seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
I've started to attend a Bible Study with the women in my community out here. I attended last year and when the snowbirds came back this year, they started another one up. One of the ladies in the group is a preacher's mom. Another of the ladies will celebrate her 64th wedding anniversary tomorrow. Another belongs to a local church here and she is very active. Another of these wonderful ladies is suffering from a debilitating disease. There are two other ladies who attend regularly. One is the sweetest person I have met here and the other is a tall lady that has a questioning mind when it comes to Bible Study, like mine. I'm bringing cookies today because I publicized the Bible Study and offered cookies as a little extra incentive. One of the ladies makes some amazing cookies and I thought she might do it again.... but anyway.... I'm bringing cookies. 
The Bible Study we chose is based on 1 Peter. The book we're using is Putting on a Gentle & Quiet Spirit by Elizabeth George. We read the first lesson though as a group and today we're doing the second lesson. You know me, though, I can't just read it.... I have to study what it means.
So I figured I would just do my studying here online... I'm going back to the beginning lesson and bringing it up to where I am today.
1 Peter 1:1-9
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
So this is what the easy English commentary says.
Peter is writing this letter to people who had not met Jesus while He was here. These are people who believe even tho they never met the man. These are people who didn't see Jesus rise into the clouds. These are people who didn't sit down and eat fish with Him after He was hung on a cross and put in a tomb.
The Bible Study we chose is based on 1 Peter. The book we're using is Putting on a Gentle & Quiet Spirit by Elizabeth George. We read the first lesson though as a group and today we're doing the second lesson. You know me, though, I can't just read it.... I have to study what it means.
So I figured I would just do my studying here online... I'm going back to the beginning lesson and bringing it up to where I am today.
1 Peter 1:1-9
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
So this is what the easy English commentary says.
The writer
Peter wrote this letter. He was one of the 12 apostles. His name was Simon, but Jesus changed it to Peter (John 1:42). ‘Peter’ means ‘a rock’ or ‘a stone’. In New Testament times many people could speak and read the Greek language. Peter wrote this letter in the Greek language. This meant that the good news about Jesus could spread easily.
A man called Silas (sometimes the Bible calls him Silvanus) helped Peter to write the letter. In those days, some men were expert writers. They helped people to write their letters in the proper way. Peter wrote this letter about 30 years after Jesus returned to heaven.
The people who received this letter
In the first verse, Peter lists 5 countries. Most of these are in the country that we now call Turkey. On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) people from three of these countries were visiting the city of Jerusalem. Some of these people may have become Christians there. Perhaps they went home and started new churches. Peter wrote to Jews and Gentiles who became Christians. Gentiles are people who are not Jews. They did not believe in the true God. Peter gave the letter to someone who travelled to the main churches in these areas. This person read the letter aloud to the Christians. Then people copied it and sent it to all the smaller churches near to them.
Many of Peter’s readers were suffering because they were Christians. So he reminds them of the reasons why they should praise God. God has shown them great mercy. Before they knew God, they lived a bad life. They deserved punishment. God shows mercy when he forgives bad people instead of punishing them. Then he brings them into his family. He does this because he loves them very much.
To have hope in God is to expect all that God has promised to Christians for the future. We cannot guess what God will do. We have to trust him. This hope is a living hope because God raised Jesus from death. Christians believe that God will raise them from death too.
An inheritance is what becomes yours by law after the death of the present owner. It is usually land or property. In the Old Testament, the inheritance often refers to the country of Canaan. God gave Canaan to the Jews who were the people whom he chose (Numbers 26:54-56; Joshua 11:23). In the New Testament, inheritance means all that people receive from God as his children, because of what Jesus has done for them. This includes eternal life now (John 5:24) and a new body when Jesus comes again (1 Corinthians 15:35-44). God will also give rewards to Christians in heaven (Matthew 5:12; 1 Corinthians 3:8; Revelation 22:12). But we do not know what these rewards will be. Christians receive just a small part of God’s promises in this life. They will receive his promises completely in heaven. Christians go to heaven when they die. If Jesus returns while they are still living in this world, he will take them straight to heaven 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. God gives the Holy Spirit to each Christian. This proves that he will keep his promise (Ephesians 1:14).
The Christian’s inheritance is not like anything in this world. Peter described it in three ways.
Peter wrote this letter. He was one of the 12 apostles. His name was Simon, but Jesus changed it to Peter (John 1:42). ‘Peter’ means ‘a rock’ or ‘a stone’. In New Testament times many people could speak and read the Greek language. Peter wrote this letter in the Greek language. This meant that the good news about Jesus could spread easily.
A man called Silas (sometimes the Bible calls him Silvanus) helped Peter to write the letter. In those days, some men were expert writers. They helped people to write their letters in the proper way. Peter wrote this letter about 30 years after Jesus returned to heaven.
The people who received this letter
In the first verse, Peter lists 5 countries. Most of these are in the country that we now call Turkey. On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) people from three of these countries were visiting the city of Jerusalem. Some of these people may have become Christians there. Perhaps they went home and started new churches. Peter wrote to Jews and Gentiles who became Christians. Gentiles are people who are not Jews. They did not believe in the true God. Peter gave the letter to someone who travelled to the main churches in these areas. This person read the letter aloud to the Christians. Then people copied it and sent it to all the smaller churches near to them.
Many of Peter’s readers were suffering because they were Christians. So he reminds them of the reasons why they should praise God. God has shown them great mercy. Before they knew God, they lived a bad life. They deserved punishment. God shows mercy when he forgives bad people instead of punishing them. Then he brings them into his family. He does this because he loves them very much.
To have hope in God is to expect all that God has promised to Christians for the future. We cannot guess what God will do. We have to trust him. This hope is a living hope because God raised Jesus from death. Christians believe that God will raise them from death too.
An inheritance is what becomes yours by law after the death of the present owner. It is usually land or property. In the Old Testament, the inheritance often refers to the country of Canaan. God gave Canaan to the Jews who were the people whom he chose (Numbers 26:54-56; Joshua 11:23). In the New Testament, inheritance means all that people receive from God as his children, because of what Jesus has done for them. This includes eternal life now (John 5:24) and a new body when Jesus comes again (1 Corinthians 15:35-44). God will also give rewards to Christians in heaven (Matthew 5:12; 1 Corinthians 3:8; Revelation 22:12). But we do not know what these rewards will be. Christians receive just a small part of God’s promises in this life. They will receive his promises completely in heaven. Christians go to heaven when they die. If Jesus returns while they are still living in this world, he will take them straight to heaven 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. God gives the Holy Spirit to each Christian. This proves that he will keep his promise (Ephesians 1:14).
The Christian’s inheritance is not like anything in this world. Peter described it in three ways.
(1) It will never wear out or get old. Nothing can destroy it.
(2) It will not spoil or go bad. Sin cannot affect it.
(3) It will not lose its beauty. It is not like metal that stops shining. Nor is it like a light that goes out.
(2) It will not spoil or go bad. Sin cannot affect it.
(3) It will not lose its beauty. It is not like metal that stops shining. Nor is it like a light that goes out.
Peter and the other apostles saw Jesus go back to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). They heard the angels say that Jesus would return. They also heard Jesus teach about this (Matthew 16:27). No one knows when it will happen. Therefore, Christians must be ready. They should live good lives as they wait for that important day (1 Thessalonians 4:14-5:11).
In this world gold is very valuable. When someone has faith in God, this is much more valuable to God than gold. Gold is a metal. It shines even when it is not pure. If you mix gold with other metals, it still looks like pure gold. If you melt gold in a pot in a hot fire, you can find out whether the gold really is pure. As it gets hotter, any other metals or bits of dirt rise to the surface. Then someone can remove them. Peter said that troubles in a person’s life are like this fire. When people have troubles, they see the bad behaviour that hides inside themselves. They should stop their bad behaviour and trust God. If they do this, then their faith in God is genuine.
In this world gold is very valuable. When someone has faith in God, this is much more valuable to God than gold. Gold is a metal. It shines even when it is not pure. If you mix gold with other metals, it still looks like pure gold. If you melt gold in a pot in a hot fire, you can find out whether the gold really is pure. As it gets hotter, any other metals or bits of dirt rise to the surface. Then someone can remove them. Peter said that troubles in a person’s life are like this fire. When people have troubles, they see the bad behaviour that hides inside themselves. They should stop their bad behaviour and trust God. If they do this, then their faith in God is genuine.
Peter had been in the company of Jesus for three years. But Peter is writing to people who have never seen Jesus. They love Jesus without seeing him. To ‘believe in’ Jesus means to trust and obey him, although we cannot see him. It means more than believing facts about him. People who believe in Jesus have joy in their spirits. This joy comes from God. No one can explain it in words because it is too wonderful.
Peter is writing this letter to people who had not met Jesus while He was here. These are people who believe even tho they never met the man. These are people who didn't see Jesus rise into the clouds. These are people who didn't sit down and eat fish with Him after He was hung on a cross and put in a tomb.
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