Bible Commentaries
1 Peter

1Pe THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. THE STRUCTURE OF THE EPISTLE AS A WHOLE. 1 Peter 1:1-2 . EPISTOLARY. 1 Peter 1:3-12 . INTRODUCTION. THANKSGIVING; FORESHADOWING THE SUBJECT OF THE EPISTLE. 1 Peter 1:13 - 1 Peter 2:10 . EXHORTATION (GENERAL) IN VIEW OF THE END. 1 Peter 2:11 - 1 Peter 4:6 . EXHORTATIONS (PARTICULAR) AS TO SUFFERINGS AND GLORY. 1 Peter 4:7-19 . EXHORTATIONS (GENERAL) IN VIEW OF THE END. 1 Peter 5:1-9 . EXHORTATIONS (PARTICULAR) AS TO SUFFERINGS AND GLORY. 1 Peter 5:10-11 . CONCLUSION. PRAYER; EMBODYING THE OBJECT OF THE EPISTLE. 1 Peter 5:12-14 . EPISTOLARY. NOTES ON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 1. THE WRITER is unquestionably the apostle whose name the Epistle bears. "Simon, son of Jona" (Appdx-94), was one of the earliest disciples, of whom all that we know is furnished by the Gospels and Acts, apart from the incidents recorded in Galatians 1:0 and 2. His surname ( Cephas ) occurs four times in the First Epistle to the Corinthians. The apostle "of the circumcision" (Galatians 2:7 ); yet through him "at the first" (Acts 15:14 ) the door was opened to the Gentiles. Nothing certain is known of him after the Council of the apostles at Jerusalem (Acts 15:0 ), and there is not the least proof that he ever visited Rome, much less that he was "bishop" there. We know that he was imprisoned in Jerusalem ( Act 12:51 ), A.D. 44; in 51 he was at the Council of Act 15:52 he joined Paul at Antioch ( Gal 2:58 ) Paul, writing to Romans, makes no mention of Peter, although he greets many others; in 61 Paul was sent a prisoner to Rome, and at the meeting with brethren and others Peter''s name is not once mentioned; at Rome were written by the apostle of the Gentiles the letters to Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, yet Peter is never referred to; finally, Paul''s latest letter was written from Rome, and in it we read, "Only Luke is with me" (2 Timothy 4:11 ). We have no record of Peter''s death, but our Lord''s words (John 21:18 , John 21:19 ) plainly indicate death by martyrdom. It is noteworthy that never in the least degree does Peter claim pre-eminence over the other apostles, but writes as a fellow -worker, e.g. 1 Peter 5:1 . 2. WRITTEN TO (lit.) "the elect sojourners of the dispersion (see John 7:35 .James 1:1; James 1:1 ) of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia". These were Christian Jews of the dispersion. 3. TEACHING. The practical character of the Epistle is marked, and is illustrated by reference to the Divine dealings recorded in the Old Testament. Admonition, exhortation, and encouragement, for all circumstances, show how faithfully the apostle obeyed his Lord''s command to feed the flock of God. in 1 Peter 5:12 he refers to his brief epistle as "exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand" (lit. "in which stand ye"). So far as is known, he had never seen those to whom he wrote, nor does he make reference to a single one of those "strangers" who had doubtless been taught by Paul and his fellow-workers in their "journeyings often". Thus the teaching delivered to them by "our beloved brother Paul" is that to which Peter refers as "the true grace of God wherein ye stand" (cp. 1 Corinthians 15:1 ). 4. THE TIME of writing was probably about A..D. 60 (see Appdx-180), and the Epistle was written from Babylon (1 Peter 5:13 ). 1Pe 1:13 - 1 Peter 2:10 . EXHORTATION (GENERAL), &c.. 1 Peter 1:13 . Exhortation to sobriety. (Positive.) 1 Peter 1:4-17 . Comparison, "obedient children". 1 Peter 1:18-21 . Reason. God''s people, and redeemed by the blood of Christ (the Lamb). 1 Peter 1:22-25 . Result. 1 Peter 2:1 . Exhortation against malice. (Negative.) 1 Peter 2:2-3 . Comparison, "newborn babes". 1 Peter 2:4-8 . Reason. God''s people, and built as "living stones" on Christ (the Stone). 1 Peter 2:9-10 . Result. 1Pe 2:11 - 1 Peter 4:6 . EXHORTATION (PARTICULAR) AS TO SUFFERING AND GLORY. 1 Peter 2:11 . Exhortation. Personal. 1 Peter 2:12 . Calumnies. 1Pe 2:13-25 ; 1 Peter 3:1-7 . Submission. The will of God. (1 Peter 2:15 ). Example of Christ (1 Peter 2:21-25 ). 1 Peter 3:8-15 . Exhortation. General. 1 Peter 3:16 . Calumnies. 1 Peter 3:17 - 1 Peter 4:6 . Submission. The will of God. (1 Peter 3:17 ). Example of Christ (1 Peter 3:18-22 ). 1Pe 2:13 - 1 Peter 3:7 . SUBMISSION. 1 Peter 2:13-14 . All to rulers. 1 Peter 2:15-17 . Reason. 1 Peter 2:18 . Servants to masters. 1 Peter 2:19-20 . Reason. 1 Peter 2:21-25 . The example of Christ. 1 Peter 3:1-4 . Wives to husbands. 1 Peter 3:5-6 . Reason. 1 Peter 3:7 -. Husbands to be considerate to their wives. 1 Peter 3:7 . Reason. 1Pe 3:17 - 1 Peter 4:6 . SUBMISSION. 1 Peter 3:17 . Suffering, according to the will of God. 1 Peter 3:18 -. Christ''s sufferings as to the flesh. 1 Peter 3:18-22 . Christ''s triumph. 1 Peter 4:1 -. Christ''s sufferings as to the flesh 1 Peter 4:1 . The saints'' suffering as to the flesh. 1 Peter 4:2-6 . The saints new life. 1 Peter 3:18-22 . CHRIST''S TRIUMPH. - 1 Peter 3:18 . The Resurrection of Christ. 1 Peter 3:19 . His going to Tartarus. 1 Peter 3:20 -. The insubjection of spirits in Noah''s day. 1 Peter 3:20 -. Noah saved then. 1 Peter 3:21 -. We saved now. - 1 Peter 3:21 . The Resurrection of Christ. 1 Peter 3:22 -. His going into heaven. - 1 Peter 3:22 . The subjection of angels. 1 Peter 4:2-6 . THE SAINTS NEW LIFE. 1 Peter 4:2 . New life in the spirit. 1 Peter 4:3 . Time past. Insubjection of the flesh. 1 Peter 4:4 . Men''s judgment. 1 Peter 4:5 . God''s judgment. 1 Peter 4:6 -. Time past. Death as to flesh. - 1 Peter 4:6 . Life as to the spirit. 1 Peter 4:7-19 . EXHORTATION IN VIEW OF THE END. 1 Peter 4:7 -. The end of all things. - 1 Peter 4:7-11 . Exhortation. In well doing to glorify God in all things. 1 Peter 4:12 . The fiery trial. 1 Peter 4:13-16 . Exhortation. In well doing to glorify God in suffering. 1 Peter 4:17-18 . The beginning of judgment. 1 Peter 4:19 . Exhortation. In well doing to commit themselves to God.