RSV ~ 1 Peter 1 Notes

1 Pet 1:1 | ISB Notes

Peter, an apostle: Simon, the leader of the Twelve (Mt 10:2). Jesus renamed him “Peter”, from the Greek petros, meaning “rock”. The Aramaic equivalent of Peter is rendered “Cephas” (Jn 1:42) (CCC 552).

See word study: Peter at Mt 16:18.

exiles: Sojourners separated from their homeland (Heb 11:13-14).

See introduction: Destination. Pontus …

Bithynia: The names of several provinces in northern Asia Minor (modern Turkey).

1 Pet 1:2 | ISB Notes

Peter coordinates three aspects of redemption with the three Persons of the Trinity: the Father elects us for salvation, the Spirit makes us holy, and the Son consecrates us for service by his blood (CCC 258). Other trinitarian passages in the NT include Mt 28:19, Lk 1:35, 1 Cor 12:4-6, and 2 Cor 13:14. sprinkling with …

blood: Associated with rites of priestly ordination in ancient Israel.

• In Ex 24:8, Moses sprinkled the people of Israel with the blood of the Sinai covenant, binding them to Yahweh and consecrating them to be a holy and priestly nation to the world (Ex 19:6). Similarly, in Lev 8:30, Aaron and his sons were ordained to the priesthood by the ritual sprinkling of blood. This background anticipates the description of believers as members of the “royal priesthood” of Jesus (1 Pet 2:9).

grace and peace: A common Christian greeting in NT times (Rom 1:7; 2 Pet 1:2; Rev 1:4).

1 Pet 1:3 | ISB Notes

Blessed be the God: A traditional prayer form, called a berakah (Hebrew for “blessing”), in which the Lord is praised for his saving deeds and thanked for his wonderful gifts (1 Chron 29:10-13; Tob 13:1-18; Dan 3:3-22). For other NT examples, see Lk 1:68-79 and Eph 1:3-14 (CCC 2626-27).

living hope: Not mere optimism or wishful thinking, but the earnest desire, made possible by grace, for the unseen glory of heaven (1:13, 21; Rom 8:24-25). Notice that Peter’s benediction makes reference to all three theological virtues: “faith” (1:9), “hope” (1:3), and “love” (1:8). See note on 1 Cor 13:13.

1 Pet 1:5 | ISB Notes

the last time: The climactic end of history, when the definitive salvation of believers will take place in connection with the Second Coming (described in 1:7 as “the revelation of Jesus Christ”).

1 Pet 1:6 | ISB Notes

suffer various trials: Endurance of suffering and persecution is frequently mentioned in the letter (2:1922; 4:1, 12-19; 5:9-10). It is here compared to a smelting process that removes alloys and impurities from precious metals such as gold (1:7; Job 23:10; Sir 2:4-5). Suffering, Peter says, is the fire that refines our faith and makes us more like Christ, whose own endurance of torment was an expression of filial obedience to the Father (1 Pet 2:21; Phil 2:8; Heb 5:8) (CCC 618, 1031).

• The saints, perceiving the benefits of divine fire, did not shrink from trials or become discouraged by them. Instead of suffering injury, they were improved by what they endured, gleaming like gold refined in fire (St. Athanasius, Festal Letters 10).

1 Pet 1:8 | ISB Notes

you do not now see: Peter affirms readers for living by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7; cf. Jn 20:29). Faith will eventually bring believers face to face with the Lord (1 Cor 13:12).

1 Pet 1:9 | ISB Notes

the outcome: Salvation is here described as a future event, which means it cannot be reduced to an event or experience already completed in the past. See note on Rom 5:10.

salvation of your souls: The expression is a Semitic way of saying “your salvation”. The term “soul” is used in the Hebrew sense of a whole living “person” (as in 1 Pet 3:20).

1 Pet 1:11 | ISB Notes

the Spirit of Christ: The Holy Spirit (1:12), who is sent into the world by the Father (Jn 14:26) and the Son (Jn 15:26). The activity of the Spirit is here linked with the inspiration of the Prophets, who spoke the word of God to Israel and foretold the suffering of the Messiah (e.g., Is 52:13— 53:12; Dan 9:26). Peter will return to this subject in his second letter, where he describes the Prophets being “moved” by the Spirit to speak messages that come “from God” (2 Pet 1:21).

• In the Nicene Creed, the Spirit is identified as the Divine Person “who has spoken through the prophets” (CCC 687, 702).

1 Pet 1:12 | ISB Notes

those who preached: The apostles and prophets of the Church spoke by the same Spirit that had once inspired the Prophets of Israel (1:10-11). The result is a divinely established unity between OT and NT revelation (CCC 128-29).

angels long to look: The salvation of men, worked out through the suffering and glorification of Christ, was once a mystery hidden in God (Eph 3:9). It is now revealed to the Church through the Spirit and to the angels through the ministry of the Church (Eph 3:10).

1 Pet 1:13 | ISB Notes

gird up your minds: A metaphor for mental preparedness. In biblical times, to “gird up” meant to tuck a long garment into a belt so that one could run or move more quickly (Ex 12:11; Lk 12:35).

1 Pet 1:16 | ISB Notes

You shall be holy: A recurring mandate from Leviticus (Lev 11:44; 19:2; 20:7).

•Yahweh often demanded holiness from Israel; that is, he bid the people to draw close to him and to shun the vile practices of the Gentiles. Peter’s readers are likewise surrounded by pagans, yet they are urged to serve God in holiness of life.

1 Pet 1:17 | ISB Notes

invoke as Father: Refers to addressing God as “Abba” or “Father” in prayer (Mt 6:9; Rom 8:15; CCC 2780-82).

impartially: i.e., with absolute fairness. Because God exercises perfect justice, he cannot be bribed to show favoritism toward some and not others (Deut 10:17).

according to his deeds: The standard of judgment established in the OT (Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12) and maintained in the NT (Mt 16:27; Rom 2:5-11) (CCC 682).

your exile: i.e., your time on earth.

See introduction: Destination.

1 Pet 1:19 | ISB Notes

lamb without blemish: Depicts Jesus as a Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7).

• Exodus stipulates that lambs chosen for Passover must be free from all physical defects (Ex 12:5). The point here is that Jesus is free from every blemish of sin (1 Pet 2:22). Other details reminiscent of the Passover tradition include the notion that Jesus “ransomed” us from sinful ways (1:18), just as Israel was redeemed from sinful Egypt (Ex 15:13), and that the “blood” of Jesus was shed for our salvation (1 Pet 1:19), recalling how the blood of the paschal lamb was shed as the sign of God’s deliverance at the first Exodus (Ex 12:21-23) (CCC 602).

1 Pet 1:20 | ISB Notes

the end of the times: The manifestation of Christ in the flesh marks the beginning of the end of history. Paul refers to this final era as “the end of the ages” (1 Cor 10:11).

1 Pet 1:22 | ISB Notes

love one another: Echoes the new commandment of Jesus in Jn 13:34-35.

1 Pet 1:23 | ISB Notes

not of perishable seed: The imperishable seed of grace and new life comes through the gospel. It begets children of God destined to live forever (CCC 1228, 2769).

See word study: at 1:3.

1 Pet 1:24 | ISB Notes

All flesh is like grass: A quotation from Is 40:6-8.

• Isaiah contrasts the fleeting existence of men with the abiding word of the Lord. Peter connects this with the gospel, the word that gives eternal life to all who accept it (1:25; Jas 1:18).