In previous blogs, we have suggested that the introduction to Peter’s first letter (1Peter 1:1-2), can possibly be interpreted as Peter’s attempt, on one hand, to introduce the content of his entire letter, but more specifically, on the other hand, to also introduce the content of his first chapter.
In this blog, we will suggest that Peter’s concluding remarks in his first chapter also indicate the content of his letter in retrospect, especially the content of his first chapter. Peter does this in 1:25 by reviewing for his readers what he just spoke about in the first 25 verses of his letter. Peter says…,
"this word is the good news (gospel) that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:25)
From Peter’s statement above, it is quite easy to conclude that whatever message Peter spoke in 1:3-24, he considered that message to be the “good news” or “the gospel message” that had already been preached to his readers. The obvious question one would ask at this point is, “What was that “word” that Peter claimed was the “good news/gospel” that he communicated to his readers in that first chapter?
We will eventually arrive at that answer. However, first, the point needs to be made that Peter clearly restates at the end of his first chapter that his spoken word-(ρημα), as opposed to the written word (λογος) that he has just spoken, is the gospel message that his readers have had preached to them.
As a side note...with Peter's use of "ρημα," perhaps this is supporting evidence that Peter is speaking his words to Sylvanus who is helping Peter by transcribing them for him as his amanuensis, as Peter suggests in 5:12.
So, here, perhaps the adage, “Tell them what you’re going to say, say it, and then tell them what you said” rings true for Peter here in the introduction, the body and the conclusion of his first chapter of his first letter.
Having said that, we can now say that we have demonstrated the first and third phrases of that adage, (Peter has told them what he was going to say in his introduction)…and he has told them what he has said – in his conclusion. But we have yet to discuss the second phrase (say it). We have not yet discussed what Peter has actually said to his readers in the first chapter.
In previous blogs, we discussed that Peter has served up the concepts of “sanctification,” “obedience” and the shed “blood” of Jesus as resultant clauses as reasons for them being elected. We have learned that these three concepts are integral concepts to ones salvation experience, first for the Jews and then for the nations. “Sanctification” is the result of ones “obedience” to the message of Jesus’s shed “blood” on the cross. Peter references these concepts almost verbatim in 1:19-21,
“...you were redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead…you have purified/sanctified yourselves by obeying the truth.”
To say it another way, what God foreknew was that the Jewish nation was elected and scattered to carry the content of the blessing of the gospel message (Gen 12:1-2, Gal 3:8) as seen in obedience to the true message of the blood of Jesus shed on the cross as the sanctifying work and is delivered to the Jews first and then to the nations. (Romans 1:16) We have suggested that the purpose of Peters introduction in his first letter is to convey this gospel message to his Jewish readers.
So, how is obedience, blood and sanctification used in 1 Peter as salvation experience concepts?
We have yet to feast on that question. However, up to this point, we have seen that with Peter’s introduction, Peter has set the table for what he would like to serve up to his readers to eat in the first chapter. And we have also seen that with his conclusion, Peter has donned his apron and cleaned up the remaining scraps of what was leftover at the end of the first chapter meal. But we have yet to see the meal. So now we are ready to nibble.
After the obedience-blood-sanctifying concepts in Peter’s introduction to the gospel message, throughout the rest of the first chapter, Peter goes on to specify at least twenty-five other different “salvation experience” concepts in 25 verses. This is in addition to the obedience-blood-sanctifying concepts that he has already spoke (ρημα) in his introduction.
25 salvation experience concepts in 25 verses. That’s saturation. That’s salvation saturation.
Beyond Peter’s introduction verses of 1:1-2, this first chapter of 1 Peter oozes with salvation experience concepts, overflowing from one verse to the next (1:4-25). Each of these concepts function as an integral aspect of the salvation experience - "to the Jew first and then to the nations."
Let's place our napkin on our lap, grab our knife and fork and begin to piece out the salvation experience concepts that Peter is serving up in this chapter. It's almost too much for one plate... “foreknowledge of God,” “grace,” “sprinkled with his blood,” “the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit,” “new birth,” ”hope,” “inheritance,” “faith,” “believe,” “revealed in the last time,” “concerning this salvation,” “salvation of your souls,” “the grace that was to come to you,” “the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow,” “the gospel,” “Jesus Christ revealed at his coming,” “holy,” “redeemed,” “chosen before the creation of the world,” “revealed in these last times,” “faith and hope in God,” “purified yourselves,” “obedience to the truth,” “born again,” and “imperishable,”
That's a robust meal for one sitting. Each salvation experience concept shapes the content of what Peter wishes his audience to understand from what they have originally heard preached and what he now restates to them in his letter. Each of the salvation experience concepts mentioned above is used in this first chapter alone.
After flooding the first chapter with these salvation experience concepts, Peter then begins the conclusion of the first chapter by telling his readers that they have “purified themselves” by their “obedience to the truth.”
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth... love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God…”
Notice how similar Peter’s ending of the first chapter is to his beginning, to his introduction.
Both introduction and conclusion of his first chapter contain the salvation experience concepts, “obedience,” and “sanctification/purify/holy.”
Is this repetition accidental or is it purposeful? If it is accidental, then we need not discuss this topic any further. But I don’t think many of us would agree that any word of scripture has accidently fallen on the any single page of the ancient parchments.
If it is plausible to assume purpose and intent to the imperishable, living and enduring word of God, then it must also be plausible to assume Peter’s introduction is purposely similar to his conclusion.
If so, then can we also assume that Peter, as the Apostle to the Jews, is speaking the salvation experience concepts of the gospel message (Gen 12:1-2, Gal 3:8) as the blessing of the gospel delivered to the Jews first and then to the nations (Romans 1:16) thus connecting the introduction and conclusion with a tidal wave of salvation experience concepts in the body?
Just as Peter’s introduction suggests that the notion that the nation of Israel was to carry the blessing of the gospel message to the Jews first and then to the nations, and that through obedience to the truth of the death of the Messiah and his blood being shed for the purification of all souls, God forgives sin and declares people righteous by faith in Him, so does the content of the body of Peter’s 1st chapter suggest the salvation experience concepts that form the imperishable, living and enduring word of God.
It is this word in the introduction body and conclusion that Peter speaks to his readers and which prompts him to punctuate his final thought of his first chapter…
"this word is the good news (gospel) that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:25)
In my next blog, we will notice Peter continuing to reference these salvation experience concepts and how he attempts to demonstrate to his readers the value of their salvation.
Peter will suggest that the value of our salvation ought to make a difference in how we value our lifestyle... Peter encourages his readers, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth... love one another deeply, from the heart." To correctly value ones' salvation deeply from the heart ought to move us to deeply love one another from the heart. Peter sees A Salvation Worth Writing About.