Understanding 1 peter 1:1-2

Like peeling an onion, when we delve into this difficult passage, we find layers and layers of possible meanings. Lets have some fun and at least think about all the issues this passage lays before the Bible student. Many of the insights into possible meanings of this passage were derived from a commentary by Karen H. Jobes on 1 Peter.

1 Peter 1:1-2 NASB:

‘Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”

As an overview, Peter is addressing folks, chosen aliens, who are scattered locatively, but are united covenantly, with his salutation, May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.

Peter uses covenant language, pointing to Mount Sinai and Exodus 24, but clarifies that the covenant in view is the New Covenant in the blood of Christ. Peter is Christ’s apostle and refers to himself with the name given him by Jesus.

Just as the Old Testament 12 tribes were scattered locatively and thus not citizens of the places they resided, Christians are citizens of the kingdom of God and are therefore aliens because they have been chosen, hence “chosen aliens” refers to those chosen by God.

Next we encounter phrases, which modify or describe how his audience became chosen aliens. First it was according to the foreknowledge of God – God’s redemption plan was to choose believers for His own possession. Second they became chosen aliens by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Here “sanctifying work” refers to God setting the person apart – spiritually in Christ – rather than the process of sanctification that occurs once a person is placed spiritually in Christ. And third, we have the phrase “to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood.

This third phrase is where we might go in several directions: were we chosen for the purpose of obedience and sprinkling, or is it an allusion to an Old Covenant illustration? By looking further into 1 Peter, we see that Peter is making the case that we should obey Christ. Rather than leap to the conclusion that obedience is one purpose and sprinkling is a second purpose, lets consider a third possibility, obedience and sprinkling are two words expressing the same idea, as illustrated in the Old Testament.

Lets assume this phrase is alluding to the establishment of the Mosaic Covenant as described in Exodus 24:3-8. There the refugees pledge their obedience (verses 3-7) and then are sprinkled verse 8. Hence the blood of the Covenant is applied to them. Christians are called to pledge their obedience and then the blood of the Covenant is applied to them by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Thus we are chosen to have the blood of the Covenant applied to us through God’s recognition of our obedience to the call of Christ.

In summary, the encouragement provided by Peter’s first letter is based on the readers understanding that they are aliens suffering difficult in the world because they were chosen out of the world and made citizens of the kingdom through the New Covenant in His blood.

God Bless

 

Hi Archangel, my study does not rely on turning an adjective into a verb. If you read the post, you see I address how chosen aliens became that way as the heart of what Peter was saying.

 

Hi Old Union Brother, we have already delved into that one in another thread, lets stick with 1 Peter 1:1-2 in this thread.

 

Hi FreeatLast, I made several points. Once was that "by the sanctifying work of the Spirit" describes how we are chosen, and not how we go through progresive sanctification after being chosen and placed in Christ by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Thus this verse says much the same thing as 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

 

No content, just general condemnation from Glfredrick. Calvinism gets the cart before the horse, I have the horse out front. Both 1 Peter 1:1-2 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13 say we were chosen by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, meaning God sets us apart in Christ, and this choice was based on crediting our faith as righteousness, Romans 4:4-5.

I have shown why the election in Ephesians 1:4 must be corporate, because of all the verses that say God chose us during our lives, such as when we were poor to the world, but rich in faith in the eyes of God.

The Calvinists tried to mistreat 2 Thessalonians 2:13, saying the "through sanctification by the Spirit" modified "for salvation" rather than "chosen you." However, that argument was weak grammatically as pointed out by John of Japan, and further weakened by the example of the same idea being presented in 1 Peter 1:1-2 where "in the sanctifying work of the Spirit" modifies the adjective chose.

 

"I can't be reading this!

"God chose us during our lives..." and you're saying you "demonstrated" this from Ephesians 1:4.

Did you not read "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world?" How can that possibly be "during our lives?"

The Archangel"

You are right, you are not reading this, you are making it up.

Here is what I wrote:
" Calvinism gets the cart before the horse, I have the horse out front. Both 1 Peter 1:1-2 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13 say we were chosen by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, meaning God sets us apart in Christ, and this choice was based on crediting our faith as righteousness, Romans 4:4-5.

I have shown why the election in Ephesians 1:4 must be corporate, because of all the verses that say God chose us during our lives, such as when we were poor to the world, but rich in faith in the eyes of God.

The Calvinists tried to mistreat 2 Thessalonians 2:13, saying the "through sanctification by the Spirit" modified "for salvation" rather than "chosen you." However, that argument was weak grammatically as pointed out by John of Japan, and further weakened by the example of the same idea being presented in 1 Peter 1:1-2 where "in the sanctifying work of the Spirit" modifies the adjective chose."

God chose us during our lives is demonstrated by 2 Thessalonians 2:13 where we are chosen on the basis of faith in the truth. And then we have James 2:5 where the poor to the world are chosen. Not to mention 1 Corinthinans 1:26- 30 where all manner of folks are chosen.

Now lets take a longer look at 1 Corinthians 1:30 and see what it seems to say.

"30But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, " (NASB)

And here is how I understand the verse: But by Him now you are in Christ Jesus, who out of God came into existence for us, even our guiding light, righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.

So by the numbers,(1) God puts us in Christ spiritually, we do not put ourselves in.

(2) Christ came out of God (the triune Godhead) into existence in the flesh

(3)for us

(4) to be our guiding light, we are to follow Christ,
(5) to be our righteousness, in Christ we become the righteousness of God,
(6) in Christ we are set apart and we undergo progressive sanctification until we die or Christ returns,
(7) In Christ we are redeemed, we undergo the circumcision of Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we arise in Christ a new creation, alive together with Christ, having been transferred from the realm of darkness into His marvelous light.