A Private Commentary on the Bible: 1 Peter

By James D. Quiggle

The Holy Spirit knows that not every Christian will be able to understand Paul’s logic or respond to John’s mysticism. The Spirit had Pastor Peter write to those who needed a more direct approach to Christian doctrine and God’s rules for godly living. Peter’s first epistle is his manifesto of what it means to be a Christian in an unchristian world. Chapters 1:3–2:10 are the doctrinal section. Chapters 2:11–5:11 are the practical section. Chapter 1:1–2 and 5:12–14 comprise the opening salutation and closing benediction, respectively. The translation of 1 Peter is by the author. Several appendices discuss a number of related doctrines.

James Quiggle is the author of nine explanatory commentaries on the Old and New Testament, and four doctrinal works. All are available in print and ebook from online retailors.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James D. Quiggle
• Release date: Sep 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301101023

James D. Quiggle

James D. Quiggle was born in 1952 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He grew up in Kansas and the Texas Panhandle. In the early 1970s he joined the United States Air Force. At his first permanent assignment in Indian Springs, Nevada in a small Baptist church, the pastor introduced him to Jesus and soon after he was saved. Over the next ten years those he met in churches from the East Coast to the West Coast, mature Christian men, poured themselves into mentoring him. In the 1970s he was gifted with the Scofield Bible Course from Moody Bible Institute. As he completed his studies his spiritual gift of teaching became even more apparent. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bethany Bible College during the 1980s while still in the Air Force. Between 2006–2008, after his career in the Air Force and with his children grown up, he decided to continue his education. He enrolled in Bethany Divinity College and Seminary and earned a Master of Arts in Religion and a Master of Theological Studies.As an extension of his spiritual gift of teaching, he was prompted by the Holy Spirit to begin writing books. James Quiggle is now a Christian author with over fifty commentaries on Bible books and doctrines. He is an editor for the Evangelical Dispensational Quarterly Journal published by Scofield Biblical Institute and Theological Seminary.He continues to write and has a vibrant teaching ministry through social media.

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A Private Commentary

On The Bible

1 PETER

James D. Quiggle

Copyright Page

Copyright James D. Quiggle 2012

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A Private Commentary on the Bible: 1 Peter

Copyright© 2012 James D. Quiggle

Print (CreateSpace) ISBN

eBook (Smashwords) ISBN

Translation of 1 Peter by James D. Quiggle

Scripture may be quoted from the following translations.

New American Standard Bible© The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, All rights reserved. Used by Permission.

The New Testament, a translation by William Barclay, The Estate of William Barclay, 1968, 1999, All rights reserved. Used by Permission.

The Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV), Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

New King James Version® (NKJV). Copyright© 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, by Holman Bible Publishers. Scripture quotations marked HCSB are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

The Septuagint with Apocrypha: English. Sir Lancelot C. L. Brenton. Samuel Bagster & Sons, Ltd., London 1851. Accessed at http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/.

Parts of the present work appeared in a slightly different version in:

Adam and Eve, a Biography and Theology, James D. Quiggle, Author, Publisher, copyright 2011.

God’s Choices, the Doctrines of Foreordination, Election, and Predestination, James D. Quiggle, Author, Publisher, copyright 2012.

A Private Commentary on the Bible: 2 Peter, James D. Quiggle, Author, Publisher, copyright 2012.

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Hebrews, James D. Quiggle, Author, Publisher, copyright 2012.

Dedicated to

Richard P. Wile

Pastor and Friend

Who set my feet on the path of

Christian service

and

Marilyn Wile

Whose life demonstrates

the meaning of faith

and perseverance.

Contents

Copyright Page

Publisher’s Note

Preface

Introduction

Exposition

1:1–2, Opening Salutation and Addresses

1:3–2:10, Important Doctrines of the Faith

2:11–5:11, Practical Christianity in an Unsaved World

1 Peter Three

1 Peter Four

1 Peter Five

5:12–14, Closing Greetings and Benediction

Appendices

Appendix One, Body, Soul, and the Faculty of Spiritual Perception

Appendix Two, The Kingdom in Scripture

Appendix Three, Is the New Testament Church Spiritual Israel?

Appendix Four, The Two Judgments

Appendix Five, Could Christ Be Tempted

Appendix Six, Why Do Believers Experience Trials and Suffering?

Appendix Seven, Spiritual Gifts

Appendix Eight, Translation of 1 Peter

Sources

Publisher’s Note

In the Private Commentary series Greek words are transliterated and defined according to The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament (herein abbreviated WSDNT), unless otherwise noted. Hebrew words are transliterated and defined according to the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (herein abbreviated TWOT), unless otherwise noted. In most instances the vocabulary form is given, not the grammatical form.

When the literal word order of a Greek text is given it is based on The Interlinear Literal Translation of the Greek New Testament, by George Ricker Berry (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1977), unless otherwise noted. A word in brackets, e.g., [the], indicates a word not in the Greek text that should be supplied to make the sentence more readable in English.

When a literal word order of a Hebrew text is given it is based on the interlinear Bible at www.biblos.com, unless otherwise noted.

To find the complete citation information please refer to the Sources section.

eBook Versions

Certain Hebrew and Greek words cannot be accurately transliterated in the eBook versions of this work. The software used to convert documents to eBook format does not support the diacritical marks macron and hacek, nor the circumflex for certain letters. I have replaced both hacek and circumflex with a tilde (~) to give the reader some idea of how the words are spelled. No such substitute is available for the macron (which looks like the English long vowel symbol). WSDNT also uses a macron with an acute accent. This has been replaced with the acute accent. Please consult WSDNT or TWOT for correct spelling.

When text is converted to eBook format, footnotes are converted to endnotes. In some eBook formats using superscript characters in the text to identify a footnote (or endnote) will cause an extra line to be inserted into the text. I feel these changes disrupt the flow of the text for the reader. For these reasons the majority of explanatory footnotes as found in the print version have been incorporated into the body of the text in the eBook version.

The same issue also affects footnoted (or endnote) sources. In the eBook versions I have placed references to sources into the body of the text using brackets. The references are shortened to the author’s name and page number cited, e.g., [Ames, 83]. When a source has two or more authors only the first is cited. Authors with the same last name are distinguished by the first initial, e.g., Brown, C.; Brown, J. Where a sentence begins with the author’s name followed by a quote I have shortened the reference to the page number where the quote will be found, and placed the bracketed number immediately following the author’s name. For example, Ames [83] wrote, God is everywhere because. Where an author has more than one work a short version of the title is also given, e.g., [Bush, Genesis, 25]; [Bush, Exodus, 37].

In the eBook version references to lexicons and dictionaries are shortened to an abbreviation and index name or number (not a page number). For example, for Greek words the footnote reference in the print version would be, Zodhiates, WSDNT, s. v. "2307, thélema.", but the eBook in-text reference is shortened to [WSDNT, 2307]. For Old Testament words the footnote reference in the print version would be Harris et al., TWOT, s. v. "1124. laqah.", but the eBook reference is [TWOT, 1124].

To find the complete citation information please refer to the Sources section.

Preface

The Private Commentary on the Old and New Testaments is my interpretation of the Bible, neither more nor less. I am responsible for the use made of all quoted and cited material.

The scope of the Private Commentary series is to bring the reader to a practical understanding of the scriptures. I explain and discuss each verse, idea, theme, and biblical truth as discovered in turn during the course of the exposition. My target audience is the Bible college/seminary student, Bible study/small group leader, Sunday School teacher, and local church Pastor. My point of view is a conservative theology. Other opinions concerning the Scripture are presented and discussed as I believe will profit the target audience. Bible students who desire to understand and apply the scriptures are invited to study the book with me and come to their own conclusions.

This material is copyrighted to prevent misuse or abuse. Those persons using this material in their teaching/preaching ministry may copy and distribute individual pages (e.g., an excursus, a table/list, or an appendix) for distribution to one’s students or auditors. The entire book may not be copied and/or distributed, nor large portions of the book, such as a chapter or extended comments on Scripture passages. The cost of this work has been kept as low as possible so every interested teacher, preacher, and student may afford a personal copy.

Introduction

The Holy Spirit knows that not every Christian will be able to understand Paul’s logic or respond to John’s mysticism. The Spirit had Pastor Peter write to those who needed a more direct approach to Christian doctrine and God’s rules for godly living. Peter’s first epistle is his manifesto of what it means to be a Christian in an unchristian world. Chapters 1:3–2:10 are the doctrinal section. Chapters 2:11–5:11 are the practical section. Chapter 1:1–2 and 5:12–14 comprise the opening salutation and closing benediction, respectively.

The earliest church fathers believed Peter’s was the author of this epistle [Roberts, 1:1, 31]. Clement’s first epistle to the Corinthians (96–97 AD) seems to use Peter in several places, e.g., 1 Peter 5:5 at Clement 30:2; 1 Peter 4:8 at Clement 49:5. Peter is quoted by Polycarp in his epistle to the Philippians (written about the middle of the second century), e.g., 1 Peter 1:8 at Polycarp 1:33; 1 Peter 2:22–24 at Polycarp 8:1–2. From the time of Irenaeus (A D 120–202) forward, Peter’s epistle was used by a number of the church fathers.

During my initial studies the thought occurred to me, many times, that Peter had read extensively in Paul’s epistles. In his second letter Peter acknowledges his indebtedness to Paul (2 Peter 3:15, 16). This does not diminish Peter’s works. Peter learned some things from Paul and expressed them in his own words to those churches which the Spirit had given to him for his ministry.

Many commentators take the approach that Peter’s purpose was to encourage believers going through externally imposed trials (as opposed to self-inflicted trials caused by a believer’s sin). McClintock and Strong [s. v. Peter, First Epistle of.] provided four themes around this purpose:

To comfort and strengthen Christians in a season of severe trial.

To enforce the practical and spiritual duties involved in their calling.

To warn them against special temptations attached to their position.

To remove all doubt as to the soundness and completeness of the religious system which they had already received.

James R. Slaughter [75] offered the following outline:

The believer’s behavior.

The believer’s unfair treatment.

The believer’s deference.

The believer’s motivation by Christ’s example.

The believer’s anticipation of future glory.

My view is that Pastor Peter wrote to instruct believers in what to believe and how to act. Just as Paul was led by the Spirit to give the churches under his ministry a manual of Christianity, so too the Spirit led Peter to provide the same kind of instruction to the churches he ministered to. Peter’s theme of endurance under persecution is incorporated as part of normal Christian life in a sinful world. My outline:

1:1–2 Opening Salutation and Addressees

1:3–2:10 Important Doctrines of the Faith

2:11–5:11 Practical Christianity in an Unsaved World

5:12–14 Closing Greetings and benediction

The commentary is based on my translation, see appendix eight.

1:1–2, Opening Salutation and Addressees

1:1 Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, to elect expatriates of [the] diaspora of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

1:2 according to foreknowledge of God Father, in sanctification of spirit to obedience and sprinkling of blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace multiplied.

Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ

The Holy Spirit is the superintending author of Scripture (1 Peter 1:10, 11; 2 Peter 1:20, 21), working his will through the human authors. The sovereignty of God is such that the human authors wrote using their own words, whose source was their culture, experiences, vocabulary, and individual styles as writers, filtered through and determined by their personality and character. God so superintended their writing that, when it was completed, their words were the very words God chose to express himself.

Peter is first met, chronologically, in John’s Gospel, 1:40–42 [Cheney, in loco]. John Baptist was walking with two of his disciples, John the son of Zebedee and Andrew the son of Jonah, the latter being Peter’s brother. The Baptist saw Jesus and exclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God! The two disciples immediately begin a conversation with Jesus and followed him to the place he was staying. Andrew then brought his brother Simon to Jesus.

John 1:35, the next day, with 1:43, the following day, indicate Andrew found Peter very quickly. Peter was in the area and may also have been a disciple of the Baptist. At that first meeting Jesus gave Simon the son of Jonah a new name he would bear the rest of his life: Cephas, or Petros, meaning a small stone, and translated as Peter (pétros is the Greek; cephas is the Aramaic equivalent).

Peter was a fisherman (Matthew 4:18), making a living on the Sea of Galilee, residing in the town of Bethsaida (John 1:44), a town close to Capernaum (Mark 1:21, 29). Peter and his brother Andrew were business partners with James and John the sons of Zebedee, Luke 5:10. John, Andrew, Peter, and probably James, had taken a break from their fishing business to listen to John Baptist. John and Andrew had become the Baptist’s disciples. Then they met Jesus and with Peter, became his disciples.

After spending time with Jesus at Passover and probably Pentecost, Peter, Andrew, James, and John returned to Galilee via Samaria (John 4), and resumed their fishing business, until called by Jesus into full-time ministry.

Peter’s first words are found at Luke 5:1–11, when Jesus finds these four fishermen at work on the Sea of Galilee. Here they were called to full-time discipleship, Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20. Jesus commanded Peter to let down your nets for a catch after Peter had spent an entire night fishing with no catch. The experienced fisherman doubted the wisdom but followed the command. The net was drawn up filled to bursting. Peter, seeing this amazing catch, fell down at Jesus feet and confessed, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord! Jesus’ response was that Peter would from that time forward catch men.

Peter’s vacillation between fishing and ministry, and his sudden confession of sin, tell us something about his character. He is impulsive and enthused one moment but cooled the next. When Jesus asked, Who do you [the twelve apostles] say that I am? Peter responded as spokesman for the group with that great confession, You are the Christ! Yet, moments later, he was rebuked by Jesus: Get behind Me, Satan (Mark 8:29, 33), because he denied Jesus’ salvific mission to be the crucified Christ. On the mountain at the transfiguration (Mark 9:2–13) Peter’s awe led him to an unthinking suggestion that made Moses and Elijah equally deserving in dignity and reverence with Jesus. On another occasion Peter—courageously and with great faith—stepped out onto the water to come to Jesus; then his courage failed as he took his eyes off Jesus and he began to sink (Matthew 14). Peter vowed to remain with Jesus though everyone else desert him; but he denied him, with an oath, when confronted by a serving girl (Mark 14:66–72).

Yet, this is the man Jesus chose to lead the early church (Acts 1:15; 4:8; 5:3, 8; 15:7), the man whom Jesus entrusted to open the gospel to the Jews (Acts 2:38), Samaritans (Acts 8:14, 17), and Gentiles (Acts 10:44). Peter is more that an impulsive man controlled by his emotions. Jesus met especially and alone with Peter after the resurrection to affirm his faith (Mark 16:7; 1 Corinthians 15:5). Jesus reaffirmed Peter’s leadership position before he ascended to heaven, John 21:15–17. Peter’s leadership role became less after he brought the Gospel to the Gentiles, Acts 10. At the Jerusalem Council, Acts 15, it is James the half-brother of Jesus who is in charge. Peter had a role to play in establishing the New Testament church and bringing the salvation message to Jew, Samaritan, and Gentile. When those roles had been fulfilled, he blended into the Twelve, a leader among leaders, as he himself said, 1 Peter 5:1.

Despite what we may see as his faults, Jesus saw a natural leader whom he could train and use for his glory. He saw a man, not unlike other men, who could be sanctified for the Master’s use. Peter was an obscure man, a fisherman, one of many, not distinguished by education, social status, wealth, or accomplishments. The Lord chooses the base and ignoble, the unlearned, the weak, and the foolish, that the glory of their accomplishments in serving his will, will make known his glory. Jesus calls an individual from the crowd, trains him long and patiently, and finally makes him a partner . . . the channel through which He pours Himself upon the world [Meyer, 2]. Such is Peter, and such is the potential of every believer.

Peter was like every believer, full of strengths and weaknesses. One moment we are hot for the Lord, daring great things, promising mighty deeds and wonderful works; the next moment we have let sin have its way with us, defiling our person, spoiling our fellowship with Christ, seemingly ending our mighty promises of good works for God’s glory. Peter was a man with a nature like ours who succeeded because he had a saving relationship with Christ and depended on the Holy Spirit to lead and empower him in his mission. His letters incorporate those experiences for our learning. Indeed, if one were asked to select out of the New Testament a series of passages best adapted for the guidance of the average Christian in all parts of the world, in all ages of man, one could not do better than make a little volume out of the sayings of Peter in his two letters [Macartney, 86].

"Peter belongs to Jesus Christ because Jesus appointed him to his office" [Lenski, 20, emphasis original]. This letter of Peter belongs to the church, to you and me, because Jesus appointed Peter to write it. Let us approach this letter with reverence and curiosity, a teachable spirit to learn, and find patience, comfort, and hope.

to elect expatriates of [the] diaspora

Elect expatriates translates eklektós [WSDNT, 1588] parepídemos [WSDNT, 3927]. The word eklektós means to choose, to select. It is used twenty-two times in the New Testament and is translated chosen, elect. Except where it refers to Jesus, it means those whom God has chosen to salvation. Peter writes to those who have been saved by their faith in Christ. Parepídemos means a foreigner who has settled down, however, briefly, next to or among the native people. I have translated it expatriates because that word exactly communicates the position of God’s people in the world. The Writer of Hebrews said the Old Testament believers dwelt in a foreign country and looked for a homeland and a city prepared for them, Hebrews 11:9–10, 13–16 [Quiggle, Hebrews, 346–7, 351–2]. So too, New Testament believers look for Christ to return and take them home to heaven. Believers, whatever their natural origin may be, are citizens of a heavenly country and city, and therefore in this world are expatriates of heaven, waiting to return to their homeland. While we wait, we receive care packages from home: things such as answered prayer, spiritual blessings, and letters from our heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. First Peter is one such letter from home.

I have left diasporá [WSDNT, 1290], a scattering or dispersion, untranslated because it had become a technical term among the Jews to describe their dispersion among the Gentiles, and that is how Peter understood the word. The Jewish diasporá were judgments against their idolatry and other sins, removing them from the land of promise because they failed to worship the God of the promise. There were three diasporá: the Assyrian, 2 Kings 18:10, 11, from which the ten tribes never returned; the Babylonian, 2 Kings 20:17, which lasted seventy years; and the soon-to-occur national diasporá which would take place in AD 70, a few years after Peter’s letters, and would last until AD 1948. By Peter’s time, many Jews had been scattered among the Gentile nations as various conquerors swept through Israel; a significant population of Jews lived outside Palestine. To the Jews in the land of Israel these scattered brethren were Jews of the dispersion.

Peter uses diasporá to describe believers, because believers are not in their homeland but are scattered or dispersed throughout the world. Peter uses diasporá without a definite article. The quality of a thing is emphasized when the definite article is not used. Peter is not referring to any specific scattering, such as that of the Jews, but to the dispersion of believers throughout the known world: to Peter, the Roman Empire.

Peter intends his readers to understand their special status in the world and conduct themselves in the light of their faith, salvation, and sanctification. This whole characterization states what Peter regards the readers to be, and what they are to consider themselves to be while Peter speaks to them [Lenski, 20]. Christians are not distinguished from the rest of mankind by either country, speech, or customs . . . They reside in their respective countries, but only as aliens. They take part in everything as citizens and put up with everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their home, and every home a foreign land . . . They find themselves in the flesh, but do not live according to the flesh. They spend their days on earth, but hold citizenship in heaven [Hiebert, 65, quoting Epistle to Diognetus]. These things haven’t changed since Peter wrote his epistle.

There has been an on-going discussion among commentators throughout the centuries as to whether eklektós should be joined with parepídemos or with prógnosis [WSDNT, 4268], foreknowledge. I believe eklektós should be understood as an adjective modifying parepídemos: elect expatriates. Peter is not discussing how people get saved, but what happens after salvation. The election of the expatriates has to do with their security in a foreign land—the world of sinners. God has known them from eternity-past, keeps them secure in their historical-present, and will bring them home into eternity-future.

Hiebert says, "It is preferable to regard eklektós as an adjective and to render the phrase, ‘to such as are elect sojourners of the Dispersion.’ Then Peter’s designation fuses a heavenward relationship and an earthly relationship in his characterization of his readers. This double character of the readers underlies all that follows in the epistle" [Hiebert, 65].

The security formed by these words is profound. Elect means they are known to God. Expatriates in the world means a permanent dwelling place with God in heaven. There will be tribulations in the world, but these tribulations are under God’s control. Trials in the world are for God’s glory and the spiritual benefit of the believer. Trials work spiritual maturity, James 1:2–4, so believers may be conformed to the image of Christ. Christians must be of the attitude that they are small scattered communities surrounded by great pagan majorities [Lenski, 22]. This is as true of believers today as it was in Peter’s time. Believers are foreigners in the world, islands of faith in a sea of unbelief, the only people whom God has declared righteous in his sight. Believers are under constant scrutiny by worldlings, who seek any weakness to exploit, any opening to corrupt, and if circumstances permit, will use any means to destroy a believer’s life of faith. The believer’s circumstances describe their duty: to live righteously in whatever place or circumstances Christ may place them, and evangelize the lost.

of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia

These areas were provinces of the Roman Empire located in what is now Turkey. Peter lists them geographically from north to south. The order lends credence to the theory Peter was writing from Rome, not Babylon (as implied by 5:13). If Peter was in Babylon the order would more logically read south to north: Asia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Bithynia-Pontus. Bithynia-Pontus was a Roman province situated along the coast of the Black Sea. Cappadocia and Galatia were Roman provinces in what is now the middle of Turkey, although Peter probably means the northern parts of those regions. Asia probably means Asia Minor, again a part of Turkey, but in Peter’s day the name of a Roman province. It would seem Peter is listing geographic areas where Paul did not minister in person, although converts of Paul probably founded, or helped found, local churches in these regions. The most likely reason Bithynia-Pontus is divided in the list, is that the messenger of the letter (Silvanus? 5:12) arrived in Pontus, went south through Galatia, Cappadocia, and Asia, then went north to Bithynia where he caught a ship and returned to Rome. If the letter-carrier followed the trade route through southern Galatia, then churches at Iconium and Pisidian Antioch could have been contacted, possibly even Collosae and Ephesus.

Why would Peter write a letter to persons so far away and with whom, presumably, he had not made contact? No definitive answer may be given. The proposed route would take the messenger through the heart of one of the largest areas under the control of the Roman Empire. Following this route the letter would be delivered to all the major centres of Christian influence in Asia Minor [Grudem, 49–50].

Peter’s first letter was most likely written about AD 64–67, either after Paul’s death or, as seems more likely, in between Paul’s two imprisonments. Whether Paul had been executed, or had followed his plans to minister in Spain (Romans 15:24, 28), Peter may have been taking up a pastoral role to the churches in Asia Minor. Whether or not this was Peter’s opportunity for writing, his motives would seem to be instruction in Christianity and comfort during persecution. This need not be a general persecution under the authority of the Roman Empire (no general persecution is known for the time the epistle was written). However, believers are always susceptible to trials and tribulations, and there may have been various localized persecutions. Compare Revelation 2:8–13, written less than thirty years later. The need for encouragement would be high, and a letter of encouragement from the apostle would meet the need. The letter would also give Peter the opportunity to explain his doctrinal views.

elect expatriates . . . according to foreknowledge of God Father

The doctrine of election is a difficult and controversial biblical teaching for many believers. I have discussed the doctrine in-depth in my book, God’s Choices, the Doctrines of Foreordination, Election, and Predestination. Here I will only give a very brief explanation.

Election means to make a choice. There are two important aspects of election. One, the choice never involves or requires prejudice against those not chosen. Jesus chose twelve apostles out of the multitude of disciples. Those not chosen were unaffected, i.e., they continued as disciples. The first local church, Acts 6, chose seven men out of the all the men in the church to make the daily distribution (the first servers or deacons). Those not chosen were not affected. They remained members of that church. The second aspect of election is that the choice is freely made. Those chosen have no claim on the one choosing that would lead him (or her) to choose them.

These two aspects of eklektós are important when we consider verses such as Ephesians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; and 1 Peter 1:1–2. God chose some to salvation, thereby guaranteeing they will be saved, but does not prevent any from coming to him to be saved. God never gives a reason why he chose some but not others. God takes positive action to lead those he chose to salvation, but takes no action, positive or negative, toward those not chosen. God directly and positively acts to save his elect. He will respond savingly toward any sinner who comes to him by faith in Jesus Christ. In an illustration,

The river of sinful humanity is justly racing toward the waterfall of death emptying into the lake of eternal fire; God reaches into the river and saves many; he prevents no one from swimming to the safety of the heavenly shore; he will receive any person who comes to him by way of Christ. The saved are standing on the shore urging everyone in the river to come to Christ [Quiggle, God’s Choices, 57].

The illustration communicates the important aspects of the doctrine of election: 1) every human being is a sinner and thus is justly due eternal judgment in the lake of fire; 2) God takes direct action to save some sinners from eternal punishment; 3) God does not take any action which would prevent any sinner from coming to him to receive salvation; 4) God sends his saved people to evangelize the unsaved.

Peter says believers are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Understanding the Greek words involved will be helpful. The word translated foreknowledge, prógnosis [WSDNT, 4258], is the feminine noun form of próginosko [WSDNT, 4267], to perceive or recognize beforehand; to know previously; to foreknow.

The word próginosko is translated knew, foreknew, foreordained, beforehand. This word is used five times:

Acts 26:5, knew, indicating prior knowledge of Paul by his accusers.

Romans 8:29, foreknew, referencing those God has called, v. 28.

Romans 11:2, foreknew, referencing God’s knowledge of Israel.

First Peter 1:20, foreordained, Christ’s propitiation decreed in eternity-past.

Second Peter 3:17, beforehand, Peter referencing his prophecy in vv. 10–13.

The word translated foreknowledge, prógnosis, means to know beforehand; foreknowledge. This word is used twice:

Acts 2:23, foreknowledge, God’s foreknowledge of Christ’s crucifixion.

First Peter 1:2, foreknowledge, God’s foreknowledge of his elect.

At 1 Peter 1:1–2 Peter is addressing believers. God knows his elect people as expatriates traveling through this mortal life on the way to heaven. Peter is not saying God predicted their conversion, which is what a foreknowledge view of salvation would require. Peter is saying God knows and sustains his elect people in their pilgrimage because he chose (elected) them and initiated a relationship (salvation) with them.

For surely when Peter says that Christ was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, (Acts 2:23,) he does not represent God as contemplating merely, but as actually accomplishing our salvation. Thus also Peter, in saying that the believers to whom he writes are elect according to the foreknowledge of God, (1 Peter 1:2,) properly expresses that secret predestination by which God has sealed those whom he has been pleased to adopt as sons [Calvin, Institutes, 2:218 (3.22.6)].

God foreknowing them during their pilgrimage was based on his choosing them. Peter meant this as an encouragement to a people wandering the earth waiting for their home-going.

in sanctification of spirit

Sanctification is a form of the word meaning holy. Sanctification means to be set apart from sin and dedicated to God. There are three aspects of sanctification.

The first is positional sanctification, which is the status of the believer at salvation. God declares the believer to be holy and righteous in Christ. This is one’s standing before God: the state of the soul wherein the believer stands before God the Judge and is seen guiltless and forgiven because God views the believer in Christ. Since the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to the believer (e.g., Romans 4:11; 2 Corinthians 5:21), he or she is set apart from sin and dedicated to God. The positional aspect of sanctification accounts for the Scripture’s declarations that the believer is holy and righteous apart from works.

The second aspect is experiential sanctification. This is the believer’s state in the world, i.e., how he or she habitually acts in the world. The believer has had holiness added to his human nature to oppose sin, and therefore is able to overcome temptation. Sin never stops tempting, and a believer may succumb to temptation and commit an occasional act of sin, but sin is not habitual in the believer. Through the guidance and power given by the Holy Spirit the believer becomes more like Christ throughout his or her life. Over a lifetime the believer’s experiential sanctification becomes more like their positional sanctification. The experiential aspect of sanctification accounts for the Scripture’s exhortations to work hard to live a righteous and godly life.

The third aspect is eternal sanctification (sometimes called final sanctification). This is the believer’s standing and state following physical death. The act of physical death removes the sin nature from body and soul. Sanctification is complete, standing and state are the same, the believer is eternally sanctified. The eternal aspect of sanctification accounts for the Scripture’s declarations of a transformed and redeemed body and soul in the resurrection and into eternity.

Which aspect of sanctification is in view here? Most translators take the view it is positional sanctification, by capitalizing pneúma [WSDNT, 4151], spirit. The New Testament manuscripts were written in all capitals or all lower case. To capitalize a word in translation that is not obviously a proper noun is an interpretation by the translator. Should pneúma be capitalized? The question is resolved by grammar. Robertson says, "the subjective genitive here, sanctification wrought by the Spirit as in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 [Robertson, 6:80]. The Holy Spirit has sanctified the elect expatriates.

This interpretation of pneúma makes sense from a theological point of view. The work of the Holy Spirit is to save souls by separating them from sin and dedicating them to God. There is also a literary point of view that should not be missed. If pneúma is the Holy Spirit, then Peter has stated the work of the Trinity in salvation: the Father elects, the Spirit sanctifies, the sprinkling of the blood of the Son (next clause) saves.

Therefore, Peter means positional sanctification. His context is election and the blood of Jesus. The word blood is often used as a metonym for death. Here the blood of Jesus Christ refers to his death on the cross. Obedience and sprinkling indicate saving faith: a sinner obeys the gospel call and is sprinkled with the propitiating death of Christ. On the cross Christ completely satisfied God’s holiness and justice for the crime of sin: he propitiated God. Christ’s propitiation was of infinite merit, because his Person is of infinite worth. The application of that merit is personally made by each sinner to his or her sin through faith in Christ.

to obedience and sprinkling of blood of Jesus Christ

Sprinkling the blood of Christ means applying the saving merit of his propitiating death. God’s response to saving faith is to apply the merit of Christ’s propitiation to the sinner’s spiritual need for salvation, causing the sinner to be judicially forgiven of his or her sin-guilt. Obedience is the sinner’s response to the gospel message: I believe Jesus Christ is my Savior. Peter teaches the same order of salvation Paul teaches: sanctification by the Spirit, then belief in the truth, 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

The word translated sprinkled is the Greek rhantísmós [WSDNT, 4473]. Peter is referring to the Old Testament practice in the Mosaic Law. The blood was sprinkled as part of an atoning sacrifice. Two Hebrew words are translated sprinkle in the Old Testament Scripture. The primary word, zaraq [TWOT, 585a], means to toss, throw, scatter in abundance, and probably indicates the use of the entire hand to scatter or smear the blood (and in certain rites to pour out the blood beside the altar.)

The other word is nazã [TWOT, 1335], a spattering. In Leviticus 16 the high priest used his finger to nazã blood on the mercy seat. When Moses sprinkled blood on the book of the covenant, the people, and the tabernacle, the word is zaraq: he used his hand. When every use (zaraq, thirty-five times; nazã, twenty-four times) is considered, their interpretation is clear. The blood was zaraq on the law and the people to confirm the covenant; zaraq on the altar to declare a sacrifice is the only way to atone for sin; and zaraq as purification to indicate sanctification (e.g., Exodus 29:20; Leviticus 1:5). The blood was nazã, Leviticus 4:6, 17; 16:14, 15, 19, to indicate expiation for sin. Peter’s use of rhantísmós corresponds to these Old Testament uses. The believer has by faith in Christ been cleansed from the guilt and penalty of sin and brought into a salvific relationship with God in Christ.

The sanctification that leads to salvation is the consequence of election, 2 Thessalonians 2:13. Sinners are elected to salvation, Ephesians 1:4. The work of the Spirit is to effect election by setting them apart from the world and unto God. The election that was purposed by the Father was carried into effect by the agency of the Spirit in making them holy [Barnes, 112]. In practice, the Holy Spirit interacts with the sinner in such a way that the mind is illuminated by the Holy Spirit, to know and believe the Divine will [Leighton, 16]. The Spirit witnesses to the sinner of his sin. He convicts the sinner of the eternal issues of life and death, of personal sin-guilt before a holy God, and the need to be saved from the penalty of sin and cleansed from its defilement. Having been convicted of sin, the Savior, and salvation, the sinner exercises saving faith. The Holy Spirit sets the elect sinner apart from his unbelief to the act of faith in Jesus [Wuest, First Peter, 16].

"All who are chosen to partake of that everlasting blessedness which Christ has purchased are appointed to come to the possession of it through sanctification, whereby their minds are enlightened to see their woeful condition by nature, Revelation 3:17, 18, to see the possibility and excellency of a better estate, Ephesians 1:17, 18; their hearts are powerfully inclined to close with Christ, John 6:44, 45, and they are enabled to forsake sin and follow after that which is well-pleasing in the sight of God, James 1:27 [Nisbet, 10, emphasis original]. The result of the Spirit’s act is faith expressed by the believer and salvation received from the Father through the work of the Son. The scope of that salvation is such that the Spirit does not just clean up an old life but introduces the person to a whole new life, making him or her holy" [Davids, 48].

Election does not save without the work of the Spirit and faith expressed by the sinner. Rather, election contains the end as well as the means. The question for the sinner is not, Am I one of the elect? It is, Am I saved? Do not be content with the state of your soul until you have experienced the convicting power of the Spirit, the life-changing effect of his regenerating work, and the continuing influence of his sanctification. A man has reason to think that he is one of the elect of God, just so far as he has evidence that he has been renewed by the Holy Spirit, and so far as he has holiness of heart and life, and no farther [Barnes, 112]. Seek the Savior, seek salvation: then you will know.

Conversion, says Davids, is more than an intellectual believing that something is true. It is repentance, a turning from a past way of life; it is faith, a commitment to Jesus as Lord that results in a way of life characterized by obedience [Davids, 49]. Davids is correct up to that bit about commitment to Jesus as Lord. The obedience Peter speaks of is not a commitment to Jesus