1 Peter 1:1-2

I Peter 1:1-2

1. What parts of Peter’s life surprise, impress, encourage, and inform your reading of this book and why?
• His brother Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:39)
• He spoke Aramaic with a strong accent (Mark 14:7) and some Greek
• He was a fisherman born in Bethsaida (John 1:44) that also called Capernaum his home
• He was married and accompanied by his wife in his missionary travels (I Cor 9:5)
• He was influenced by John the Baptist’s ministry (cf. Acts 1:22)
• Peter was first introduced to Jesus by his brother Andrew (John 1:41)
• Peter was later called to be a follower of Jesus (Mark 1:16)
• He was eventually called to be among Jesus’ twelve disciples (Mark 3:16) along with James and John, who formed an inner circle around Jesus (Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33; cf. 13:3).
• He was an eyewitness to the transfiguration of Jesus (Mark 9:2–13).
• His experience in the inner circle gave him authority to teach the gospel of Jesus (1 Pet. 5:1; 2 Pet. 1:16)
• Following his resurrection, Jesus appeared to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5). Also, the closing chapter of John’s gospel reveals that in a painfully earnest moment following Peter’s denial of Jesus and Jesus’ resurrection from death, Jesus re-commissions Peter to pastoral ministry and the responsibility to “feed my sheep.”
• Acts shows Peter to be the leader before Pentecost (Acts 1:15) the main preacher of the early church (Acts 2:14, Acts 3:12), the spokesman before authorities (4:8), and the authority over church discipline (Acts 5:3)
• Was not formally educated (Acts 4:13) but demonstrates a familiarity with the Septuagint, most likely from his experience preaching, evangelizing and pasturing Gentiles as well as Jews (also giving credit to Silvanus for his work as a possible editor, according to 1 Peter 5:12, Acts 15:22 and Acts 15:32).
• Most likely wrote from Rome (“Babylon”) and died there as a result of Neronian persecution -according to church history, crucified upside down.

2. How does the “Fear of Man” fit in to Peter’s life? How do we need to deal with this issue? What specific ways does it affect us?
• Acts 11:2 and Galatians 2:11 show how Peter was criticized by Jews for fellowshipping with ex-pagan Gentiles.

3. What do the words “apostle” “Jesus” and “Christ” combine to mean:
• A delegate of the anointed Messiah sent to proclaim the message that Jehovah is salvation.

4. Elect/Foreknowledge: What frustration and comfort do these words produce?
• Frustration: God chooses whom He will save Comfort: independent of their actions or merit

5. Exiles: How are we in the same category and what type of life should be live because of it?
• Strangers to the world, pilgrims, “this world is not my home, I’m just apassin’ through.”

6. God the Father, the Spirit, and Jesus are all mentioned in verse 2. How does the Trinity being mentioned in this way (their various ‘jobs’) encourage and motivate you?
• according to the foreknowledge of God the Father
• in the sanctification of the Spirit
• for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood

7. Knowing that facing trials is one of the themes of I Peter, how does that add meaning to the phrase ‘grace and peace’ at the end of verse 2?
• 2 Peter 1:2 repeats the same blessing and adds: “in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,” by whom alone can these can exist as both imputed & imparted
• Imputed in that we find God’s grace & peace personally through Jesus
• Imparted in that our personal possession of grace and peace are multiplied as our knowledge (intimacy) of God through Jesus grows