BULLSEYE!
ACCURATE
BIBLE
KNOWLEDGE!
“A STRICT
LAWMAN
BECOMES A FATHER”
“SUFFERING
AND HOPE
FOR PERSECUTED BELIEVERS”
“That the trial
of your faith, being much more precious
than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be
found unto
praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Pet
1:7)
Peter
writes his 1st epistle with a deep and true
sympathy for
suffering Christians.
1st
and 2nd Peter are remarkable books not only for what is
written
therein, but they come from a man whose life had been radically
transformed
and changed from a strong minded and impulsive leader to that of a wise
and
comforting father.
Upon
studying these two books, you can’t help but notice a ‘changed’ Peter.
The
study of Peter’s life shows one of gradual change. There are three
parts to his
life:
Firstly, after the
cross, and
then for another 10 years, Peter is leader of the apostles (33-45AD)
Secondly, Paul then
becomes
the chief apostle around 45AD with his first trip.
Thirdly, Peter
emerges again
after 20, or so, years, to write 1&2 Peter (65-66AD).
1. PETER,
THE
ORIGINAL LAWMAN, becomes more FATHER LIKE
Although
there are 14 quotes from the Old Testament in 1&2 Peter, there is
not a
single reference to the law. Over time, Peter slowly realizes, that the
very
thing he had been zealous about, the law, was not able to be borne
(endured) by
him or his Jewish fathers.
As
such, his life had been radically transformed and changed from a strong
minded
and impulsive leader to that of a wise and comforting father.
He
seems slow to catch on, as it is about 10 years after the
cross, as he
realizes that there is no such thing as unclean food.
It’s
about 15 years after the cross that God shows him that Gentiles
are not
2nd class citizens.
2. AS A
CHRISTIAN,
PETER WRITES TO GENTILE CHRISTIANS
His
readers were not
Jews. Which in
time past
were not a people (these are
Gentiles. Jews were the people of
God), but are now the people of God (Christians): which
had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy. 1 Pet 2:10
Paul also
refers to the Gentiles in similar manner
as follows
As he
saith also in Osee, (Hosea) I will call them my people (Christians), which were not my people (Gentiles);
and her beloved, which was not beloved. Romans 9:25
For as ye in
times past have not believed God (unsaved
Gentiles), yet have
now obtained mercy through their (Israel’s) unbelief: Rom 11:30
3. 1&2
PETER ARE
WRITTEN IN THE MID 60’S.
Peter
writes to Gentile Christians (1 Pet 2:10, 12; 4:3, 16, 17) from
physical
Babylon (not Rome which is called spiritual Babylon) around 65-66AD
just
before Paul’s 2nd Roman imprisonment in 66AD.
He
writes to the churches throughout Asia Minor – Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia which had largely been founded by Paul.
Peter
has not visited these churches as he calls them ‘strangers’ (1:1)
Paul
indeed had founded the churches and written to the Galatians and
Ephesians.
It
is wrongly assumed that Peter went to Rome at some point in time, as Peter
writes from the actual physical Babylon. In the book of Revelation
(Rev
17:5, 18), Rome is called the Whore of Babylon, and this Rome
is
spiritual Babylon. Indeed, the pagan religion of Rome comes
directly
from the Babylonians.
Nero’s
persecution
of the Christians was very severe (64-67AD), and had previously
set fire
to Rome and he blamed the Christians. Nero has gone after Paul and put
him in
prison.
The
church was about 30 years old and churches everywhere, and
indeed
individual believers, were undergoing persecution (5:9). It seemed like
the end
of the world had come, and it was literally a ‘fiery trial’ (4:12).
Christians were being burnt in Nero’s gardens and it looked like ‘the
devil
as a roaring lion’ (5:8) was about to devour the church.
Peter
writes to encourage these Paul founded churches to bear up
under
suffering. He reminds them that Christ had suffered as well (1:11).
Although he
started out with a ministry to the Jews (Gal 2:7), he has swung to a
ministry
to the Gentiles.
John
Mark (Marcus), the nephew of Barnabas (being the son of his sister Col
4:10),
who writes the gospel of Mark), was with Peter at the time of this
writing
(5:13). This is the John Mark who left Paul on his first trip (45-48AD)
and
joined up with Barnabas (Acts 15:37), and lastly ends up with Peter.
4. CHOICE
OF WORDS
Having
had a ministry to the Jews, Peter, being a Jew, had an ingrained
familiarity
with the language, and uses Jewish words and terms, when he writes to
Christians.
sprinkling
of the blood
(Heb 9:13; 1Pet 1:2); prophets (1Pet 1:10); oracles of
God
(1Pe 4:11; Acts 5:12; Heb 7:38); tabernacle (2Pet 1:14;Ex
25:9); priesthood
(1Pet 2:5,9;Ex 40:15); stone of stumbling (1Pet 2:8; Is 8:14); rock
of offence (1Pet 2:8; Is 8:14); mount (2Pet 1:18; Ex
19:11); angels
(1Pet 1:12, 3:22; 2Pet 2:4, 11); stones (1Pet 2:5; Ex 25:7);
astray
sheep (1Pet 2:25; Is 53:6-7); precious (1Pet 1:7, over 50
times in
the OT); Sarah and Abraham (1Pet 3:6; Gen 17:15); Noah
(Gen 7:1; 1Pet 3:20); pilgrims (1Pet 2:11; Heb 11:13)
5. PETER’S
WRITING
STYLE
Peter
writes from the heart. Peter is straight forward man. There are no
hidden
agendas. His writings leave the reader in no doubt as to his intense
earnestness. There is nothing pretentious about Peter.
His
life, his thoughts and his writings simply express who he is. His mind
is
filled with the Old Testament.
He
is thoroughly familiar with Old Testament words, phrases and
recollections, and
constantly uses them.
His
epistles show three things, Firstly, that his mind is filled with words
and
phrases of the Old Testament; second, that he has spent time with
Christ on
earth, and thirdly, defers to Paul and his doctrine.
Peter
had been a work in progress. He now speaks with authority, but with
gentleness
and warmth, as one who knows the power of temptations, the horrifying
pain of
disloyalty and of not being steadfast. He humbly speaks, as one who
remembers
ever so clearly, of how he had fallen. His words are forceful and
simple.
He
lacks the train (skill) of reasoning and the subtle logic of Paul, and
he gets
straight to the point.
Peter’s
use of the words of Christ, and against the backdrop of the Old
Testament, have
been unconsciously, and thoroughly soaked into his being, such that his
thoughts and words are one and the same. There has been a literal
renewal of
his mind, and more importantly, his heart (Rom 12:2).
KEY POINTS
of 1st
PETER
Election
(1 Peter 1:2)
1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God
the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and
sprinkling
of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Election
occurs after salvation not before. When a saved person is in
Christ,
then he is elected to be something, and in this case elected unto
obedience.
An
analogy is that a man must be in a football team before he can be
elected as
captain. He is elected for a purpose.
As
Ephesians 1:4 says According
as he hath chosen us IN (not into)
him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Ephesians 1:4
After we
are saved that is when we are chosen and
not before. Being saved means we are in Christ, and this is when we are
chosen
to be something - holy and without blame.
Eternal
security
(1:4)
1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Loss
of salvation is pure Roman Catholic doctrine. Their Jesus has to be
constantly
eaten all the time to stay saved. Truly, “Once saved, always saved!”
**** ****
Harley Hitchcock
www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com
www.AustralianBibleMinistries.com
