L.H.Brough on Peter, John, Jude: 1 Peter Chapter One.

1 Peter Chapter One.

1:1. Dispersion - is used figuratively. This view is favoured by the following facts:

a. The epistle has clear indications of Gentile readers.

b. The idea of the church as the `New Israel' is a conspicuous feature of the epistle.

c. The regions to which the letter was sent must have had a large element of Gentile Christians, and it is not likely that Peter would have addressed the Jewish Christians

to the exclusion of the Gentiles.

1:2. The foreknowledge of God means more than mere fact of knowing the future. An astronomer can forecast an astronomical happening, but he has no part in the determination of that event. Forces entirely outside the astronomer, operate to bring the event to pass. This is not so with God's foreknowledge. Which is inseparable from His great purpose and plan. In this verse we have:-

a. Initiative or originating cause.

b. Sphere of realisation.

c. Ultimate realisation.

The sphere or circle of realization of the Divine purpose is the Sanctification of the Spirit. The covenant of obedience was sealed with blood. It was a covenant to obey all that God had spoken. The people dedicated themselves to do all that God had spoken.

The blood of the covenant sanctifies us to obedience. It is a covenant that involves cleansing and forgiveness. But on our part there is the obligation of obedience. The divine demand is that we obey God. We are elect, or chosen in pursuance of God's foreordained plan.

Three statements qualify election. The whole truth of election is contained in them, and it takes the three statements to explain election.

The `prognosis' is used in the medical world in the sense of "outlook." (Sister Caird). But the Greek word implies that God has some part in bringing about the accomplishment of His counsel. A scientist may know beforehand the outcome of certain processes, or he may be able to foretell an astronomical event. But he has nothing to do with the fulfilment of the event. He may die before it occurs. He may not fully apprehend the causes that determine the event. But God in His foreknowledge has an active part in the realisation of His plans

In this verse we have the Trinity in relation to our Salvation. The Father's foreknowledge is the Source or Origin of it all. There must be something active in God's foreknowledge - it is an active force, a directing influence. The Sanctification of the Spirit is the effective means. It includes the whole action of the Spirit leading up to our conversion, as well as His action in our conversion.

1:2:- Originating Cause. Effective Means.

Resulting Covenant Relation. Means of Accomplishment.

Purpose End.

1:3. The resurrection of Christ places our hope on an entirely new plane. It is a living hope founded on Christ's victory over the grave. It does not say we are born to be children of God, but begotten to a living hope and the instrument of this begetting is the resurrection of Christ. Does it mean that the living hope to which we have been begotten (or kindled) in our hearts is based on His resurrection?

1:5. The power of God operates through faith. Hence the necessity to maintain faith.

1:6,7. The first ground of rejoicing, Rom.5. We rejoice in the proof of our faith. Diverse testings beset the Christian. Faith is tried from every side and from every angle. Testing brings out the intrinsic worth of our faith. As Selwyn remarks, we not only rejoice in spite of our sufferings, but in virtue of them. The Day when the real worth of our faith is made known is the Appearing of Christ.

1:8. He has just mentioned the Revelation of Jesus Christ, in that Day He shall be seen, but just now we see Him not. But the inability to see Him does not mar our love.

The second ground of rejoicing: believing in Him we rejoice. Faith enables us to rejoice. Faith gives us a foretaste of heaven, it gives us a foretaste of that Glory which shall be ours when He appears. Our joy is glorified. New Testament Christianity was enthusiastic. From different Scriptures we gain the impression that there was a kind of wild, irrepressible enthusiasm in New Testament times.

1:9. The consummation of our faith is salvation. It must include our final salvation, nevertheless, the words, "of your souls," may give a certain bearing upon the `present' or `past' aspect.

1:10-12. The greatness of our salvation is brought out thus:-

a. Subject of Prophecy.

b. The present Dispensation of the Spirit in evangelism.

c. Subject of heavenly wonder.

What is this salvation? It is the `salvation of souls', referred to in verse 9. Comparing the whole passage, and especially following up with verse 13, leads us to feel that Peter in verse 9 is speaking of salvation in its complete, comprehensive sense.

Grace. In First Peter the word `grace' occurs nine times (Gk). His is a message of Grace. Grace to save, to keep, to glorify. Trial and testing is the lot of his readers. They need grace. In Second Peter the emphasis is on truth and knowledge, for error is a danger. At the close of the Second Epistle, the messages of the two epistles are summed up in the apostolic prayer that they "should grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Ye : "ye love"; "ye rejoice"; "ye call"; "ye know." 1:8. Love to Christ. :

a. The proof of love is obedience.

b. The incorruptibleness of love is seen in its loyalty.

c. The Request of love is for His presence.

Our Joy. :

Its sphere - "In whom." Object.

Its possibility - "Yet believing."

Its Power. Its victory - "Though (in spite of the fact that) we see Him not."

Its Distinctiveness.

Its expression - "Unspeakable."

Its goal - "glorified."

Its ground - "Salvation." (1:9).

Election. 1:2. Purpose. Sphere. Realisation.

The foreknowledge of God implies an active participation in the fulfilling of His plans. Masterman likens it to a father who sees the talent his son possesses and is bent of mind and wisely fosters and directs the future of his son. I rather think that, in this verse, the reference is to God's plan and His purpose. God has a purpose. His purpose is eternal. He has ever directed the realisation and accomplishment of His purpose.

Election and Predestination. Not truths to distress the mind nor for controversy. They are for comfort and not distress. They are for edification, not for controversy. They give dignity to our Christian Calling and enhance the greatness of our salvation. They assure us that what God has begun, He will finish. They link our salvation with the eternal purpose of God. Salvation is only seen in its eternal grandeur when it is seen as the fulfilment of the eternal purpose of God.

Priesthood of Believers. A distinction was made by `early brethren' between priesthood and ministry. This distinction is of value. There was a distinction between priest and Levite. Ministry depends upon gift. Priesthood is shared by all. That there is a difference between worship and service seems real and important. Nevertheless, it appears to me that the true New Testament focus, is to regard priesthood in a comprehensive sense. Priesthood is the more comprehensive idea. It embraces all service and regards every form of ministry and worship in its higher and more comprehensive viewpoint as worship rendered to God. All service is seen in its final analysis as worship of the Diety.

Priesthood is a transcendent idea, taking in its scope all service and worship. Ultimately, all service is the worship of God. Though Paul does not use the word priest, yet he regards the whole service of Christians as priestly in character. Peter's description of a priesthood consecrated to God and a priesthood representing God to men may cover the ground as inclusive of all Christian worship and service. If we understand priesthood in terms of worship and as distinct from ministry - then the contention of `early brethren' may stand. It seems to be possible to conceive of priesthood in the larger higher and more comprehensive sense that takes in the whole life. The Christian life being conceived as a liturgy and Christian service as divine worship. There is a difference between worship and service, e.g. `proskuneo' and `diakoneo'. But is the priest a worshipper only? Must priesthood only be construed in terms of worship?

The designation in Rev.5:10, "a kingdom of priests" seem to imply a community acting for God, serving Him and representing Him. A community standing between God and men, leading men to God and teaching men the knowledge of God. God's purpose for Israel was that through them the nations might know Him. They could only realise this divine purpose as they were a kingdom of priests.

The Christian priesthood is a community with administrative powers to act for God. Having authority because under authority. The Scripture in Rev.5, seems to imply administrative powers. It is argued that there is a distinction between prophet and priest in the Old Testament.

I do not wish to ignore this point, but I suggest that such a distinction arose because God's ideal for Israel was not realised. God's ideal for Israel was that they should be a nation of priests. Had this been fulfilled, then every prophet would have been a priest and prophecy would have been a specialised function of priesthood.

Now the Church is the `New Israel', and every believer is a priest and all our spiritual functions are priestly functions. We know no special priestly caste, for all are priests. The sharp distinction between priesthood and prophecy does not hold good in the church.

The statement in Exod.19 concerning the priesthood of Israel is of more significance for the understanding of the Christian priesthood than the Aaronic institution. The priesthood of Christians goes back to the prophetic idea of Israel as a priestly nation, and not to the legal institution of Moses. Therefore, to get the correct perspective of the priesthood of all believers, we must appreciate God's original design that all Israel be priests unto Him.

The LXX and First Peter. The LXX of Genesis 23 is interesting. Note Gen.23:4, `Paroikos' and `parepidemos'. Gen.23:6, A king from God. Gen.23:16, `arguriou dokimou'. Abraham was a king from God among them. We are a royal priesthood.

1:21. The Lamb of God was destined before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest for our sakes, that is, that by His resurrection, we should be brought to faith in God in Christ. This verse suggests that the converts that Peter wrote to were converts from paganism. They came to believe in God by receiving the truth of the Gospel. Here the Resurrection is the foundational and evidential event. They became believers in God, their faith was directed towards God.

1:22. Their souls were purified. The perfect Participle.

An address on 1.Peter 1:13-21.

1:13. "Therefore." Peter has been showing to his readers the greatness of God's Salvation. His thought has especially centred around salvation as our glorious hope. It is full, and a final salvation, and our preservation to participate in that unfading and enduring inheritance. Such a glorious hope should rally us. Can we say we believe and yet remain indifferent? Is it possible for us to be heirs of such an inheritance and do nothing about it?

"Gird up your minds." In ancient times men wore long robes, and before participating in anything strenuous, they girded up their loins. The robes were tucked up under a belt, firmly bound around the waist. Loose hanging garments get in the way. One must be girded for action. Peter would have them to gird up the loins of their minds, or as we might say today, "roll up the sleeves of your mind." Do some serious thinking. Get down to some hard mental effort.

a. They were to do some real thinking. There is a good deal of laziness about today. People are not prepared to think out the truths of the Christian faith. The Christian must be prepared to do some hard thinking.

b. They must dedicate their mental faculties to the Christian hope. "Be sober." The Christian must be watchful and self-restrained.

"Hope." "Set your hope." They must begin the practice of hope. The object of their hope was the grace to come to them at the Revelation of Jesus Christ. "Set your hope," this is the decision and activity of a dedicated, a girded mind. We all have need to pray the prayer of the Psalm-writer; "Let me not be ashamed of my hope." (119:116).

"Hope to the end," or better, "hope perfectly." Our hope is to be wholehearted and unreserved. Some scholars would join "perfectly" with "sober." - "Be perfectly sober." It is best to join "perfectly" with "hope." "Hope perfectly," - "fully, entirely, fully to the end." Let nothing shake our hope.

"Grace," - the favour of final salvation. An old commentator suggests that grace is glory begun, and glory is grace completed.

"Brought." Beare takes the participle in the Middle Voice and argues that the Middle `pheromai' is commonly used in the sense of swift motion. The glorious event of final and perfect salvation is rapidly approaching with all its triumph and glory. Beare likens it to "the vision of a triumphant procession sweeping upon the world with whirlwind speed."

"Revelation." This refers to the apocalypse or unveiling of Jesus Christ. The epistle has several references to this great eschatological event.

1:14. "Children of obedience." This may mean, "as obedient children of God." More probably it means that they are "the offspring of obedience." Obedience is their parent or mother, and they possessing such a parent, are marked or characterized by obedience. The incentive to obey is an obligation they cannot escape. They are born for obedience.

Obedience is a thing that can be rightly expected of them. One thing is important to notice, it is that obedience is essential for practical holiness. Holiness is in the line of obedience. There is no holiness without obedience. We note first that obedience involves renunciation. How can we be an obedient people if we do not turn our backs on those things that are hateful to God. Peter exhorts them not to fashion their manner of living according to fleshly desires. Holiness means a curb on fleshly desires.

What does Peter mean by "their former desires?" No doubt he means those desires that governed their life before they became Christians. But does he mean only evil, sensuous desires? It is probable as Hort and Beare suggest, that Peter is speaking of moral unstability of their former living. In the former life of ignorance they had no understanding of the will of God, that their lives might be governed by His will. But they were ruled by their desires and the man who is ruled by his desires, whether they be base or respectable, is unstable and erratic. Stability of character is built by stable and rational (intelligent) governing principles. Their former manner of living had no true meaning and purpose. It was vain, that is, empty and futile. Life must be purposeful.

1:15. The positive side of obedience. - "Be holy." We are called to holiness, this implies - possibility and obligation. We note first of all, the possibility of holiness. We are called to it, we do not produce it of ourselves, but God confers it upon us. Holiness properly belongs to God alone, and only becomes manse’ as God's gift.

"God is holy." This is a designation of His essential Being, and of His transcendent Majesty. It is not a single attribute of God (as Ottley well notes), but designates His transcendent Being. Holiness belongs to God alone, persons and things are made holy by God. God is the author of holiness. It is a new divine status that He has bestowed upon us. He has granted it to us, it has been sent down upon us. It is important to note that holiness or sanctification is an objective status given to us, so that we are a holy priesthood (2:5), and a holy nation (2:9).

"Show yourselves holy." i.e. "manifest yourselves as holy or make manifest the holiness of your calling." We are holy, sanctified, hallowed. This is a status given to us. But it is not mere status. This status is a provision for practical holiness. It makes practical holiness possible. It is therefore a status involving activity and practice. The new status makes practical holiness a possibility, and practical holiness maintains and lives out the status given to us. Status must be transformed into activity. So secondly, we note that holiness is an obligation. We have been called to it. God has called us to holiness. It is therefore an inescapable obligation.

1:16. This verse emphasizes the obligation to holiness. The quotation is from the "holiness code" - and in that code there runs the clarion call that they must be a holy people, since Jehovah is in their midst, and He is their God and, He is holy.

Practical holiness is required. This must first be a curb on fleshly desires, a turning away from our old way of living, but it must also be an acceptance of a new principle of living. This holiness is to extend to every part of our conduct. Alex Maclaren once said that if we are not holy in the little things of life, we are not holy at all. The big things of life only come once, twice or three times in 70 years, but the little things of life come every day.

1:17. In prayer we call upon the Father. To call upon God as our Father is no flippant act. It demands awe and reverence. We have been exhorted to show ourselves holy. "Be (or show yourselves) holy." In our conduct or outward and public activity we must show ourselves holy, but this is no mere showmanship, but is stirred by inward reverence. A reverent fear saves from empty show.

Reverence is a necessary element of holiness. There cannot be holiness without reverence. We pray to the Father, we plead that we are His children. We cannot pray without reverence. It is true that every father requires reverence. God says in Malachi, "If then I be father where is mine honour." A son must reverence his father. We must approach our heavenly Father with reverent fear and awe. The Psalmist declares, "Holy and reverend is His name."

Peter speaks of God as our Father, and links His activity in judgement with His Fatherhood. The Father judges (even now) every man's work, with impartiality. There is no respect of persons. No one may presume. All must conduct themselves with fear. Let none presume, for God's judgement begins at the house of God. (4:17). Consideration of God's judgement provokes reverence. Reverence saves us from a flippant view of life. Reverence is not merely having a long face in the church, but it is that fear of God that inspires reverence for life, respect for relationships and esteem of our fellow-man.

1:18. A reverent way of living is provoked by the thought of the cost of our redemption. The costliness of redemption inspires us to reverent fear. It was at great cost we were redeemed from our former way of living. Our old manner of living was futile and aimless, for we were carried about by our fleshly desires. Aristotle, who was born about 400 years before Peter wrote, taught that, "the mass of men live for the satisfaction of desire." (see Science Digest). At a great cost we were redeemed from this vain meaningless way of living, that we might be a holy people. Shall we not fear that we fall short? Shall we not regard life with reverence and not with flippancy? The fear of God inspires a reverent view of life.

"Precious blood." The costliness of our redemption is emphasized. His blood is precious blood. His blood was the cost of our redemption. We have been redeemed. In ancient times slaves brought the cost of manumission to the god in the temple. Christ is the true `Pascal Lamb', without blemish or spot. In Him is consistent purity and entire holiness.

1:20. The Lamb of God was foreknown from the foundation of the world. This must mean that Calvary was part of God's plan from eternity. The Cross was the Centre of an eternal

plan. This verse may not clearly state the pre-existence of Christ, but it implies His preexistence. Christ antecedes all types.

1:21. His death and resurrection secure and provoke both faith and hope in God. The Lamb of God was destined before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest for our sakes, that is, that by His resurrection, we should be brought to faith in God. The resurrection of Christ confirms the revelation of God in Christ. This verse suggests that the converts that Peter wrote to were converts from paganism. They came to believe in God by receiving the truth of the gospel. Here the resurrection is the foundational and evidential event. They became believers in God, their faith was directed towards God.

1:22. Their souls were purified. Perfect Participle.

W.Kelly. The subject matter is the government of God.

Kelly: 1 Peter Chapter 1.

1:1. "Sojourners of dispersion." This can mean Jews only, but Christian Jews. The Gentiles in this large section of Asia Minor were settled at home in it: Jews there were sojourners dispersed from the land of Israel.

Alford quotes 1:14,18; 2:9,10; 3:6; 4:3 as proof that he addressed Gentile Christians as well as Jews. Kelly seems to satisfactorily refute Alford's contention. On 4:3 he says: - it is a forcible reminder that the days of their unbelief they had been morally as corrupt as the heathens.

It ought not be doubted that Peter was in Babylon, the literal Babylon on the plain of Shinar, when he wrote the 1st. Epistle. Babylon is not Rome. Even if the Revelation had been known when the epistle was written, instead of long after, it is harsh to conceive a mystical term of prophecy introduced into a writing so simple and direct, yet more into a greeting of love.

It is a mistake to call this a "catholic" address. It is the elect among the Jews.

"Sojourners," this was a title of grace, as "dispersion" was a judgement. Their election in this case was bound up with the journey to the better country, that is a heavenly. The names of the lands, where the Christians were addressed, well suits one writing from the Eastern Babylon.

The elect people Israel had been set apart to Jehovah in an outward way. On the contrary, the Christians, whether Jew or Gentile, enjoys the Spirit's holiness; he is even born of the Spirit and thus the sanctification is inward to the utmost degree. Practical sanctification is a capital and constant duty for every Christian. Note - the original spring, the necessary power and process, and the distinct result as a fact.

"Obedience." To obey as Christ obeyed.

"Sprinkling" - Exod.24.

"Unto (or for) salvation." The final result. When the apostle speaks of what is now given and enjoyed, he discriminates it as "salvation of souls." 1:9.

1:6. The grief comes transiently now, and only where an unerring God sees the need. Heb.12:10,11; Rom.8:34.

1:7. "Ready" nothing calls for delay, save the longsuffering of God that is still bringing souls to repentance.

"Might be found." The apostle contemplates the wilderness and our journeying through it. The wilderness is pre-eminently the scene of temptation. There the heart is put to the proof.

"Joy one cannot speak out, and glorified." May be, and is pleaded for (by some) a future sense. But will it be really so in that day, when perfection is come? When we know as we are known, will utterance fail as it does now?

"Glorified." Christ on high its source might readily clothe the Christians joy with the character of glory before they themselves are there.

"Salvation of souls." What the believer receives now.

1:11. "Did indicate." Signify - A.V.

"For Christ." Not merely "Of Christ," but "for" Him. They befell Him not simply as a fact, but were appointed unto Him. Christ is never by Peter used mystically as in 1.Cor.12:12, but exclusively and strictly in person, 4:1,13.

"Glories." By the mouth of His holy prophets, Acts.

"Be sober." A continuous habit and duty.

1:15. "Holiness in practice." Heb.12:14. It is not "holy as God is holy" - for this is liable to be most presumptious in thought, if not blasphemous, error. That "as" in Matt.5:48 means "after the pattern of your heavenly Father."

1:17. "Fear." (phobo). Psa.130:4; 112:1; Prov.1:7; 28:14; 1.Cor.7:15; Prov.28:1; Lk.12:4.

1:18. `Edidotes', they knew it consciously. It was no longer a simple objective fact: this they had at first to apprehend by faith; it was now part of their inward realization by the Holy Spirit.