1 Peter 1 Breakdown

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Here we have Peter introducing himself and stating who this letter is specifically addressed to. Those being addressed are the “pilgrims” or those who come from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives. In other words, those who are not originally from Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, or Bithynia. These people are part of the Dispersion. This word comes from the Greek word diaspora, and it means a scattering into the nations.

Leviticus 26:27, 33

‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me,

I will scatter you among the nations and draw out a sword after you…

Deuteronomy 4:27

And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you.

Deuteronomy 28:64

“Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone.

Deuteronomy 30:1-3

“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, 2 and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you.

Ezekiel 28:25

‘Thus says the Lord God: “When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the sight of the Gentiles, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob.

We can see that it is YHWH who scattered all of both the house of Judah and the house of Israel. The House of Judah and the House of Israel were both taken captive, Judah by Babylon and Israel by Assyria. Judah was able to return to Israel, but the House of Israel never did. Instead, they were scattered among all the gentile nations and eventually assimilated into those nations, becoming virtually indistinguishable from the natives. These are the people who are being addressed by Peter in this letter. Notice, this letter does mention Galatia, as in the very same people Paul writes to in Galatians.

2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

 These scattered people are the elect, or chosen from the beginning by YHWH. Through the Spirit of God, they are sanctified, becoming obedient to His law because of the shed blood of Christ. Peter then greets them.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

YHWH, through His abundant mercy and allowed all men to again come to Him. Notice it says again, therefore, we have to understand there was a time in which they were not able to do so. Basically, everyone was able to freely choose to obey YHWH and be called His people, but at some point that changed, and there is only one reason that has changed throughout the entirety of the Bible. That issue came about when the House of Israel chose not to obey YHWH, He divorced and scattered them. I have explained this in other blogs, if you choose to get deeper into this particular issue.

Peter then goes on to say is it because of the death and resurrection of Yeshua they are able to have a second chance, or to be born again and now can receive an inheritance found in heaven which will be there forever. This inheritance is incorruptible and is being guarded by YHWH Himself. We receive this through salvation at the second coming.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

These people are and should be rejoicing in the Good News of this inheritance and the second chance given to them by YHWH through His mercy. However, there is a period of time in which they will be sorrowful due to the temptation and tribulation they will face.

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

The faith of the true elect and set apart people will be tried and that faith is worth more than anything this world has to offer. Even during the trials and tribulations of fire in the last days, they will still praise and honor YHWH even to Yeshua’s return.

8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Even though you did not see Yeshua, you show your love to Him. You believe His word and are obeying it. You are extremely joyful because of this Good News and are full of YHWH’s glory. At the end of our faith lies the salvation of our soul. We receive that salvation upon His second coming.

10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

Even the prophets searched and did not fully understand how this salvation was going to work. The prophesied of the grace coming upon these scattered sheep of the House of Israel, but did not understand how it was to come about. They searched when this would happen as well as what exactly would happen. Having YHWH’s spirit within them and specifying what He would go through, and what would come about afterword.

12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

To the prophets it was revealed that they were preaching the things that have now been done in this day. Those very things the apostles are reporting to you by the Holy Spirit. The things even the angels did not understand. What would the angels not understand? Do they not have a one on one relationship with God in heaven? I would suggest they do considering we will be “like the angels” after the second coming. So, there is something that doesn’t add up and I submit it is the first covenant being the marriage covenant which disallows a divorced wife from returning to her first husband. This makes sense as to why the angels didn’t understand the “how” because to bring these people back would violate YHWH’s own law.

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Prepare your strength of your mind, stay of conscience mind, and place your hope fully on the grace that Yeshua brings to you at the second coming.

14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

Stay obedient to YHWH’s law and do not allow yourself to be conformed back to the sins of the flesh, the sin of the world, as you were before you were able to come back to YHWH. You are no longer a member of this world, but a member of God’s chosen people.

15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

YHWH is holy and He called you out of this world, be as He is in all your actions.

16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

YHWH says we can be holy because He is holy. I say at the very least we should be attempting to be holy, and He says keeping His law is a way to be holy.

17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;

The Father judges without prejudice, and He does so according to our deed, or works, therefore, we should conduct ourselves here on Earth in fear of YHWH.

18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

The lost sheep were not redeemed alongside of corruptible things to choose to continue in corrupted ways, such as the behavior and traditions from men. Instead, redeemed with the blood of a spotless lamb.

20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

Before YHWH created the Earth, He already had a plan for Christ, but never brought Him forth until now.

21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Through Yeshua, they are able to believe in God, because He was raised from the dead, their hope and faith can be in YHWH once again. In the Hebrew culture, to believe in something requires action. Therefore, to be able to believe means they are again able to keep His law and hope in the promises given from doing so.

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

By obeying YHWH’s truth, which is His law, they have purified their souls. They did this with through the Spirit of God, and with the love they had for one another.

Psalm 119:142

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.

Ezekiel 36:27

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Combining these two verses, and associating them with verse twenty two paints a clear picture of what is going on.

23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

They are born again and are able to come back to YHWH. This time they are born of incorruptible seed because they again have the Word, or law of God. The difference this time though is the Spirit is within them, causing them the desire to keep the commands of God.

24 because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Men die, and men’s ways wither and change, but YHWH’s Word lasts forever. This is what the Apostles, and Paul has preached to you, this is what Yeshua came to do and say.