GREETING IN THE NAME OF THE HOLY TRINITY. ENCOURAGEMENT TO HOPE IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE 1, 2. To the strangers scattered throughout.. elect] RV 'to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in,' etc. The RV order shows that the present circumstances of his readers, as well as their election and... [ Continue Reading ]
MALICE] RV 'wickedness.' A general word, as, beginning a new life, they must turn from worldly vices and become as little children (Matthew 18:3). With this and the following v. cp. James 1:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD] cp. 1 Peter 1:20 RV. The whole course of events which are gradually revealed to man is known to God from everlasting: cp. Romans 4:17 and Romans 8:29; Hebrews 11:40; (RM) Revelation 4:11; (RV). THROUGH SANCTIFICATION] RV 'in sanctification.' God's chosen people are surround... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH BEGOTTEN] RV 'begat': the RV rendering brings the moment of begetting before us. The Resurrection must have been to all the Eleven, and to St. Peter especially, such a change from despair to hope as could. only be expressed as a beginning of new life: cp. Romans 6:4; Ephesians 2:5; Philippians... [ Continue Reading ]
INHERITANCE] The land of promise (Hebrews 11:9) was the inheritance of Israel. During all their wanderings this was reserved for them, but they were taught in many ways that it was a type of a better inheritance. This inheritance is reserved for the true Israel in heaven. It cannot be corrupted, as... [ Continue Reading ]
KEPT] RV 'guarded': cp. Galatians 3:23; Philippians 4:7. SALVATION] RV 'a salvation.' The Gk. means 'safety,' 'health,' and is so used in Acts 27:34; Hebrews 11:7. It must have had to all early Christians some of the freshness of a metaphor (cp. The Order of the Visitation of the Sick: 'in whom, and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE] RV 'because.' YE GREATLY REJOICE] as the Lord bade His disciples to do in tribulation (John 16:33 cp. John 15:11; John 16:24). Joyfulness characterised the earliest disciples. TEMPTATIONS] RM 'trials.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH] RV 'The proof of your faith.' St. Peter means it is worth while to purify even perishable gold, much more your faith (cp. Job 23:10; Psalms 66:10; Proverbs 17:3; Zechariah 13:9, and especially Isaiah 48:10; Sir 2:5); but he expresses it a little inaccurately, as though the p... [ Continue Reading ]
A generous touch. The Apostle who has seen admires the love and joy of believers who have not seen the Lord; cp. John 20:29. FULL OF GLORY] in which God dwells: cp. Exodus 34:29; 1 Timothy 6:16. Faith leads into the presence of God, and adds to joy something which is unspeakable and divine: cp. Phil... [ Continue Reading ]
A CHOSEN GENERATION] RV 'an elect race': cp. Isaiah 43:20. A PECULIAR PEOPLE] RV 'a people for God's own possession': cp. Exodus 19:5. PRAISES] RV 'excellencies'; AVmg. 'virtues': cp. Philippians 4:8; 2 Peter 1:3; 2 Peter 1:5. St. Peter repeats the teaching of the prophet (cp. Isaiah 43:21) that men... [ Continue Reading ]
SEARCHED DILIGENTLY] studying the sacred writings that already existed, observing the signs of the times, meditating on the spiritual significance of worship, and trying to discern God's true will in the inward impulses by which they were themselves moved: cp. Jeremiah 15:19. Thus they 'tested thing... [ Continue Reading ]
STRANGERS (RV 'sojourners') AND PILGRIMS] from Genesis 23:3 and Psalms 39:12 cp. Hebrews 11:13. FLESHLY LUSTS] the desires of the body, which, though innocent when under restraint, were always a source of temptation among the heathen. WHAT, OR WHAT MANNER OF TIME] the second expression corrects the... [ Continue Reading ]
CONVERSATION HONEST] RV 'behaviour seemly': cp. 1 Peter 1:15. IN THE DAY OF VISITATION] (from Isaiah 10:3) when God shall no longer overlook the heathen ignorance: cp. Acts 17:30. Then the good lives of the Christians, even though seen in memory only, may help them at last to glorify God. _B._ 1 Pe... [ Continue Reading ]
GIRD UP THE LOINS OF YOUR MIND] in preparation for the strenuous life of obedience: cp. Deuteronomy 10:16; 1 Kings 18:46. BE SOBER] cp. 1 Kings 4:7; 1 Kings 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:8. Christians among heathen must be self-restrained, like sober men among drunkards. TO THE END] o... [ Continue Reading ]
GOVERNORS] i.e. of provinces. OBEDIENT CHILDREN] RV 'children of obedience,' a Hebrew mode of expression (cp. Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 5:6), which implies that obedience was the ruling passion of their lives.... [ Continue Reading ]
CONVERSATION] RV 'manner of life': cp. 1 Peter 1:18; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 3:1.; 1 Peter 3:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE IT IS WRITTEN] It was a habit of St. Peter to clench his words in this way. From the sacred writings he recognised no appeal: cp. 1 Peter 1:24; 1 Peter 2:6; 1 Peter 3:5; 1 Peter 3:10; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 Peter 4:17; 1 Peter 5:5; Acts 1:20; Acts 2:17 [ Continue Reading ]
CALL ON THE FATHER] RV 'call on him as Father': cp. Jeremiah 3:19 and Matthew 6:9, which is the fulfilment of the prophetic promise. WITHOUT RESPECT OF PERSONS] cp. Romans 2:10. and St. Peter's speech at Cæsarea, Acts 10:34 also James 2:1. But the expression comes from the OT., Deuteronomy 10:17. JU... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. 1 Peter 1:15. VAIN] i.e. empty, purposeless: cp. 1 Peter 4:2; Ephesians 4:17. _Received_ BY TRADITION] Heathen as well as Jews would have many traditions to break with when they became 'obedient': cp. 1 Peter 4:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
THANKWORTHY] RV 'acceptable'; RM 'Gr. grace.' The Gk. for 'grace' and 'thankfulness' is the same. As joy in suffering partakes of the divine glory (cp. 1 Peter 1:8), so thankfulness and cheerfulness reflects the gracious light of God's countenance: see on 1 Peter 1:2. 22-25. This picture of Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THESE LAST TIMES] RV 'at the end of the times.' Christ came at the end of the old, His death and Resurrection began the new, era: cp. Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 2:5. _B_ (ii). 1 Peter 1:22. 'Having entered on the sanctified life of obedience, you have entered a brotherhood which is bound together by a... [ Continue Reading ]
TRUTH is the substance of the gospel (Galatians 2:5; Galatians 2:14; Colossians 1:5 cp. 2 Peter 1:12), for Christ is the Truth (John 14:6), and sanctified Himself that His people might be 'sanctified in truth' (John 17:19).... [ Continue Reading ]
BEING BORN AGAIN] RV 'having been begotten again': cp. 1 Peter 1:3. NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT OF INCORRUPTIBLE] cp. John 1:12; 1 John 3:9. BY THE WORD] We need not discuss whether 'the word' means Christ, or the word of the gospel preached or written; or, again, the word that is heard in each man... [ Continue Reading ]
BARE OUR SINS.. ON] RM 'carried up.. to.' A sacrificial term is here used: cp. Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:28; Hebrews 13:15. THE TREE] i.e. the Cross: cp. Deuteronomy 21:22; Acts 5:30; Acts 10:39; Acts 13:29; Galatians 3:13. FOR] Once more St. Peter clenches his argument by the authority [ Continue Reading ]
SHEPHERD] suggested by Isaiah 53:6 : cp. Isaiah 40:11 and 1 Peter 5:4; BISHOP] RM 'overseer': cp. Acts 1:20; (AV and RM). The overseer or bishop is an officer of the Church in the Pastoral Epistles: cp. Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1. Here the reference may be to the officer of the household who is set... [ Continue Reading ]