Word

Introduction

We are all too familiar with how flaky human words can be. Actions speak louder than words, as the cliché says. But this is a world that was made by the Word. Our temptation is to minimize the potency of words, which is like a fish minimizing its need for water, or a bird its need for wind. The book of 1 Peter invites you to consider whether you will live in the flimsy world made by the words of human wisdom, or will you be remade by the Everlasting Word.

The Text

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. […]
1 Peter 1:1ff

Summary of the Text

Peter is writing from Rome (no later than A.D. 64), which he refers to later as Babylon (5:3). The recipients of this letter are called scattered strangers, which live in five regions of what is now Turkey (v1). He lists those places in a sort of compass, a common custom of OT prophets in their declarations to the nations (Cf. Zeph 2). These saints, comprised mostly of Gentiles, are counted as elect, a term usually reserved for Israel, but now expanded to include believers of all nations. Included in this covenantal status is a multitude of graces: the Father’s electing love, the sanctifying Spirit, the Son’s sprinkled blood (Cf. Heb. 11:28, Ex. 12, Ex. 24:8), abundant grace and peace (v2). Springing from this salvation is blessing for the God that has begotten them by Christ’s resurrection, promised them an inheritance of a heavenly kingdom, and the security of God’s preserving presence in the face of last times turmoil (vv3-5).

Starting in verse 6, Peter introduces the main theme of his letter: enduring suffering by hope in God. By rejoicing in the hope given to them through Christ’s resurrection, they will be able to endure the heavy trials that lie ahead. These trials are not a sign that things are going wrong, but that God is making their faith into a pure mirror of gold that can reflect Christ’s own image (vv6-8). This faith in Christ results in unspeakably full glory and joy, because by this faith we receive the great salvation of Christ’s new creation (vv8-9).

This salvation is what the ancient prophets foretold, and longed to see clearly themselves. The glory that the prophets foretold was the glory of a suffering Christ. Of course, Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophets’ oracles. This fulfillment is the Gospel that had been proclaimed to the recipients of this letter, and was a wonder even to the angels (vv10-12). By this Gospel, and by this Gospel alone, these saints must gird their minds for a gruesome battle that was soon to fall upon them as Christ’s kingdom was revealed (v13). As children of their holy Father, they must conduct themselves according to the holiness of their God, not according to the ignorant lusts which had a long and inglorious tradition of being handed down from Adam to all his offspring (vv14-16; Cf. Lev. 11:44, 19:2, 20:7). They can call God their Father, because He calls them elect children, but this requires them to walk in reverent fear, as true Word-bearers of the living God before the world (v17).

Peter then reminds them how they came into the house of God. Their status as covenant members of God’s household is not because they purchased their freedom from sin with gold and silver. Rather, because God’s own Son, as ordained before the world began, had been manifested in these last times, as a spotless passover lamb shedding it’s precious blood for their salvation (Cf. Is. 53:7). By Jesus’ death, resurrection, and glorification, these scattered ones can now have faith and hope in God regardless of the coming sufferings (vv18-21). Since they have been purified by the Spirit’s application of Christ’s blood, they are to embody this in sincere love for each other. Why? Because they are born of God’s everlasting seed of the Word. To drive this home, Peter cites a few lines from Isaiah’s first Messiah song (Is. 40:6-8), with one interesting tweak. Instead of “the word of Theos”, it is “the word of Kurios”. In Peter’s teaching, there’s no question that the Word of Jesus (the Lord), was the vivifying Word of God which Isaiah foretold (vv22-25). This potent Word of Jesus was how these Gentiles had been “gospelled” (v25, εὐαγγελίζω is a hapax legomenon). 

Scattered Strangers

As we work through Peter’s epistle, think of Peter as a NT prophet. He foretells a coming doom. He comforts the faithful to steadfastly hope in God’s promises. OT prophets were like general contractors giving building updates on the progress of the construction house of God. Peter sees the house of God as complete in Christ, and now is to be filled with residents. Who are these residents? Despite being largely made up of Gentiles, with a small number of Jewish believers, Peter refers to these saints as the diaspora. In the deuteronomic covenant (Deu. 30:4) Israel is told that if they rebelled against the Lord they would be thrust out (נִדַּחֲךָ, diaspora in the LXX). Of course, this is exactly what happened. Yet, in Nehemiah we are told that though Israel had been scattered, if they would repent God would compassionately regather them.

In using the term diaspora, Peter accomplishes a few things. First, it is a word that carries a sting of remembrance of Israel’s sin; one commentator noted that it denotes penalty not privilege. However, Peter repurposes this word to the effect that though Israel has been scattered due to her sin, God’s covenant purposes of electing and sanctifying Israel to be a nation of priestly servants have not been thwarted. Yet, the great surprise here is that he applies this word that had significant weight for Israel, to predominantly Gentile congregations. In other words, all the elect, scattered throughout the whole world, are now reckoned as the true house of Israel. These are the residents of God’s household, and therefore, this true Word of the Lord, which had gopspelled them must be embodied in all manner of their conversation.

Endure Suffering

This really is foundational for all the rest of Peter’s letter. The Gentiles were cast off from God, scattered at Babel by their sinful pride. Israel had been cast out due to their stubbornness and pride. But now, God, through Christ, is regathering a people of His own election. Despite this glorious reality, they should not expect this new arrangement to come about with sweet compliance from the devil and his human henchmen. Peter, living in Rome, foresees trouble. 

And the troubles about to come would be a firestorm from all sides. Unbelieving Jews were increasingly persecuting converted Jews. Gentiles converts became convenient scapegoats, because they had abandoned the idolatrous temples. One accusation of the Christians is that they were magicians (due to the resurrection of Christ, and all the miracles and healings surrounding the church). Christians were proclaiming something about the ending of this world, and the beginning of another. Nero thus used the fire of Rome as evidence of Christians’ magical powers. To bear the name of Christian was soon to become a very dangerous thing. So then, only by seeing themselves as citizens of Christ’s enduring kingdom, would these Christians be able to endure the sufferings which were about to confront them.

The Word of Man & the Word of God

The words of man often startle, unsettle, and disappoint us. The word of man cause us to alter our convictions just to fit in. The word of man compels us to do things we know we ought not to do. Like a fast growing weed, man’s words tower up and convince us to fear, to compromise, to escape like a coward. What words of man ring in your ear? You won’t have enough money for retirement. This pregnancy will probably end in another miscarriage. You’ve totally blown raising your kids well, and nothing can be done about it. Go ahead, black-pill, D.C. will never change. 

For the elect of God, foreknown by the Father, sanctified by the Spirit, sprinkled with Christ’s blood, as full citizens of God’s Kingdom such words carry all the weight and substance of dried out grass. All the words of men are like your lawn in late August. Dry. Brittle. Frail. But the Word of this Gospel is like dew on freshly mown grass. It is like a cool breeze through a hot and stuffy room. It is like the dawning sun after a frightful nightmare. It is like an immovable stone.

Charge & Benediction

What if there was a Word that could not move? What if there was a Word that could remake you? A Word that could remake everything? A Word that became a man, died and rose again, and inaugurated a new creation. That Word is a Word to believe, hope in, and be entirely remade by. Be, in the fullest sense of the phrase, people of the Word.