1. FIVE STUDIES IN 1 PETER

[7 pages when printed]

An Introduction to the Epistle    Peter is writing this letter from Rome - see 4:13 where "Babylon" is the code word for Rome. In chapter 1 v.1 Peter tells us that he is writing to Christians in "Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia". A Bible map will show you that these areas occupied central and northern Asia Minor (what we now call Turkey).   Acts 2:9 explains how some of these people became Christians in the first place.

But they are beginning to experience serious persecution (and its going to get worse!). That’s why Peter calls them "strangers in this world"  or "refugees" (v.1 GNB). Even in these first verses, Peter is beginning to bolster their confidence by asserting that they do belong to God - see how he does that in v.2.

There are two key verses to take note of: 4:14 "If you are insulted .." and 5:12b "I have written .. encouragingly..." Please read these verses now. This whole Epistle is designed to encourage Christians to follow Christ’s example and bear trials and persecution with fortitude. Remember that Peter was a witness to all that Christ did and suffered.

STUDY ONE: 1 Peter 1:1 to 2:3   "LIVING IN CHRISTIAN HOPE"

Please read 1:3-12   1. From v.3 what two miracles have happened to us as a result of God’s mercy? Perhaps members of the group could suggest examples of the evidence we may see in our lives that these miracles have happened to us?

2. What does Peter mean by "the inheritance that can never spoil or fade" v.4? What contrast is Peter making? What is this inheritance; when will we enjoy it; and how can we be sure that it is waiting for us (vs.4b,5)? What is the impact of being reminded that Christians have a future?

3. In v.6 Peter refers to "all kinds of trials".  List four ways in which our faith might be tested today. When we are faced with trials, how do we respond? Could each person in the group privately put a cross somewhere on the lines to indicate how they respond? (if we tend to give up in despair the cross will go on the left)   

give-in easily - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -endure it                

start to question God - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - trust God completely       

ask for the help of friends - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -cope on my own

Perhaps you would like to discuss these issues?

4. So why does God allow trials to afflict us; what is His goal? How can that happen and what is the result? (v.7) List four things we might learn from trials about ourselves or about God? See Romans 8:28.

5. Why does Peter mention the prophets and their searching in vs.10-12?

Please now read 1:13 to2:3

6. What factors help us to have our minds ready for "action" and our lives "under control" (v.13)? In what ways do each of the following factors help or hinder us in being ready and alert?    (a) praying  (b) reading the Bible  (c) reading newspapers  (d) associating only with Christians   (e) learning to be sensitive to others' needs (f) not being interested in social issues (g) watching TV. What must we do to conform to v.14?

7. In v.15 Peter exhorts us to "be holy in all you do". What does it mean "to be holy"? Look up the following verses and write down what holy means in each case:

Leviticus 23:20 ...........................1 Thessalonians 4:7...................................

Why should we live our lives in 'reverent fear' (v.17)? (see 1 Cor.3:12-15) What according to vs.18-23 and 2:1-3 should motivate us to want to do this?  It isn’t easy or comfortable to assess how holy we are in the various parts of our lives, but perhaps we ought to try to take stock!  Maybe each person would like privately to consider how holy they feel the following parts of their lives really are:                   

* thought                * speech                       * money                        *use of our home

* what we read or watch            * family life                    *general attitude to life

No-one is asked to reveal their answers (unless they want to) but it would be good to have a time of silent prayer asking for God’s help in those areas in which we are not doing as well as we should.

STUDY TWO: 1 Peter 2:4-10   "LIVING STONES AND WITNESSES"

This time we only have seven verses to look at but they are simply packed with meaning and rich references from the Old Testament.                                                   

Please read the whole passage through.  How striking that Peter calls Jesus the "stone"(v.4), after all it was Jesus that named him Cephas (Peter) "a rock" (John 1:42)!

1. Name the three main properties that we associate with a stone or rock: 

   1 ................................ 2 .............................. 3 ..............................

Peter draws this name for Christ from Isaiah 28:16 . Please look it up. In fact in v.6 Peter goes on to quote that same verse from the Greek translation of the Old Testament^*. In what ways does Christ fulfil the three properties you gave earlier in the question? In what ways is He a cornerstone  (Is.28:16 and 1Pet.2:6)? ;

In 1 Cor.10:4 Paul makes the same reference to Christ. Please read 1 Cor.10:1-4 and follow the cross reference to Ex.17:6. What incident is referred to and what does it mean for us now? How do we benefit from it? See also John 4:13,14.

* Sometime in the years 280 to 250 BC a team of about seventy scholars gathered in Alexandria and translated the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek. This is the version often quoted by the Apostles in the New Testament and explains why it sometimes seems slightly different from what we have in our English Old Testament, which was translated directly from the Hebrew. The Greek Translation is called the "Septuagint" (which is Latin for 70) and referred to in footnotes as LXX.

2. Returning to 1 Pet.2:4,5 what does it mean that Christ is a "living" stone (v.4) and in what way are we also "living" stones? What is the "spiritual house" in v.5? See also 1 Tim.3:15.1. 

3. With reference to the second half of v.5 and to v.9: it has been said that the ministry of priests was ..... 1. to go to God on behalf of people, and  2. to go to people on behalf of God.  

How can this be applied to us all in our role as Christian priests? And what are the "spiritual sacrifices" Peter refers to?

4. In vs.4 and 7 Peter says that people have rejected "the stone" and in v.8 that this stone is a stumbling block to people. Suggest reasons why people seem to have no interest in Jesus or actually reject the Gospel when they hear it? 

Sometimes people come to our churches for family reasons or at special times like Easter and Christmas but whom we never see again? Are there other reasons why they are not attracted to come back?

5. In vs. 9 and 10 Peter makes a magnificent set of statements designed to encourage his readers who are facing persecution. Why was Israel and why are we God’s chosen people? see Ex.19:5,6 and Deuteronomy 7:6-9a .... then 1 Pet.1:2. Suggest ways in which we may "proclaim the wonderful acts of God": what 'wonderful acts' would you want to tell others about?

STUDY THREE  1Peter 2:11 to 3:7 "LIVING IN A HOSTILE WORLD"

We recall that Peter is writing to encourage Christians who are beginning to experience heavy persecution. In our previous studies we saw how Peter has been at pains to describe their wonderful status before God  - see 1:2, 1:3,4 and 2:9.  Peter now sets out to prescribe the lifestyle they should adopt to provide the stability and strength for their lives in society, at work, in the home and in their fellowship, which will help to sustain them when the winds of persecution blow hard.

Please read vs.11 to 20                                                                                                      

1. In vs.11,12 Peter wants them to live in a way that will mean that those who oppose them will have to admit they are good people. First, he says negatively “abstain from evil desires”.  Then,  positively  he says “live such good lives  ..that they may see your good deeds”.

Today, people either think that Christianity is irrelevant to them or they have some objection to it. Think out 4 negative and 4 positive ways in which modern Christians like us can demonstrate goodness in ways which are particularly applicable to our day.   

Only after doing this, please read Gal.5:22,23

2.  Now (v.13-15) Peter urges them to submit to the the Government and the Emperor - not because of who he is - but because of his Office.   See Romans 13:1. This was a really “tall order” considering what some of the Emperors were like!  In what ways is human government good for us? 

How can Christians help their government to keep to biblical moral standards? Discuss any way in which members of your group have tried to do this. What more could we do?              

  3.  Share what you know about the ways in which Christians in other lands are suffering for their faith today. Give specific examples. Perhaps this would be a good time to stop studying for a few minutes while two or three people lead in prayer for such suffering Christians. Try to imagine their situations and pray accordingly.

It has been known for Christians overseas to be delivered from danger by God through prayers offered at just the right time. So who knows what God might do with your prayers!

4. How do vs.16-20a apply to our lives today? What attitudes at work do we feel are unchristian and how do we stop ourselves from being drawn into them? 

In the second half of v.20 Peter writes one of the great New Testament promises .....

   Then he gives Jesus Christ as the greatest example of it. Please read vs.21-25. How do you feel about them?

  5. There was a particular incident in Peter’s life that he would never forget. Read it in John 13:1-9 then 12-17. What does Jesus say he had set them?  What does Peter say Jesus left us in His suffering (1Pet.3:21)? 

In v.21 for 'example' Peter uses the Greek word 'hypergrammon'. This was the line of writing written by the teacher at the top of a pupil's slate. The pupil learned to write by copying many times underneath it what the teacher had written at the top. Imagine the pupil concentrating on his/her writing, continually looking up at the teacher's writing in order to get their's right.  No line would be perfect, but with practice it would get better and better. In like manner we learn by continually looking at and copying Christ.   

Compare the two ways in which Peter says Christians are “called” - in 2:9 and 2:21. How can both be true?

6. Still on the subject of a strong and unquestionable lifestyle, Peter now turns to relationships in the home and writes in similar vein as Paul does in Eph.5 and Col.3. Please notice 2 things:                   

(1) He begins his advice to both wives (3:1) and husbands (3:7) with the words “in the same way” - meaning: following the example of Christ’s life in humility and compassionate love (2:21-25). It is never (for husband or wife) a matter of "rights" but of willing and sacrificial service.   

(2) Peter seems to have particularly in mind the Christian wife where her husband is not yet a Christian (3:1b). Her beauty is to be in her character in order to win him for Christ. (Peter is not  recommending dowdiness: that would hardly please the unconverted husband, now would it!) 

Why do we have such trouble with the idea of 'submission' today? List the advantages to a society of having ordered, stable marriages as the norm.  

STUDY FOUR: 1 Pet.3:8 to 4:11 “PERSEVERING IN WHAT IS RIGHT”

Peter is still teaching his readers of that day, and us in our day, how we should live in the midst of a hostile world.

Please read 3:8-18

In this passage Peter mentions several different aspects of how to be strong and resilient as Christians: v.8- standing together as Christians;  v.18 - remembering what Christ has done for us.

1. Standing together as Christians will help us when we face difficulties and trials as individuals. What three aspects of standing together does Peter mention in v.8?

What attitudes and feelings could Peter have had in mind? See Phil.2:1-5.

What is the point Peter is making when he urges us to love as brothers (and sisters)?

Why are kindness and humility so important?

Can members of the group describe examples of when belonging to the Christian fellowship has made all the difference in facing a trial they had to bear.

2. Peter now envisages that as Christians we should not hide in a corner, as it were, for fear of opposition, but be a positive blessing to those around us even if they do not share our faith. Where did Peter get the teaching he gives in v.9? Look up Matt.5:43,44. Why is this such a difficult thing for us to do?

Peter supports what he says by quoting from Psalm 34. How is v.12 a particular help and encouragement? (Please note that “the righteous” in the Bible are always those who are trying to live for God because they have put their faith in Him.) To what extent is God on the side of Christians?  What blessings do we receive from God which encourage us to be a blessing to others?

3. Trace Peter’s encouragement in vs14 to16:  “But even if........... do not ............. but in your heart ..... ........................always be ready to ..................* , but do it with ............ keep your ............................. so that ..............................  .

*in the Christian context “hope” means “confident expectation”.

What might we be afraid of, and why do we find it so difficult to explain our faith simply to others? Can the group compose a simple statement that we would all be able to use, when asked to begin to explain.

[Verses 19,20 and 4:6 have been a puzzle to scholars down the years, as to what Peter meant. There are some possible explanations but we do not consider it beneficial to spend time on them.]

Please read 4:1-5 then 7-11

In v.1 Peter stresses that it took the suffering and death of Christ to free HIM from any further involvement with sin. Christ dealt with it once and for all and gained our liberty. SO, he says v.2, we are stewards of this freedom. (the 'he' in v.1 is Christ: this verse is not an invitation to make the body suffer so that sin is excluded)

4. What factors in ourselves or the world around us make it difficult to “live the rest of our earthy lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires” (v.2 Good News Bible). What practical steps can we take to help us to attain to this?

5. In vs. 7-11 Peter stresses the positive side of this life-style to which we are called. How does being clear-minded ('alert' GNB) and self-controlled help us to pray (v.7)? How could we be more alert?

6. Peter now returns to the subject of the Christian community. List the things he mentions. Are we doing them? Are there any we need to give special attention to?

Summarising how Peter describes this community; what over-all impression does it give? List 5 words which could be used to describe belonging to this community ......

And what should be the result of it v11b? Is that happening in your fellowship?

STUDY FIVE: 1 Peter 4:12 to 5:12 “STANDING TOGETHER”

Peter finished the previous passage with a doxology (2:11b) almost as if the end of the letter is near. But then he seems to have second thoughts, because he wants to do everything he can to strengthen and support his readers. So he begins again “My dear [beloved] friends...”.

  Please read vs.12-19.

1. With v.12 in mind, make a list of some of the countries in the world where you believe Christians are undergoing persecution:

What can we do to help them? Assess how many people in the group take a missionary magazine in which there is news of Christians abroad. Perhaps the group, as a group, would like to talk through the idea of taking, say, two or three missionary magazines and prayerfully sharing the news around from time to time.

 2. In what sorts of places and what sorts of circumstances do Christians in this (your own) country suffer for their faith and what form does this suffering take? What will happen if the opposition to the Christian Gospel becomes really fierce in this country?

3. Look back at 2:20b and 3:14a, and then re-read 4:13-16. In these three verses in chapter 4 identify the four reasons why Peter says we should be glad to suffer.

How “blessed” are we to be known as convinced Christians?  To what extent do we find that other people, even members of our own extended families, just do not understand why we take our Christian faith so seriously? What do you think, that they think that being a Christian means?

4. In v.17 Peter is not referring to the final judgement, but the fact that the Church is coming under such pressure from persecution that it will “shake out” those whose faith and commitment are weak - in other words it will be a refining process. So what does v.19 require of us?

Now please read 5:1-12

Peter now turns to those desirable qualities of the local church that will help to keep the Christians strong:  vs.1- 4 > strong leadership; vs. 5-7 > proper humility; vs. 8,9 - resistance towards the real enemy; vs.10,11 - the strength that God supplies; v.12 - assurance about their experiences.

Let’s look at some of these:

5. Strong biblical leadership in the Church is very important: Peter refers to it as “shepherding” (v.2). Turn to Acts 20:25 to 38 and read part of what Paul said to the Elders of the Ephesian Church when he left them for the last time. What issues does Peter raise in 5:2-7?

How can we encourage our own ministers to be biblical teachers and pastors? What does that mean in practice. Since the western church is today very weak spiritually how do we guard against our local church and denomination from becoming unbiblical in its teaching and moral standards?

6. From v.8, how does the devil “prowl  round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour”? What does Peter mean by this?  How can we resist him vs.8-11 (note the 'self-control and alert' again - it must be very important!)? Do you see the promise in v.10? How important is that to you?

7. Finally, in vs.12-14, Peter, probably in his own handwriting, adds a final greeting. In 12b he says he wants to encourage us to press on in the Christian life no matter what it costs. He wants to confirm from his own experience, that what he has been talking about is truly the outcome of the Grace of God. He witnessed the life of Jesus with his own eyes. Looking back across the letter why can we stand firm with confidence?

1:1/2:9       because we are God’s chosen people 

1:2/2:9       because we have been chosen for holiness & to obey Christ

1:3             because we shall share in the resurrection

1:4             because rich blessings await us in heaven

2:24           because our sins have been carried away

4:1,2          because the absolute reign of sin has been ended

5:4,10        because we shall share in Christ’s glory.

END

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