The First Letter of Peter
Written by the apostle Peter
Written perhaps in Rome
Written to the Christian churches of Asia Minor prior to A.D. 65
Written to strengthen and reassure the Christian believers in the midst of their suffering under Roman persecution
HAIL AND HALLELUJAH Read 1 Peter 1:1-4
Peter opens his letter, which has been an inspiration to millions of Christians, by sending greetings to all of "God's exiles" [Hebrew Christian expatriates not living in Israel] in the churches of northern Asia Minor. How wonderful [Peter says] is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose mercy we are born again, and by whose act of raising Jesus from the dead we are guaranteed nothing less than eternal life.
KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD Read 1:5-12
You Christians have a right to be the happiest people on earth. Look at the way you are being kept by the power of God in the midst of the trial now harassing you. And when the heat is put on your faith, that will only prove it indestructible.
Talk about joy — think of the rapture of Christ's coming — the praise, the honor, the glory, the salvation! This is what the Old Testament prophecies were all about. This is what even the angels would like to see. This is what the apostles preached to you in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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IT TOOK BLOOD TO RANSOM YOU Read 1:13-25
So roll up your sleeves and prepare your minds; expect grace and deliverance in that great day. Meanwhile let your life be a holy walk. It took more than perishable collateral to ransom you, just as it took more than silver and gold to get your fathers out of Babylon [Isaiah 52:3]. What it took for your redemption was the precious blood of Christ.
So now that you are cleansed and given faith and hope in God, prove that you are reborn of the seed of God's eternal word by the way you love one another.
CHRIST THE HEAD OF A NEW RACE Read 2:1-10
Let us get rid of everything that smacks of the old way of living and start growing as newborn babes in the Christian life. For Christ is both the rock of our faith, and a boulder for the faithless to stumble over. We, in turn, are the living stones of his church, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, who were once nobody and had nothing, but now, praise God, we not only belong to him — we have everything!
BE KNOWN BY YOUR INTEGRITY Read 2:11-17
Christians travel through this life as sojourners in a strange land. Let us therefore keep ourselves under tight rein, giving no offense, but ascribing to God the glory and letting our deeds speak for themselves. Honour all men, love the brethren, fear God, honor the emperor, and respect the institutions of men.
AND IF YOU SHOULD SUFFER? Read 2:18-25
A word to you who are slaves: don't be surprised if sometimes your Christian witness backfires. Did you expect that you would receive spiritual blessing just for taking the criticism you deserve? God is more interested in the way you take the criticism that you don't deserve.
Notice, my Asian friends, that right here the cross of Christ is relevant. The Lord Jesus left an example at Calvary for you to follow in his steps. Notice his total lack of craftiness, his refusal to
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accuse or threaten, his willingness to bear our sins — so that by his wounds you were healed.
SOME CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE COUNSELING Read 3:1-7
Now to personal matters: Let the wives recognize their husbands' authority and win them by example (if they are unbelievers), putting the emphasis not on outward but on inward adornment, by the cultivation of a meek and quiet spirit. Such was the practice in ancient times; Sarah, for example, obeyed Abraham, and you would do well to do the same.
Husbands are to be gentle and considerate to their wives, and to honor them, so that they may become heirs together of the grace of life and strengthen each other's prayers.
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR IN PRACTICE Read 3:8-16
All Christians, in fact, are to live in harmony and love, showing sympathy for each other, returning good for evil, and guarding their lips as the psalmist advises [Psalm 34:12-16]. So sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts and be prepared to witness to everyone who asks the reason for your hope.
THE CROWN OF YOUR SUFFERING Read 3:17-22
Don't worry if you should be given a hard time for doing the right thing, as long as you are in God's will and he is in your heart. It was thus that Christ suffered, the just for the unjust, in order that he might lead us to God. And though Christ was put to death, he rose from the dead and preached to the imprisoned spirits who refused to obey God's call in the days of Noah.
YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE FINALLY TO GOD Read 4:1-6
There is this at least to be said for your suffering: when a Christian suffers in the flesh, following Christ's example for us, he is not indulging his flesh in sinful habits and revelings as he once did. In fact, a Christian's ways may seem quite weird to others, but don't let that bother you. Our accounts are with the Lord who judges the quick and the dead. For even those who died before the time of Christ heard the good news preached, so that while they underwent judgment as all men must for their sins, yet they may, according to God's will, have life in the spirit.
AN ETHIC FOR THE END TIMES Read 4:7-11
In view of the approaching end of history, it is imperative for us to be sensible, prayerful, loving and hospitable to each other, sharing and ministering to one another as good stewards of the various graces of God, and glorifying him in all things through Jesus Christ.
BE SURE IT IS FOR HIM YOU SUFFER Read 4:12-16
There is nothing unusual about the ordeals you are facing. If you take a reproach in the name of Christ, consider it an honor in which to exult. Just make sure that you are really suffering as a Christian — sharing what our Lord went through himself — and not getting your deserts for your own silly or sinful behavior. Settle that point, and you have nothing to be ashamed of.
SELF-CRITICISM DEEPENS COMMITMENT Read 4:17-19
You see how important it is for us Christians to keep a check-up on our own behavior. Judgment must begin at the house of God, and then whatever we suffer will only bring us closer to him.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF LEADERSHIP Read 5:1-7
As an elder who witnessed the sufferings of Christ, I call upon the elders among you to feed the flock of God, and to take up responsibility in the church unselfishly and readily, not in order to lord it over the rest but rather to establish a pattern. The reward will come when the chief Shepherd appears.
Younger members of the church should accept the leadership of the elders with the grace of humility; in fact, in the Christian life all of us are subject one to another "in the Lord."
VIGILANCE IS THE PRICE OF FAITH Read 5:8-14
With the devil forever roaring his way about, seeking whom he may devour, the times call us to be sober, faithful, vigilant
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and ready to resist him at every turn. I assure you that after you have been through a brief test of suffering, God will establish and strengthen you.
I am sending this by your faithful brother Silvanus, with loving greetings from all of us here at Babylon [Rome?], including my son Mark. Peace to all who are in Christ.
This letter was one of Martin Luther's favorites in the New Testament. The brutal facts of life are faced frankly, and Jesus Christ is held up as the Great Solution, the one clear hope for humanity. Can you estimate how many Christians, imprisoned for their faith, have drawn encouragement and healing over the years from these noble lines?
We know that Peter's character underwent a remarkable change after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A good question for your group study would be: Is the character of this letter in keeping with what we know of Peter's behavior in the Book of Acts? Such study, of course, can quickly become sterile unless it leads to a discussion of the relevance of First Peter for our own day.
Let's think, then, about the twentieth century and it's activities. What does this letter tell us about insurrections and street fighting (2:13)? About interrogations (3:15)? About the techniques of brainwashing (3:16, 4:12-13)? About Christian's deliverance (5:10)? When it speaks of meekness, what is the context? Can you give one practical example in your own life of what it means to follow in the steps of Jesus? Would you say Peter practiced what he preached? Would you say this was a soft message or a hard one? Wool, or steel?
To be appreciated, First Peter should probably be read underground. Focus your discussion on the present spread of atheism over the earth. Locate on a map the countries where persecution is no theoretical question for the Christian. What is persecution? Is it lions and gladiators? Social pressures and mockery? Visa denials and loss of privileges? Read these verses as though they had been written yesterday, and discover for yourself their potential for today.
