1 Peter | Living in hope
Foreword
We seem to be living in an era when hope is in short supply.
The news is more often than not pretty gloomy – the pandemic and its ongoing
consequences, growing mental health challenges, climate change, violence
against women etc, etc. Just think about the number of Royal Commissions we
have had in the past decade. All of this when we still live affluent and
comfortable lives!
The book of 1 Peter is a wonderful letter written to five scattered Christian communities. In spite of the fact that their situation was radically different to ours, like us, they needed to be reminded of the hope they enjoy in Christ. The letter is full of encouragement and covers a number of big themes that are strikingly relevant to the situation of believers in Australia today. In the course of these nine studies and related sermons we will draw deep on Peter’s teaching to reflect on what it means for us to live as people of hope today.
Peter wrote this letter in Rome (referred to as Babylon in 5.13) and it is sent to five churches in northern Anatolia (called Asia Minor and that is part of modern-day Turkey, between the Mediterranean and the Black Seas).
It was sent via a messenger who read it out loud and then it was copied for ongoing reference.
Peter’s reason for writing can be found at the end of the letter:
I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 1 Peter 5:12
The letter has five parts:
1.1-10 God’s new people
2.11-3.8 God’s people in the world
3.9-4.6 Who will harm you?
4.7-5.11 The end is near
5.12-14 Final greetings
Peter had probably visited these churches and it is also possible that his companion Mark had visited them.
May the Lord bless us as we share in God’s word at this time of transition and change at St Columb’s.
Stephen Hale | Acting Vicar
Some Brief Notes[1]
These notes are intended to provide some background to some of the more challenging verses in 1 Peter.
2.13, 2.18, 3.1, 5.5 It is interesting that the term ‘submit’ is used four times in this letter. In the first instance it is probably self-evident. As believers we accept the authority of earthly rulers and are subject to their rule and authority. Similarly, a slave was to respect and live under the authority of their earthly master. They did this out of fear for God himself.
On the other hand ‘Wives be subject to their husbands’ is
different. The context appears to be wives with unbelieving husbands. They are
not directed to obey their husbands (as conceived of in the Book of Common Prayer
Marriage vows). It would be better to conceive of this as ‘respect their
husbands’. Peter was writing into a patriarchal culture and we live in an
egalitarian culture and we are not therefore obliged to maintain patriarchy!
The younger members are to respect their elders as in 5.5.
3.19-22 Parts of this passage are the most difficult to understand in the letter. Its core message is that Christ is now victorious over the forces of evil that might bring harm to the believers. Peter is seeking to assure frightened readers that their enemies can bring no evil against them (3.9,13). They should therefore give courageous witness to Christ, giving reverence to him alone (3.15), with no fear of their enemies. It is not clear in verse 19 who or what are the ‘spirits in prison’ and what it means that the risen Christ ‘went and preached’ to them. Barnett clarifies it in this way. ‘There are two main teachings in this complex passage: (1) Christ was effective in his atoning death and triumphant in his resurrection and ascension to announce his victory and the defeat of supernatural powers; (2) therefore, let baptised believers be unafraid in the face of terrifying enemies.’ Peter refers to Noah and the eight people on the ark being saved by the water the ark floated upon and then links this to the way in which in baptism we are reminded of God’s saving work. God cleanses us from our sin, and we rise to a new life. As a consequence ‘We have a clear conscience toward God’.
In one sense the section is a reminder of the words we have in the Communion Service:
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
Jesus is currently seated in heaven on the right hand side of the Father and is interceding for the saints until his second coming.
4.6 The ‘dead’ are most likely Peter’s metaphor for those wicked ones portrayed so graphically in the previous verses. We can also see that verse 6b and 6c are ‘legs’ that are set in parallel, but as opposites.
‘judged’
corresponds with but is opposite to ‘live’
‘the body’
corresponds with but is opposite to ‘Spirit’
‘human
standards’ corresponds with but is opposite to ‘God’
Perhaps we should see it as saying, ‘when the gospel is
preached to the dead (the wicked) they begin to ‘live’ by the power of ‘the
Spirit’ in a new relationship with God.’ The opposite is true for those who
reject the message and therefore remain in their sins and under God’s
judgement.
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