| Text | Comments |
| .1
¶ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. |
1 -
To
the strangers scattered We may claim these promises. The word
"strangers" is from parepidemoi meaning "ones away from home."
2 - Foreknowledge Still the choices we make are our own. |
| .3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, | Begotten us again We are His by creation and now by redemption (a living hope) as well. |
| .4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, | To
an inheritance And what from? "Hope" in v3. The inheritance
is the fruit of the hope! In what sense is the gift an "inheritance"? Christ
bore the guilt and death we deserve in order to give us the eternal life
he deserves!
Reserved in heaven Confirmation that this is a real place and a real life. The Greek word translated "reserved" is literally "having been kept (or reserved)." God had it planned for us from ages past v2. Also re1308. |
| .5
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to
be revealed in the last time.
You Who are kept The inheritance is secure as long as we are secure. And how are we "kept"? By the power of God The result is salvation. How does it come? "Through faith." So we don't get the power without the faith, and without the power, we lose the salvation which is the inheritance v9. See the same idea at ep0208. |
Salvation
ready We must continually watch and pray mt2641.
This keeps the faith channel open.
Revealed in the last time How is salvation thus revealed? The Lord, speaking through Malachi, says that, on a certain day, the faithful ones will be His. He has looked at the record books. See mal0316 and also the verse that follows it. Last time At the time the preadvent judgment ends, human probation ends re2211, and Jesus comes in glory re2212. |
| 6 ¶ Wherein ye greatly
rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through
manifold temptations:
.7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: |
Trial
of your faith A challenge to our faith, the channel of grace,
v5. Trial is real. It is hardship. It means loss of financial support,
loss of people we love, oppression, and so on. How is it a blessing?
Gold that perisheth Gold is chemically very stable but it can be stolen. Its value can be lost by using it selfishly. Found unto praise ... at the appearing This points to the "last time" of v5. |
| 8 Whom having not seen,
ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice
with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
.9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. |
Not seen ... love We think of Thomas jn2024 but it's easy and common for this love to be theoretical. |
| .10
¶ Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently,
who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
.11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. |
10
- Enquired (inquired) That is, "diligently studied into."
We know that Daniel, in his chapter 12, wanted to understand his book's
final prophecy but was not told da1208.
Notice that prophets were not free to draw on their imaginations.
11 - Spirit of Christ The Holy Spirit ro0809, ga0406. The verb tense of the word translated "did signify" indicate that the Spirit continued to reveal truth about Christ's mission. |
| .13
¶ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to
the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation
of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: .15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 13 - Gird up the loins Or "Raise up your long skirt" [to be ready to run or fight or do hard work]." Doing this for our minds is to become mentally alert. Robes were longer than needed for modesty. We may imagine pulling them up close to the knee and maybe tying them so they would stay. Robes served as blankets at night so needed to be long. |
13
(continued) - Be sober ... to the end Or "Be abstinent [from
alcohol]
nephontes
perfectly
teleios." Thus Peter is calling
for total abstinence see on ac0213.
This is different from the common translation, perhaps because the translators
believed that fermented wine should be used in the service of the Lord's
supper. Tradition dies hard re1408g.
Teleios
is not used here or elsewhere in the NT by itself to mean "to the end."
The phrase properly comes from two words such as "mechri telous"
or
"heos telous." he0306,
he0314,
1co0108,
2co0113.
Also "be abstinent" assumes a radical form being followed immediately by
the adverb "teleios." See Paul's argument against alcohol in 1ti0303.
Contemporary verification Josephus and Philo were contemporaries of Paul and Peter. Comments from these non-biblical writers indicate that the Greek verb nepho and the adjective nephalios are used to mean abstinence from wine, not moderation. (Antiquities of the Jews 3, 12, 2 translation entitled Josephus Complete Works, Grand Rapids, 1974 p.81. Also Philo, De Specialibus Legibus 4, 183.). Lexicons agree on these definitions. Thus, as in other places, we are told to be ready both mentally (mind girded) and physically (abstinent) for the coming of Christ. See more at jn0203. |
.17
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according
to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
 .18
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,
as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from
your fathers;
.19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: .20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 19 - Without blemish ... spot See le2220. |
|
| .22
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit
unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with
a pure heart fervently:
.23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. .24 ¶ For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. |
22
- Unfeigned From anupokritos, meaning "undisguised,"
"without hypocrisy."
22 - Love of the brethren Here is brotherly love as in ro1210. Obedience to truth is a natural result jn1334, 1jo0209, 1jo0310. 22 - Pure heart Too often a physical attraction ruins the good a counselor could do. Women weep and men are stirred. Then being too proud to flee from the situation they too often fall deeper into the trap 2ti0222. Divine power is needed to quickly and, without turning back, end the relationship turning to a new environment and pure friends. And above all, making a new commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. 23 - Being born again That is, "having been born again." jn0303. |
|
|
|
|