The Book of First Peter, Chapter 5

Serve God Willingly

It is unlikely that Peter has any idea that the Church, over the coming centuries, would circle the globe and influence every aspect of life where it was introduced. But Peter’s teachings laid much of the framework for the establishment of the Church, and chapter five moves us from the calling of the individual to the rudiments for the establishment of the corporate Church.

But make no mistake, Satan, the old dragon, seeing that his end is in sight, begins to rage in his death throes, creating deceptions, deploying false christs, wolves in sheep’s clothing, wars and rumors of war, an increase in famines, earthquakes. He will cause people to become lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.

Jesus had warned these days would come (see Matthew 24) and Peter reminds us (chapter 4 verse 7) “the end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer:”

Serve God Willingly

1 Peter 5:1, Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: verse 2, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness; verse 3, nor yet as domineering over those assigned to your care, but by proving to be examples to the flock. Verse 4. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Verse 5. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT HE GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.

(Commentary Break): As Peter began, I reiterate, “I urge elders among you, as your fellow elder; shepherd the flock of God among you, (1) exercising oversight, not under compulsion (anagkastós – The adverb expresses an action carried out from external pressure, constraint, or a sense of unavoidable obligation. It portrays conduct that is reluctant rather than voluntary, driven by necessity rather than willing desire;

(2) “according to the will of God” is a phrase translated by some versions; however, the King James and the New King James omit the phrase, “according to the will of God”; and the English Standard version says “as God would have you”. This verse actually uses only the word “theos”, (God), and could read “as God would have you to do”. In other words, you hearers are admonished to apply the full context of that follows in the rest of verse 1 and the context of verses two and three, as such,

(2a), “not with greed but with eagerness;

(2b), nor yet as domineering over those assigned to your care, but by proving to be examples to the flock.

This is meant to be a safeguard against arrogance, self-importance, and spiritual abuse by pastors and elders, to insure humility and right cooperation among in the congregation of believers and effective unity in the Church which brings honor to God, (End Commentary Break).

Verse 6. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, verse 7, having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.

(Commentary Break): All of us in the Church, are reminded that God alone is the Shepherd and Head of the Church. All of us are His servants with a role to be fulfilled. And there are many of those in the Church who will be called upon (exalted) to serve at the proper time. So, we are to “cast all our anxiety on Him” and live in humble unity among ourselves as we serve Him. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 8. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Verse 9. So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world. Verse 10. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. Verse 11. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

(Commentary Break): Peter’s letter is to the Church, although he also makes direct remarks to the elders. Now Peter’s remarks take on a serious if not ominous tone, as he turns his attention to the whole church warning us to “be of sober spirit”, or to be sober minded, for the devil is prowling like lion, seeking someone to devour. This metaphor should be taken as literally as possible. Like a traveler making his way through the forests and jungles, ‘diablo’ is always on the hunt so you must always be on the alert. Drop your guard for a minute and you and perhaps even your companions and loved ones may find yourselves eaten alive – devoured – by the schemes of the evil one. Think on this: all you have committed to, all you have prayed for, all you have sacrificed for, eaten away in one careless moment. So, endure, and after you have suffered for a while, which is your necessary preparation, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 12. Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! Verse 13. She (the Church) who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark. Verse 14. Greet one another with a kiss of love.

Peace be to you all who are in Christ. (End First Peter, chapter 5).

Through this entire epistle, Peter gives instructions on holy living for those suffering persecution. First Peter teaches that God can use difficulties to strengthen Christians and their witness. Knowing this can bring hope. We read First Peter to discover how faith, refined by suffering, can help us see the Lord more clearly. It gives valuable advice for holding firm in difficult times. The apostle Peter saw that increasing hardship and persecution had scattered believers, which spread their witness but caused some to wonder if God had abandoned them. Peter wrote to encourage them, offering them hope and meaning in the midst of their suffering.

Now dear friends in Christ, let’s remember that although this book was initially written to Gentile and Jewish believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Western Asia Minor and Bithynia, it was meant for all believers throughout all the ages. These words are for you and for me, today. This is not ‘about the Bible’ nor is it ‘about our standing in Christ’. Peter is exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God today. Let’s stand firm in it!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PREVIOUS: The Book of First Peter, Chapter 4, Be of the Same Purpose, Share the Sufferings of Christ.

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The Book of First Peter, Chapter 4

Be of the Same Purpose, Share the Sufferings of Christ

Peter offers what could be considered one of the great challenges for the Christian – deliberately follow Christ and likewise endure His sufferings joyfully so that you may cease from sin. (Please note that the commentaries on this chapter are long and confrontational and some might even say controversial and unconventional.)

Be of the Same Purpose

1 Peter 4:1, Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, verse 2, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will of God. Verse 3. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries.

(Commentary Break): Perhaps you are like me in that when I look back over my life, I am sorrowful for the trail of sin in my life, and from that perspective, I do not feel qualified to call myself a Christian. But thanks to God for His wonderful grace and such a great salvation. I am learning that when I embrace the same purpose of Christ and His sufferings that I begin to find a relief from sin.

This is a hidden truth of the human psyche – you cannot think narrowly upon one thing that brings you intense suffering passion and pain and yet do another. Scriptures are admonishing us to willfully “arm ourselves with the same purpose as Christ”, because engaging in such a worthy purpose that brings this vexing cleansing pain, the flesh will cease from sin – so we may live the rest of the time in the flesh not for human lusts, but for the will of God. There a few teachings such as this one. It is an unvarnished truth and a dividing line between “knowing about God” and truly knowing Him. It is the difference between calling oneself a Christian and truly being a follower, a disciple a brother and joint-heir with Him.

Those who think they can ‘comfortably serve’ the purposes of Christ will only find the disappointing plague of sin haunting them along the way. Rid yourself of this plague.

(The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death; for the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.) (End Commentary Break).

Verse 4. In [connection with] all this, they [the unbelievers] are resentful and surprised that you do not [think like them, value their values and] run [hand in hand] with them into the same excesses of dissipation and immoral freedom, and they criticize and abuse and ridicule you and make fun of your values; verse 5, but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Verse 6. For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

(Commentary Break): Another effect of “arming oneself with the purpose and the suffering of Christ” is that those with whom you have run in a life of “indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries”, will begin to ridicule you and will separate from you and you from them. Do not be discouraged, but embrace the safety of the presence of God, and the Family of God, the Ekklesia, which is now round about you.

Secondly, this spiritual life is not bound by physical death but is eternal, aligning with the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ (John 3:16). The contrast between judgment in the flesh and life in the spirit emphasizes the hope and assurance of salvation for believers, despite earthly trials. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 7. The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

(Commentary Break): Verse seven should be clear enough when red at its face value. But its clear meaning has been obfuscated by agenda-oriented denominationalists, particularly the dispensationalists. Peter is clearly prophetically stating “The end of all things is near”.

Dispensationalists and religious Traditionalists, however, will say things like “During this time, Christians were experiencing increasing hostility and persecution, which forms the backdrop for Peter’s exhortations, and because of the severe persecution and the ascension of Christ, many Christians including John of Patmos had come to believe the end of all things had come”. Some will even venture to guess that the Apostles were confused or had mistaken the times. All of which is egregiously incorrect, a poor guess at best and at worst, a deliberate misinterpretation of scriptures.

I will concede that if Peter alone had made such a radical statement that “The end of all things is near”, there might be some reason to question his remark. However, Peter was not alone in his remarks. The disciple Timothy, and the Apostles Paul and John made the same and similar references. And if that isn’t enough to settle the matter, Jesus, Himself, has settled the matter in His prophetic remarks found in Matthew chapter 24 and in The Book of The Revelation, chapters six through eight.

Matthew 24:4-31, (Jesus), describing a panorama of the tribulation and the Last Days. Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, (see Matthew 24:3-4),

(1). In the Last Days, there will be a rise of false Christs and false prophets. (This was an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35. See Matthew 24:4-5).

(2). In the Last Days, there will be famines and earthquakes. (This has been a regular occurrence since as early as A.D. 35 or earlier. See Matthew 24:7 and the Fourth Tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:5-8).

(3). In the Last Days, there are wars and rumors of wars. (Wars and rumors of war have been occurring since as early as A.D. 35 or earlier. See Matthew 24:6 and the Second Tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:3-4).

(4). In the Last Days, there will be a persecution and martyrdom of Christians. (This has been an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35. See Matthew 24:9 and the Fifth Tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:9-11).

(5). In the Last Days, there will be a falling away from the faith. (This has been an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35, and has been increasing to this very day. See Matthew 24:10).

These things, false Christs, wars and rumors of war, famines, earthquakes and plagues, persecutions, martyrs, which Jesus calls the ‘Birth Pangs’ of the tribulation, are nothing new; and from these cited verses, we can plainly see that the first 5 tribulation Seals have been broken, and the effects had begun between the time of the birth of Jesus and A.D 95, and have been overlapping and increasing in their intensity since those early days.

Jesus calls the First phase of the tribulation the ‘Birth Pangs’ (Matthew 24:8). Jesus then calls the Second phase of the tribulation, the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21), also known as the Sixth Tribulation Seal (Revelation 6:12-14), and the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord (Joel 2:31), and the Wrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6:16).. (Please click these links for verification and understanding).

Now, what would you think?

Acts 2:14-17, (the Apostle Peter), saying, “let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days it shall be…’ (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

1 Peter 1:20, (the Apostle Peter), saying, “He, (Jesus), was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

 1 Peter 4:7, (the Apostle Peter), saying, “The end of all things is at hand.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

 2 Peter 3:3. (the Apostle Peter), saying, “knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

If these verses say all these things began occurring in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60, and Peter called those days the LAST TIMES, THE LAST DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS.

What would you think?

1 Corinthians 10:11, (the Apostle Paul), saying, “Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

Hebrews 1:2, (the Apostle Paul), saying, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

Hebrews 9:26, (the Apostle Paul), saying, “But as it is, Jesus has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

If these verses say all these things began occurring in the LAST TIMES, THE DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS.

What would you think?

 2 Timothy 3:1, (Timothy), saying, “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

If these verses say all these things began occurring in the LAST TIMES, THE DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS.

What would you think?

 1 John 2:18. (the Apostle John), saying, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

 Revelation 1:9, (The Apostle John), saying, “I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 95 to A.D. 100).

If these verses say that John was a fellow participant IN THE TRIBULATION in the year A.D. 95.

What would you think?

 Our Lord spoke of these things as they were occurring. The Apostles spoke of these things as they were occurring. They were not confused nor were they mistaken. These testimonies clearly tell us that the Last Days, also known as The End of All Things, The End of the Ages, The Last Hour, The Last Times and the tribulation, began at the birth of Christ and these first 5 tribulation Seals have been overlapping and intensifying since those days. (We are still awaiting the breaking of the Sixth tribulation seal, also known as the Great and Terrible Day of The Lord, the Wrath of the Lamb and the Great Tribulation.

And why is this important? Readiness. Most Christians, including the Church leadership are woefully unprepared, thinking they have nothing more to do or to expect. But if you will read Matthew chapters 24 through 25 you will find that Jesus warns of the consequences of being unprepared. And Peter is warning and instructing Christians, as early as A.D. sixties. These Tribulation Seals of Birth Pains (see Matthew 24:8) have been overlapping and increasing in their intensity to this day. We are now, as Peter has said, “near the end of all things” which commence with the breaking of the Sixth Tribulation Seal and conclude with the pour out of the Seventh Tribulation Bowl – a period referred to in scriptures as The Great Tribulation, The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the Wrath of the Lamb – The end of all things, the end of the age. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 8. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Verse 9. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. Verse 10. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God.

(Commentary Break): Two Sides of One Coin. On the one side, These verses eight through ten emphasize the supreme importance of the following command. In the context of First Peter, the apostle is addressing believers who are experiencing persecution and suffering. The phrase “above all” indicates that what follows is of utmost priority in the Christian life, surpassing other duties and responsibilities. It echoes the teachings of Jesus, who emphasized love as the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-39).

The call to love deeply suggests an intense, fervent, and sincere love that goes beyond superficial or casual affection. This love is rooted in the Greek word “agape,” which denotes selfless, sacrificial love. In the early Christian community, such love was essential for unity and support, especially during times of trial. This command aligns with Jesus’ new commandment to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34-35). The depth of this love is a reflection of the love Christ showed through His sacrifice.

This phrase suggests that love has the power to forgive and overlook offenses, promoting reconciliation and peace within the community. It is reminiscent of Proverbs 10:12, which states, “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” The idea is not that love ignores sin but that it seeks to forgive and restore relationships. This covering of sins is a type of Christ’s atoning work, where His love and sacrifice cover the sins of humanity. In a communal setting, this principle helps maintain harmony and reflects the forgiving nature of God, as seen in passages like Ephesians 4:32.

On the other side of this coin, it is the unity of believers in Christ that will give us the strength, encouragement, and the help needed both in the days in which we live and in the days to come, as we “arm ourselves with the same purpose as Christ who suffered in the flesh”. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 11. Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

(Commentary Break): Please dear friends in Christ; please read and re-read these words in verse eleven. Jesus gave:

• • • Spiritual authority (over demons, sin, and evil)
    • Mission authority (to preach, teach, and make disciples)
    • Representative authority (acting in Jesus’ name)
    • Empowered authority (through the Holy Spirit)

Authority Given During Jesus’ Ministry

• • • Matthew 10:1
      “He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”
      Jesus directly empowers the twelve disciples.
    • Luke 9:1–2
      “He gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God…”
    • Luke 10:19
      “I have given you authority… over all the power of the enemy…”
      Spoken to a wider group of 72 disciples.

Authority in Spiritual Identity & Representation

• • • John 20:21–23
      “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you…”
      Includes authority connected to forgiveness of sins.
    • Matthew 16:19
      “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”
      Spoken to Peter the Apostle; symbolic authority to bind and loose.
    • Matthew 18:18
      “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven…”
      → Extended to the broader group of disciples.

 The Great Commission (Ongoing Authority)

• • • Matthew 28:18–20
      “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples…”
      Jesus delegates His mission under His authority.
    • Mark 16:17–18
      “These signs will accompany those who believe…”
      Authority expressed through miraculous signs.
    • Acts 1:8
      “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”
      Authority empowered through the Holy Spirit.

 Acting in Jesus’ Name (Delegated Authority)

• • • John 14:12–14
      “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do…”
    • Luke 24:49
      “Stay… until you are clothed with power from on high.”
    • Ephesians 2:10
      Believers are created for works prepared by God—implying participation in His will.

We are not to be idle bystanders. We are active participants in His Purpose. We are His disciples, His ambassadors, sent to do His Works and greater works, all for the glory of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior!  (End Commentary Break)

Share the Sufferings of Christ

Verse 12. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; verse 13, but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. Verse 14. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you. Verse 15. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; verse 16, but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. Verse 17. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Verse 18. AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? Verse 19. Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. (End Chapter 4).

I have recently spoken to an associate pastor search committee who are having a difficult time finding a suitable candidate. They have been meeting in the same school gymnasium for over 16 years. They once had a youth program but lost them to another nearby church. Their attendance is steady at around fifty people. Their pastor is nearing 60 years of age. The worship team’s average age is around 70 years of age. When asked, I suggested they begin ministering to those nearby instead of serving themselves. One of the lead elders remarked, “but we are comfortable with the way things are”. And I say that it would appear that so are those who lie in coffins.

Jesus says that we are to go and make disciples. And yes, even when it makes us uncomfortable.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: (Coming Soon) The Book of First Peter, Chapter 5, Serve God Willingly.

PREVIOUS: The Book of First Peter, Chapter 3, Godly Living

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(For a more detailed description and scriptural confirmation that we are in the “Last Days” (also known as the “Birth Pains of the Tribulation“, please see “Could This Be the Beginning of The End?”

The Book of First Peter, Chapter 3

Godly Living

“God has an eternal economy (Ephesians 1:10; 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:4). In this vernacular, ‘economy’ means a plan. God has an eternal plan. He planned in eternity past to do something, and this plan was made by Himself according to His heart’s desire, according to His good pleasure, to carry out His intention. God has a heart’s desire, and He has to do something to work out what He desires. God has an eternal plan, an eternal economy, with an intention to do something”. (Except from “The Overcomers” by Watchman Nee).

The economy of God” refers to God’s plan and administration for distributing Himself to humanity, allowing believers to experience and enjoy His presence and life. It emphasizes the idea that God manages His household in a way that fulfills His purpose and desire for a relationship with people.

Peter, in this chapter, succinctly and powerfully explains God’s plan, and His purpose for us in that plan. We are part of His economy and there is only one way.

Godly Living

1 Peter 3:1, In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, verse 2, as they observe your pure and respectful behavior. Verse 3. Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; verse 4, but it should be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. Verse 5. For in this way the holy women of former times, who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, verse 6, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

(Commentary Break): This chapter begins with the words “In the same way”, linking it to the previous chapter 2 and Verse 21, “For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps; So, “In the same way”, (homoiós, meaning ‘do likewise, the same way as Christ has subjected Himself to authorities on your behalf which has led to your freedom in the salvation He secured for you’), be subject to (hupotassó, meaning subject yourself in order to secure your safety.

Going Deeper: HUPO – arrange under; TASSO – mutually agree upon

The intention of “submission or subjection” is found in the CONTEXT of the words in this chapter of Ephesians, which encourages us to be wise and moral, kind and pure, gentle and forgiving.

The context is also found in the meaning of the words in these verses.

Specifically, “Hupotasso” comes from a Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”.

These troop formations were called a Phalanx. The Phalanx was the formation, usually in triangular form, in which the hoplite phalanx of the Archaic and Classical periods in Greece (c. 800–350 BC) was the formation in which the hoplites would line up in ranks in close order.

Hoplites were citizen-soldiers of Ancient Greek city-states who were primarily armed with spears and shields. Hoplite soldiers utilized the phalanx formation in order to be effective in war with fewer soldiers. The formation discouraged the soldiers from acting alone, for this would compromise the formation and minimize its strengths.

The hoplites would lock their shields together, and the first few ranks of soldiers would project their spears out over the first rank of shields.

Those at the front were, what we would call today, THE TIP OF THE SPEAR or the POINT MAN. They presented the first defense against the enemy and were the first to engage the enemy and the first to take casualties.

The phalanx therefore presented a shield wall and a mass of spear points to the enemy. Making frontal assaults against it very difficult.

It also allowed a higher proportion of the soldiers to be actively engaged in combat at a given time, rather than just those in the front rank.

This word, “Hupotasso”, in non-military use, is “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.

The Bible gives this as an example for husbands and wives to cooperate and to successfully navigate life and in waging wars against ‘their common enemy’, Satan.

The wife is fully engaged in the marriage relationship, but God says the husband is to be the Tip of the Spear in order to protect and preserve and, if necessary, the first to fall.

Interestingly, Ephesians 5:22, “be subject to your own” uses the word “idios” which means, uniquely one’s own, peculiar to the individual. It is “stronger than the simple possessive pronoun (‘own’). This emphatic adjective means ‘private, personal’ “.

God gives each husband a wife, designed by God, Himself, to fulfill a role specifically for that husband. God gives the wife gifts, talents, abilities and a calling uniquely designed to serve God and to compliment and to complete the husband. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 7. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

(Commentary Break): This is why the Bible says “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself”.

It is also why God says “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord”.

Neither, the husband nor the wife, can be made complete as persons when finding refuge, protection and provision. But as a God given ability, you can mature and sustain one another, until you understand this Spiritual principal and follow it.

Marriage has mutual strength through commitment and cooperation with one another under God’s Steady Hand.

Please take this to heart, dear ones. This message is so important. The world and the Devil are deceiving the family in to thinking ‘what works for you is OK”. It is NOT OK. God’s design, His plan and His Word is what gives life, and life more abundant. Stop following the world and REASON through God’s Word. Understand it and live!

Please understand this: Marriage – one man and one woman, and the family – are the bedrock, the mainstay of any civil, sane and successful society. Any and all efforts to pervert God’s design in this is a deliberate attempt to destroy that people and their nation. What we are seeing in America, the political rise of homosexuality and marriage, the rise of aggressive feminism, the destruction of marriage and the family, is the work of Satan and the spirit of anti-christ through social and political means; once again, telling Eve, ‘Surely you shall not die’, but die they did and all who followed. (Please, dear friend, deny false teaching, deny the way of ‘self’ and turn to God and His Word, alone. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 8. To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble; verse 9, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing. Verse 10. For,

“THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,

MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.

Verse 11. “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;

HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.

Verse 12. “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,

AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,

BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST EVILDOERS.”

(Commentary Break): Peter ‘sums it all up’ and I encourage all of us to make this into a list that we carry with us and commit to memory so we may be “be careful to do [everything] in accordance with the entire Word which God has commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper and be successful wherever you go. This Word shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful. Has He not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (or intimidated), for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (also see Joshua 1:7-9):

1. 1. 1. be harmonious,
      2. sympathetic,
      3. loving,
      4. compassionate, and
      5. humble;
      6. not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but
      7. giving a blessing instead;

for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 13. And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? Verse 14. But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE IN DREAD, verse 15, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect; verse 16, and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. Verse 17. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

(Commentary Break): These verses speak for themselves. However, I would like to add, by way of observation that far too many pastors, preachers and church ‘leaders’, will boldly and fiercely proclaim the Gospel while standing among the brethren in the Church; they will beat their breast and command others to go and tell the world of Jesus. But they never step outside the Church with their bravado. They are cowardly and timid in public. Do not be like those who ‘broaden their phylacteries’ and lord it over you in the sanctuary, but grow strangely silent among the lost and the heathens. Be as one that Peter describes, “always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect”. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 18. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; verse 19, in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, verse 20, who once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Verse 21. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, verse 22, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

(Commentary Break): Taken from BibleHub.com, “And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also; The reference to “this water” connects to the preceding verses discussing Noah’s flood. Just as the floodwaters were a means of salvation for Noah and his family, baptism is a symbol of salvation for believers. The floodwaters cleansed the earth of sin, paralleling how baptism represents the cleansing of sin. Baptism is not merely a ritual but signifies a deeper spiritual reality. It is an outward expression of an inward faith, aligning with the practice of the early church as seen in Acts 2:38, where Peter calls for repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

“not the removal of dirt from the body”; This phrase clarifies that baptism is not about physical cleanliness. In the cultural context of the time, ritual washings were common in various religious practices, including Judaism, where ceremonial washings were part of purification rites. However, Peter emphasizes that Christian baptism transcends these rituals. It is not about external purification but an internal transformation. This aligns with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 15:11, where He states that what comes out of the mouth defiles a person, not what goes into it, highlighting the importance of inner purity over external rituals.

“but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God”;
Baptism is described as a “pledge” or “appeal” to God for a clear conscience. This indicates a personal commitment and response to God’s grace. It involves a conscious decision to turn away from sin and live a life pleasing to God. The concept of a clear conscience is significant in the New Testament, as seen in Hebrews 9:14, which speaks of the blood of Christ cleansing our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. This pledge is a declaration of faith and a commitment to a new way of life in Christ.

“through the resurrection of Jesus Christ”;
The resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of Christian faith and the basis for the efficacy of baptism. It is through His resurrection that believers are given new life and hope. Romans 6:4 explains that just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too may live a new life. The resurrection signifies victory over sin and death, providing the power for believers to live transformed lives. It fulfills Old Testament prophecies, such as Psalm 16:10, which foretold that God’s Holy One would not see decay, affirming Jesus as the Messiah and the source of salvation. (End Commentary Break).

(End Chapter 3).

This chapter rightly ends with the words, “Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.” Peter begins this chapter teaching wives are to be subject to their husbands and ends with “angles and authorities and powers subjected to Him. The subjugation of and to God is not a tyrannical theocracy. It is the economy of God which provides sanctuary, safety, and Godly success even in the midst of trials and sufferings. It is built upon the Chief Cornerstone, that of Christ Jesus. And having subjected oneself to this model, you will find the peace, safety, and eternal promise that God has laid away for you since before the foundations of this world.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: The Book of First Peter, Chapter 4, Keep Fervent in Your Love, Share the Sufferings of Christ

PREVIOUS: The Book of First Peter, Chapter 2, As Newborn Babes, As Living Stones, Christ is Our Example.

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The Book of First Peter, Chapter 2

As Newborn Babes, As Living Stones, Christ is Our Example

Although this epistle is titled after the author, perhaps it would be good to stop and realize who is writing these epistles. This is the same once impulsive and often erratic disciple, (Simon) Peter, now using careful, kind, dedicated and deliberate wording to prepare the Church for what is upon them in the first century – as well as for all the ages to come. What we see is an example of the working of God and the Holy Spirit upon the life of Peter and within any believer who will follow and obey Jesus.

Although Peter’s instructions are completely counter-cultural and, I can imagine, a bit confusing at first, even to the new Church, chapter two of First Peter continues to be one of the clearest teachings and instructions of who we are as Christians and what we are to be in the eyes of God and in the eyes of this world. This is also the clearest of instructions for our mission and method.

As twenty-first century believers, I suggest we ready our minds, sharpen our focus, ready our pens and notepads and give our complete attention as we prepare to deploy.

The first verse of this chapter begins with the word “therefore”, connecting it to the closing verses in the previous chapter (1), Verse 22. “Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from the heart, verse 23, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. Verse 24. For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY IS LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, Verse 25, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” And this is the word which was preached to you.”

As Newborn Babes

1 Peter 2:1, Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, verse 2, and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, verse 3, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

(Commentary Break): To “rid oneself of” is likened to shedding old worn out and dirty clothing which has been stained by malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander, (a metaphor for the old nature of sin) and being transformed as a “newborn baby” (representing the “born again, man or woman”) – with a clean mental and spiritual slate, longing for nourishment from “the pure mile of the Word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation”. Peter uses these metaphors and similes to give us understanding of “Thoughts are not our thoughts and Ways that are not our ways; for God’s Ways are higher than our ways and His Thoughts are higher than our thoughts”.  Isaiah 55:10-12 tells us, “For, as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth And making it produce and sprout, and providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.” And so it is with the transformation of our nature and our character, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. (End Commentary Break).

As Living Stones

Verse 4. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, verse 5, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Verse 6. For this is contained in Scripture:

“BEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE,

AND THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.” Verse 7. This precious value, then, is for you who believe;

but for unbelievers, “A STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,

THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,” verse 8, and,

“A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”;

for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed.

(Commentary Break): Peter’s mind, heart and soul express what The Master has taught him, what he is become and what we are destined to be: “living stones”. There are numerous references to Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (many of which I have highlighted with links in these verses). But the one that should stand out in our minds is from Matthew 16:18, “And I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Now look carefully at these dynamically prophetic words:

(1). “you are Peter” – “Petros”, meaning a stone – a small stone – used metaphorically of a soul, hard and unyielding.

(2). “and upon this rock” – “Petra”, meaning a large, massive projecting rock; used metaphorically of a being like a large projecting craggy rock; if of a man or woman, it is by reason of his or her unmovable firmness and strength of soul.

(3). Here we see that we are the innumerable multitudes of smaller stones that are being built upon the Choice Cornerstone; being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

NOTE: Although Peter uses a metaphor, this is an expression of one of the deepest and more profound Truths of Scriptures. If we miss the significance of this Truth then we will likely remain inert and unable to fulfill our mission. Dwell on this: We are the collection of smaller stones from the Chief Cornerstone; a soul made of the same material as the Chief Cornerstone; hard and unyielding; of a man or woman who by reason of their unmovable firmness and strength of soul can withstand and even overcome the methods and wiles of the devil, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against us. This is for believers.

But for unbelievers”; This part of the verse is a direct quotation from Psalm 118:22, a messianic prophecy that is frequently referenced in the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11). The “builders” symbolize the religious leaders and authorities of the time who rejected Jesus, failing to recognize His messianic role. Despite this rejection, Jesus becomes the cornerstone, the most crucial part of God’s redemptive plan. This transformation from rejection to foundational importance is a powerful testament to God’s sovereignty and the fulfillment of prophecy. The use of this imagery would have been particularly poignant for Peter’s audience, who were familiar with the Jewish scriptures and the significance of the cornerstone in construction. It serves as a reminder of the unexpected ways in which God accomplishes His purposes, turning what was dismissed by men into the central element of His divine plan. (see BibleHub.com). (End Commentary Break).

Verse 9. But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; verse 10, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

(Commentary Break): But you are a CHOSEN people, from the Greek word, “Eklektos”, the elect, the elected ones, the ‘chosen out from’; literally ‘chosen out from by personal preference; an intentional election’. Typically, Strong’s concordance number 1588, ‘eklektós’ , (“select, chosen”) describes people who choose to follow the Lord, i.e. become God’s choice by freely receiving faith (Strong’s concordance number 4102, ‘písti’s) from Him. Accordingly, these two terms are directly connected (see Titus 1:1; Luke 18:7,8).

(NOTE: This could lead to a discussion about the doctrines of Election and Predestination, which I will forgo. However, here is an interesting link if you must: Predestined or Not?) (End Commentary Break).

Verse 11. Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. Verse 12. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of visitation.

(Commentary Break): Peter is urging us, not in a casual way, but pleading with a sense of urgency as our spiritual shepherd, to remember that we are temporary resident aliens and that it is the custom and practice of our permanent home that we must demonstrate on this earth. We must disassociate from our former ways of “self” – self-preservation, self-righteousness, self-rights, self-serving, delighting our self (our flesh). Putting all of that behind us, putting it “to death” and taking up the mantle and cross of Christ. Our time on this earth is short. We must make best use of it “so they may, because of our good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of visitation”. This will only come by willing self-sacrifice and self-discipline. So, is it any wonder that “many are called but few are chosen”? (also, see Chaptgpt). (End Commentary Break).

Honor Authority

Verse 13. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, verse 14, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. Verse 15. For such is the will of God, that by doing right you silence the ignorance of foolish people. Verse 16. Act as free people, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bond-servants of God. Verse 17. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Verse 18. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh. Verse 19. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person endures grief when suffering unjustly. Verse 20. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

(Commentary Break): This is what it means for you, as a Christian, to be in this world but not part of this world; a resident alien, a foreigner and a sojourner; set apart from this world. Knowing that your time here is important only for the Mission of Christ and is temporary. As any fully dedicated “alien invader” You observe but you do not engage in conflict. You are to bring the Message and Example of Christ – the Gospel. It is by being gentle and subject to your masters and to government authorities, whether they are reasonable or harsh, steadfastly and uncompromisingly serving our Lord, Jesus Christ, in plain view of all, that you accomplish your Mission and give honor to God. (If you take a close look around you, it is sad and shameful that only a very few of us could be called faithful and obedient to this calling). (End Commentary Break).

Christ Is Our Example

Verse 21. For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps, verse 22, HE WHO COMMITTED NO sin, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT found IN HIS MOUTH; verse 23, and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; verse 24, and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed. Verse 25. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. (End Chapter Two).

Dear brothers and sisters, let’s allow these last verses, (twenty-one through twenty-five), remain in our minds. Read them again and again. It is not that our calling and mission is just difficult, but it would be impossible if not for the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge that the Mighty Hand of God is our covering. It is spoken that we shall overcome by the word of our testimony and by the Blood of the Lamb. Fear not.

(Dear Lord, God and Savior: I pray for myself, for my companions in the faith and for all who have read these words of First Peter, that you inspire, strengthen, enlighten, embolden and preserve us all that we might be found able and faithful).

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(PS: There are those of certain denominational leanings who focus on the last words in verse 24, “by His wounds you were healed” as a promise or a claim of God that you have physical healing by the wounds and stripes suffered by Jesus. That is an incomplete understanding of these verses at best and a twisted self-centered view at worst. “By His stripes you are healed” is a phrase from Isaiah 53:5, linking Christ’s suffering to the healing of believers. “Stripes” refers to the physical wounds inflicted on Jesus during His scourging, a common Roman practice before crucifixion, which fulfills the prophecy of the suffering servant. The term “healed” can be understood both physically and spiritually, indicating the comprehensive nature of salvation. While some interpret this as physical healing, the broader context suggests spiritual restoration and reconciliation with God, as seen in passages like Psalm 103:3 and James 5:15. This healing is of entire person – body, mind, soul and spirit – a present reality and a future hope, pointing to the ultimate restoration in the new creation (Revelation 21:4)).

NEXT: The Book of First Peter, Chapter 3, Godly Living

PREVIOUS: The Book of First Peter, Chapter 1, A Living Hope and a Sure Salvation,

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The Book of First Peter, Chapter 1

A Living Hope and a Sure Salvation,

Peter gives instructions on holy living for those suffering persecution, and teaches that God can use difficulties to strengthen Christians and their witness. Knowing this can bring hope. The Book of First Peter helps us discover how faith, refined by suffering, can help us see the Lord more clearly. It gives valuable advice for holding firm in difficult times. The apostle Peter saw that increasing hardship and persecution had scattered believers, which spread their witness but caused some to wonder if God had abandoned them. Peter wrote to encourage them, offering them hope and meaning in the midst of their suffering.

We are perhaps better able to see, as time has passed, that the coming persecution (the fifth tribulation seal of birth pains) which Jesus warned about before His ascension, was already coming upon the Church.

First Peter provides us, The Christian, with a paradigm that we of the twenty-first century seldom take seriously. Peter describes Christians as “resident strangers, foreigner and sojourners”, scattered about the major population centers of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, which were the established Jewish communities and growing Gentile churches. These represent the “diaspora”. Peter calls them “elect exiles” or “strangers scattered” from the Greek word diaspora, which echoes Jewish dispersion language. (Some recipients were likely Jewish Christians dispersed outside Israel. Many were Gentile believers who now shared in Israel’s spiritual identity (1 Peter 2:9–10)). This is a description that we twenty-first century Christians should understand and embrace.

These provinces were firmly under Roman governance. Christians there were:

• Socially marginalized
• Viewed with suspicion
• Facing increasing hostility

Peter’s letter prepares them for suffering (1 Peter 4:12–16). The mention of these provinces situates the letter in a real political and cultural environment where loyalty to Christ conflicted with loyalty to Caesar. And it is not just reasonable, but is justifiable that current day Christian should assume the same mindset and posture in our political and cultural environs.

By naming a broad arc of territories, Peter emphasizes:

• Believers are scattered but united.
• They are temporary residents in earthly regions.
• Their true citizenship is heavenly (1 Peter 1:3–5).

The same is true today. A geographic spread mirrors the spiritual theme: “God’s chosen people are dispersed in the world but belong to another kingdom”.

The big picture significance is that the regions of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia highlight:

1. The wide expansion of Christianity.
2. The fulfillment of the Great Commission beyond Israel.
3. The reality of suffering among dispersed believers.
4. The identity of Christians as elect exiles awaiting future glory.

Now I encourage you to pray and prepare your heart and mind as we enter an emotionally charged, a theologically packed and a spiritually challenging word – and you will be challenged.

A Living Hope and a Sure Salvation

1 Peter 1:1, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as strangers, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen (elect), verse 2, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

(Commentary Break): It would be good. First, to define certain words for our understanding and personal application.

(1). “The chosen” or “the Elect” in verse1, aligns with the biblical theme of God’s election and predestination, as seen in Romans 8:29-30. I.e., the Elect being Christians, then, now and of all the ages. (Regardless of how your denomination views this doctrine, you can rest in this assurance).

(2). “According to the foreknowledge”, (from the Greek word, ‘prognōsis’, denoting the prior knowledge and purposeful awareness of God that undergirds His sovereign actions in history. More than mere foresight, it is the personal, relational knowing by which God sets His redemptive plan in motion and lovingly fixes His regard upon His people before their existence in time. Note: God does not need to have a thought or an idea, He is omniscient – all-knowing and He has always existed. There is no beginning and no end with God. It is difficult if not impossible for the human mind to grasp this reality, but that again is the mystery of God. Take great assurance that “He chose (you) in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him”. (Ephesians 1:4).

(3). “…by the sanctifying work of the Spirit”, from the Greek word ‘hagiasmos’, meaning a state of consecration brought about by God that issues in practical holiness of life. It embraces both the decisive setting-apart that occurs at conversion and the ongoing transformation that conforms believers to the image of Christ. Romans 6:19 and Romans 6:22 link

1. 1. 1. sanctification to freedom from sin’s dominion.
      2. Justification declares the believer righteous;
      3. sanctification makes that righteousness visible in conduct,

d, anticipating glorification.

1 Corinthians 1:30 sets sanctification alongside righteousness and redemption, showing that Christ Himself embodies and secures every stage of salvation.

Recap: Peter is telling you that, as a Christian, you are one of God’s Chosen, His Elect, and have been since before the beginning of time. Rejoice. And that it is and always has been the process of sanctifying, preparing you through all circumstances, freeing you from the power and the penalty of sin by the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, calling you and setting you aside for God’s special purpose. You are just and in right standing before God even before your righteousness is visible. All this glorifies God alone – and the benefits are yours! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, verse 4, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, verse 5, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

(Commentary Break): It is by God’s great mercy and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ alone, that we have received this inheritance, a Living Hope. Please take care to note that it is (1), imperishable, (2), undefiled and (3), will never fade away. This is made secure and certain as you and your inheritance are protected by the power of God through a faith which has been given you by Him in these last days.

AN ESCATALOGICAL NOTE: The phrase “the last time” as used in verse five, comes from the two Greek words, ‘eschatos’ for ‘last’, meaning the end of time. and ‘the end of days’; and the Greek word ‘kairos’, meaning a critical moment and an appointed time; i.e., The end of Days, The last Days, The end if this age. We are put on notice that this is indeed the period of the birth pains of the tribulation, which will be followed by the the Great and Terrible Day the Lord also known as the final seven years of the Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb.

Peter is not only preparing us and instructing us he is informing us of the coming Day of the Lord and our need to stay ready, on the alert and sounding the shofar – the alarm – for this weary and waiting world! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 6. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, verse 7, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

(Commentary Break): Rejoicing in fiery trials seems to be counter-intuitive, and indeed it is. That is unless you are aware of the necessity and the purpose of these trials. They are the work of sanctification by the Holy Spirit in your life which gives you freedom from sin’s dominion, leading to a justification which declares you righteous before God; and sanctification makes that your righteousness visible in conduct resulting in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 8, and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, verse 9, obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

(Commentary Break): All this through the work of our God and Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, so we would obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Of course we would believe in Him, rejoicing! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 10. As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, verse 11, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. Verse 12. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

(Commentary Break): “It was revealed to them” – This phrase refers to the prophets of the Old Testament. God disclosed to them insights about the coming Messiah and the salvation He would bring. This revelation was not through human wisdom but divine insight, emphasizing the role of the Holy Spirit in imparting knowledge of God’s plans.

“that they were not serving themselves, but you” – The prophets understood that their messages were intended for future generations. Their prophecies were not for their own benefit but for those who would come after, particularly the early Christians. This highlights the continuity of God’s plan across generations and the selfless nature of prophetic ministry.

“when they foretold the things now announced” The prophets spoke of the coming of Christ and the salvation He would bring. These prophecies were fulfilled in the New Testament era, as the apostles and early church leaders proclaimed the gospel. This connection between prophecy and fulfillment underscores the reliability of Scripture! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 13. Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Verse 14. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, verse 15, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; verse 16, because it is written: “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

(Commentary Break): Peter now calls us to alert. You and I are not wandering wayfarers. We are ambassadors for Christ. We are missionaries – each and every one of us – completing the mission and calling of Christ Jesus. We are agents of the kingdom of God. We are Holy Spirit influencers. We are God’s invading force, recapturing and reclaiming all that is His. He is taking His children back and out of this world of darkness and into His Light. We are told to be sober in spirit with our focus completely on the revelation of Jesus Christ. No looking around; no side glances at the lures of this world. We are to be holy as He is Holy. The war is begun. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 17. If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; verse 18, knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, verse 19, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Verse 20. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you, verse 21, who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

(Commentary Break): We should pay particular attention to these verses, seventeen through twenty-one. Not only do they articulate God as our Father and our Judge, but causes us to question and to confirm our identity and relationship with Him. And if we are to rightly call ourselves a Christian, a child and son of the Most High God, and are to expect Him to judge us impartially according to our work, we are to conduct ourselves in fear, (from the Greek word phobos) meaning exceeding fear of judgment and reverence toward God during our brief stay on earth; knowing that we are redeemed from sin, darkness an hell by the most precious Blood of Christ Jesus – Who appeared IN THESE LAST (‘eschatos’, the last in place of time) TIMES (‘chronos’, an individual opportunity, a particular period of time) for our sake (see verse 20). (End Commentary Break).

Verse 22. Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from the heart, verse 23, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. Verse 24. For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,

AND ALL ITS GLORY IS LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.

THE GRASS WITHERS,

AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,

Verse 25, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.”

And this is the word which was preached to you. (End Chapter One).

We are reminded that as Christians we are resident aliens of earth, citizens of the kingdom of God, here on mission, and that we should behave as such, and we should consider our many trials and suffering as the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Peter also gives us recurring themes that God is the Originator and Giver of life, of our faith, is our redeemer and the author of our salvation, our provider, and our Keeper.

And finally, we must not ignore that Peter clearly states that these are indeed The Last Days (which began at the time of Jesus’ birth) as “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times (i.e., the final days) for the sake of you”. Knowing this reminds us that in the grand scheme, time is short and being about our Father’s Work paramount to our success in His Calling and mission. (How close are we? Please also see The Fifth Tribulation Seal and When Does The Seven Years of Great Tribulation Begin?)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: THE BOOK OF FIRST Peter, Chapter 2, As Newborn Babes, As Living Stones, Christ is Our Example.

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