To the elders among you…
Summary: When Peter addresses part of his letter to “the elders,” he inadvertently highlights a sad and serious shift in cultural norms.
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:1 — Elders”1 Peter 5:1 — Elders
1 Peter 4:9 — Twofer
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Summary: God asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) Peter helps us understand what this means.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:9 — Twofer”1 Peter 4:8 (b) — Formula for Forgiveness
… because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Summary: Peter continues his thought on loving deeply by adding that love “covers over” sins. God models the power of love by forgiving our sin.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:8 (b) — Formula for Forgiveness”1 Peter 4:8 (a) — Deep Love
Above all, love each other deeply…
Summary: Peter echoes the Great Commandment (Matthew 22: 37-40) when he tells us to love each other deeply.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:8 (a) — Deep Love”1 Peter 3:21 (b) — Baptism, Part II
It [baptism] saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…
Summary: Peter says that we are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This simple phrase describes the incredible moment in history when God opens the door to salvation through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:21 (b) — Baptism, Part II”1 Peter 3:15 (c) — The Keys to the Heart
But do this with gentleness and respect…
Summary: When we share our story of knowing God with others, we need to do it in a way that communicates both with the mind and the heart. Gentleness and respect both speak to the heart.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:15 (c) — The Keys to the Heart”1 Peter 3:7 (d) — The Gift
… and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life …
Peter has packed a lot of instruction into this one passage we have been studying. He began by telling husbands to be considerate of their wives. Then he adds, “treat them with respect.” Before we, his readers, can even begin to form the question, “Why?” in our minds, Peter offers the answer. Because your wife is your partner, and because she is physically weaker, you must take extra care to show that you respect her. Oh yes, Peter adds, there is one other reason. Because she is an heir with you of the gift of life.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:7 (d) — The Gift”1 Peter 3:7 (a) — The Cost of New
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives…
Peter has instructed wives and now turns his attention to the husbands. He begins, “… in the same way….” In the same way as what?
To find the answer, we have to go back to Chapter 3, verse 1. Peter writes, “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands.” Wait a minute. In the same way as — what?
If we go back to Chapter 2, verse 21, we read: “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:7 (a) — The Cost of New”1 Peter 2:17 (b) — Family Love
… love the family of believers …
Peter’s theme is submission. He wants us to “submit … for the Lord’s sake.” We are to put ourselves under others in importance. By doing this we lift others up. They become more important in our eyes.
This feels counter-intuitive to our egos. The part of us that stands apart from God does not want to submit. We glory in our independence and our power. We enjoy taking control of our lives and living large. At least as long as things go well.
Continue reading “1 Peter 2:17 (b) — Family Love”1 Peter 2:16 — Ultimate Freedom
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
If I put on my “ignorant” and “foolish people” glasses1, it is easy to see this verse as a contradiction. After all, Peter says, “Live as free people…” and then in the same sentence he says, “live as God’s slaves.” Which is it, Peter? Free or slave?
How are we to understand this apparent dichotomy?
Continue reading “1 Peter 2:16 — Ultimate Freedom”