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I hope this will be a simple fun tool for us to grow in our understanding and surrender to God through the Bible as we connect over the web. Reading the Bible is both simple and difficult. What could be easier than opening a book and reading? Yet we've all done that and wondered what sections of the Bible mean? What's with the book of Leviticus? What is Revelation really about? Is the Song of Songs about marital love or is it supposed to be more 'spiritual' than that?

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9.22.2010

1 PETER 1:1-2

Read 1 Peter 1:1-2

I know it seems like a short passage with not much there, but read it over a few times in a few different translations (below). What do you notice about how Peter is described? How does Peter describe those to whom he is writing? Usually the opening greeting of a letter contains some general theme(s) that help the read know how to read the rest of the letter. How does that help us here?

NIV

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout 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, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

NLT

This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. 2 God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

May God give you more and more grace and peace.

ASV

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

In this case the ASV (American Standard Version) seeems to me to be the clearest and most faithful to the Greek. Notice anything interesting? What’s significant about the ASV in contrast to the other two? How does it hold two seemingly contradictory truths together in verse 1, and how does verse 2 relate to it?

Comments...

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4 comments:

  1. MattSeptember 22, 2010 at 8:51 AM

    (I changed the font size...seemed a bit small...hope this is more readable).

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dave WybleSeptember 22, 2010 at 9:24 AM

    Well, as for a contradiction, maybe the thought of being God's chosen, yet being scattered across modern Turkey. And they are just temporary residents (sojourners). Not really my idea of being God's chosen. Yet for millennia these same Jews were God's chosen, and did not always fair too well in the world.

    What caught my eye was twice being referred to as chosen, reinforced by our being made holy. Maybe this is the contradiction: we are holy, chosen, yet also obedient, and therefore willfully and voluntarily find ourselves scattered across the globe, without permanent residence.

    Or not. Perhaps I should study more before expecting that honorary MDiv.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MattSeptember 22, 2010 at 8:55 PM

    Nice thoughts Dave. Yeah, those who are elect/chosen are also strangers in this world. The world created by God who also chose them. So there is some tension here. It shouldn't be like this. But here is where Peter is going: the 'world' is generally at odds with God's purposes, and therefore, those living for God are out of place.

    The purpose in all this, the electing/choosing is not so much about predesting certain persons to eternal life, but that God chooses that those who believe in God must live 'holy' lives, that is, set apart/sanctified of the Holy Spirit for a life of obedience to Jesus.

    Peter's understanding of the 'world,' like John's in Revelation is much different from Paul's in Romans. Sometimes governments are generally in line with God's intentions (even for secular governments (see Romans 13), and other times, governments and culture are radically misaligned like seems to be the case in Peter and especially in Revelation.

    So, the bottom line seems to be that you and I are chosen/meant to be holy, live obedient lives, and that this means we will feel and be perceived as alien, wanderers and not-at-home-ers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MattSeptember 25, 2010 at 8:07 AM

    Here's a quote from a NT scholar that helps give a little clarity to v. 2 especially:

    "Christians have become elect sojourners in accordance with God's plan empowered by the sanctifying action of the Spirit to the end that they be the people of the new covenant, which like the covenant with Israel entails obedience and sacrifice, in this case the sacrifice of Christ."

    Paul Achtemeier, 1 Peter, Hermeneia Commentary, p. 89.

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