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1 Peter 1:10 – Prospecting Prophets

Posted on October 12, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:10

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

Truth to Learn

Even the prophets of the Old Testament searched the Scriptures to understand the truth of this salvation that we have received.

Behind the Words

The word “inquired” is from the Greek exezēteō, which is in an intensive form of dzēteō, meaning “to seek out or to look diligently.”

The word translated “searched carefully” is the Greek word exereunaō. This is also expressed in an intensive form and it means “to explore earnestly,” like a prospector digging with effort and persistence for precious nuggets of gold.

Meaning Explained

Now, concerning this salvation which Peter has just described, he goes on to impress upon his readers its rarity and preciousness. It is of such rare value that the prophets themselves have earnestly sought out its meaning.

The Greek construction does not say that they sought “after it” but “concerning it.” They were not looking for salvation, they were trying to understand salvation in the very messages they were delivering through the Spirit of God. According to Albert Barnes in his Notes on the Bible:

they perceived that in their communications there were some great and glorious truths which they did not fully comprehend, and that they diligently employed their natural faculties to understand that which they were appointed to impart to succeeding generations.

The prophets, who were the channel of God’s revelation to the Israelites and to us, were themselves constantly seeking the meaning of their messages, even digging through other scripture to get deeper meaning. An excellent example of this is portrayed in Daniel 9:2:

in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

Daniel obviously spent a lot of time searching the scriptures of his day, especially the prophesies of those who came before him. It was through this study of God’s Word and gold mining for information in “the books” (actually scrolls) that the Spirit of God revealed to him the time when the Israelites would be allowed to return to Jerusalem.

In today’s verse the use of “inquired” and “searched carefully,” both in their intensive form, emphasizes the effort and care that was put into understanding the details of this salvation that we have. Isn’t it a shame that we, with the entire revelation of God in our hands, take the reading of His Word and this salvation so lightly?

Application

Let me urge each of you to renew your commitment to God and to the understanding of His message for us. Let us search the scriptures daily and let us lock His Word in our hearts to be meditated on and shared with others.

To God be the glory!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:9 – True Saving Faith

Posted on October 9, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:9

receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Truth to Learn

Faith in the blood of Jesus Christ as payment for your sins guarantees the salvation of your soul.

Behind the Words

The word “receiving” is translated from a form of komidzō, which means “to bring” or “to receive.” It is expressed here in the middle voice, which in Greek means an action that is done by the subject of the verb to itself. Hence, here it means “receiving to yourself …”

The Greek word translated “end” is telos, which properly means “the point aimed at” and by implication means the “conclusion” or “ultimate result.”

Meaning Explained

This verse ties back to the last part of verse 7, “the appearing of Jesus Christ.” If you look at the key verbs that follow this phrase you find, “having not seen,” “believing,” and “receiving.” If we consider these together we can see what Peter is saying regarding the coming of Jesus Christ. Even though we have not seen Him, we believe in Him, and will, as the final result of that faith, obtain salvation. Here Peter tells us that the ultimate result of our faith is the salvation of our souls.

In a positional sense, we have already received salvation, that is, in God’s record book we are already marked as righteous (saved). But, that salvation isn’t fully consummated until He comes back to take us home. At the rapture of the church, the salvation of our souls will be completed when we receive our immortal bodies:

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1Corinthians 15:51-54a)

This concludes Peter’s first lesson for us: we rejoice in the trials which refine and purify our faith because it is that faith which guarantees our salvation which will be received at the coming of Jesus.

What Peter is not saying in this passage is that we have to “keep our faith and not lose it” because he already made it abundantly clear that we were chosen to salvation by God Himself and the preponderance of scriptural evidence makes it very clear that He will not lose us. For example, Jesus said:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” (John 10:27)

Application

If your church has taught you that you can lose your salvation through willful sin, a cardinal sin, or the unpardonable sin, let me ease your mind. The writings of the New Testament, including the testimony of Christ Himself, make it clear that no one can take that salvation from you (not even you)!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:8 – Inexpressible Joy

Posted on October 8, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:8

whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Truth to Learn

Faith without visual evidence produces joyful rejoicing.

Behind the Words

“Having not seen” is translated from the Greek words ouk eidontes. The fist word, ouk is the absolute negative and eidontes is from eidō, meaning “to see with perception.” It is expressed as an aorist participle, meaning “in the past you did not see.”

The expression “now you do not see” is translated from the words mē orōntes. The word mē is a relative negative and orōntes of a form of the verb horaō, which also means “to see with perception.” Even though this is a different root word from eidō, it is generally used in the present tense where eidō is used for the aorist tense (past, point-in-time action). It is used here as a participle so this could be translated as “you are not seeing.”

The word translated “inexpressible” is aneklalētos, a double compound word made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without,” ek, meaning “out” or “out of,” and a form of laleō, meaning “to speak” or “to utter a sound.” Hence, aneklalētos refers to something which is “not utterable,” or inexpressible.

“Full of glory” is the translation of doxadzō. The root of this word is dokeō, meaning “to recognize in a favorable manner.” We see then, that doxadzō refers to that favorable recognition, or glory. It is expressed here in the perfect tense, meaning past completed action with an ongoing effect, the emphasis being on the effect. Hence we could translate this word as “glorious,” that is, something which now has ongoing glory.

Meaning Explained

Since this epistle is believed to have been written sometime between 58 and 65 AD, some of those reading it would have been alive when Christ was alive. It is unlikely, however, that very many of them, if any, actually saw Jesus. This letter was written to the chosen ones scattered throughout Asia Minor and, therefore, Peter can confidently say that they had not seen him.

The point that Peter is making is that in spite of the fact that they had not seen Jesus, they loved Him. This same message is clearly given to us today. Though none of us has seen him we still love him. A common expression in the world today is “seeing is believing,” but Peter is saying, in effect, “believing is seeing.” The result of this belief, as he has said in several of the previous verses, is that we rejoice with a joy that is both glorious and indescribable. Have you ever tried to explain the joy of salvation to an unbeliever? It’s impossible isn’t it? The joy we have, even in the midst of trials, is difficult for us to explain and impossible for an unbeliever to understand.

Application

We may not be able to see our Savior today, but that doesn’t stop us from believing in Him and in the gift of eternal life through His blood. That salvation should give joy to us all.

Let us express that joy in our worship and our praise of Him!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:7 – Genuine Refined Faith

Posted on October 7, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:7

that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

Difficult times in our lives strengthen our faith which results in praise, honor, and glory to God.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “that” is hina which could be translated as “with the intent that …” It is referring to “various trials.” In other words, the intent of these trials is that our faith may result in praise, honor, and glory to God.

The word translated “genuineness” is dokimion, which is an expression of worth and is thus translated “genuineness” or “worthiness.” It is related to the verb translated here as “tested.” This verb is dokimadzō, which means “to assay” or “to test for the purpose of finding value.” This testing is not intended to find fault but to determine something’s greatness.

“More precious” is the translation of the Greek word timiōteron, the comparative form of timeos, which means “valuable, costly, or honored.” Hence, the comparative means “more valuable” or “more honored.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse can be confusing if not analyzed carefully. Let’s look at it phrase by phrase:

“That the genuineness of your faith” – The intent of the various trials that we undergo is to assay, or evaluate our faith. It is an evaluation whose purpose is to determine the goodness, or value of our faith, not the badness or weakness of our faith.

“being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire” – Peter is not saying that your faith is much more precious than gold (though that may well be true), rather he is saying that the genuineness of your faith is more precious. Peter is saying that God values a stronger, more genuine faith over a weak, ineffective faith.

But, why does Peter refer to Gold as perishable? Isn’t gold a metal that doesn’t corrode? Isn’t it enduring? We have all heard the explanation of the golden ring in a wedding ceremony as a symbol of the eternal love that exists between Christ and His bride, the church. It is a “symbol” of this eternal love, it is not eternal itself. In fact, gold is a soft metal that wears away easily and which will disappear with the rest of creation at the end of time. The trial of our faith will produce eternal results and the genuineness of our faith can only be ascertained through trial.

“may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” – The reason for our rejoicing and the reason for the proving of our faith is that it might result in praise and honor and glory, not to us, but to the author and finisher of our faith when he comes back to claim us as His own.

Application

Compare this with what James said about this very subject in James 1:2, “My brothers, count it all joy when you encounter various trials.” We can count it all joy because we know that through these trials our faith is being purified, made stronger and more valuable. And, these trials will ultimately result in praise to God! After all, isn’t that what we all want?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:6 – Rejoice in Adversity

Posted on October 6, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:6

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

Truth to Learn

Even in the midst of difficult times we should be rejoicing that God has secured our salvation, forever!

Behind the Words

The word “rejoice” is translated from the Greek word agalliaō, which is a compound of agan, meaning “much” and a form of hallomai, meaning “to leap.” Hence, it literally means “much leaping.” By application, it refers to abundant joyful celebration. The word is used here in the present tense, active voice, and indicative mood, indicating current, continuous action. Therefore, we could translate this as, “you are currently greatly rejoicing.”

The phrase “you have been grieved” is from the Greek word, lupeo which means “to be in distress” or “to be sad.”

“Various” is translated from poikilos, which means “variegated.” This is the word used to describe the skin of a leopard or the different colored shadings in marble. Hence, though the word “various” is an accurate translation, it refers to “various different kinds,” not just “a number of.”

The word “trials” is from the Greek word peirasmos which can mean “to entice” or “to tempt.” By implication it means temptations or adversities in general. This is different from the word translated “tested” in the following verse (dokimadzō), which means “to test or evaluate in order to ascertain value.”

Meaning Explained

Peter is saying, “In this new birth, which can’t be lost, and this guaranteed salvation which you have, you are greatly rejoicing …” He is not so much making a doctrinal statement as he is making a statement of fact. Apparently the people to whom he is writing had already demonstrated their rejoicing in their salvation and inheritance. And this is made even more noteworthy considering the trials that they were currently undergoing.

So what Peter is saying is that these people were rejoicing in the assurances they have from God in spite of the fact that they were currently undergoing distress or sadness from the temptations and adversities that they were suffering. It is clear from the next verse that they were not sad as a result of being tempted to do evil. They were saddened by the pain of the adversity they were undergoing, even though this adversity was causing their faith to be strengthened.

As Paul said:

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Application

We all undergo adversities and trials in our Christian walk. One of the keys to peace and happiness is the realization that these are only temporary and they may result in even greater glory as we allow them to refine our faith and give the glory to God alone.

Are you undergoing adversities which are producing sadness in your life? Peter says, “Rejoice!”

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:5 – Guardian of Salvation

Posted on October 5, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:5

who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Truth to Learn

God is guarding our salvation and will not allow it to be lost.

Behind the Words

“Kept” is translated from the Greek word phroureō, which is a compound of pro, meaning “in front of or before” and horao, meaning “to stare at or to attend to.” Hence, this word means “to be a watcher in front of,” that is “to guard something” like a soldier keeps guard as a protector. This verb is expressed in the present tense, active voice, and indicative mood, which indicates current, continuous action.

The word translated “power” is dunamis, from which we get our English word dynamite. It refers to “the ability to do something,” or “power.”

“Ready” is from the Greek word hetoimos, which refers to “a state of readiness or preparedness.”

The word “last” is translated from eschatos, meaning “the farthest, most remote, or final.” This is a reference to the end of time as we know it when eternity will be ushered in.

Meaning Explained

This verse is an extension of the previous verse and serves to corroborate and reinforce what was said there. What Peter is telling us is that through our faith, God guards us with the end result being our salvation which will be revealed at the end of time. Since there is no one stronger than God, he will not lose us. Even we are not able to escape his guardianship ourselves. We could not walk away even if we wanted to because He is guarding us (we cannot lose or give-up this salvation which He has given us and which He is guarding.)

Compare this with what is said in the following verses:

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:6)

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. (2 Timothy 1:12)

And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! (2 Timothy 4:18)

So we see that the first 5 verses of 1 Peter are a strong treatise on the doctrines of election and eternal security. It seems amazing to me that there are so many Christians who refuse to believe the message God has clearly given us regarding these two doctrines. We want to believe in eternal security though we don’t feel like we deserve it because we’re so sinful; and we don’t want to believe in election because we feel like it isn’t fair!

Application

Instead of getting hung-up about the doctrines of election and eternal security, we simply need to accept these teachings by faith and praise God continually for His mercy and grace!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:4 – Eternal Inheritance

Posted on October 2, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:4

to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

Truth to Learn

Our inheritance, as born again children of God, is guaranteed for us, and it will never be taken away from us.

Behind the Words

The word translated “inheritance” is klēronomia, which is made up of klēros, referring to “a lot” or “a share” and a form of nemō, meaning “to hold” or “to have in one’s power.” It is a reference to being in possession of a share of someone’s estate (in this case, God’s estate).

“Incorruptible” is from the Greek word aphthartos, which is a compound word of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of phtheirō, meaning “to corrupt” or “to destroy” or “to cause to waste away.” Hence, aphthartos refers to “something that does not waste away and cannot be destroyed.”

The word translated “undefiled” is amiantos, made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of miainō, which means “to stain, to pollute, or to defile.” Hence, amiantos refers to “that which is pure, clean, and unpolluted.”

The expression “that does not fade away” is translated from amarantos, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of marainō, meaning “to extinguish, to go out, to dry up, or to fade away.” Hence it refers to “something that is perpetual and does not diminish at all with time.”

Meaning Explained

According to Ephesians 1:5 our predestination results in our adoption by Jesus Christ himself:

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

And, in Ephesians 1:11 Paul says that we’ve received an inheritance from that predestination:

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

Now Peter says that the inheritance which results from our being born again cannot be destroyed, is unpolluted, and does not diminish with time. Like Paul told us in Ephesians 1:14:

who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

We have the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of our inheritance, so Peter now tells us that the inheritance that we already have rights to cannot fade away or diminish. It is eternal!

Application

Here in the first 4 verses of 1 Peter we are instructed that not only were we chosen by God to obtain this salvation, but that it is irrevocable and will never disappear (in other words, we can never lose our salvation!)

No wonder Peter is so full of praise to God. We should be as well!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:3 – Spiritual Birth

Posted on October 1, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Truth to Learn

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we have spiritual life.

Behind the Words

“Blessed” is translated from eulogētos, which is an adjective form of the verb eulogeō, meaning “to say good words.” It is the word from which we get our English word eulogy, which is a message of good words, or praise about someone. Hence, eulogētos means “well spoken of” or “honored.” In the New Testament this word is only used of God.

The expression “has begotten us again” is translated from the Greek word anagennaō. This a compound word made up of ana, meaning “again” and gennaō, meaning “to give birth.” Hence it means “to give birth again.” The verb is expressed here in the aorist tense, implying action that was performed at a point in time in the past.

“Living” is translated from dzaō, meaning “to live” or “to have life.” It is expressed here as a participle describing “hope.” Hence it refers to “a living hope” or “a hope that is alive.”

Meaning Explained

Peter starts this verse with an expression of praise to God, declaring His blessedness. The reason for his praise of the Father is that He “gave birth to us again.” This is essentially the same as the expression that Christ used when He said to Nicodemus in John 3:3:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Peter is clearly giving praise to God the Father for His mercy through which He has born us again. As Jesus described to Nicodemus, this is not a physical rebirth, but a spiritual rebirth. Peter is clearly connecting our election by God the Father with our spiritual birth. His point is clearly that our spiritual birth is not something we did any more than our physical birth was. God chose us and God gave us spiritual life.

The result of our being born again is a hope that is alive. It is not mere speculation or hopeful anticipation that we have, but a living assurance. The Pharisees believed in the hope of a resurrection, but their hope was a dead hope. They lived under the condemnation of the law and were held under the law without mercy. But, because of God’s mercy, we are freed from the condemnation of the law.

Just as Christ was raised from the dead and is living today, God’s promise is that we shall also be raised from the dead physically and we have already been given life spiritually. So, not only do we have the hope of eternal life, but we have spiritual life and fellowship with the Father right now!

Application

Peter is proclaiming in this one verse what should be the proclamation of every Christian today: though I am deserving of hell fire, God in his mercy has chosen me and has given me spiritual life, and assurance of life for all eternity.

Praise God!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:2 – God Selected

Posted on September 30, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:2

elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

Truth to Learn

God chose us to be saved.

Behind the Words

“Elect” is translated from the Greek word eklectos, meaning “one who is selected or chosen.” It is from the verb eklegō, which means “to select or chose through thoughtful and deliberate consideration.”

The word translated “foreknowledge” is translated from prognōsis, a compound word made up of pro, meaning “before” and a form of ginōskō, which means “to know.” Hence, it means “to have knowledge or recognition of something before it occurs.”

Meaning Explained

I’m going to take a risky walk across some thorny ground on today’s verse. Not because I believe this verse is unclear or not corroborated by the rest of scripture (which it most certainly is), but because the whole doctrine of election, of God’s choosing us to be saved, is much argued. The Biblical Scholar Albert Barnes once said the following in reference to the Apostle Paul’s teaching on election:

There is no doctrine that is usually so unpopular; none that is so much reproached; none that is so much abused. There is none that people desire so much to disbelieve or avoid; none that they are so unwilling to have preached; and none that they are so reluctant to find in the Scriptures. Even many Christians turn away from it with dread; or if they “tolerate” it, they yet feel that there is something about it that is especially dark and forbidding. Not so felt Paul. He felt that it laid the foundation for eternal praise; that it presented glorious views of God; that it was the ground of confidence and hope; and that it was desirable that Christians should dwell upon it and praise God for it.

Peter, here, makes no excuse for God’s actions but states very simply that we are, “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God …” He does not state what it was that God foreknew about us. Some have speculated that he foreknew who would accept his offer of salvation and, therefore, chose them, but if that were true then it would no longer be God’s choice, would it? We don’t know what it was about us that God foreknew which caused him to choose us. What we do know is that it isn’t fair! If God were fair we would get what we deserve, eternity in the lake of fire.

God the Father is only one part of the Godhead who was involved in our salvation, however. The other two members of the Godhead were involved as well. The Father chose, the Spirit sanctified, that is, He made us holy and pure, He set us apart and baptized (placed) us into the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13) resulting in obedience, and Jesus, the Son, sprinkled us with His blood, marking us as His own and ceremonially cleansing us of our sin. All this, and much more, occurred when we were saved.

Application

Nothing is so humbling and so motivating to service than the realization that God chose me to be His child, not because I deserved it, but simply because He decided to.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog

1 Peter 1:1 – From Peter, To All Christians

Posted on September 28, 2008 by admin

1 Peter 1:1

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Truth to Learn

If you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins then this letter, written by the Apostle Peter, is for you.

Behind the Words

The word translated “pilgrims” is parepidēmois, which is a double compound word made up of para, meaning “beside, near, or close to,” epi, meaning “over, upon, or among,” and dēmos, meaning “a people.” This word literally refers to someone who has become integrated among a nation of people. Hence, its full meaning is a foreigner who has settled down, however briefly, next to or among the native people.

“Dispersion” is translated from the Greek word diasporas, which literally refers to “the dispersion.” This is the same term used by James in the opening of his letter. It is a specific reference to Jews as they were dispersed throughout the world since the Babylonian captivity.

Meaning Explained

Peter opens this letter with a typical salutation indicating, first off, who the letter is from. Historically, there never has been any doubt as to who this letter was from. The unvarying testimony of history, and the uniform belief of the church, both ascribe this Epistle to Peter. Indeed, there is likely no ancient writing whatever of which there is more certainty in regard to its authorship.

Having identified who the letter is from, Peter now identifies who the letter is to. Since the expression “pilgrims of the dispersion” refers specifically to Jews, we have to ask ourselves, “Was this letter written to Jews or to Christians?” As you will discover from reading the book of Acts, most early converts to Christianity were Jews. Because of this, many people in the first century, especially Jews, considered Christianity simply a sect of Judaism. 1 Peter 1:3 makes it clear, however, that he is writing to Jews of the dispersion who are also believers in the resurrection of Christ (who … has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead).

The specific Christians Peter is writing to were those who lived in the areas of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. These were all provinces of Asia Minor which are in present day Turkey, the area of the world first evangelized by the Apostle Paul and his associates.

The Greek text actually contains an additional word before parepidemois, which is the word eklektois, meaning “chosen ones” or “the elect”. Hence, this passage should really read, “to the chosen pilgrims of the dispersion …” In order to make the next verse easier to understand, however, the translators moved the word “chosen” to the beginning of the next verse.

Application

Even though this letter was written nearly two thousand years ago to Jews who had become Christians living in Asia Minor, the truths that Peter teaches in this letter apply to all Christians throughout history, in all parts of the world. This letter is to you, my sister or brother in Christ!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

All of our daily verse studies are available on the Ministry of Grace Church blog at http://www.ministryofgrace.org/blog