1 Peter 1: 1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ [Yeshua Moshiach]. To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithnia. . .
John 7: 35
Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that wee shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks [Gentiles] and teach them?”
1 Peter 1: 6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 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 [Yeshua Moshiach].
Job 23: 10
But He [God] knows the way I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
Psalms 66: 10, 12b
For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. We went through fire and water, but You have brought us out to rich (abundant) fulfillment.
1 Peter 1: 10-11
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He [God] testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ [Moshiach] and the glories that would follow.
Luke 24: 44, 46
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” Then he said to them, “Thus it was written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ [Moshiach] to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.”
1 Peter 1: 14; 2: 1, 11; 3: 8-9; 4: 3
As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
Romans 12: 2a
And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
1 Peter 1: 15-16
But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy (Cp. Leviticus 1: 44a, 45b).”
1 Peter 2: 5, 9a
You also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ [Yeshua Moshiach]. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
1 Peter 2: 10
Who were once not a people but now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Hosea 1: 9-10
Then God said; “Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not My people, and I will not be your God. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, there it shall be said to them, you are the sons of the Living God.
1 Peter 2: 12, 15; 3: 16
Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers [when they falsely accuse you of wrongdoing], they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation [His advent]. For this is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your conduct in Christ [Moshiach] may be ashamed.
1 Peter 2: 13a, 18a; 3: 1a; 5: 5a
Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the LORD’S sake. Servants be submissive to your masters with all fear. Wives, likewise be submissive to your own husbands. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another.
1 Peter 2: 20b-21-24
But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this were you called, because Christ [Moshiach] also suffered for you [not for Himself], leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps [Cp. Mark 8: 34b; Luke 12: 50; Matthew 20: 22b]: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth;” who, when He was reviled [mocked], did not revile in return; when He suffered He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose [His] stripes you were [are] healed.
1 Peter 3: 13-14a, 17
And who is he who will harm you if you become followers [doers] of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
1 Peter 3: 18; 4: 1a, 13, 14a, 16, 19; 5: 9-11
For Christ [Yeshua] also suffered once for sins, the just and the unjust, that He might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit. Therefore, since Christ [Yeshua] suffered for you in the flesh. . . But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ [Moshiach], blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but glorify God in this manner [on this behalf]. Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. Resist him [the devil], steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world., But may the God of all grace, Who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus [Moshiach Yeshua], after you have suffered awhile, will perfect, strengthen, and settle [establish] you.
COMENTARY: It seems that a major theme in this letter (epistle) of the apostle Peter to the Israelites living in Asia and Europe is that of experiencing some form of persecution or suffering for their faith. Since Peter was one of the few disciples who was nearby when the LORD Jesus was cruelly mistreated by undergoing being tortured [reviled, beaten and spit upon], and finally crucified, this made such a deep impression upon him that he never forgot. In fact, the way Peter looks at it, it is an honor to suffer unjustly for the sake of righteousness as one is following the very example of the Savior Jesus [Yeshua]. This is our calling or vocation and as we receive such treatment from others, God is glorified and we should praise Him for being counted worthy to suffer in His name. This is a process of spiritual refining, like heating rare and precious metals like gold and silver to high temperatures for removing the impurities and so when a Christian undergoes fiery trials this should remind us that Jesus chose to take our place on the Cross of Calvary and received in His body the physical and spiritual consequence for our sin.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
December 21, 2011
robertrandle51@yahoo.com
