Bible Commentaries

From Peter, an apostle. Peter does not claim authority higher than the other apostles. To God's chosen people. See Romans 8:29-30 and notes. Refugees scattered. DIASPORA originally meant the Jews who were scattered all over the world in Gentile nations. But it soon came to be used of Christians in general, both Jew and Gentile. Christians are refugees, from another world (Philippians 3:20). The Letter is addressed to five Roman provinces where Paul had preached the Good News of God's act in Christ to set men free.

According to the purpose. The plan which God had already decided on, was to save men and women through the Good News! See Colossians 1:20; Acts 2:23 and notes. Were made a holy people. This looks from God's side. Compare Titus 3:5. To obey Jesus Christ. This looks from man's side. We reach out through faith to seize the sacrifice of Christ and make ourselves part of it! See notes on Acts 2:38; Acts 2:40. And be cleansed. See Hebrews 12:24.

Let us give thanks. We thank God and praise him for his love which is the basis of what he has done for us!!! He gave us new life. God's act in Christ is to change us!!! By raising Jesus Christ. See 1 Peter 3:21 and note. [Some think Peter is talking about the living hope that filled the apostles when they learned Jesus had raised from death.]

We look forward. Our living hope is not merely of eternal existence, but we become sons and daughters of God, and will share in everything God keeps for his people! In heaven. "This is better than any earthly wealth, because it is in heaven where it remains safe!"

Who through faith are kept safe. See 1 Peter 5:7; 1 John 5:4-5. God's power is available to the Christian through faith! Revealed. 1 John 3:1-3.

Be glad. In this hope you have as a Christian! Even though. "You will be faced with persecution in different forms and many problems because of your relationship to Christ." See John 16:33.

Their purpose is to prove. "There is a reason why God allows these things to happen to you. They are to prove that your faith is genuine. All false believers will be weeded out by the many kinds of trials." Even gold. "Gold, which is so precious to men, is tested and refined by fire. Your faith is much more precious than gold! Do you wonder, then, that it must be tested???" Then you will receive. At Christ's Second Coming, the one whose faith survives the testing, will receive his or her eternal reward. See Revelation 22:12-14.

You love him. "You have not seen Jesus Christ, nor do you see him now. But you love him and believe in him! You live by faith! And so you rejoice. "You have believed the witness of us apostles, and so you rejoice in Christ who is your Savior, with a great and glorious joy! Which words cannot express. Human language cannot describe the union with God which the Christian like Paul may enjoy (2 Corinthians 12:3-4). This is the living hope which each Christian has!!!

Because you are receiving. "Eternal life begins NOW, for those who love God!" Compare John 10:10; 1 Corinthians 2:9. The Christian has past sins forgiven, and is God's child (Romans 8:15). In this way, we are now receiving salvation. But some of this is still future, as we wait for our whole being to be set free by our bodies being changed (Philippians 3:20-21).

It was concerning. The prophets did not understand the symbols and words which the Spirit spoke through them. They prophesied about the Messiah and salvation, and then tried to understand the message the Spirit had given them. See 1 Corinthians 2:9. God gives salvation as a gift through His act in Jesus Christ.

This was the time. The prophets of the Old Testament spoke by means of the Spirit of Christ = Holy Spirit. But their message was partial, and they could only guess at how these things would come true. One of the gifts from the Spirit was the inspired ability to understand the Old Testament (1 Corinthians 12:8 and note). Those who had this gift could understand what the prophets could not understand, and see that the Old Testament pointed to the time when The Christ would come as a human being and suffer as our sin offering. Great glory would follow this event, as God's grace was made available to all!!! Compare Luke 24:25-26; Hebrews 11:39-40.

God revealed. God showed the prophets that what they predicted pointed forward to a future time. They looked forward to a New Age (Matthew 19:28) which would be the last days (Acts 2:16-17) and the kingdom of God's dear Son (Colossians 1:13). Which you have now heard. This is the Good News preached on Pentecost and around the world (Colossians 1:23). By the power of the Holy Spirit. The apostles and ¡prophets of Christ spoke by inspiration. See John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:5. In the Christian Age, the Holy Spirit is active in the world as never before!!! Compare John 7:37-39; Ephesians 2:22; Acts 5:32; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Even the angels. Many had an exaggerated sense of the importance of angels. Here Peter shows them watching with interest as the drama of salvation unfolds! But even the angels could not understand what God was preparing to do!!! Peter's message is: This salvation is worth living for and suffering for!!!

So then. "Because of all these things I remind you about, hold firm to what you have in Christ!" Ready for action. These people wore long flowing robes. When they prepared for action, they pulled their robes up and fastened them with a belt, to keep from being tripped up. Peter's symbolism says: "Get it all together and be ready to move out!" Peter speaks of four attitudes in the next verses: keep alert (1 Peter 1:13); be holy (1 Peter 1:15); be reverent (1 Peter 1:17); love one another (1 Peter 1:22).

Be obedient. "Your sense of being God's child will cause you to turn away from the things you did in your ignorance!"

Instead, be holy. "Supersede evil desires with holy living! God your Father is holy, and you must be like him!"

The scripture says. "Moses, whom some of the false teachers claim to honor, wrote the same thing in Leviticus 19:2. "[Peter did not quote chapter and verse divisions, since they originated in the sixteenth century.]

You call him Father. Compare Jeremiah 3:19. "You worship the God of the Universe, and you call-him Father! He judges men by the same standard, whether they are Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, free or slave, man or woman!" In reverence for him. "If God is your Father, then heaven is your home, and you are a refugee here in this world! You must live the rest of your life in reverence for Him!"

What was paid. "It cost something to buy you for God! And you know it was not material things like silver or gold." Worthless manner of life. See note on 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

By the costly sacrifice of Christ. BLOOD = BLOODY DEATH= COSTLY SACRIFICE. "YOU see the value which God placed on you, by the costly sacrifice which He paid to buy you for Himself!!!" Like a lamb. The Passover lamb pointed to Christ the Lamb of God who takes away sins! God demands the best! Compare Leviticus 22:21-22.

He had been chosen. Notice the costly sacrifice of Christ was according to God's Plan. ‘See Luke 9:31 and note. Before the creation of the world. God chose Christ to be the costly sacrifice even before the creation of man! In these last days. Jesus came at the time the Jewish Age was near its termination. As Peter writes this, Jerusalem and the Temple have perhaps seven years left in their existence.

Through him. Peter preaches the same gospel that Paul preaches. Both show the importance of faith in Christ! Christ is the door through which we may come to God! Are fixed on God. "Our faith and hope are fixed on the power and truth of God, which Christ revealed to us through his Spirit!"

Now that. "You have purified yourselves by obeying the truth which is the Good News, through the influence of the Spirit. Johnson says: "The Spirit is inseparable from the gospel. The gospel dispensation is that of the Spirit. See Acts 15:8-9." And have come to have a sincere love. Johnson says: "The Spirit of Christ in our hearts is the spirit of brotherly love." Love one another. "You must actively practice this Christian love. If you do not continually fan it into flame, it will die out!"

For through. "It is through God's truth revealed in the Good News about the Kingdom (Matthew 13:19 and note) which is the seed that grew up in your hearts (compare Galatians 3:1-2), that you have been born again." The life is planted by the word of God (Acts 10:36; James 1:18), and birth takes place through the water and the Spirit (John 3:5; Titus 3:5).

As the scripture says. Isaiah 40:6-8 Septuagint. "Our human life, like the wild grass, doesn't last very long at the best! But a new birth from the living and eternal word of God is a birth to eternal life!!!"

Remains forever. "Like its source, it is eternal and never loses its power!" This is the word. "This living and eternal word of God is the same Good News brought to you by the preaching of us apostles and all who proclaim the truth!!!"