Tyndale Open Study Notes

Verse 1

1:1 to God’s chosen people: Peter opens his letter to suffering Christians by reminding them of the status they enjoy because of God’s act on their behalf (1:2). • living as foreigners (literally exiles of the dispersion): An exile had been uprooted from his or her homeland and taken to live in a foreign country. Peter uses the concept metaphorically to remind Christians that they are living in a world dominated by anti-Christian values and ways of life. • Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia were Roman provinces in what is now Turkey. They might be listed in the order of the route that a messenger would have followed while carrying the letter to the various churches.

Verse 2

1:2 knew you and chose you: When God knows a person, it means that he chooses that person. He chose to enter into relationship with his people before they knew him (cp. Rom 8:29; 11:2).

Verse 3

1:3-9 In most New Testament letters, the greeting is followed by a section of thanksgiving or praise. Peter praises God that his mercy brings new spiritual life, which produces confident expectation about the future despite sufferings in the meantime.

1:3 born again: New birth is a way of describing Christian conversion (cp. John 3:1-13; Jas 1:18; 1 Jn 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18). This Greek word, which occurs again in 1 Pet 1:23, brackets the message of 1:1-25.

Verse 4

1:4 The language of inheritance frequently refers to what God has promised his people. Originally applied to the land of Israel (see Deut 3:28), the inheritance came to mean the people of God and God’s presence with them (see Ps 33:12; Ezek 44:28). In the New Testament, the inheritance is the spiritual benefit and eternal salvation that God promises to his people (see Eph 1:11; Heb 9:15).

Verse 5

1:5 until you receive this salvation: In the New Testament, salvation often refers to final rescue from sin and death at the time of Christ’s return. This hope encourages believers to persevere to the end (see also 1:9, 10; 2:2; 4:18). • ready to be revealed: The future revealing of God’s salvation contrasts with the present hiddenness of God and his purposes (see also 1:7, 13).

Verse 7

1:7 will show that your faith is genuine: Faith, like gold, is purified as it is tested. • The NLT understands praise and glory and honor as being given by God to the faithful Christian. The phrase could also mean that a faithful Christian life brings praise and glory and honor to God.

Verse 9

1:9 salvation of your souls: The Greek word translated souls often refers to the whole person and not just to some part or aspect of the person (Matt 20:28; Mark 8:35). Salvation affects our whole person, not the inner person only.

Verse 10

1:10-12 Our salvation is very great: The Old Testament prophets predicted it, and angels long to investigate it.

Verse 11

1:11 They wondered: Much was revealed about the future to the Old Testament prophets, but they did not know precisely when or how the salvation they predicted would come about. • The Greek translated what time could also mean what person. The prophets knew that a Messiah would come and that he would suffer before he was glorified, but they did not know who that Messiah would be.

Verse 12

1:12 eagerly watching: The same Greek word is used of the disciples when they peered into Jesus’ empty tomb (Luke 24:12; John 20:5, 11).

Verse 13

1:13-21 New birth and the hope of salvation require that Christians live as God’s people, separating themselves from the values of the world and emulating the holiness of God, who redeemed them.

1:13 prepare your minds for action (literally gird the loins of your mind): In Peter’s day, a man had to tuck the hem of his long robe into his belt before he could work or run.

Verse 15

1:15-16 “You must be holy because I am holy”: This is a common refrain in Scripture, that God’s people must be holy as God is holy (see Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7; see also Ezek 20:12; Eph 1:4; 1 Thes 4:3; Rev 22:11).

Verse 17

1:17 Christians’ citizenship is in heaven (1:1; see Phil 3:20); they live in this world as “temporary residents” who are uncomfortable with its values and who long for their true home.

Verse 18

1:18 A ransom is paid for the release of a captive. Slaves could sometimes pay a ransom and be released from their master. Christ’s death is the price God paid to release people from captivity to sin (1:19).

Verse 19

1:19 the sinless, spotless Lamb of God: The Passover Lamb had to be without defect (Exod 12:5); Christ, who fulfills the meaning of the Passover, was without defect or sin (cp. Heb 4:14-16; 7:26-28).

Verse 20

1:20 With Christ’s coming, Old Testament promises of redemption are being fulfilled and the last days have begun.

Verse 22

1:22–2:3 Following his call for holiness (1:13-21), Peter specifies how believers must live in a loving way with fellow Christians.

1:22 must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters: Literally must have brotherly love. See study note on 5:9.