1 Peter

The Holy Writer

The writer of this epistle is another very familiar individual in the New Testament, and reveals himself in the opening verse as, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Students of the Bible should know well the person here called “Peter”. His given name was actually Simon, but he had been given the nickname “Peter” by Jesus when they first met (John 1:42). Peter was a fisherman and was one of twelve men that were called by Jesus to follow Him during His three year ministry. Peter is the most familiar of all the disciples (his name is listed first in each of the four lists of the twelve), he was very close to Jesus, and was usually the first of the disciples to speak up. Like each of us, Peter had his moments of faith, and his moments of weakness. Through it all, Jesus dealt with Peter in patience and love, leading him to repentance for his sin, and encouraging him in the work that was set before him. Following Jesus’ ascension into heaven, Peter again took a leadership role in the church in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. The first part of the book of Acts speaks of the work that the Holy Spirit accomplished through Peter, beginning with the replacement of Judas, the day of Pentecost, and then going on to tell of the powerful preaching and miracles that were done by Peter throughout the early church.

As we study this letter of Peter it becomes clear that the writer had spent time with Jesus. He states that he was a “witness of the sufferings of Christ” (5:1) and in this letter he describes those sufferings in some detail. No doubt the images of Jesus’ passion on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday were still vivid in Peter’s mind. He writes: “...Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness----by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:21-24).

Quite a bit is known about Peter’s early work and ministry because of the accounts recorded in the Gospels and the book of Acts. But very little is known about Peter’s life following the Jerusalem Council in 50 A.D. Church tradition says that Peter came to Rome and was martyred there sometime between 64-68 A.D. These letters of Peter were written sometime during this time period.

Recipients

Peter tells us in this letter to whom he was writing: “To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1:1). In this letter Peter was not writing to a single congregation, but many congregations spread throughout the Roman provinces which he lists. We are familiar with many congregations from the provinces of Asia and Galacia which Paul had established on his mission journeys, but the Scriptures are silent about any specific congregations or individuals from the more northern provinces of Pontus and Bithynia and the eastern province of Cappadocia. (In Acts 2 Peter says that there were residents from Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, some of whom may have been part of the 3,000 who came to faith and were baptized on that day, and may have begun Christian congregations upon their return to their homeland).

From the context of the letter it seems that these congregations were made up of both Jews and Gentiles. As we see from the example of the apostle Paul’s mission work, the early churches were usually built around a nucleus of Jewish Christians. Around those Jewish Christians many Gentiles were also gathered in through the preaching of the Gospel. Over time many, if not most of these churches became made up of more Gentile Christians than Jewish Christians as we can see from many of Paul’s letters to congregations in these regions.

That Peter was writing to both Jews and Gentiles is clear. He greets the churches as “pilgrims of the Dispersion” - a phrase which had been used to describe those Jews who had been driven from or carried away from their homeland. At this time in their history it may also have been used to describe those Jewish Christians that had been driven from Jerusalem and the surrounding areas as a result of Jewish persecution (like that described in the early part of the book of Acts). Even more telling is the large number of Old Testament references Peter uses in his letters. In this letter alone Peter quotes the Old Testament at least twelve times, and refers to Old Testament persons, events or passages at least six more times. Only one other New Testament book has a higher percentage of Old Testament quotations than 1 Peter. We must remember also that Peter’s primary mission was to the Jewish people (Galatians 2:8).

But we can also see that Peter was writing to Gentiles. Notice what Peter says about the readers’ former way of life: “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance” (1:14). The Jews, having been given the Law on Mt. Sinai would not have been able to claim ignorance in connection with their sinful desires. Peter goes on: “For (we have spent) enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles----when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries” (4:3). Again these were generally things that Gentiles had to deal with, and not as much the Jews. Peter also describes his readers as those, “who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (2:10). So it was to both Jewish and Gentile Christians that Peter was writing in these areas.

Place of Writing

Peter also gives us a hint about where he was writing from in the final verses of his letter: “She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son” (5:13). Babylon here can be taken in two ways. It can be understood literally or in a figurative sense. If understood literally, it would most likely refer to the city by that name on the Euphrates river (the capital of the Babylonian empire) - where many Jews had been taken captive over six centuries before. If understood figuratively it would refer to the city of Rome as John also refers to it in Revelation [take note of the two individuals that Peter says are with him: Silvanus (Silas) who had been with Paul on his second missionary journey, and Mark who had been with Paul on his first missionary journey and again later in Rome during his first imprisonment there].

Purpose of Writing

Peter’s main purpose in writing was to give these Christians comfort in the living hope they have through Christ Jesus, to strengthen those who were suffering for their faith, and to encourage them all to grow in their sanctification.

•    Comfort in the living hope

In this short letter, there are a large number of references to the person and the work of Jesus which would no doubt bring comfort to the many Christians who would read this letter (cf. 1:2, 3, 7, 19, 21, 2:4-5, 21-25, 3:18-22, 4:1, 11, 13, 5:4, 10). “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1:3-5).

•    Strength to those who were suffering

The word “suffer” occurs 16 times in this short letter, at times used to describe what the Christians were going through and at other times used to describe what Christ went through (cf. 1:6-7, 2:21-24, 3:13-17, 4:1, 12-19, 5:10). “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified” (4:12-14).

•    Encouragement to grow in sanctification

One other characteristic of this letter is the large number of imperatives used (there are more than thirty found in this letter). Peter’s directness comes through with these many commands most of which deal with some part of Christian sanctification (1:13, 13, 15, 17, 23, 2:2, 13, 17, 18, 3:1, 7, 8, 14, 14, 15, 4:1, 7, 7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 16, 19, 5:2, 5, 5, 6, 8, 8, 9). It is important that we notice that all these commands to sanctification follow the laying of the foundation of salvation through faith in the work of Jesus (1:1-9) and the work of the Holy Spirit through the Word (1:10-12). “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (3:8-9).

Note: This study was prepared for the Bible Class at Zion Lutheran Church, Lawrenceville, GA by Pastor Nathanael Mayhew.

If you would like more information about this study,
please contact Pastor Mayhew