2002-01-01
Good Morning Dearest Readers,
The Lord has led me to share with you an examination of the little books of 1 PETER and 2 Peter toward the end of the New Testament. I have always wanted to take a closer look at the both these books and their author, and now is the time. I’m sure that Peter both delighted the Lord with his impetuousness and enthusiasm and frustrated the Lord with his difficulty in quickly understanding the need to be consistently faithful and obedient. Peter’s ministry lasted for thirty years before he was martyred. As we get better acquainted with him and he matured, his faith became a real lighthouse for God, which is why Christ said to Peter in MT 16: 18-19, “And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock and on this rock foundation I will build My church, and not even death will ever be able to over come it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
We know from reading about Jeremiah’s commission in JER 1: 4, that the Lord knows before a person is born that this person is selected for his commission. I suspect that kind of Godly perspective allowed Christ to see through Peter’s rashness and struggle to mature in his faith as a young man that he was the one who could carry out the leadership of the church after His crucifixion. Peter was given the Holy Spirit and probable help from Silvanus in composing the letters that became 1 & 2 Peter. While Peter had no formal education or rabbinical training, he had thirty years of preaching using the innate gifts given to him by God. AC 4: 13, “The members of the Council were amazed to see how bold Peter and John were and to learn that they were ordinary men of no education. They realized then that they had been companions of Jesus.” This is surely a reminder to us that there are people so gifted as to be able to do a job without the usual modes of preparation for it. Sadly, not enough of these talented people are allowed to carry out what they can do in today’s society, because they are not recognized and don’t have all the usual degrees after their names. The Lord Who is omniscient knew that a simple fisherman, Simon (called Peter), had the heart to accept an assignment, the dimensions of which he couldn’t understand, and to go follow Jesus. MT 4: 18-20, “As Jesus walked along the shore of Lake Galilee, He saw two brothers who were fishermen, Simon (called Peter) and his brother, Andrew, catching fish in the lake with a net. Jesus said to them, ‘Come with Me, and I will teach you to be fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and went with Him.” How many of us would set aside whatever we are doing and accept an invitation from Christ without question or delay as Peter and Andrew did?
I’ve often said that names in ancient times were very significant to the person. Peter is referred to by several names in the Scriptures. The reference to living stones in 1 PET 2: 5 recalls the incident in JN 1: 42 where Simon’s name is was changed to Cephas (Aramaic) or Peter (Greek), which both mean “stone.” 1 PET 2: 5, “Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.” JN 1: 40-42, “One of them was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. At once he found his brother Simon and told him, ‘We have found the Messiah.’ (This word means “Christ.”) Then he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘Your name is Simon son of John, but you will be called Cephas.’ (This is the same as Peter and means “a rock.”) “ It might be of interest that earlier in this same passage Christ is referred to as “the Lamb of God” and Rabbi” which means “Teacher.” In ancient times, names mattered.
The view that the Scriptures gives of Peter’s maturation in his faith is quite delightful and meaningful. It is not always a smooth road, but it is one that has remarkable influence on the people around him and on ones he never met. The first ten verses of 1 PET 2 present Christ as the Cornerstone and take us back to the incident at Caesarea Philippi when Peter confessed Jesus’ deity. MT 16: 13-17, “Jesus went to the territory near the town of Caesarea Philippi, where He asked His disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ “Some say John the Bapitst,’ they answered. ‘Other say Elijah, while others say Jeremiah or some other prophet.’ ‘What about you?’ He asked them. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ ‘Good for you, Simon son of John!’ answered Jesus. ‘For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by My Father in heaven.’ “ Yet as we read Peter’s advice in 1 PET 2: 13-17 to submit to governmental authorities, we have to remember his rash act of cutting off the ear of the Jewish High Priest’s slave, Malcus, at the time of Christ’s arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to his trial and crucifixion. LK 22: 49-51, “When the disciples who were with Jesus saw what was going to happen, they asked, ‘Shall we use our sword, Lord?’ And one of them struck the High Priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, ‘Enough of this!’ He touched the man’s ear and healed him.” We learn from JN 18:10, “Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the High Priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear. The name of the slave was Malcus.”
To best understand the background behind Peter’s letter’s which are these two little books, we need to know that the young church in around 64-65 AD when they were written was being subjected to horrible persecution by the Roman emperor Nero. Christians were being imprisoned, tortured, having their property confiscated, and violent death for many still lay in the future. So the main purpose of this letter was to encourage them in their faith. Suffering is a theme as are the blessings inherited by accepting the Gospel and the proper relationships of believers with the world, state, family, and the church. Instruction on elders and discipline are also a part of it. The recipients of this letter were the early church believers living in the area then known as Asia Minor and now known as Turkey.
PRAYER: O Lord, how very well you understand the foibles of human nature! In commissioning Peter and giving us what You have about him in the Scriptures, You are allowing us to understand how You build faith in people. It is a picture that gives us hope that even with our limitations of perception and need to learn how to let the Spirit overcomes our flesh, the same strong and enduring faith can be built in us. Through Peter’s teaching in these letters, You not only encourage the believers of the early church facing persecution, but You also encourage us. You also allow us to put a perspective on our own suffering that is closer to Yours. Faith in Jesus Christ gives us a fresh outlook on the challenges of our lives and focuses us on the lessons You provide that will forward our sanctification. These are the acts of a loving Abba Who wants nothing more than to see His children eventually dwell in joy and eternal fellowship with Him in heaven. We adore, worship, thank, praise, glorify, and honor You for being the Presence in our lives that You are. In Christ’s name, amen.
Tomorrow, we will begin looking at the passage in 1 PET 1 which is the introduction and beginning of a discussion on a living hope. Every day in every way, our Lord showers us with His love, guidance, and compassionate patience. My wish is that all of you can share with me the warmth that His love brings and the hope of God’s ultimate will for us. Peter and I send you our love today.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn