STUDY
THE BIBLE 12
“1st
& 2nd PETER”
“SUFFERING
AND HOPE FOR PERSECUTED BELIEVERS”
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 Pet 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 (1 Pet 5:9). It seemed like the end of
the
world had come, and it was literally a ‘fiery
trial’ (1 Pet 4:12). Christians were being burnt in Nero’s gardens and it
looked
like ‘the devil as a roaring lion’ (1 Pet 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 Pet 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 (1Pet 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, 1Pe 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 Pet 1:2)
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 Pet 1:4-5)
1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not
away, reserved
in heaven for you,
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!”
Trial of
your faith
(1 Pet 1:6-7)
1:6 Wherein ye greatly
rejoice, though
now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness
through manifold temptations:
1:7 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:
Have you
got trials? Praise God. This is called putting money into your
spiritual bank account in heaven. This is the real investment.
Investment in
Real Estate down here, or shares on the Stock Market are not
investments at
all.
Sufferings
of Christ
are an ensample and
encouragement to us (1 Pet 1:11)
1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the
Spirit
of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the
sufferings of Christ, and the glory
that should
follow.
For as the
sufferings of Christ abound in us,
so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2 Cor 1:5
As we suffer for Christ, was shall also be a “…a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:” 1 Peter 5:1
Christ was
foreordained
(1 Pet 1:20)
1:20 Who verily was foreordained
before the foundation of the
world, but was
manifest in these last times for you,
As God is
eternal, he knows everything that will happen from the start to
the finish of time. This is called foreknowledge. But he
had only made one thing happen and brought it to pass, and this
is called foreordination. God
orders it beforehand, from before the time the world began. That is
God orders that Christ will appear on earth.
All flesh
is grass
(1 Pet 1:24)
1:24 For all
flesh is as grass, and all the glory
of man as the flower of grass. The
grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
Anything
you do
down here in the world, that is not for the Lord, counts for nothing.
Any glory
down here simply glorifies the man and the world, and is worthless. This is
very
important to remember.
Peter is
not the rock
(1Pet 2:5-6; Matt
16:18)
2:5 Ye ALSO, as lively
stones, are
built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
2:6 Wherefore also it is contained
in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief
corner stone, elect,
precious: and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded.
2:7 Unto
you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which
be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is
made the head
of the
corner, 1 Peter
2:7
Peter says
he is just one of the lively stones. He is not ‘the chief corner
stone’ or ‘the head of the corner’ which are used to erect buildings,
and the
point from which all other measurements and directions are taken.
Christ was
sinless
(1 Pet 2:22)
2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit)
found in
his mouth:
Yes, Christ knew no sin (2Cor 5:21), did no sin (1Pet 2:22), and in him was no sin (1John 3:5), Furthermore, he spoke no sin (1Pet 2:22). The Passover lamb in the Old Testament was examined for defects for four days before sacrifice. Christ, as the perfect Passover Lamb, was also examined for four days before the cross. When God sees the blood, he PASSES OVER that person. God has peace not wrath toward him.
By
“stripes ye were
healed” is for sins (1Pet 2:24; Is 53:5)
2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his
own
body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should
live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye were healed.
But he was
wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was
upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
See that?
Transgressions and iniquities are sins.
This healing is not for physical body. Physical healing is not
guaranteed by the blood of Jesus.
Women have
a hidden
man of the heart (1Pet 3:4)
Women to
have a meek
and quiet spirit (3:4)
3:4 But let it be the hidden man
of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit, which is
in the sight of God of great price.
As the
outward fashions of the world fade away, the finest ornament a
woman can have is an easy state of mind, void of passion, pride, and
anger, to
be displayed in quiet behaviour towards their husbands, and indeed
their
families. This happens on the inside of the woman which is called the
inner
man.
Spirits in
prison (1Pet
3:19-20)
3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the
spirits in prison;
3:20 Which sometime were
disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days
of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were
saved by water.
These
spirits are the sons of God, angels, who left their first estate
and had physical relations with the daughters of men. These are kept in
chains
of darkness.
That the sons
of God (angels) saw
the daughters of men (women
on the earth) that they were fair; and they took them wives
of all
which they chose. There were giants in the earth in those days;
and also
after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and
they
bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of
old, men of
renown. Genesis 6:2-4
And the angels
which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation,
he hath
reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment
of the great day. Jude 1:6
Christ
went to
declare certain things to these disobedient spirits. He didn’t go to
‘convert’
them or witness to them. Maybe he said “I am Christ. I was in heaven,
you
wanted to be like the most high, and you have now been thrown into this
prison
called hell. You will be thrown into the lake of fire.”
Water
baptism washes
the body only (1Pet 3:21)
3:21 The like figure whereunto
even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth
of the
flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the
resurrection of
Jesus Christ:
Water
baptism is a
work not needed to get saved or stay saved. Paul said For Christ
sent me not to baptize (with
water), but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the
cross
of Christ should be made of none effect. 1 Corinthians 1:17. Many
people
would rather have the work of water as evidence of their salvation,
than the
inner change of the heart of true salvation.
Suffering
makes you cease
from sin (1Pet 4:1)
4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath
suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same
mind: for he that
hath suffered in the flesh hath
ceased from sin;
Suffering
helps to focus the mind and concentrate on the Lord. When in
the ‘prison’ of suffering, we cry out with all our heart unto the Lord.
Our
minds don’t have time for sin.
Charity
covers sins (1Pet
4:8)
4:8 And above all things have
fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude
of
sins.
Yes, charity is
love
between Christians. It’s a
special kind of love and is best described
in 1st Corinthians 13. Study Romans chapters 12, 14, 15 for
a full
description on how to be charitable, that is to love, to other
Christians. Only
the King James Bible uses this word “charity”.
Fiery
trials (1Pet 4:12-13)
4:12 Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange
thing
happened unto you:
4:13 But rejoice,
inasmuch as ye are partakers of
Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be
glad
also with exceeding
joy.
When suffering
for Christ we can be
glad with exceeding joy. Suffering brought about by sin is not
cause for joy.
Feed the
flock (other
Christians)
(1Pet 5:2)
5:2 Feed the flock of God which is
among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but
willingly; not
for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Let the
elders
that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially
they who labour
in the word and doctrine. 1 Timothy 5:17
Feed God’s
sheep with
the word and sound doctrine.
KEY THEMES
of 2nd PETER
1:20
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any
private interpretation.
1:21 For
the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy
men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The Bible
interprets itself. Proper study will reveal this. It is not to
be privately interpreted.
False
teachers in the last days (2 Pet 2:1)
2:1 But there were false prophets
also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you,
who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that
bought
them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
These
people sneak into the church and are not saved. They just pretend
to be. They teach wrong doctrine.
As stated
before, 100% pure
Christian doctrine
is to be found only in Paul’s
writings.
(2Pet
2:6-7, 10)
2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrha into
ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample
unto those that after should live ungodly;
2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed
with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2:10 But chiefly them that walk
after the flesh in the lust of
uncleanness, and despise
government.
Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are
not afraid to speak evil
of
dignities.
These are
male
homosexuals. Sodomites. These belong to the LGBTIQ crowd. Birds of a
feather
flock together. They hate all authority but their own. As Paul says And
likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned
in their lust one toward another; men with men working that
which is
unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error
which was
meet. Romans 1:27
The lie of
the Gap
Theory flood is exposed
(2Pet 2:5; 3:5-6)
2:5 And spared not the old
world, but saved Noah the
eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood
upon the world of the ungodly;
3:5 For this they willingly are
ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth (the old
earth)
standing out of the water and in the water:
3:6 Whereby the world
that then was, (the old world) being
overflowed with water, perished:
The old
world is Noah’s world, not the
world between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. The Gap Theory is
just Satan’s theory.
The last
days with
scoffers (2Pet 3:3-4)
3:3 Knowing this first, that there
shall come in the
last days
scoffers, walking
after their own lusts,
3:4 And saying, Where is the
promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue
as they were from the beginning of the creation.
What do
people of the world say? “We’ve been here before. We’ll get
through all this.” “The sun will shine tomorrow morning.” And so on.
The
Millennial fire
and new heaven and earth
(2Pet 3:10, 13)
3:10 But the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away
with a
great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and
the works that are therein shall be burned up.
3:13 Nevertheless we, according
to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness.
This
happens after the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth. Fervent heat
is extremely hot heat.
Paul
better than
Peter (2Pet 3:16)
3:16 As also in all his (Paul)
epistles,
speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to
be
understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as
they do
also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
It took
Peter 5 years
to come to the knowledge that there was no such thing as “unclean”
food, and 10
years for the fact that Christians were not 2nd class
citizens and should
be accepted by God.
As Paul
takes over
the mantle of chief apostle with his first trip in 45AD, Peter drops
into the
background for about 15 years. He then re-surfaces with 1&2 Peter.
Peter was
a little
slow initially but is earnest in his pursuit of the truth of Paul’s
doctrine. He
ends up writing from the far flung region of Babylon - of all places!
Harley Hitchcock
**** ****
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