1 Peter
Chapter 1
Greeting
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to all those living as foreigners in the Dispersion—in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia—
to those whom God the Father has called according to his plan and who have been made holy by the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ and are purified by his blood: may grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Christian Hope
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his great mercy. In raising Jesus Christ from the dead, he has given us new life and a living hope.
The inheritance that does not decay, spoil, or fade away has been reserved for you in heaven,
since God’s power will keep you faithful until salvation is revealed in the last days.
There is reason for joy, then, even though you may, for a time, face many trials.
This is how your faith will be tested, like gold in a furnace. Gold, however, fades away, but faith, which is much more valuable, will bring you, in the end, praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ returns.
You have not seen him yet, and yet you love him; even without seeing him, you believe in him, and you experience a heavenly joy beyond words,
for you are reaching the goal of your faith: the salvation of your souls.
This was the salvation the prophets eagerly looked for when, in days past, they foretold the favor of God concerning you.
But they could only understand when the Spirit of Christ within them revealed the timing and circumstances—specifically, the suffering of Christ and the glories to come.
It was shown to them that they were working not for themselves but for you. Therefore, in these days, after the Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven, the gospel preachers have taught you these mysteries, which even angels long to look!
Christian Conduct
So, then, let your spirit be prepared. Stay alert, with confident trust in the grace you will receive when Jesus Christ appears.
As obedient children, avoid returning to your old way of life driven by ignorance and passions.
Imitate the one who called you. Just as he is holy, you also should be holy in all your conduct,
for scripture says: Be holy, for I am holy.
You call upon a Father who shows no favoritism but judges each person based on their deeds; therefore, take seriously the time you spend in a foreign land.
Remember that you were freed from the empty way of life handed down from your ancestors, not with gold or silver,
but with the precious blood of Christ, the spotless and pure Lamb.
He was destined before creating the world, but was revealed to you in these last days.
Through him, you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him so that your faith and hope may be in God alone.
By following the truth, you have achieved inner purification, which leads to genuine love for others. Love each other sincerely, with all your heart,
since you are born again, not from mortal things, but through eternal life, by the living and enduring word of God.
As it is written: All flesh is like grass, and its glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever. This is the good news that has been proclaimed to you.
Commentaries
Greeting.
The apostle Peter, or more likely the unknown later author who belonged to Peter’s circle and wrote in his name, introduces himself with the same title of apostolic authority that we see in Paul’s epistles. The recipients are described with two qualifiers that set the tone and content of the letter: “chosen” and “residents outside their homeland.” Today, it is hard to imagine the emotion and grateful surprise those Christians must have felt as they reflected on this free gift from God, who had made them his new people. A divine choice that was, at the same time, a source of demands and commitments, to which the author alludes with the phrase “obey Jesus Christ” (2), and in imitation of him, face suffering and tribulation. He wishes them “grace and peace in abundance” (2).
Christian Hope.
After the greeting, the letter begins with a solemn blessing in the style of Jewish blessings (see 2 Cor 1:3). Blessing God is equivalent to giving thanks to Him. The author, or a disciple of Peter, offers this blessing for the salvation that the communities received through being reborn into new life. The hymn functions as a profession of faith, recited in a prayerful setting, emphasizing the main themes of the baptismal catechesis in which his listeners have already been initiated (see Tit 3:5). The hymn contains the central theme of the letter: the passion of Christ and His glorification, which continues in the suffering of Christians and in their future and ultimate liberation. However, it would be wrong to interpret everything that follows as purely spiritual, since “the future heaven” must already become a present reality through believers’ daily effort.
Christian Conduct.
The certainty of the promised good causes Christians to experience their waiting time as a period of salvation and, therefore, a time of joy. And this is not only despite present sufferings but precisely because of them. It is the paradoxical joy of the persecuted mentioned in the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:12). “Live soberly” (13) is how the disciple views the conduct of his followers during this waiting period.