Bible Commentaries
1 Peter 1

Verses 1-23

1 Note the contrast between Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, and Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. Peter proceeds on the ground of His present rejection on earth, Paul on His exaltation in heaven.

1 The expatriates were those Jews who had left their homes in the land of their fathers, probably as a result of persecution. Since then the Jews have been scattered all over the earth. Peter's epistles will have a special appeal for those of them who, at the time of the end, after the Lord once more begins to deal with His people Israel, are chosen among the nations, and suffer for their faith.

4 The allotment of the Circumcision is heavenly in character and source, but will be enjoyed on earth. A concrete example is the heavenly Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven, all prepared for their dwelling on the new earth. The kingdom is called the kingdom of the heavens, not that it will be in heaven, but because the heavens will rule.

5 There are two distinct salvations brought before us in this passage, neither of which refers to what is usually intended by the term. The first one is the salvation which the faithful of Israel have long desired, that deliverance which comes to them at the advent of their Messiah. It is not salvation from sin, but from the nations and from Satan, and from the judgments of the time of the end. It ushers in the millennium. It was not a present possession, but is to be revealed at the unveiling of Jesus Christ.

9 The other salvation was a present experience. We seldom read of the salvation of the soul in Scripture. The soul is the sentient part of man, that which feels, that which suffers and enjoys. Ultimately all salvation will result in satisfying and delicious sensations. In the time of trial to which Peter refers, there seems to be little place for such a salvation, yet it is found in the joy and exultation of faith.

10 The prophets foretold the salvation proclaimed by Peter; the grace which has come to us was hid from them ( Eph_3:8-9 ).

11 The sufferings pertaining to Christ were clearly foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures, especially in such types as Joseph and Moses, David and Hezekiah. His earthly glories were also revealed, including His exaltation as the Son of Man and the Son of David. He receives the place supreme on earth, but there is no hint of heavenly headship. These are the traceable riches of Christ. The prophets knew nothing of "the untraceable riches". These consist in His heavenly exaltation, and were revealed to Peter and Paul. Peter tells us that He has "gone into the heavens, messengers and authorities and powers being made subject to Him" ( 1Pe_3:22 ). Paul gives Him the place of universal supremacy, and tells of a time when all in the heavens as well as on the earth will be headed up in Him ( Eph_1:10 ). Of this the prophets are silent. It was a secret or "mystery" unrevealed until the heavenly destiny of the ecclesia which is Christ's body was made known.

13 The grace which is for us comes before the unveiling of Jesus Christ, at His presence in the air, previous to the apocalyptic judgments which accompany His manifestation. Not so with those to whom Peter writes. It is only after His unveiling that the blessings which they expect will become theirs. The unveiling itself is God's means of bringing in the kingdom and all its accompanying benefits.

20 The fact that Christ's sacrifice was foreknown even before the disruption throws a marvelous light upon God's plan and purpose. It shows that sacrifice is not an afterthought intended to repair an unforeseen disaster, but that it precedes sin, and that sin was introduced to give it occasion. Speaking as a man, there never would have been sin unless God had previously prepared a Sacrifice, and neither should be considered by itself, but as one of the necessary factors in God's great purpose to reveal the deep recesses of His love and the boundless expanse of His affection.

23 Regeneration is a requisite for entrance into the kingdom ( Joh_3:3 ). In spirit, we skip the kingdom and enter the new creation ( 2Co_5:11 ), which will not become a physical reality until after the thousand years. There is a vast difference between the two. Paul does not proclaim the new birth. That is not nearly sufficient to describe the great change necessary for fitting us for our celestial destiny. In the resurrection we shall not only be renewed but changed ( 1Co_15:52 ). As at present constituted we could not enter into our celestial allotment. Hence we are the subjects of a radical re-creation. The Circumcision in the kingdom on the earth will need no such great change to adapt them to conditions as they will be in that day, so the figure used of them is that of regeneration. The Lord spoke of the kingdom as "the renascence" ( Mat_19:28 ), during which the old creation will be renewed, the curse removed, the law observed, by a people who have a "change of heart" ( Jer_31:36 ), and the old earth will enjoy its sabbath. So renascence is not the creation of a new man but the regeneration of the old.

Verses 24-25

24 Isa_40:6-8 .

4 Our Lord, speaking to the chief priests and elders, told them that the kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth its fruits, in proof of which He also quotes Psa_118:22-23 . The parable of the vineyard was spoken to them on this occasion

( Mat_21:33-46 ). They fulfilled this parable in rejecting Him, and He takes the kingdom from them and gives it to those who receive Him, and who form the nucleus of the believing nation of that day.

6 Isa_28:16 .

7 Peter himself, soon after the day of Pentecost, before the chief priests, charged them with rejecting the Stone which was to be the head of the corner ( Act_4:11 ) .

9 When Jehovah brought His people to Himself on eagles' wings, He purposed that they should be His peculiar treasure above all peoples, and that they should be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation ( Exo_19:4-6 ). Hitherto, through unbelief, they have not realized this ideal, but those who receive Christ shall fulfill it in the coming kingdom. As kings they will then rule the nations for God and as priests bring the nations to God.

10 The phrases "not a people" and who "have not been shown mercy" are usually referred to the gentile nations, in contrast with Israel. This passage is then adduced in favor of applying Peter's epistles indiscriminately to all men at all times, especially to the present ecclesia which is Christ's body. But a closer consideration will show that this passage proves the very opposite, for it quotes from the prophecy of Hosea, who speaks of the sons of Israel, and cannot possibly be interpreted of any other people. One passage reads as follows ( Hos_1:9-11 ): And He is saying :

"Call his name 'Lo Ammi' [Not My people],

For you are not my people

And I will not be yours.

And the number of the sons of Israel

Shall be as the sand of the sea

Which shall not be measured And shall not be numbered.

And it shall occur, in the place where it is being said to them

'You are not My people.’

It shall be said to them 'Sons of the living Deity.'

And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel

Shall be gathered together as one,

And shall place over them one head,

And ascend from the land, For great is the day of Jezreel."

The companion passage is equally plain ( Hos_2:23 ):

"And I compassionate the uncompassioned,

And I say to Lo Ammi [Not My People]'

'You are My people !'

And he shall say, 'My God !' "

By no means may these quotations refer to any people but the chosen nation.

12 "Your behavior among the nations," or gentiles, confirms our conclusion that Peter is addressing those of his own nation outside the land.

13 The word "creation" here is the same word which is always so rendered in every other occurrence. Possibly the idea that creation is a prerogative of God led our translators to alter to "ordinance" here. Yet such contexts as this are the very ones which the English reader needs to correct his conception of this word, for according to this passage, man can create, and the word does not mean to bring into being that which heretofore had no existence.