Analysis of 1 Peter Chapter 1
The First Epistle of Peter, commonly known as 1 Peter, is a letter in the New Testament attributed to the Apostle Peter. This chapter sets the tone for the epistle, providing greetings, encouraging believers in their faith, and offering a theological foundation for their conduct. It is rich in themes of hope, holiness, and the enduring nature of God’s promises. Let’s delve into the detailed analysis of the verses in this chapter.
Introduction and Greeting (1 Peter 1:1-2)
The chapter opens with a warm greeting from Peter:
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 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.
Peter introduces himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ, establishing his authority to speak on spiritual matters. He addresses his audience as “God’s elect,” emphasizing their special status as chosen by God, despite being exiles scattered throughout various provinces. This greeting serves as a reminder of their identity and calling in Christ, regardless of their geographical displacement.
Peter highlights the Trinitarian nature of salvation, mentioning God the Father, the sanctifying work of the Spirit, and obedience to Jesus Christ. The phrase “sprinkled with his blood” evokes imagery from the Old Testament sacrificial system, reminding believers of the sacrificial atonement of Christ. The greeting ends with a blessing of “Grace and peace,” which is a common apostolic benediction expressing Peter’s wish for their well-being.
A Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Peter continues by offering praise to God for the living hope believers have:
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, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 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.
Peter begins with a doxology, praising God for His mercy and the new birth into a living hope provided through Jesus’ resurrection. This hope is not a mere wish but a confident expectation of eternal life and blessings.
The “inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” contrasts with earthly possessions that are temporary and susceptible to decay. This inheritance is secured in heaven and is waiting for believers. Peter assures his readers that they are shielded by God’s power through faith, emphasizing both divine protection and the need for active faith until salvation is fully revealed at the last time.
Joy in Suffering (1 Peter 1:6-9)
Peter then addresses the reality of suffering and its purpose:
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 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. 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, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Peter acknowledges that while believers rejoice in their salvation, they may still experience various trials. These trials serve a refining purpose, proving the genuineness of their faith, akin to gold purified by fire. This process of refinement results in praise, glory, and honor when Christ returns.
Despite having not seen Jesus, Peter commends the believers’ love and faith in Him. Their faith brings them inexpressible and glorious joy because they are in the process of receiving the ultimate goal of their faith— the salvation of their souls. This emphasizes the already-but-not-yet nature of salvation, where believers experience aspects of salvation now, but its complete fulfillment is yet to come.
Prophets and Angels Long to Look (1 Peter 1:10-12)
Peter reflects on the significance of the message of salvation:
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 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. 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.
The salvation experienced by believers is the fulfillment of what the prophets of the Old Testament prophesied. They intently searched for understanding, but they were serving future generations—namely, the New Testament believers.
Peter highlights how the Spirit of Christ was at work in the prophets, pointing towards the sufferings of the Messiah and the subsequent glories. The prophets predicted not only His suffering but also the glory that would follow, demonstrating the connection between the cross and the crown, suffering and glory.
Even angels, spiritual beings in close proximity to God, are described as longing to look into these matters. This indicates the profound mystery and wonder of God’s plan of salvation, which is so magnificent that even heavenly beings are enraptured by it.
A Call to Holiness (1 Peter 1:13-16)
Peter calls believers to live holy lives:
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
The “therefore” connects Peter’s call to holiness with the preceding discussion of salvation and future hope. Because believers have such a great hope, they must prepare their minds, be sober-minded, and fully set their hope on the grace to be revealed at Christ’s coming.
Peter urges them not to conform to former evil desires, signaling a shift from their past ignorance to a life marked by awareness and transformation. This call to holiness echoes Leviticus 11:44-45, where God commands Israel to be holy because He is holy. Peter extends this command to New Testament believers, indicating that holiness is a response to God’s character and calling.
Living as Redeemed People (1 Peter 1:17-21)
Peter elaborates on living as those who have been redeemed:
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Living as redeemed people involves a consciousness of God as an impartial judge and living in reverent fear. This fear is not of terror but of respectful awe and reverence for God.
Peter reminds them that their redemption was not bought with perishable items like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. This underscores the infinite value of Christ’s sacrifice compared to material wealth. The imagery of Christ as a lamb without blemish reflects the Old Testament sacrificial system, where a spotless lamb was required for atonement.
Christ’s foreordination before the creation of the world indicates the eternal scope and premeditated nature of God’s redemptive plan. His revelation in the last times and the believers’ faith in God, facilitated through Christ’s resurrection and glorification, solidifies their faith and hope in God.
Love One Another Deeply (1 Peter 1:22-25)
Peter concludes the chapter with an exhortation to mutual love:
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.
Obedience to the truth has purified the believers, enabling them to love one another sincerely. Peter calls for a deep, heartfelt love among the believers, reflecting the transformation brought by their new birth.
The new birth is described as being “not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,” emphasizing the lasting nature of their spiritual rebirth compared to the transient nature of physical life. Life’s temporary nature is highlighted by the quotation from Isaiah 40:6-8, which contrasts the fleeting glory of human life with the enduring word of God.
Peter finishes by affirming that this enduring word is the gospel that was preached to them, establishing the permanence and reliability of the message they received.
Conclusion
1 Peter Chapter 1 presents a profound tapestry of encouragement, theological insight, and practical exhortation. It reassures believers of their special status as God’s elect, offers hope through the resurrection of Christ, explains the refining purpose of suffering, recalls the prophetic anticipation of salvation, and calls believers to holiness, reverence, and sincere love. Through this chapter, Peter provides a robust framework for understanding and living out the Christian faith in the context of both present trials and future glory.