First Peter
1:1-2 – chosen –
- basis – destined
- effected by – sanctification
- for – benefits and obligations of the new covenant
1:6 – keeping perspective in pain
1:9 – saving the whole of you
1:13 – gird up the loins of your mind's – like a clown in baggy pants hitching up his pants – gird up the loins of your minds –no room for anything else in the baggy folds of your pants/mind -- set your hearts fully not just rightly.
1:13-23 – lifestyle (4) and motives (4) of the Christian life.
1:22 – love one another persistently, unfailingly, from the heart
2:1-3 – "move along little dogies!"
2:13-3:12 – subordinate self to the welfare of others
2:13 – God provides selfish motives (prison and praise -- carrot and stick) to curb the worst excesses of our selfishness.
2:21 – "paint by numbers" Christianity – Word equals a copy of it for learning or an outline picture to color – don't color over the lines!
3:1f – wives with pagan husbands are in a real tough situation – dangerous too (tougher than the reverse situation) (no social safety net)
3:1 – won to the word, without a word.
3:2, 6 – two kinds of "fear" –
- "reverent" regarding God – have it and let it spill over;
- "fear" of man – don't have it
3:7f – live "according to knowledge" regarding your wife
– joint heirs of the grace of life – incompatible with tyranny
– marriage serves a larger end than itself – fellowship with God.3:9– the blessing comes now as source of strength to do it, and at the same time provides motive for keeping it coming – we are joint heirs of grace of life and our starting to collect on it now.
– in 3:10 – "life" is expanded to eternal life to back it up.3:13 – cf. Psalm 138 at the end – "harm" here no – but suffering is a different matter – what is it that is not damaged by the rough-and-tumble of life?
4:1f – whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin –
- has died with Christ and risen with him
- has personally taken a journey
– it welds our theological outlook and experience and ourselves in a way that leaves the "limp" in us, a hesitancy, a reverence and awe, and a living memory of "Battle companionship" with God.
4:7 – response to the "end"? – sane and sober in prayer, loving and forgiving in relationships.
– "the end is coming fast" – a mistake or any essential insight of the gospel?
4:10-11 – all gifts are for others
- speech – as oracles passed on – not our message, God's
- action – as done by God's strength (what God had wrought) versus pride and prestige etc.
- "to God be the glory great things he has done..."
4:15-17 – what mix of sin and non-sin go in this? We are usually a mix, but in the last analysis it has to be called on the basis of what is the driving motivation in each party. More often than not, as Christians, we just won't fit in to the society around us and its values and demands. We must be willing to cooperate but in the end not be surprised when the "other side" can't stand it any longer and finds a way to rid themselves of you.
4:17 – try to escape by apostasy and it puts you out of the frying pan into the fire. It gets worse as it goes on – and it's bad enough here!
4:19 – put your trust in a faithful Creator. Powerful and will save – cf. Jesus.
5:1f – two fellow martyrs (witnesses) we're all in the same boat.
5:2 – motives of ministry – don't be reluctant and needing to be forced into it for fear of a persecution focused on leadership, and don't be drawn into it too readily for reasons of economic security.
5:3 – style – not domineering but as an example.
5:5, 6 – see God's hand in hassles as well as in blessings.
5:6f – coming from Peter, being cautioned to be alert has some muscle!
5:9 – fellowship of the saints in our memory as we suffer.
5:10 – after a little suffering God’s power kicks in – he lifts us on the air currents like eagles if we but stretch out our wings and be lifted trusting in him.
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