1 Peter Notes

Studies completed with Joe Focht, Chuck Smith, Jon Courson, Warren Wiersbe, Matthew Henry,
Damian Kyle, NIV Study Bible, David Guzik, Kenneth Wuest, and Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown.

Introduction:
The date:
Most believe this epistle was written in 62/63 AD from Rome after Paul was first released from
prison. Peter then wrote to support and encourage the church as Roman persecution intensified.

The author:
Peter’s nature (in the gospels) – Simon had his name changed to Peter by Jesus Himself (John 1:42).
He could state “you are the Christ…far be it from you Lord” in the same scene (Matt. 16:13-23) or
walk on the water only to fall when looking at the waves (Matt. 14:22-33), or “even if all fall away, I
will die with you” (Matt. 26:33-35) to falling asleep in the garden (Matt. 26:36-46), hacking
Malchus’ ear off (Matt. 26:51), and eternally damning himself in denying Jesus (Matt. 26:69-75).

Peter filled at Pentecost (Acts & Galatians) – In Acts 10, Peter’s vision “Not so, Lord, for I have
never eaten anything unclean…what I have called clean you should not call unclean” led him to
extend the Gospel to the Gentiles. But in Galatians 2, Paul had to confront Peter for drawing away
Gentiles to Jewish tradition/legalism.

Peter completed (1 Peter 5:10) – Surrendered…in submission and through suffering.

- The suffering of Jesus mentioned in 1 Peter 1:11,19; 2:21; 3:18; 4:1,13; 5:1.

The theme:
“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you
should follow His steps.” (1 Pet. 2:21)

Chapter 1:
1:1 – “an apostle” – Peter is writing with apostolic authority.
- “pilgrims” – Lit. “to settle down among strangers.” Those who make their home in a foreign
land. (1 Pet. 2:11)
- “Dispersion” – (Greek “diaspora”) Lit. “scattered seed.”
- The Emperor Claudius commanded Jews to leave Rome in 49 AD. (Acts 18:2)
- “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” – All located in modern-day Turkey.

1:2 – “elect” – Lit. “to pick out or chosen.” Salvation starts with God seeking fallen humans.
- The Bible clearly teaches God’s election. (Eph. 1:3-14)
- No man can come to Jesus unless the Father draws Him. (John 6:65)
- There are none righteous, none that seek after God. (Rom. 3)
- “elect according to the foreknowledge” – God’s knowledge and election go together.
- God’s election gives us hope that His work can be completed in us as well.
- “in sanctification…for obedience” – There is no rightful claim to election where there is not also
a transformation of life into the name and nature of Jesus Christ.
- “for whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…”
(Rom. 8:29)
- “sanctification” – The fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives.
- “obedience” – Lit. “obedience, compliance, submission.”
- “God…Spirit…Jesus” – All three parts of the Trinity involved in our salvation.
1:3 – “Blessed” – (Greek “eulogetos”) Lit. “to speak well of.” We get the English word “eulogy”
from this Greek root.
- “begotten us again” – Born again. (John 3:7)
- “living hope” – We worship a resurrected Savior.
- “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27)

1:4 – “undefiled” – We will not mess it up due to our sin.

- “does not fade away” – Unlike the hope this world gives.
- “Big Oil” making $8.7 billion this quarter.
- Iran wanting to “wipe Israel from the map.” Russia siding with Iran in the UN.
- “reserved in heaven for you” – It will be there when we get there.

1:5 – “kept” – A military term. Lit. “guarded or shielded.” The tense is “constantly kept.”
- “kept by the power of God” – This is our security; that we are kept in His power. (Eph. 1:13)
- “through faith” – This is our responsibility to respond to the Spirit’s work in our hearts.
- “the work of God is this, to believe on the One He sent.” (John 6:29)
- “ready to be revealed” – The hopes of this world are dimming, but our hope to come in heaven is
always increasing.

1:6 – “In this you greatly rejoice” – In the salvation and hope of heaven.
- “for a little while” – These trials are temporary. (2 Cor. 4:17)
- “if need be” – God has His reasons for our testings. They are needful.
- “grieved” – (KJV “heaviness”) Lit. “sorrow.” Word of Jesus’ sorrow in Gethsemane.
- It is the grief, not merely the trial itself, that is necessary to test our faith.
- We can allow the hope of heaven to bear more on us than the struggles of earth.
- “various” – Lit. “many-colored.” It speaks of variety.

1:7 – “genuineness” – Difficulty never drives genuine faith from a person. It simply reveals the depth
and reality of the faith that is already there.
- “faith” – It is through faith that we are kept in the power of God.
- “tested” – Important things get tested for the safety of those who use them.
- “gold…tested by fire” – The goldsmith knew the gold was pure when he could see his own
reflection in the molten metal. These trials are to produce a Christlikeness in us.
- “praise, honor, and glory” – It is not the testing of our faith that brings glory to Jesus, but the
success of our faith under trial that blesses Him as He is revealed.
- “the revelation of Jesus Christ” – (Greek “apokalupsis”) Lit. “unveiling.” (Rev. 1:1)

1:8 – “having not seen you love” – There is something deeper and more real than the physical world
around us. It is more satisfying. It is what we are longing for.
- “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)
- “Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no
longer.” (2 Cor. 5:16)
- “joy inexpressible” – You can’t really put this hope into words. (1 Cor. 2:10)
- This joy cannot be taught. It must be experienced to be known.

1:9 – “receiving” – Presently, actively, and constantly.

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1:10 – “the prophets have inquired and searched carefully” – The OT prophets desired to look into the
truth of what they themselves were writing under the Spirit’s inspiration.

1:11 – “Spirit of Christ …in them was indicating” – The inspiration of the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit.
- Prophecy from holy men…as they were [driven along] by the Spirit. (2 Pet. 1:21)
- “the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow” – The two aspects of the Messiah
prophesied (suffering – Suffering Servant; glory – Coming King).
- In God’s economy, obediently suffering precedes glory.

1:12 – “but to us they were ministering” – We have a clearer view of the Messiah than they.
- The Scriptures “were written for our learning.” (Rom. 15:4)
- “The Holy Spirit sent from heaven” – Which Peter saw at Pentecost.
- “angels desire to look into” – Luke 15:7,10; 1 Cor. 4:9; Eph. 3:10; 1 Tim. 3:16
- “desire” – Lit. “lust.
- “look into” – Lit. “to stoop down and look intently.”

1:13 – “Therefore” – Because of the hope of salvation that lies before us, we are to live this way.
- “gird up the loins” – This phrase is an idiom which means “prepare yourself for work.” In
modern vernacular, we would say ‘roll up your sleeves.’ (Luke 12:35)
- “your mind” – Things such as worry, fear, jealousy, hatred, unforgiveness and impurity are to be
put out of out minds to free us to think clearly and serve God sincerely.
- “sober” – Lit. “calm, steady, and controlled.” This speaks of someone thinking clearly.
- “at the revelation of Jesus Christ” – Peter is instructing these Christians to live in light of eternity.

1:14 – “as obedient children” – Obedience is the key to being holy as He is holy.
- For believers, obedience is never outside the context of parent-child relationship.
- I obeyed my father growing up because I didn’t want to displease him (not rules).
- “obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts” – Maturity is demonstrated in
self-sacrifice for the greater good and self-control over the base lusts of man.
- “former lusts” – The desires we chased as unbelievers.

1:15 – “conduct” – Lit. “lifestyle.”

- Our spiritual lives should change our physical and material lives.

1:16 – “Be holy” – Holiness goes deeper than the things we do; it is who we are.
- “holy” – Lit. “separate.”
- “for I am holy” – Holiness is defined in the image and nature of God, not by the counter-culture
movements of society.

1:17 – “without partiality” – Lit. “not looking on the face.” God does not judge by outward
appearances. (1 Sam. 16:7)
- “judges…each one’s work” – Not judgment for salvation, but for rewards. (1 Cor. 3:12-13)
- “fear” – Those who fear God need fear nothing else. (Luke 12:5)

1:18 – “redeemed” – Lit. “to buy from slavery to set free.”

- “aimless conduct” – There is no point to empty religious service.
- “tradition” – And Peter has struggled with tradition. (Acts 10, Gal. 2)
- Religion doesn’t change people; only a living relationship with God Himself can transform
someone from the inside-out.
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1:19 – “blemish” – A defect acquired in life.
- “spot” – A genetic defect one is born with.
- Jesus had neither defect.

1:21 – “believe” – also “trust or lean heavily upon.”

- “raised Him from the dead” – The resurrection of Christ is foundational to our faith.

1:22 – “obeying the truth…in sincere love” – The greatest mark of obedience is love.
- “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that
you also love one another.” (John 13:34)
- “sincere” – Lit. “unhypocritical.” There should not be hypocrisy among believers.

1:23 – “the word of God” – (Greek “logos”) The Word of God in its entirety.

1:24-25 – “grass withers…word of the Lord endures” – Grass is very resilient in season, but withers
quickly out of season. The Word, on the other hand, is alive and powerful in every season of
our lives.
- Word is good for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness…man of
God thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
- Sanctify them by your Truth…Your Word is Truth. (John 17:17)
- A dream to God’s Word…chaff to the wheat. (Jer. 23:28-29)
- My Word shall not return to Me void. (Isa. 55:10-11)

1:24 – “flesh” – Born of the corruptible seed. (v. 23)

- The Word of God works like spiritual seed, creating and developing new life within us.

1:25 – “the word of the Lord” – (Greek “rhema”) The specific piece of the Word of God applied to
specific situations.
- “endures forever” – God’s Word is eternal.

Chapter 2:
2:1 – “Therefore, laying aside” – Sitting under the Word should have a purifying effect on our lives.
- “malice” – Lit. “a desire to harm.”
- “hypocrisy, envy” – Lit. “hypocrisies, envies.” They are categories of “deceit.”
- “evil speaking” – Lit. “defamation.”

2:2 – “newborn babes” – Infants don’t know how to do much, but they do know how to feed.
- “pure milk” – The purer the milk the better for growth’s sake. The more the Word has to be
mixed with other things for you to swallow it, the slower will be your progress.
- “milk” – Peter is not making the distinction that Hebrews made between meat-eaters and milk-
drinkers; strong and weak Christians.
- “that you may grow thereby” – The process of becoming someone with a “heart for ministry”
and becoming “a true minister” is saturated with the Bible. (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:17)
- “The spiritual man cannot grow except by the Word of God” – Chuck Smith.

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2:3 – “if” – The Greek class condition “since.”
- “gracious” – Lit. “excellent.” (Luke 5:39)
- God’s grace gives you a tremendous hunger for His word, because the Scriptures reveal
Jesus and God’s grace to us.

2:4 – “stone” – Jesus had changed Peter’s name to “stone.”

- Jesus is one of three “stones” to people:
1. To defiant unbelievers, He is the crushing stone. (Matt. 21:44; Dan. 2:34,45)
2. To the religious, He is the stumbling stone. (1 Pet. 2:8; also Isa. 8; 1 Cor. 1:23;
Rom. 9:32)
3. To the believer, He is the chief cornerstone. (1 Pet. 2:6; Ps. 118:22; also Isa. 28;
Matt. 21:42)

2:5 – “holy priesthood” – This is true of all believers. (v. 9)

- “spiritual sacrifices” – We are to be living sacrifices. (Rom. 12:1-2)

2:6 – “he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame” – This is a guarantee of Jesus for
the believer.
- “be put to shame” – In the text this is quoted from, it says “not act hastily.” (Isa. 28:16)

2:7 – “the builders rejected” – He wasn’t the kind of Messiah they wanted. (John 5:43)

2:8 – “disobedient to the word” – This was the heart reason why the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus.

2:9 – “generation” – Lit. “race.”

- The Church is its own race, unifying all others.
- “royal priesthood” – The nation of Israel was God’s chosen people (Exod. 19:5-6). Now that
title is applied to all who come to faith in Jesus; Jew and Gentile alike.
- There is one Mediator. (1 Tim. 2:5)
- “whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies.” (Eph. 4:16)
- “holy nation” – Separated from all the other borders and definitions of man.
- “special” – (Some translations – “peculiar.”) The idea is “prized possession.”
- “that you may proclaim” – Jesus has called us to “be witnesses.” (Acts 1:8)

2:11 – “Beloved” – Peter uses 8 times in 8 chapters of the epistles.

- “sojourners and pilgrims” – Those travelling through and living among strangers.
- “the soul” – Lit. “the life.”
- “abstain from fleshly lusts” – God never asks us to do something that he won’t give us the power
to accomplish.
- “war against the soul” – The flesh and the Spirit are at war in believers. (Gal. 5:17)
- Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy; Jesus comes to bring life. (John 10:10)

2:12 – “they speak against you as evildoers” – Christians have often taken the blame for the tension
and conflict within secular countries and people-groups.
- “observe” – This word speaks of a “careful watching over a period of time.”
- “the day of visitation” – This will be a day of judgment before God. (Isa. 10:3)

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2:13 – “Therefore” – Because of the testimony our lives carry to an unbelieving world.
- “submit” – Lit. “to place in order under.” A military term.
- “for the Lord’s sake” – My submitting to the Lord and my submission to those God has placed
me under are inseparably linked; they go together. (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Tim. 2:1-2)
- Submission is not to sin. (Acts 4:19 & 5:29)
- Submission is not to slavery or subjection. (2 Cor. 3:17 & Gal. 3:28)
• God created and ordained government. (Gen. 9:5)
• Submission is respect for God’s order. God is not running a democracy or a
dictatorship. He is running a theocracy, an order. And as we yield to His order we
yield to Him. (His order is far better than our concepts of order anyway, as God
designed it and ordained it; He then knows how to make it work the best.)
- “the king” – Nero is the emperor as Peter writes this. Nero will later execute Peter.
- Peter is known for cutting Malchus’ ear off in Gethsemane!

2:15 – “this is the will of God” – This gives us God’s will for our lives.
- “silence the ignorance of foolish men” – Good citizenship counters false charges made against
Christians and thus commends the Gospel to unbelievers.
- “silence” – Lit. “muzzle.”
- “foolish” – Lit. “unreflecting.” People who continually talk without thinking.

2:16 – “not using liberty as a cloak for vice” – Jesus’ blood is never a reason for us to sin.

2:17 – “Honor all” – The tense is “Once and for all honor all.”
- “Love…Fear…Honor” – The tenses are “Keep loving…Keep fearing…Keep honoring…”

2:18 – “Servants” – There were an estimated 500,000 slaves in the Roman empire. They were
considered to be property and did not have the rights of citizens.
- “Servants…masters” – We can apply this to employees and employers. (Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:22-25;
1 Tim. 6:1-2; Titus 2:9-10)
- “be submissive” – Some newly converted slaves thought that their spiritual freedom also
guaranteed their personal or political freedom.
- “gentle” – This could also be translated “reasonable.”
- “harsh” – (Greek “scholiosis”) Lit. “crooked.” Our obedience is not dependent on their perfection.
- As in the case of obedience to government, Christians are not to submit to sin. (Acts 5:29)

2:20 – “beaten” – Lit. “pummeled.”

- “patiently” – Lit. “suffering long.”
- “commendable before God” – This allows us to give with receiving nothing in return.
- The best givers are the best receivers. We must receive from God to give to others.

2:21 – “for to this you were called” – Suffering and salvation go together in the life of a believer.
(Phil. 1:29)
- “example” – Jesus is our example and the Holy Spirit is our enabler.
- “follow His steps” – This is an idiom that implies “put your feet in His footprints.”

2:22 – “no deceit” – Jesus only and always told the truth.

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2:24 – “bore” – Lit. “to carry as a sacrifice.”
- “For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become
the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21)
- “stripes” – Lit. “stripe.” Peter sees the beating as one singular event ultimately culminating on
the cross.
- Peter saw Jesus beaten…while Peter himself was denying Jesus. (Luke 22:61)

2:25 – “like sheep going astray” – When we were led by another shepherd.
- “returned” – This implies a previous turning away.
- “Overseer” – Lit. “bishop.” This is a leadership position in the church; commonly a pastor.

2:24-25 – Jesus is both Savior and Shepherd. Cleansing and leading are both found in Him.
- The power that saved us can also cleanse our lives and touch our relationships.

Chapter 3:
3:1 – wives” – Peter travelled with his wife on some of his missionary trips. (1 Cor. 9:5)
- Church tradition tells us that Peter’s wife was martyred by crucifixion before him in Rome.
- “likewise be submissive” – This continues a theme of submission begun in 1 Pet. 2:13 now
extended into the context of family and work.
- Work and marriage are God-ordained and pre-fall institutions. (Gen. 2:15, 24)
- When we are obedient to God’s will, it gives the Lord the opportunity to send Jesus into the
situation. When we surrender, others get to see Him.
- “own husbands” – Not submitting to men in general, but to your husband.
- “do not obey the word” – Lit. “they are refusing to obey the word.” These instructions even
apply to an unbelieving husband.
- “without a word” – Husbands will not be nagged into getting saved, or changing at all.
- “conduct” – Lit. “lifestyle, manner of living.”

3:2 – “they observe” – Men are typically visually motivated. They respond to what they see.
- “chaste conduct” – Moral behavior.
- “What you win them with, is what you win them to.” If you win the affections of a man by
the use of your body, you will get a fleshly man. If you win a man by the strength of your
arguments, you will get a passive man. But if you win a man through self-sacrificial
service, you will get a man who will live and die for the higher cause of Christ Jesus.
- “fear” – That is, fear of the Lord, not fear of the husband.

3:3 – “adornment” – (Greek “kosmos”) Cosmetology is “bringing order from chaos.”

- God needs to instruct our style and wardrobe. Paul instructs women to “adorn themselves
in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation.” (1 Tim. 2:9)
- “outward” – Lit. “from without.” Speaks of the source of the beauty.
- “Beauty is skin deep but ugly goes clear to the bone” – Joe Focht.
- This is not a prohibition against hairstyling and clothes. Becoming a Christian shouldn’t
make you uglier. But appearance should not be the emphasis of our effort.
- Proverbs speaks of the adulteress who is out to seduce.

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3:4 – “of the heart” – The source of true beauty.
- “incorruptible beauty” – “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the
Lord, she shall be praised.” (Prov. 31:30)
- “gentle” – of “meek.” A trust in God that allows us the freedom from disputing or resisting.
- “quiet” – Lit. “tranquil, not worrisome, not contentious.”
- Proverbs speaks of the hassle of dealing with a contentious woman.
- “very precious” – The word speaking of the cruse of spikenard Mary poured out on Jesus.

3:5 – “in former times” – The design and order of marriage is established from the Bible, not from any
previous culture or epoch.
- “trusted in God” – It does not say that she trusts her husband.
- “trusted in God…being submissive” – She can submit, not because her husband is that great, but
because we trust in God.

3:6 – “obeyed” – Lit. “cared for or attentive to.” Because men are insecure, they are overly sensitive
to disagreements and conflict. The wife’s submissive attitude allows that tension to subside.
- “calling him lord” – This come from Gen. 18:12, as Sarah is doubting the promises of God.
(Gen. 12:10-20)
- Sarah not only obeyed, but she also honored Abraham, even when he was wrong.
- “do good” – The overarching principle of submission is to do good (1 Pet. 2:15). We must avoid
the efforts to somehow follow the instructions of our authorities in a way that ultimately hurts
them or leads to evil.
- “not afraid with any terror” – If we fear God, we need fear none else. (v. 2)

3:7 – “likewise” – In context…be submissive. Husbands need to submit to God’s order too.
- “dwell with them” – Physically. Lit. “settle down, come alongside.” Spend time at home; may
need to give up other things.
- Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church, implying two things: 1. Enter
their world, and 2. Die there.
- Husbands are the leaders. If husbands are dissatisfied with something within their
household, it is their responsibility to work to see it changed.
- “understanding” – Intellectually. It is the priority of the husband to know what pleases the wife.
- “honor” – Lit. “to value by fixing a price.” Emotionally. How much is our wife worth?
- This is a revolutionary teaching in a society that treated women like property or second-
class citizens.
- “vessel” – Specifically refers to the body.
- Even if your wife is stronger than you, you should still treat her as if she is the weaker
vessel.
- “heirs together” – Spiritually. She is not just a wife, but a sister; a joint heir of Jesus Christ.
- “prayers may not be hindered” – Respect for God is respect for His order.
- As I tell my kids to listen to their mother when I am gone, I am not going to accept their
fellowship unless they have followed my order.

3:8 – “be of one mind” – We are to share in Jesus’ mind. (1 Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5)
- “compassion” – Lit. “to feel another’s joy or sorrow.”
- “love as brothers” – Peter is again calling us to love one another. (1 Pet. 1:22)
- “tenderhearted” – We must work to maintain a soft heart.
- “courteous” – Polite.

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3:9 – “not returning evil for evil” – Which is our natural response.
- “reviling” – Lit. “yelling, railing.”
- “blessing” – Practically make someone else’s life better. This does not mean that we agree on
all points, always like the other person, or even have been treated fairly by the other person.
- “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
- “that you may inherit a blessing” – God’s commands are for our benefit.

3:10 – “love life…see good days” – God’s instructions lead to a healthy and full life.
- “let him refrain” – We can only control our behavior. We cannot control our circumstances.

3:14 – “suffer for righteousness” – Peter was beaten for sharing of Jesus. (Acts. 5:41)
- Peter will be crucified upside-down and his wife is crucified before him, and all following
5 months in the Mamertine prison.
- “you are blessed” – Matt. 5:11-12

3:15 – “sanctify the Lord” – Lit. “separate the Lord.” We need to reconcile that God is different from
any other person we have ever met; therefore His love is different too.
- “the hope” – What an unbelieving world does not have, and is longing for.
- Peter is calling us to give a reason for the hope, not argue as to who is right.
- Our hope is that through Jesus we can have a meaningful life here and eternity in perfect
glory in heaven. Our hope is not that our life will be free of suffering.

3:17 – “if it is the will of God” – This phrase speaks of “possibility, not probability.” (Kenneth Wuest)
- It is only the will of God that makes suffering better than not suffering. (1 Pet. 4:19)
- “doing good” – No matter what, we are to do good. (1 Pet. 2:15; 2:20; 3:6)

3:18 – “suffered once” – Tense is lit. “suffered once and for all.” It is a completed work.
- “Christ also suffered” – Therefore, we ought not be surprised that we will suffer too.
- God is sanctified in our minds as we look at the reality of Jesus.
- “bring us to God” – Lit. “give us audience in the throne room of God.”

3:19 – “by whom” – Refers back to the Spirit.

- “preached” – (Greek “kerusso”) Lit. “proclaimed.” This is not evangelizing the dead.
- “spirits” – Speaking of the fallen angels active in the time of Noah. (Gen. 6:1-4; Jude 6-7;
2 Peter 2:4-5)
- “prison” – This is not an OT purgatory.

3:20 – “who formerly were disobedient” – Refers back to the “spirits.”

- “saved through water” – The same water that killed the disobedient buoyed the ark that saved
the others.

3:21 – “also an antitype” – Baptism and the flood are both pictures of the reality of what is
accomplished “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
- “the answer” – Lit. “pledge, or demand.”
- “which now saves us” – Only the life and work of Jesus Christ can save us.

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3:22 – “gone into heaven” – Where He is ever making intercession for us. (Heb. 7:25)
- Because He has gone into heaven, we too can enter the presence of God boldly. (Heb. 4:16)
- “made subject to Him” – One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord , to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:10-11)

Chapter 4:
4:1 – “since Christ suffered for us” – Christ’s suffering is an indication that we may suffer as well.
- “suffered…ceased from sin” – Suffering has a way of purifying our lives.
- It pleased God to perfect Jesus through sufferings. (Heb. 2:10)
- “arm yourselves” – There is a necessity for mental toughness in living out the will of God under
persecution or in the midst of suffering.

4:2 – “time in the flesh” – Suffering is only temporary.

- “lusts” – Lit. “desires.” These refer to any sinful desire.

4:3 – “Gentiles” – means “unbelievers.”

- “lewdness” – Lit. “to live without moral restraint, especially in the context of sexuality or
violence.”

4:4 – “dissipation” – Lit. “waste.”

- “speaking evil of you” – You will be ridiculed for not sinning with the world.
- People oppose the changes God performs in believers because it is a testimony to them
that they could change too. It makes them personally responsible.

4:5 – “give an account to Him” – Every person will stand before the Lord and give account.

4:6 – “preached also to those who are dead” – Preached to them before they died.
- Heb. 9:27 – “appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
- 2 Cor. 5:8 – “absent from the body and present with the Lord.”
- “preached” – Lit. “evangelized.”
- “judged…live” – The same standard applies to all and Jesus’ blood is offered to all.

4:7 – “the end of all things is at hand” – The imminent return of Christ and the consummation of His
plan for His Creation is near at hand.
- Peter will elaborate on this more in 2 Peter 3.
- “serious” – or “sober.” Lit. “calm, steady-minded, of a sound mind.”
- “watchful in your prayers” – An increased seeking and sensitivity to the things of God.

4:8 – “above all things have fervent love” – Peter considers love most important.
- “fervent” – Lit. “bubbling over, reaching out.”
- “love” – (Greek “agape”) Lit. “the self-sacrificial giving of yourself to benefit another.”

4:9 – “hospitable” – Demonstrate love practically.

- “without grumbling” – If you can’t serve without grumbling, don’t serve.

4:10 – “gift” – (Gr. “charismata”) These are spiritual gifts.

- “manifold” – Lit. “multicolored.” God’s grace has many different facets to it.

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4:11 – “oracles of God” – It is essential that pastors be sharing God’s words. (Acts 7:38; Rom. 3:2)
- James tells us that teachers are going to be held doubly accountable.
- “ministers” – (Gr. “diakoneo”) Lit. “serves.” A minister is a servant.
- “the ability which God supplies” – Serving under God’s authority and in His power.
- For our ministries to mean anything or have any real chance at being effective, they must
be done in the Spirit.
- Galatians 3-4 talk about the difference between the natural and the spiritual.

4:12 – “strange” – Lit. “foreign.” Believers have a tendency to think trials shouldn’t come.
- “Once it seemed strange to the Apostle Peter that his Master should think of suffering
(Mark 8:32-33). Now he thinks it strange that He could have imagined anything else.”
(Meyer)
- “fiery trial” – The Greek refers to a smelting furnace in which gold or silver is purified.
(1 Pet. 1:7)

4:13 – “rejoice” – Tense is “be constantly rejoicing.”

- “partake of Christ’s sufferings” – There is a fellowship in suffering with Christ. (Phil. 3:10)
- “that when His glory is revealed” – We can rejoice in sufferings only in light of the future glory
that will be revealed/given to us because of them.

4:14 – “blessed” – Lit. “happy, spiritually prosperous.” (Matt. 5:3-11)

- “for the Spirit of glory, and of God rests upon you” – Could also be translated “for the presence
of the glory, even the Spirit, rests on you.” Speaking of God’s Shekinah. (Exod. 40:34)
- “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in
weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

4:15 – “busybody in other people’s matters” – Lit. “self-appointed overseer in other people’s concerns.”

4:17 – “judgment to begin at the house of God” – God is careful to chasten and purify His own.
- “the end of those who do not obey” – Judgement begins with God’s people, but it doesn’t
end there.

4:18 – “Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” – At the Great White Throne. (Rev. 20:11-15)

4:19 – “commit” – A banking term. Lit. “deposit for safekeeping.” (Luke 23:46; 2 Tim. 1:12)
- If God is doing surgery on us to change us to His image, we want to hold still.
- The clearest demonstration in our life that we are truly trusting God is when we continue
to do what He has asked even when circumstances are contradictory.
- “a faithful Creator” – God is looking to complete His design in us. (Phil. 1:6)

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Chapter 5:
5:1– “elders” – (Greek “presbuteros”) Lit. “a mature man.” Describes the man.
- “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example.” (1 Tim. 4:12)
- “fellow elder” – Peter does not communicate with the authority of the Pope.
- “the glory” – Peter saw the glory of Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. (Mt. 17)
- Church leaders faced grave threats in Peter’s day and needed encouragement to serve the
church in this way.

5:2 – “Shepherd” – (Greek “poimaino”) Also means “feed.” Describes the method. (John 10:11-14)
- Peter received this call directly from Jesus in John 21:15-17.
- Jesus gave the church some “pastors and teachers.” (Eph. 4:11)
- Healthy sheep reproduce. (Acts 2:47 – “the Lord added daily those being saved.”)
- “the flock of God” – Shepherds are stewards of God’s flock. (Acts 20:28)
- “among you” – Not ‘under you.’
- Shepherds will look for every opportunity to be with and care for the flock.
- “serving as overseers” – Servant-leadership.
- “overseers” – (Greek “episkopeo”) Also called “bishops.” Describes the job.
- Teaching and administration must go together, as wine and wineskins. (Mt. 9:17)
- “not by compulsion” – Internally motivated. They don’t need someone hounding them.
- Pressure and obligation are not good motivators in our service of the Lord.
- “not for dishonest gain” – A pastor motivated by money is a hireling, and hirelings run when
times get tough.
- Pastors can receive money from the church (1 Cor. 9:1-18; 1 Tim. 5:17-18), but are not to
demand it.

5:3 – “nor as being lords” – God’s ordained a theocracy, not a democracy nor a dictatorship.
- Sheep are led, not driven. (Mark 10:42-43)
- “Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by
faith you stand.” (2 Cor. 1:24)
- “being examples” – This resolves the tension of being among the people while at the same time
overseeing the people.
- Examples lead in serving and suffering. That is how Christ did it, and is the only way that
truly glorifies Him.

5:4 – “the Chief” – Jesus Christ is the head of the church; all others are under-shepherds.
- “the crown of glory” – The reward of those serving the Lord is in heaven primarily.
- “The job may not pay very well, but the benefits are heavenly.” (Randall Hines)

5:5 – “clothed” – This is the verb form of the same word in noun form (John 13:4) speaking of Jesus
clothing himself with a towel and washing the disciples’ feet.
- “grace to the humble” – We are all in desperate need of grace. Peter knew this well. (v. 12)

5:6 – “humble yourselves” – Passive tense. Lit. “allow yourselves to be humbled.”

- This happens by staying under the mighty hand of God (v. 6) and committing our souls to
Him in doing good (1 Pet. 4:19).

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5:7 – “care” – (Greek “mirimnan”) Lit. “pulled in different directions.” Can also be translated
“anxiety or pressure.”
- “He cares for you” – Both “His care is directed to you” and “He cares in your stead.”
- Worry is alleviated when we understand how God is actively caring on both ends.
- Worry and fear in the life of a believer make it look to others as if God did not care.
- “Anxiety is a self-contradiction to true humility.” (Kenneth Wuest)

5:8 – “sober…vigilant” – Lit. “clear-headed and watchful.” The same instructions given in 1 Pet. 4:7.
- “devil” – A created being: not all powerful, not all present, and not all knowing.
- The devil becomes successful when he generates pride in our lives.
- “roaring lion” – Lions roar to frighten enemies. Satan’s predominant tactic against the believer is
fear through lies. In reality, he is a lion without teeth that can do us no real harm. (Col. 2:15)
- “whom he may devour” – His only desire is to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10)

5:9 – “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” – Standing in our trust of the Lord. (James 4:7)
- “sufferings” – We may become more vulnerable to the enemy when we are suffering.

5:10 – “all grace” – It is God’s grace to forgive us our sins. It is also God’s grace to keep us from sins.
- “called us to His eternal glory” – Our arrival at our destination is guaranteed.
- “suffered a while” – Paul said “these light afflictions which are but for a moment are working for
us an eternal weight of glory.” (2 Cor. 4:17)
- “perfect” – Lit. “restore, complete.” (Matt. 4:21)
- “establish” – Lit. “to put in place, to make stable, to make firm.”
- “strengthen” – The context is spiritual strength.
- “settle” – Lit. “to ground, to lay a foundation.”

5:12 – “Silvanus” – Silas. A travel companion of Paul picked up in Acts 15:40.

5:13 – “Babylon” – Either Rome or Babylon, but most likely the actual city of Babylon.
- “Mark” – John Mark. He would author the Gospel of Mark with Peter’s guidance.

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