was an unclean thing to be avoided, but when it’s used in accordance with the Law, and it comes from a pure source, Blood was the only way to be reconciled. So, the end here, to be obedient to Christ and sprinkled is so much more than just obedience and blood sprinkling. It’s Forgiveness from our offenses, payment for our penalties, salvation from our sins, and the very reconciliation of our relationship with God. There’s a lot of theology packed in this first sentence, and the blessing is kind of a response to that great salvation. He writes Grace and Peace be yours in abundance. Our salvation is by Grace, it’s an unmerited, undeserved gift from God, and that Gift is Peace. Peace means being set free from slavery of sin, not being at war with sin constantly. Peace means being able to forgive each other because we’ve been forgiven. Peace means extending God’s love to an undeserving sinner, just like we were shown ourselves. This peace is not just an absense of conflict, or an end to war, but a friendship with God. That friendship is not just an alliance that can be broken or rescinded, It’s so much more; God adopted us into his family. We are sons and daughters. In other letters, the church is called the bride of Christ. That relatonship is a son or daughter in law. A bride to His only begotten son. Either way, our relationship is one of abundant peace. When faced with such a great and glorious truth, our only response is thanksgiving, and praise. That’s exactly what Peter writes next
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He acknowledges that God is the God and Father of Jesus Christ. In God’s great mercy, he gave us a new birth.
This new birth is a reference to Jesus’s explanation of being Born again to Nicodemus; John 3. We become born again of the Spirit of God, and we were born into a living hope. Reminder, our hope is not dead or imaginary, but our hope is in a living Jesus Christ. We have this empty tomb, proof, this evidence. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, we have a hope that’s alive. Our hope is living, and we are hoping for an inheritance that can never spoil, perish, or fade. Our Inheritance is nothing physical or of this world, it’s kept in heaven. Inheritances are gifts that come to us from family. Nobody claims that they earned their inheritance, these are just gifts. The inheritance is kept in heaven For You. The reader of this letter, the person who believes in God the Father, the His only Begotten son Jesus Christ. The inheritance is for you! And it gets better. Verse 5. You who through faith are shielded by God’s Power until when? The coming of the salvation that’s ready to be reavealed in the last time. We have a promise here that through faith we will be shielded by the Power of God. We will persevere until the coming salvation, when Jesus Christ is revealed. There isn’t any uncertain term here. There aren’t any terms, conditions or fine print. There’s no detail that we are overlooking. God gives us faith, and through that faith, he will shield us with his power. We will be protected until the end! When Salvation arrives, and Christ is revealed in the last time, which is something we discussed from Thessalonians.
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
All of these truths that Peter has mentioned, we are saved, have been foreknown by God, chosen to be sanctified by the work of God, to receive a great salvation through Jesus Christ, We’ve been given a new birth, we have a living hope, we will be protected by the power of God until the day of our salvation. These are things we must rejoice in! These are the things we should treasure. We can be happy about life goals or milestones, but the things we rejoice in are the truths that Peter explained, the Gospel. The things Peter reminds us to rejoice in are permanent! These things will literally last forever. Contrast that with his next clause of verse 6. Though now, for a little while, may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. It’s not wrong to grieve. Going through a Trial is not God’s punishment or some kind of evidence that God’s favor is withdrawn. It’s not wrong to be sad, to grieve, or to feel frustrated in trials. Peter says you may have had to suffer these things; I would add, you may have to suffer things in the future. Don’t be surprised. And don’t think you have to fake happiness. Christians sometimes assume they have to put on a mask. When sorrows come to us, we have every right to feel them, to weep, to experience this human condition. And Peter has felt this many times in his life. We read about Peter bitterly crying when he denied knowing Jesus. It’s normal to be in a state of grief, it;s normal to be sad. We can be there, but we can’t stay there. Christians have something that outweighs any trial. We have a permanent, infinite, eternal victory in Christ Jesus. We literally can’t stay in our grief, because while that passes away, something greater arrives. We have a reconciliation that brought us from the depths of our sin and enmity towards God and has not just brought us out, but lifted us up and made us sons. Now when we change our perspective, that trial you are going through can be seen in a new light. The thing that seemed to be so big, so painful, so problematic, is actually just another pathway that leads you to God. Your trials change from roadblocks to tools that refine your faith and lead you towards Honoring Jesus Christ. Trials bring about genuine faith and that result is the future that we’ve been promised. Praise, Glory and Honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Even though we have not seen Jesus Christ, we love him. Even though we don’t see him now, we believe in him. We are truly blessed to believe in Jesus Christ. Verse 8 reminds me of another part of scripture. When the disciple Thomas had heard of Jesus resurrection from the other disciples (Peter included), he said unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger in his side I will not believe. Although Thomas will always be known and remembered for his doubt, Jesus came to him, and met him in his doubt. Jesus revealed himself to Thomas, his resurrected and glorious new form. Thomas was no longer a doubter, he proclaimed, “My Lord and My God”. Jesus left him with a lesson, “Because you have seen me you have believed; Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Peter witnessed this event firsthand, and as he was writing verse 8 he was likely recalling Jesus’ interaction with Thomas. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Even though you don’t see him now, you believe in him. And are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. While Peter and Thomas were blessed to see Jesus in the flesh, and tell and write about their time together, Jesus tells Thomas and the disciples that we who have never seen with our eyes have received a distinct blessing, because we have heard the Shepherds voice and we believed. Even though we didn’t see him, we loved him. We are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. We are to receive the end result of our faith, the salvation of our souls. Let’s talk about this salvation briefly.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets spoke about a grace that was coming to you! When you read prophets in the old testament, it isn’t always easy for us to grasp or comprehend. Not being Jewish and versed in the law and customs and aware of the political environment, or the surrounding regional nation-state power struggles can sometimes hinder our ability to grasp the true weight of each and every prophecy. Some discuss imminent future events, while others are foretelling a coming era, or a new time ahead when God will come and rescue his people. What is important to know is those prophets searched intently.
They studied the law and prayed and took great care to determine what was God’s message for his people. They were guided by God, but they were inspired by God’s Holy Spirit, which is also the Spirit of Christ. They were tasked to deliver the word of God to the people, and the ultimate message of God to his people was when his Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and lived as a king or Messiah to us and died in order to offer forgiveness for our sin. The prophets searched carefully and intently to transmit the timing or the nature of this message. The Message is Jesus Christ. Those prophets were not serving themselves, they were serving people like us who were known by God before we existed in flesh. We who were destined by God’s sovereign plan to hear the Gospel in its true form, called to understand who Jesus was and what he did for us, preordained to believe the word of God by the power of God’s Holy Spirit preaching to us.
When I think about the role of preaching, and the job of delivering a sermon, it’s humbling to remember that the real preacher is the Holy Spirit. The conviction and the persuasion is not something a pastor or evangelist actually does. It’s God’s word, and God’s Spirit is the way in which it is delivered. Re-read what Peter says: “Those who preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit” No matter what part of the Bible you read, no matter what point in history you are looking at, this entire story is a God’s amazing, divine, handiwork; a creation and a continuing series of events that brings God glory. Peter says even angels desire to look into these things, which makes sense when you look at the role Angels played in history. Similar to the prophets, Angels were also used as God’s messengers to deliver this message to Humanity. Angels pointed us towards this great and marvelous salvation. There have been entire sermons on this last line. One of my favorites is here.