by Gary L. Evans
(revised 8/1/2023)
Peter — Part 1
1Pe 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
The word “strangers” is from the Greek “par-ep-id’-ay-mos” which means “an alien alongside, that is, a resident foreigner.”
So this word in the context is anyone who is not of the twelve tribes of Israel, that is, a Gentile. But it can also refer to the Israelites who were scattered among the Gentile nations and have lived a long time in other countries than in the land of Judea, and are therefore now considered foreigners.
1Pe 1:2 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.
The word “elect” is from “ek-lek-tos’” which means “select; by implication favorite.”
The word “foreknowledge” is from “prog’-no-sis” which means “forethought,” which is derived from “prog-in-oce’-ko” which means “to know beforehand, that is, foresee.”
Peter declares us to be among The Elect. Our Father selected certain of His created children at the end of The First Earth Age to serve Him in this Second World. He knew us before this Earth Age.
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
The word “foundation” is from “kat-ab-ol-ay’” which means “a deposition, that is, founding; figuratively conception.” It is derived from “kat-ab-al’-lo” which means “to throw down.” So this word means “overthrow.”
Our Father chose us before the overthrow or destruction of The First World on earth so that we would be brought into The New Covenant sealed by The Blood of Christ and inherit Eternal Life.
Eph 1:5-6 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
The word “predestinated” is from “pro-or-id’-zo” which means “to limit in advance, that is, (figuratively) predetermine.”
We were predestined to believe in The Name of The Only Begotten Son, and also to bring others into the faith, in the sense of adopting children in The Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, The Christ. We have been set apart from all others in this world by The Holy Spirit that has been given to us after our repentance and subsequent obedience to God’s Law and atonement from sin by The Blood of Jesus Christ.
The word “grace” is from “khar’-ece” which means “graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude).”
Our Father has shown to us unmerited favor, in that even though we do not deserve Eternal Life, He has called us into His Divine Love through The New Covenant with man that was sealed by The Blood of Jesus. The Promise of The New Covenant is that God would give us a New Heart and a New Mind, The Heart and Mind of Christ Jesus. And according to that Promise, we have received The Holy Spirit.
1Pe 1:3 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,
After our Lord resurrected, He ascended back into Heaven and sent The Holy Spirit to us, and thereby we have been “begotten again” by our Heavenly Father into the image of The Only Begotten Son of God.
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
Our inheritance which cannot decay or fade away is Eternal Life, which we will receive at the return of Jesus Christ to earth.
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
“The last time” is “The Last Days” of this flesh world. We are in those Last Days, my friends.
The word “kept” is from “froo-reh’-o” which means “to be a watcher in advance, that is, to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates); figuratively to hem in, protect.”
Our Father watches over us, guards us, and protects us by His Holy Spirit who dwells in us and by The Word of God in us. And our salvation will be revealed when we are counted worthy to take part in The First Resurrection at the return of Christ Jesus.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Peter — Part 2
1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
The word “temptations” is from the Greek “pi-ras-mos’” which means “a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication adversity.”
The word “heaviness” is from “loo-peh’-o” which means “to distress; reflexively or passively to be sad.”
We are “put to proof” or tested by various difficulties while dwelling in the flesh, and our testing is not pleasant and can be depressing.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
When our Lord Returns there will be The First Resurrection, in which we will receive Eternal Life, and will reign with Him as kings or priests for one thousand years during The Millennial Reign of Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords.
1Pe 1:8-9 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
We have already received Salvation by our faith in Jesus, in that our sins have been forgiven and we have received The Holy Spirit. And yet we have not seen Christ in the flesh, but have believed on Him through The Word of God.
1Pe 1:10-11 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
The Spirit of Christ is The Holy Spirit, and it was also in the Old Testament Prophets before us. And the prophesies that they wrote were from God our Father speaking through them.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
The Prophets realized that what they were writing did not pertain to them and to the times of their lives in the flesh, but were about future generations. And even the angels in Heaven, which have not yet come in the flesh, cannot see the things that we can now look into while we dwell in the flesh. So we are very privileged to be able to study God’s Word in depth so that we can gain so much knowledge and understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation.
1Pe 1:13-14 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
The word “lusts” is from “ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah” which means “a longing (especially for what is forbidden).”
It literally means “covetousness” which is not a sin except when it is for something unlawful, such as when a man covets anything that belongs to someone else. But also we should not focus too much of our desire on the things of this world, because they would become distractions from what is most important, which is Eternal Life.
1Pe 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
The word “holy” is from “hag’-ee-os” which means “sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated).”
The word “conversation” is from “an-as-trof-ay’” which means “behavior.”
God has separated us by His Holy Spirit from all other people in this Satanic world, so we should strive to be separated also by what we do and say and what we think about each day, because we belong to the service of God our Father.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Peter — Part 3
1Pe 1:17-18 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
The word “redeemed” is from the Greek “loo-tro’-o” which means “to ransom (literally or figuratively).”
All of us were in slavery to Satan until our Heavenly Father paid the ransom for our freedom from sin and death.
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
And the ransom paid by our Father was with The Blood of Christ, The Lamb of God. When we believe in The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God, our souls are literally purchased from enslavement to Satan, and we go free.
Heb 10:14-17 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Our Father gave us a New Covenant sealed by The Blood of Christ, and promised to write His Laws into our hearts and minds and forgive us our past transgressions.
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Our Father knew beforehand since the overthrow of The First Earth Age that Christ Jesus would become our Salvation in The Last Days of this Second Earth Age. So we see that Christ Jesus, The Only Begotten Son of God, was also of The Elect, in that His Mission in this Second World would be to pay the ransom price to free us from Satan.
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
And it is by the teaching of Christ, The Only Begotten Son of God, and by His atonement for our past transgressions, which have given us entry into The New Covenant and the receiving of The Holy Spirit, that we are now able to fully believe in God The Father, Who raised Jesus from the dead.
Eze 11:19-20 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
The New Covenant promises to give us a New Heart and a New Mind, even the Heart and Mind of Christ, so that we will “have eyes to see and ears to hear” and can now obey God’s Law from the heart and mind just as Jesus did when He walked this earth.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
After repentance, we obey God’s Law, because repentance is the changing of the way we think about disobedience so that we stop being disobedient to our Father. And with The Holy Mind of Christ dwelling in us, we are able to lead a sinless life in Christ, not by our works but by the working of The Holy Spirit in us.
And God’s Law is The Law of Love, so that by obedience, we show The Love of God to other people in this world.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The term “born again” is from “an-ag-en-nah’-o” which means “to beget or (by extension) bear (again).”
The word “seed” is from “spor-ah’” which means “a sowing, that is, (by implication) parentage.”
The Word of God is that Living Seed by which we are born again as Sons of God in this world, not just by creation back in The First World, but in this Second World now in the image of The Only Begotten Son.
Joh 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Jesus, The Messiah, was The Living Word of God born into a flesh body, even Emanuel which means “God with us.”
1Pe 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
The Word of God is Eternal, and this is The Eternal Word of God.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Peter — Part 4
1Pe 2:1-3 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
When we enter into The New Covenant with God, we are given a New Heart and Mind in Christ Jesus. In this manner, we are born again as new creatures in the image of The Only Begotten Son. And just as a new born baby must nurse and grow in order to develop and become mature, so does Christ born within us. And The Word of God is that “milk” that The Holy Mind of Christ needs in order to grow and develop and mature into the full stature of The Man Christ Jesus.
1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
The Messiah was that “living stone.”
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Jesus was that “tested stone” and “chief corner stone.” All who put their trust in Him will not be moved.
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
And now we also are become as “living stones” that our Father is using to build a Temple in Heaven. And we are “an Holy Priesthood” to offer up Spiritual (Mental) Sacrifices to God.
Exo 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
So from The beginning, The Lord desired for us to be a “Kingdom of Priests,” which we are now become through The New Covenant in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
And The Lord accomplishes the building of His Holy Temple in Heaven by The Holy Spirit of God which He has given to each of us who are in Christ Jesus.
Rev 1:4-6 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
And Christ has made us kings and priests who will reign with Him during His one thousand year Reign when He comes back to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
Everyone who believes in The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God will inherit Eternal Life, and while in this world, will not be confused by the deception of Satan.
1Pe 2:7-8 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
To us who believe, Christ is the most precious thing we have ever learned about, more valuable than anything else, because through Him we have been given the Divine Promise of Eternal Life. But to all who refuse to believe, Christ, The Word of God, is like a “stumbling block” of Biblical proportions, because their rejection of God’s Word causes them to exist here in hopelessness and constant fear of death.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Peter — Part 5
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
The word “chosen” is from the Greek “ek-lek-tos’” which means “select; by implication favorite.”
The word “generation” is from “ghen’-os” which means “kin (abstractly or concretely, literally or figuratively, individually or collectively).”
We are an Elect Kin of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
The Gentiles were not considered among God’s Chosen People, that being Israel. But in Christ, all men are included if they will believe in The Name of The Only Begotten. Therefore not only Israel, but also all of the Gentiles have obtained mercy in Christ.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
The word “soul” is from “psoo-khay’” which means “breath, that is, (by implication) spirit.”
Our natural covetousness for the things in this world struggle against our spirit or mind, so we must discipline ourselves to hold back so as not to be distracted.
1Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
The word “conversation” is from “an-as-trof-ay’” which means “behavior.”
We must live honest lives with good behavior among all people, so that when the truth is revealed we will be shown to have glorified God in this world through our works.
1Pe 2:13-14 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
We must submit to obedience of civil statues and laws of whatever government is in power over us. Naturally the assumption here is that such civil laws do not command us to transgress God’s Law.
1Pe 2:15-16 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
We serve God Most High, so even though we are The Sons of God here on earth, we must not offend others but be civilized according to the common customs of the people we live among.
1Pe 2:17-18 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
Christians who must serve other people, and today anyone who gets a job is the servant of whoever hires him, should work honestly and show respect for their supervisors, even though they might be harsh and rude.
1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
If we must endure being treated unfairly in order to maintain our Lord’s good reputation by our example, then that will be to our good in the end when our Lord returns.
1Pe 2:20-24 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Our Lord was hated without any just cause and suffered being beaten and whipped with a cat of nine tails and then was crucified, so that we would be healed and receive Eternal Life. Therefore we should be willing to follow His Example, and live our lives according to God’s Law of Love, even if we must suffer some in the process.
1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.