1 Peter

1:13-2:3

1. The holy people of God, 1:1-2:10

iv] Personal holiness - be what you are

In this passage, Peter calls on his readers: i] to live holy lives, v13-16; ii] fear God, v17-21; and iii] love one another, v22-2:3.

Peter's letter begins with a greeting followed by a statement of praise to God which is supported by four grounds for that praise. Peter then goes on from 1:13 to 2:3 to challenge his readers to live as faithful children of God, rather than be conformed to their secular society. His readers were under a fair bit of pressure to align themselves with the values of Roman society. It is also possible that Nero's persecution of the Christian church was beginning to reach into the provinces. Christians may well have become the target of government interference and were possibly being forced to offer a sacrifice to the emperor.

There are four parts to Peter's challenge to his readers to be what they are; they are a holy people, so be what you are:

i] A call to holy living, v13-16. Think and act with the mind of Christ: "prepare your minds for action", "set your hope fully on the grace to be given you" and "be holy" - the reader is asked to rest on the glory that is theirs in Christ and live out that grace rather than be conformed to the world about them.

ii] A call to fear God rather than man, v17-21. Fear does not mean to feel horror, but rather to feel a reverence for God's authority, for his awesomeness, so "respect God." Peter asks his readers to remember who God is and what he has done.

iii] A call to love one another, 1:22-2:3. "Love one another deeply from the heart." iv] A call to focus on God's word; "crave the uncontaminated milk of the gospel."

Peter's readers have every reason to rejoice because of the "living hope" / "the inheritance" / "grace" that is theirs. Given this hope, Peter draws a conclusion, introduced by the conjunction dio, "therefore", which properly applies to his readers. This conclusion consists of responsibilities which Peter expresses in a series of Greek imperatives, along with dependent participles, defining the responsibilities / ethical implications of the living hope that is now theirs in Christ. By this means "he sets forth the strenuous moral demands of the life into which (his readers) have entered", Beare. In the first imperative Peter calls on his readers to be holy as God is holy, v14-16.

dio "therefore" - Inferential conjunction. "So then, your minds must be stripped for action", Barclay.

anazwsamenoi (anazwnumi) aor. part. "prepare" - girding up, tying up ones robes ready for work. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "hope [completely]", which being imperative, may make this participle an imperative, so NIV; see Moulton MHT I re. participles used as imperatives, also Selwyn p.467-480. Yet, see "set your hope" below. Here, of pulling together the loose ends of ones thinking.

dianoiaV (a) "mind" - thinking.

nhfonteV (nhfw) pres. part. "self-controlled" - being well-balanced. Again, an attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "hope", so again possibly imperative, as NIV.

elpisate (elpizw) aor. imp. "set your hope" - hope. The word in Greek usage is not the same as commonly used in English; "hope" is not "wishful thinking", but "a sure expectation". As Jobes notes, the word commonly means "to look forward with confidence", but also carries the sense "to think concerning future contingencies." This main verb needs to be emphasized rather than giving emphasis to the two attendant participles, eg., "bracing up, therefore, you minds for action and perfectly composed, fix your hope altogether on the grace that will be coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed", Berkeley.

teleiwV adv. "fully" - absolutely, perfectly, completely. This adverb modifies the verb "set your hope."

epi "on" - upon, on.

carin (iV ewV) "the grace" - Peter has used a number of words in his letter so far to describe the content of the eschatological "living hope" of a believer: "inheritance", "salvation", "grace", ie., "grace rather than wrath", Beare.

thn feromenhn (ferw) pres. pas. part. "given" - being brought, carried. More likely in this context, "proclaimed". The participle is adjectival, limiting "grace"; "which is coming to you", Barclay. When Christ comes he proclaims God's eternal acceptance, or literally, he brings it to us.

umin dat. "you" - to you. Dative of direct object / interest.

en + dat. "when [Jesus Christ is revealed]" - in, on /at [revelation of Jesus Christ]. A temporal use of the preposition is probably intended here, as NIV. The actual "when" is usually taken in eschatological terms, ie., "at the second coming of Christ", rather than "when Christ is revealed in the teaching of scripture."

wJV "as" - like, as. Peter seems to use this particle in two ways, "as if / as it were", or, "in the manner of / functioning as", so Achtemeier.

uJpakohV (h) gen. "obedient [children]" -[children] of obedience. The genitive is adjectival, limiting "children", as NIV; "obedient people", "those characterized by obedience", Zerwick. It seems likely that Peter uses "obedience" here as a preexisting condition possessed by his readers, due to the fact that they are "the chosen exiles of the dispersion", and this "according to the foreknowledge of God" and "by means of the sanctification of the Spirit", eiV "into the obedience" and blood of Jesus Christ, 1:1-2. In their union with (into / in) Jesus, a believer is obedient / righteous / holy. In simple terms Peter is saying "be what you are."

mh suschmatizomenoi (schmatizw) pres. pas. part. "conform" - conforming yourselves, fashioning, shaping, ..... to a pattern. "Do not be conformed / do not allow your lives to be shaped", Barclay.

taiV .... epiqumiaiV (a) dat. "to the evil desires" - to the passions, lusts. The dative is possibly instrumental, so "by the passions that controlled you", Berkeley.

proteron adv. "when you lived" - formerly, before. Adverbial use of the adjective.

en + dat. "in" - in [the former ignorance of you]. Local; "in your former ignorance", Berkeley.

th/ agnoia/ (a) "ignorance" - In the sense of sinfulness

alla "but" - but. Adversative.

kata "just as" - according to . With the sense "like", ie., in relation to something else; "modelling yourself on him", Cassirer. "Instead of conforming to this age the Christian is to conform to God", Davids.

ton kalesanta (kalew) aor. part. "he who called [you is holy]" - the [holy] one having called [you]. The participle functions as a substantive modified by the adjective "holy". Certainly "called" takes the sense of "destined by divine will", although it is the covenant people who are so destined, while membership of this people is through faith in the faithfulness of Christ. Peter's readers, most likely Jewish believers, well understand the notion of being part of God's called-out people, whereas a Gentile (a stranger to Israel) is more inclined to understand the notion of being "invited" to join God's covenant family.

genhqhte (ginomai) aor. pas. imp. "so be [holy]" - become [holy]. As noted above, the point is "be what you." "Holiness is not just an inner pietistic ideal, but a quality to be expressed in the whole of life", Best.

anastrofh/ (h) "in all you do" - conduct, way of life, behavior. We should be like the one who called us.

dioti (dia-oJti) "for" - wherefore, therefore / since, because, for. Usually taken as causal here; "for, as scripture says", Cassirer. The believer is to live out the holiness that is theirs in Christ because God has told us to be holy.

oJti "-" - that. Variant. Serving to introduce a dependent statement, direct speech / quote. Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, 20:7-8, 26.

oJti "[be holy] because" - [you will be holy] because. Here the conjunction introduces a causal clause.

egw pro. "I [am holy]" - Emphatic.

In v17-21 Peter challenges his readers with a second imperative, to live "as strangers here" with "reverent fear." He asks us to recognize whom we serve - the mighty God who redeemed us. Peter seems to play with an Exodus image in this passage. God is pictured as the stern Lord of the wilderness wanderings. He is a "judge" who has "redeemed" his people with the precious blood of the "lamb". They are "strangers", "called" from their "empty way of life." So we are pictured as sojourners in the wilderness waiting to enter the promised land. Christ has gone before and we will soon follow. Obviously, we are tempted to return to Egypt, to the power and pleasure of the secular city, and so we must keep our "faith and hope" burning brightly before us. In the Greek these verses form one sentence which, according to Achtemeier, summarize "the whole of what he (Peter) has to say and indeed virtually the whole of the import of the Christian faith." We must spend our time on this earth in reverent living", cf. Barclay, because: i] our Father God is an impartial judge; and ii] we have been redeemed from our former life by Christ' death.

ei + ind. "since" - [and] if. Introducing a 1st class conditional clause where the condition is assumed to be true, "if, as is the case, [you invoke the Father, the one who judges according to each one's works (impartially)] then [live with fear (behave reverently) during the time of your exile]." The presence of the kai simply joins the clause to the previous verse, but it is possible that it is intended to stand with ei to give a concessive sense; "even if". "Father" is emphatic by position. "Given that / since".

epikaleisqe (epikalew) pres. "call on" - call someone by an alternative name. In the middle voice it is "call upon", and here calling on the divine, "invoke".

ton ..... krinonta (krinw) pres. part. "who judges" - the one judging. The participle functions as a substantive and stands in apposition to Father, ie. defines "Father".

aproswpolhmptwV "impartially" - without respect of persons, Adverb modifying the verbal aspect of the participle "the one judging."

anastrafhte (anastrefw) aor. pas/mid. imp." live your lives" - live / conduct. In the Middle Passive "I conduct myself" in the sense of living by certain principles.

thV paroikiaV (a) gen. "as strangers" - of the sojourn, residing with a foreign people [of you]. The genitive is adjectival, limiting cronon "time" - Used here of believers who camp in the world awaiting entrance into their true home.

en fobw (foboV) "in reverent fear" - in fear. This word is not used of feeling scared, but rather of reverential respect. Usually taken locally; "in awe of him", Cassirer.

eidonteV (oida) perf. part. "for you know" - having known. The participle is adverbial, probably causal, "because", as NIV.

oJti "-" - that. Introducing a dependent statement of perception expressing what they know.

ou fqartoiV dat. adj. "with perishable things" - corruptible. The adjective functions as a substantive, so "corruptible things." The dative is probably instrumental (Beare), possibly of measure "in / with", "the ransom has not been paid in perishable things", Cassirer, better of means, "by means of", "It was not by perishable silver or gold that you were ransomed", Moffatt.

arguriw/ (on) dat. "silver" - silver / money. "Silver or gold" stand in apposition to "perishable things", so defining them, as NIV.

ou .... elutrwqhte (lutrow) aor. pas. "you were redeemed" - you were not ransomed / liberated, delivered [in/by perishable things]. As is always the case with this word it is unclear whether the sense is "ransom / redemption", referring to the payment of a price, or "deliverance", referring to deliverance from bondage without the payment of a price. It seems "ransom" is intended, the price being the blood of the lamb rather than silver or gold, but without the logical implication of a price paid to someone. Of course, some have tried to identify the recipient of the ransom, eg. The devil. No such identification is made in the scriptures. See Leon Morris, The apostolic Preaching of the Cross, 1955.

mataiaV adj. "empty" - vain, useless, fruitless. Possibly even "godless".

patroparadotou adj. "handed down to you from your forefathers" - ancestral way of life. Believers have inherited the corrupt condition of their forebears, and it is from this that we are redeemed.

alla "but" - Strong adversative.

titmiw dat. adj. "with the precious [blood]" - valuable, precious, costly [blood]. The dative is instrumental; see above.

wJV "-" - as, like [of a lamb]. See wJV v14. "Like a lamb", Cassirer.

aspilou adj. "without blemish" - unspotted. Referring to the sacrificial offering. "Flawless and faultless", Elliott.

men ...... de "- ....... but ...." - [who] on the one hand [ having been chosen .......] but/yet on the other hand [having been manifested ....]

proegnwsmenou (proginwskw) perf. pas. part "he was chosen" - having been foreknown / chosen ahead of time. The meaning is "to know in advance / foreknowledge", but often implies "foreordained / chosen before / appointed in accord with God's eternal plan", as here, ie. "God's electing foreknowledge." The participle is adjectival, describing "Christ". "He was destined to this task before the creation of the world", Barclay.

fanerwqentoV (fanerow) perf. pas. part. "was revealed" - manifested. With the sense reveal to someone. The participle is adjectival, describing "Christ", v19.

escatou adj. "last" - after which there is nothing remaining. "Disclosed at the end of time", Berkeley.

di (dia) + acc. "for [your] sake" - because of, on account of [you]. Stressing the "for-you-ness" of the gospel, cf. Elliott.

di (dia) "though [him]" - through, by means of [him]. Instrumental / agent, namely "Jesus." Salvation depends on what God has done in and through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

touV .... pistouV adj. "you believe" - the .... faithful, reliable. The articular adjective forms a relative clause; "who by him do believe in God", AV. Yet, it is unclear whether the adjective should be read positively (passively), or actively (verbally), ie. is it "believers" or "believing"? Is it "trustworthy / dependable / loyal" or "trusting"? "The adjective most likely brings out the thought of faithfulness; through Christ, we are not only brought to have faith in God, but are enabled to show ourselves faithful to Him in all our life", Beare. None-the-less, most commentators, as with translations, take the articular adjective to mean "the believers"; "you who are believers in God", Michales.

eiV "in [God]" - to, into. A preposition often used of placing ones trust in God.

ton egeiranta (egairw) aor. part. "who raised" - the one having raised. The participle functions as an attributive adjective forming a relative clause, as NIV.

ek + gen. "from [the dead]" - out of, from [dead].

donta (didwmi) aor. part. "glorified [him]" - having given [to him glory]. The participle functions as an attributive adjective. "In the primitive tradition the resurrection and exaltation of Christ are associated as a single action of God indicating his triumph, Ac.2:32f, Phil.2:8-11, ...", Best. "And gave to him glory."

wJste + inf. "so" - that. This construction usually forms a consecutive clause expressing result, but sometimes a final clause expressing purpose, or, as is the case here, hypothetical result, "so that", BDF #393.3.

thn pistin ... kai elpida "[your] faith and hope" - the faith [of you] and hope. Of these two nouns, joined by kai, only pistin takes an article. This has prompted many commentators to treat elpida as predicate after the infinitive einai, giving the sense that the intended result of Christ's glorification is "so that your trust may also be (is also) your hope in God", Elliott, cf. Moffatt. None-the-less, most commentators, as with translations, treat the lack of the second article as stylistic. "Faith" and "hope" are certainly closely connected ideas (both being confidence based), here treated as coordinate nouns ("almost in the sense of a hendiadys", Achtemeier), almost interchangeable, but not identical; "these two are most closely joined, but they differ with respect to the present and the future", Bengel, NT Word Studies; "those who believe in God also hope in him", Beare. Through Christ faith and hope are realized in the life of a believer, and this directed toward God, thus bringing us into a living union with him. "So then, you faith and hope look to God", Barclay.

Given the "living hope" / "the inheritance" / "grace" that belongs to his readers, and how this is played out in relation to God, Peter now sets out some key responsibilities / ethical implications which apply to the business of living within a Christian fellowship, 1:22-2:3. These responsibilities focus on two imperatives, the third and fourth imperatives in this letter so far, namely "love one another", v22, and "crave pure spiritual milk", 2:2. "They are to love one another earnestly and to crave the spiritual nourishment that fosters a vital Christian community", Jobes. The first responsibility is set out in two Gk. sentences, v22-23, and v24-25.

hJgnikoteV (agnizw) perf. pas. part. "now that you have purified" - having purified. The participle is adverbial, probably causal, "because". By taking a perfect tense the participle expresses a single past act with ongoing results. Often taken as a reference to baptism although this is unlikely. Submission to the gospel for regeneration is more likely. "Since, by your obedience to the truth, you have purified yourselves", NJB.

taV yucaV uJmwn "yourselves" - the souls of you. "Your personal inner self", so "yourselves", as NIV, but obviously not the whole self, but here the spiritual self.

en + dat. "by" - in, on. Instrumental use of the preposition seems best, expressing "by means of", as NIV, but local / sphere is possible, "in connection with", Hiebert.

hnV alhqeiaV "[obeying] the truth" - [the obedience] of the truth. Usually treated as an objective genitive, "obedience to the truth", Moffatt, etc., ie. acceptance of the gospel. Of course, an adjectival sense is possible where the genitive functions attributively, limiting / modifying "obedience"; "true/truthful obedience." This "true" type of obedience may be construed as the type which concerns a person's acceptance of, and living out of, the gospel, given that in the NT the word "truth" is often synonymous with "the gospel", so "gospel obedience." In fact, "obedience" is often expressed in the terms of "the obedience of faith", such that obedience and faith become synonymous, so "true faith." To further confuse matters, taking en as local it is possible that the "true obedience" is Christ's obedience such that we are purified in union with him. At any rate, the principle is clear enough, we are purified by faith in the faithfulness of Christ.

eiV "so that" - to, into. Here expressing purpose, or better hypothetical result, the fruit of faith: "so as to engender in you an unfained love", Cassirer.

anupokriton adj. "sincere" - genuine, unfeigned. Genuine, rather than superficial play-acting.

agaphsate (agapaw) aor. imp. "love [one another]" - "See to it that you do love each other fervently, from the heart", Phillips.

ektenwV adv. "from the heart" - earnestly, eagerly, with full intensity.

anagegennhmenoi (anagennaw) perf. pas. part. "have been born again" - having been regenerated, caused to be born. The participle is adverbial, probably causal, "because / for", as NIV. "Love each other intensely from the heart, for your new birth was not from any perishable seed, but .....", NJB.

ouk ek "not of" - not out of, from. Identifying source.

fqarthV adj. "perishable" - perishable, corruptible, mortal.

sporaV (a) "seed" - Initially referring to sowing, but can mean the seed itself, as here. The image of "perishable seed" is being used of natural human life which is mortal, while "imperishable" seed applies to a divine spiritual new birth which, in and through Christ, is immortal. "Seed" does not serve here as an image of the word of God. Brotherly love is a natural fruit of those who are alive in Christ.

alla "but" - but. Strong adversative.

afqartou adj. "of imperishable" - incorruptible, imperishable, immortal.

dia + gen. "through" - through, by means of. Instrumental / means.

zwntoV (zaw) gen. pres. part. "[the] living [word of God]" - living. This participle, as with "enduring / abiding / remaining", is adjectival, limiting "word"; "by means of a word which is living and abiding." The "word" is probably not the theological logoV, the incarnate Christ, but rather the preached word about Christ / the gospel. So, the "word" is living, not in the sense that Christ is living as a risen Lord, but living in the sense of being "dynamic", even "life-giving". The "word" is abiding / enduring in the sense of eternal, a constant reality; "permanent and unchanging", Hiebert. Both adjectives are used of God in Daniel 6:26, but here of his word, reminding us that the words and being of God are one. Of course, it is possible that the adjectives modify qeou, "God", but "word" seems more likely.

Peter now quotes the LXX version of Isaiah 40:6 and 8 in support of the divine nature of the gospel.

dioti "for" - because, for. Causal conjunction. A shorthand version of "for as it is written", serving to introduce a scriptural support for, and thus verification of, the regenerative and imperishable nature of the gospel. The human experience of life is here today, gone tomorrow, but the word of God is eternal.

exhranqh (xhrainw) aor. pas. "withers" - was dried up, Passive = "become dry."

exepesen (ekpiptw) aor. "fall" - fall off

eiV ton aiwna "stands forever" - into the age. "But the word of God remains forever", Barclay.

to euaggelisqen (euaggelizw) aor. pas. part. "that was preached" - the one having been proclaimed, evangelized. The participle is adjectival, limiting rJhma, "word", as NIV. "Which you have had proclaimed to you", Cassirer.

The fourth imperative, "crave pure spiritual milk", the second concerning life in the fellowship of believers, is contained in a single Gk. sentence covering v1-3. This call for spiritual growth, as for brotherly love, represents a natural consequence of the readers new birth in Christ, their "living hope" / "inheritance" / "grace", ie. the imperative rests on the indicative = be what you are.

oun "therefore" - Expressing a logical conclusion; "therefore, having rid yourself .....(ie. having loved the brotherhood) ...., crave pure spiritual milk."

apoqemenoi (apotiqhmi) aor. mid. part. "rid yourselves" - having put away, rejected. The participle is adverbial, possibly causal, "since you have rid yourself of all .....", or probably better temporal, "as you lay aside all ......", Berkeley (Causal would work nicely with the present tense; "since you are laying aside ..."). The list of negative qualities serve to define what it means to love one another. To love a brother entails getting rid of all "malicious and twisted conduct, of two-faced and envious behavior, of all slanderous gossiping", Barclay. As already noted, it is argued by many commentators that Peter often uses participles as imperatives. This has prompted translations of this verse in the form of an imperative, as NIV; see also, NJB, REB, CEV, TNT, Moffatt, NAB, Knox, Williams, ......

pasan adj. "all [malice]" - The threefold use of "all" "conveys the sense of totality and inclusiveness (no exceptions!)", Elliott.

uJokriseiV (iV ewV) "hypocrisy" - pretense.

fqonouV (oV) "envy" - jealousy.

wJV "like" - as, like. Adverbial; "in the manner of newborn children who crave after their mother's milk, so we should crave ....." The comparison is related to craving, not to children, although the New Testament will often describe Jesus' disciples as children.

artigennhta adj. "newborn" - a recently born child.

brefh (oV) "babies" - infant, baby, sometimes an unborn child.

epipoqhsate (epipoqew) aor. imp. "crave" - desire greatly, long for greatly, crave. "As newly-born children want nothing more than their mother's milk, so you must set your heart on ....", Barclay.

adolon adj. "pure" - pure, without deceit, sincere. "Uncontaminated", Beare.

to logikon adj. "spiritual" - rational. This limiting adjective has many subtle meanings, eg. reasonable / rational / metaphorical / spiritual in the sense of not of this world, in contrast to literal. Here, Peter may be using any of these meanings. Other than metaphorical, the gospel is all of the above. "Spiritual" is preferred in most modern translations; "long for spiritual milk, the milk, that is, which is wholly pure", Cassirer, ie. milk which is necessary for spiritual growth / existence. Interestingly, the tendency is to understand this "spiritual milk" as representing the Word of God, that which provides spiritual nourishment and growth, so eg. Elliott, Best; "Go for the real spiritual milk of the Word", Junkins. Yet, by itself the phrase "pure spiritual milk" could be referring to anything! Clowney is surely right when he notes that "since Peter has just been describing the living logos by which Christians are given new birth, it would seem that he is using logikon in that sense: the milk of the word", so also Hiebert. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word", AV.

gala (a) "milk" - the [pure spiritual] milk. The article indicates something specific, as above, "the milk of the word"; "the divinely-given nourishment supplied by the gospel", Hiebert. Of course, other possibilities have been suggested, eg. the acceptance of Christ in the Eucharist, Beare. "Crave the uncontaminated milk of the gospel."

iJna + subj. "so that" - that. Forming a purpose clause, "in order that."

en + dat. "by [it]" - Here taking an instrumental sense expressing means.

auxhqhte (auxw / auxanw) aor. pas. subj. "you may grow up" - Transitive, "I cause to increase"; intransitive, "I grow". The word is used of a growing child and here the sense is of maturing toward eternal salvation.

eiV "in [your salvation]" - to, into [salvation]. The purpose of desiring this milk is that we may "grow up" in our "salvation". Peter is probably using "salvation" here to mean something like "the full realization of our eternal inheritance." Not earning it, of course, but releasing our full potential in it. So, Peter is encouraging his readers to desire the spiritual nourishment of the Word of God, so guiding their Christian walk together, and this in preparation for eternity.

ei + ind. "now that" - if. Forming a 1st. class conditional clause where the condition is assumed to be true; "[therefore], if, as is the case, [having put away all malice ....], you have tasted that the Lord is good, then, [as newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word so that ......]"

egeusasqe (geuomai) aor. "you have tasted" - taste, experience. Here of experiencing the Lord's kindness. Peter is alluding to Psalm 33:9, LXX.

oJti "that" - that. Introducing a dependent statement of perception expressing what they have experienced.

crhstoV adj. "good" - loving kindness, gracious, useful.

1 Peter Introduction

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