“While there’s life, there’s hope!” That ancient Roman saying is still quoted today and, like most adages, it has an element of truth, but no guarantee or certainty.
It is not the fact of life that determines hope, but the faith of life. The Christian believer has a “living hope” (1 Pet. 1:3) because his faith and hope are in God (1 Pet. 1:21). This “living hope” is the major theme of Peter’s first letter. He is saying to all believers, “Be hopeful!” – Warren Wiersbe
Peter wrote to these Christians to encourage them, to explain to them
why suffering occurs, and to remind them of their eternal reward
at the end of this earthly life. – NKJV Study Bible
I. The Author
A. In verse 1, Peter describes himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. What is your understanding of the title apostle?
1. When Paul identified himself as an apostle, he often added the phrase “by the will of God.” Why might Paul have added this while Peter did not?
2. By trade, Peter was a fisherman from Galilee. How was he described by the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:13.
3. The Peter we see in the gospels, and the Peter we see in the book of Acts, are quite different. To what do you attribute this change?
B. Peter’s name is mentioned in the gospels more than anyone except the name of Jesus. No one speaks in the gospels as often as Peter did, and Jesus spoke more to Peter than to any other individual. – Guzik Some notable things:
1. Jesus rebuked Peter several times, and Peter dared to rebuke Jesus.
2. Peter boldly confessed Jesus, and publicly denied Jesus.
C. Remind yourself of Peter’s role in the Biblical records by looking up the following verses:
- Luke 5:1-11 6. John 13:6-17
- Matthew 14:24-33 7. Matthew 26:30-35
- John 6:68-69 8. Matthew 26:69-75
- Matthew 17:1-9 9. John 18:1-11
- Matthew 18:21-35 10. John 21:1-19
II. The Recipients
A. To the pilgrims of the Dispersion
1. A pilgrim is a sojourner or temporary resident. A pilgrim lives in constant awareness of his true home. Just as the recipients of this letter are called pilgrims, we too are pilgrims. How does this apply to you?
2. “Dispersion” gives the idea of being scattered among strangers. This letter was written to Christians who were both Jews and Gentiles. How might the Dispersion describe these people?
3. Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia: These are all provinces of Asia Minor that Paul had evangelized during his missionary journeys. Identify these provinces on a map.
B. According to verse 2, how are these Christians described?
1. To better understand this, consider the meaning of these words: foreknowledge, sanctification, obedience, sprinkling of the blood.
2. From verse 2, note the involvement of the trinity in the life of the Christian.
III. The Time and Place of the Writing
A. It is thought that Peter wrote this letter from Rome. He refers to Babylon toward the end of the letter. Babylon is a code word that would have been readily understood by early Christians as Rome.
B. It is thought that 1 Peter was written between A.D. 62-65, and 2 Peter written between A.D. 65-67. Note: Both Peter and Paul were executed in Rome in A.D.67.
IV. The Greeting: Grace to you and peace be multiplied
A. Peter used a greeting that had become common among the Christians. It combines elements from both Greek culture (grace) and Jewish culture (peace).
B. Define grace and peace.
C. Consider this greeting: What is needed for peace to be multiplied?
V. The Theme of the letter
A. 1 Peter is a letter of great encouragement. It also speaks much of suffering.
B. To help us keep this big picture theme in mind, plan to read through the entire letter this week.