1 Peter 1

 

 1 PETER an Apostle of JESUS CHRIST, to (*) the strangers that dwell here and there throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

 

(*) Which were Jews to whom he was appointed to be an Apostle.

 

 2  (1) Elect according to the (a) (*) foreknowledge of God the Father unto (b) sanctification of the Spirit, (♣) through (♠) obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you.

 

(1) Peter purposing to speak of the duties of a Christian life, reasoneth first of the principles and beginnings of all Christian actions, rising far higher than nature, and carrying us also far above the same. For he sheweth that we which are otherwise by nature sinners, were through the free mercy of God the Father first chosen from everlasting; then according to that everlasting decree were by a certain second creation made his sons in Christ his only begotten, by whose Spirit we are inwardly changed, and by whose blood we are also reconciled, to the end, that as Christ himself rose again from the dead, we also might be received into that same heavenly and everlasting glory.
(a) Or, according to the purpose of God, who never altereth nor changeth the same.

(*) The free election of God is the efficient cause of our salvation, the material cause is Christ’s obedience, our effectual calling is the formal cause, and the final cause is our sanctification.
(b) That being set apart from the rest of this wicked world, through the working of the holy Ghost, they should be consecrated to God; Ephesians 1:5 .

(♣) Or, unto obedience.

(♠) To wit, of Christ.

 

 3  (*) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a (c) (♣) lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

 

(*) 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3 .

(c) Everlasting hope.

(♣) For it is but dead and vain hope which is without Christ.

 

 4 To an inheritance immortal and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in (*) heaven for us,

 

(*) Therefore they ought to look for no earthly kingdom of the Messiah.

 

 5  (2) Which are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, which is prepared to be shewed in the (d) (*) last time.

 

(2) Now he sheweth by what way we come unto that glory, to wit, through all kind of afflictions, wherein notwithstanding faith maketh us so secure, that we are not only not overcome with sorrow, but also through the beholding of God himself (who otherwise is invisible) with the eyes of faith are unspeakably joyful; because all such things, as they are but for a time, so are they not applied unto us to destroy us, but as it were by fire to purge us, and to make us perfect, that at length we may obtain salvation.
(d) This is that time which Daniel calleth the time of the end, when as that great restoring of all things shall be, which all creatures look for; Romans 8:19 .

(*) At the day of judgment.

 

 6 Wherein ye rejoice, though now for a season (if need (*) require) ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations,

 

(*) And need doeth so require, when it pleaseth God to lay his cross upon his, for to draw them from earthly things and make them partakers of his heavenly graces.

 

 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth (though it be tried with fire) might be found unto your praise, and honor and glory at the (e) appearing of Jesus Christ;

 

(e) He speaketh of the second coming of Christ.

 

 8 Whom ye have not seen, and yet love him, in whom now, though ye see him not, yet do you believe, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious,

 

 9 Receiving the (*) end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

 

(*) Or, reward.

 

 10  (3) Of the which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched, which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you,

 

(3) He putteth a difference between true faith, that is to say, that faith which only hath an eye to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, and false faith. Afterward he maketh two degrees of one and the selfsame faith, according to the manner of the divers revelations, when as indeed it is but one only faith. Thirdly, he saith, that the preaching of the Apostles is the fulfilling of the preaching of the Prophets, although the latter end of it be as yet looked for by the very Angels.

 

 11 Searching when or what time the Spirit which testified before of Christ which was in them, should declare the sufferings that should come unto Christ, and the glory that should follow.

 

 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that (*) not unto themselves, but unto us they should minister the things, which are now shewed unto you by them which have preached unto you the Gospel by the holy Ghost (f) sent down from heaven, the which things the Angels desire to behold.

 

(*) Their ministry was more profitable to us than to them; for we see the things accomplished which they prophesied.

(f) He alludeth to the prophecy of Joel, which was exhibited upon the day of Pentecost, in the Apostles, as it were in the firstfruits of the holy Ghost, which this same our Peter declareth; Acts 2:6 .

 

 13  (4) Wherefore (g) (♣) gird up the (*) loins of your mind, be sober, (5) and trust (h) perfectly on the grace (6) that is brought unto you, (7) in the (♠) revelation of Jesus Christ,

 

(4) He goeth from faith to hope, which is indeed a companion that cannot be sundered from faith; and he useth an argument taken of comparison: We ought not be wearied in looking for so excellent a thing, which the very Angels wait for with great desire.
(g) This is a borrowed speech, taken of a common usage amongst them; for by reason that they wore long garments, they could not travel unless they girded up themselves; and hence it is that Christ said, Let your loins be girded up.

(♣) Prepare yourselves to the Lord.

(*) Luke 12:35 .
(5) He setteth forth very briefly, what manner of hope ours ought to be, to wit, continual, until we enjoy the thing we hope for; then, what we have to hope for, to wit, grace (that is, free salvation) revealed to us in the Gospel, and not that which men do rashly and fondly promise to themselves.
(h) Soundly and sincerely.
(6) An argument to stir up our minds, seeing that God doeth not wait till we seek him, but causeth so great a benefit to be brought even unto us.
(7) He setteth out the end of faith, lest any man should promise himself, either sooner or latter, that full salvation, to wit, the latter coming of Christ; and therewithal warneth us, not to measure the dignity of the Gospel according to the present state, seeing that which we are now, is not yet revealed.

(♠) Until his second coming.

 

 14  (8) As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves unto the former (*) lusts of your ignorance;

 

(8) He passeth from faith and hope, to the fruits of them both, which are understood in the name of obedience; and it consisteth in two things, in renouncing our lusts, and living godly; which lusts have their beginning of that blindness wherein all men are born; but holiness proceedeth from the grace and favor of God, which adopteth us, and therefore regenerateth us, that the father and the children may be of one disposition.

(*) When you were in ignorance and knew not Christ.

 

 15 But as he which hath called you, is holy, so be ye holy in (*) all manner of conversation;

 

(*) Luke 1:75 .

 

 16  (9) Because it is written, (*) Be ye holy, for I am holy.

 

(9) He sheweth that sanctification doeth necessarily follow adoption.

(*) Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7 .

 

 17  (10) And if ye (i) call him Father, which without (*) respect of person judgeth according to every man’s (♣) work, pass the time of your dwelling here in fear,

 

(10) As before he distinguished true faith and hope from false, so doeth he now obedience, setting the quick and sharp sight of God, against an outward mask, and earnest reverence against vain severity.
(i) If you will be called the sons of that Father.

(*) Deuteronomy 10:17; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6 .

(♣) According to the sincerity of the heart.

 

 18  (11) Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by the traditions of the (*) fathers,

 

(11) An exhortation, wherein he setteth forth the excellency and greatness of the benefit of God the Father, in sanctifying us by the death of his own Son. And he partly setteth the purifyings of the Law against the thing itself, that is, against the blood of Christ, and partly also men's traditions which he condemneth as utterly vain and superstitious, be they never so old and ancient.

(*) Read Ezekiel 20:18 .

 

 19  (*) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled, and without spot.

 

(*) 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23; Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5 .

 

 20  (12) Which was (*) ordained before the (k) foundation of the world, but was declared in the (♣) last times for your sakes,

 

(12) The taking away of an objection: what was done to the world before that Christ was sent into the world? Was there no holiness before, and was there no Church? The Apostle answereth, that Christ was ordained and appointed to redeem and deliver mankind, before mankind was; much less was there any Church without him before his coming in the flesh; yet we are happiest about the rest, to whom Christ was exhibited indeed, in this that he having suffered and overcome death for us, doeth now most effectually work in us by the virtue of his Spirit, to create in us faith, hope, and charity.

(*) Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:26; 2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 1:2 .
(k) From everlasting.

(♣) When Christ appeared unto the world, and when the Gospel was preached.

 

 21 Which by his means do believe in God that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God,

 

 22  (13) Having purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, to (*) love brotherly without feigning, love one another with a pure heart fervently,

 

(13) He commendeth the practice of obedience, that is, charity: earnestly beating into their heads again, that he speaketh not of any common charity, and such as proceedeth from that our corrupt nature, but of that whose beginning is the Spirit of God, which purifieth our souls through the word laid hold on by faith, and engendereth also in us a spiritual and everlasting life, as God is most pure and truly living.

(*) 1 Peter 2:17; Romans 12:10; Ephesians 4:2 .

 

 23 Being born anew, not of mortal seed, but of (*) immortal, by the word of God, who liveth and endureth forever.

 

(*) Therefore we must renounce our former nature.

 

 24  (14) For all (*) (l) flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth away.

 

(14) A reason why we have need this heavenly generation, to wit, because that men, be their glory never so great, are of nature void of all true and sound goodness.

(*) Isaiah 40:6; James 1:10 .
(l) The word (flesh) sheweth the weakness of our nature, which is chiefly to be considered in the flesh itself.

 

 25  (15) But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which is preached among you.

 

(15) Again, lest any man should seek that spiritual force and virtue in feigned imaginations, the Apostle calleth us back to the word of God; teaching us furthermore, that there is no other word of the Lord to be looked for, than this which is preached, in which only we must trust.

 

 

Steve

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