To Be One in Christ: We Have Treasure in the Jars of Clay -- the Series of Explanation and Analysis of Scripture (17) - 1 - prat I
The Explanation and Analysis of the Verses in Chapter 1 of 1 PETER
It is edited and compiled under the guidance of Holy Spirit. All thanks, praises and glories be to God!
1. The trials of the faith (1:1-12)
(1) Foreword -- the greetings and blessings in LORD (1:1-2)
1 PETERS 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
(NOTES)
I. The title that the apostle called himself (1:1upper)
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ”; the apostle is the spiritual duty of Peter. Peter called himself in this way to show that he was standing on the authority of the apostles and on the position to represent LORD Jesus Christ, and was sent to speak to the believers through the inspirations of Holy Spirit.
II. What the apostle called those who receive the letters (1:1latter - 2upper)
Here, several different words are used to describe the spiritual situations of those who receive the letters:
A. “scattered”:
According to the appearance of the churches, they are scattered. Even though we are scattered in different regions and groups according to geography or organization, we are one in the life of Jesus Christ. This unity of life won’t be destroyed because of anyone’s weakness or errors, and this spiritual relationship is not separable. Therefore, the believers must pay more careful attention to the relationship in Christ rather than any other relationship.
B. “strangers”:
The “strangers in the world”: the believers are not the “local people” in the world; they are the strangers in the world. If they can not be treated in the same way as the worldly people, that is not surprising at all. Therefore, the word of “strangers” tells us that we should not fix our eyes on this world; it is because we do not belong to this world at all (Joh 17:14).
The “strangers” are often bullied by the “local people”. Since the Christians are the strangers in this world, even through they are bullied, abandoned and even persecuted, they regard it as the matters that should be, and do not take it too seriously.
The “strangers” must have big differences in the living habits, the language or the color of skins from the local people. And their differences are easily told by the local people. The Christians should have significant differences from the worldly people, so that people can tell that we belong to LORD (Act 4:13).
The “strangers” also show that the believers are hoping for another home country. Anyone who lives away from home must long for his own home country. Although the Christians are on the earth, they should long for the heavenly home country, and should not feel attached to the temporary enjoyments in this world.
C. “who have been chosen ”:
“who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”; LORD Jesus says that: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ” (Joh 15:16) How LORD chose us? He chose us “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”.
“chosen”: implies to select according to His preference and wisdom. God chose us according to His foreknowledge; this can be addressed from two aspects:
a. From the authority and power of God, God’s election is completely up to His grace (Rom 9:11), which is the absolute authority and power of God; just as the potter has the absolute power to deal with the clay in his hand.
b. From the facts that God choose people, God choose people according to His foreknowledge. However, although God foreknow everything, He will not fulfill His will not in accordance to His predestined eternal plans and predestined times and schedules. Also, God will not delete the history that the mankind should have and the chances and experiences to make a choice between the sins and the redemption, because of His foreknowledge of everything. It is because the mankind need the historical teachings and experiences so that to have some understandings on the sins and the salvation (Eph 1:5-6).
“chosen”:
It shows to be an act after careful considerations. God chose us according to His foreknowledge. It shows that the salvation of the believers is not from a momentary idea of God, but from the plans of God before the creation of the world (Eph 1:4; 3:11), which is a significant and great event from the viewpoint of God, and is expected to come true long ago. In another word, we who are chosen are valuable and precious in the eyes of God, and will not be discarded casually (Heb 13:5). This concept is a great comfort to those believers in the sufferings of the trials. The believers should remember carefully that no matter in what kinds of difficult circumstance, God won’t discard us , for we are chosen according to His foreknowledge.
D. “through the sanctifying work of the Spirit”:
Here, it indicates that one was reborn through the work of Holy Spirit to be set apart and sanctified to belong to God. Holy Spirit makes us united with Christ through faith, so that we can share in His holiness and He will become our holiness (1Co 1:30), also we will be called saints in Him (1Co 1:2). Thus, we should make every effort to pursue to be holy in our life, so that to be worthy of the grace that we received. However, this holy experience in the life, also needs to rely on the work of the Holy Spirit to achieve. We must be obedient to the Holy Spirit, let the holy life of Christ truly shown on us, and live a sanctified life.
E. “obedience to Jesus Christ ”:
“The sanctifying work ” and “obedience to Jesus Christ ” are closely related. Only “through the sanctifying work of the Spirit”, one can become obedient to Jesus Christ. When we are in sins and evils, our minds are captured by the sins and evils, and can not obey Christ at all. The mind must be renewed first, then one can be obedient to Jesus Christ (Rom 12:2). At the same time, only the “obedience to Jesus Christ ” can make us truly be holy.
This verse shows that the main goal of the believers in this world, is not to live according to one’s own preference, but to live in accordance to the will of God (2Co 5:15). Thus, one should be obedient no matter in favorable or adverse circumstance. Only by “obedience to Jesus Christ ”, we can be one in Christ.
F. “sprinkling by his blood”:
“sprinkling by his blood”, this is the basic condition for the believers to become the chosen people of God, and to be holy and obedient to Christ. We are sprinkled by His blood; that is, we are redeemed by His blood, and we have the mark of His blood on us; therefore, we belong to Him “legally”.
“sprinkling by his blood” also shows that we should be faithful and loyal to Him, for He gave up his life and shed blood for us, and paid the price of redeeming the life (Mar 10:45). Thus, we should absolutely listen to Him and work for Him faithfully.
There is the background for “sprinkling” in the Old Testament. In the tabernacle in the Old Testament, all things become holy through the sprinkling. However, in the tabernacle of the Old Testament, what is sprinkled is only the blood of the calves and sheep, which does not have the real effect to take away the sins (Heb 10:4), and is only the typology of the effects of the blood of the coming Christ. However, the believers of the New Testament become holy by the redemption of the blood of Christ on the cross (Heb 10:14; 12:24).
Regarding the salvation, there are four aspects of the salvation mentioned above:
a. “according to ”: the grace of God.
b. “through”: the work of Holy Spirit.
c. “sprinkling by his blood”: the redemption of Christ.
d. “obedience to Jesus Christ”: the duty of men.
III The blessings (1:2latter)
“Grace” is before the peace. No matter the physical peace or spiritual peace, are all based on the grace of God. “be yours in abundance”; shows that those who receive the peace from God can obtain more peace. Since these believers are suffer more trials, they certainly need more peace. Therefore, the apostle gives them the blessings to receive not only peace, but also grace and peace in abundance (2Co 12:9; Joh 16:33).
(2) Praise God with a living hope (1:3-5)
A. Praise God who give us the living hope (1:3)
1 PETERS 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(NOTES)
i. “Praise be to the God and Father ”:
To give praises to God is the beginning of the teachings of the apostle Peter; this is similar to the letters of Paul. The teachings and examples of the apostles instruct us that in all the sufferings and pains, we should put praises on the first position. This is the key to overcome the sufferings. Paul and Silas used to pray and sing hymns to God in their sufferings in prisons (Act 16:25); all the prison doors flew open in the earthquake, and it also made the family of the jailer be saved through this. This is the best example to overcome through praises in the sufferings.
To praise God is to display the respect from the hearts of those who give praises to God’s deeds. Thus, to praise God in the sufferings is equal to say that we absolutely have no complaint to God for all the sufferings that we meet with, and are willing to be obedient to the sufferings that come to us allowed by God. This display is what is pleasing to God, and can glorify God most, just as the testimony of Job who praised God in the sufferings. On the contrary, what is easiest to make us fall in the sufferings is complaint. Complaints not only dishonor God, but also do harm to one’s own spirituality. This is the object lesson given to us by the Israelites in the journey of the desert.
How can we give praises to God even in the sufferings? Here, it reminds the believers to remember the great mercy of God. “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”. The believers are reborn not because of any advantage of themselves, but because of the great mercy of God. This great mercy from the reverse side tells our “great stubborn ”, “great disobedience”, and “great sins”. Therefore, God need to save us with great mercy. Even only by this matter, it is worthy for us to praise the grace of God in our entire life. Not only at the beginning that we believe in LORD, but also in our entire life, we should continually give thanks and praises to God for this great grace of salvation, no matter what kinds of sufferings we met with. It is because we originally should be those who are destroyed forever and suffer forever. Therefore, to remember God on the basis of His great mercy and the great salvation which gives us the rebirth, is the method for us to be able to praise God regardless of the circumstances.
ii. “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”:
This is the way that God give us the rebirth. Here, the apostle especially mentions the resurrection of Christ from the dead; it is to remind the believers that the reason that we can be reborn is because of the LORD who rose from the dead. The death of Jesus Christ used to disappoint many people, who thought that he was failed. Even the apostle Peter had such experiences: before LORD Jesus was about to be crucified on the cross, he used to deny LORD Jesus for three times. Only after the resurrection of Christ, he started to understand that the death of Christ is the way for him to enter the glories. His death makes our sins be forgiven; His resurrection makes us receive the life. Peter reminds the believers according to his own experiences that the reason that we can be reborn, is because of the resurrection of LORD from the dead. This experience of the rebirth is enough to prove that LORD is the LORD who rose from the dead. (otherwise, how can they be reborn?) Thus, even though the believers are now still in the trials like fire, the living LORD will show His power as the gracious help to the believers.
iii. “a living hope ”:
This living hope is the great hope by the faith in Christ to be reborn. According to (Rom 5:2; Col 1:5), as to those who are reborn, they not only have the living hope, but also have the glorious hope.
“a living hope ” shows that the hope is living, but not dead, and is lively. It indicates that this hope will surely come true and give power to people and encourage them. The hope of the worldly people is dead; it is because the end of this world is destruction, just as a sick man who will surely die, but is still alive; and the pessimistic idea makes him have no enjoyments of the life (Eph 2:12). However, although the believers live in this world without hope, they have the hope stored in the heaven (Col 1:5). Therefore, the believers should not be as pessimistic as the worldly people.
The Bible mentions that the believers receive the living blessings through the faith in LORD for many times, such as:
a. drinking the living water (Joh 4:10; 7:38).
b. eating the living bread (Joh 6:51).
c. preaching the living word (1Pe 1:23).
d. walking a living way (Heb 10:20).
e. being as the living stone (1Pe 2:5).
f. offering as living sacrifice (Rom 12:1).
g. cherishing the living hope (1Pe 1:3).
B. Praise God for the inheritance kept for us in heaven (1:4)
1 PETERS 1:4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you,
(NOTES)
“An inheritance ” refers to the inherited possessions. In the Old Testament, God promised the Israelites to have the possession of the Canaan (Gen 17:8; Deu 9:5; Psa 105:8-11); however, in the Old Testament, what the Israelites received is the Canaan on earth; the Canaan is the typology of the possessions for the believers in heaven. The Holy Spirit given to the believers from God, is the deposit to get the heavenly possessions (Eph 1:13-14). The so-called possessions in heaven refer to all kinds of spiritual grace and blessings in Jesus Christ received by the believers (Eph 1:3), and all kinds of glories and rights to be enjoyed in the heavenly kingdom so that to be with God forever (Rev 20:6; 22:5). These graces and blessings are: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1Co 2:9).
Here, the apostle tells us that the inheritance we will receive is “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven”. The apostle compares the possessions on the earth received by the Israelites with the possessions in heaven received by the Christians, in order to show the value of the possessions received by the believers. The Canaan received by the Israelites can perish -- when the enemies attacks, the home might be broken and the city might be destroyed; and can spoil -- because of the sins of the Israelites, their land was defiled (Lev 18:25,27; Num 35:34; Deu 21:23); also can fade -- if the land meets with all kinds of the disasters, it will fade and produce no crops (2Ch 6:28; Deu 28:22-24; 1Ki 8:37). An inheritance that the believers will receive in Christ is:
a. can never perish:
That is, can last forever. The believers will inherit the possessions that can never perish, which is in Christ; we receive the life that can not perish, and we are given the crown that will never perish (1Co 15:52; 9:52), also enjoy the eternal glory (2Co 4:17).
b. can never spoil:
That is, to be holy forever (Rev 21:27). As a result of the sin of Adam, he lost the inheritance that God gave to him. However, the inheritance we receive in Christ can not spoil. Therefore, it will remain forever.
c. can never fade:
That is, to be prosperous and fresh forever. This word is used twice in this book, and the other one appears in verse (5:4); both of them are used to describe that the spiritual inheritance will not fade.
This “inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” is “kept in heaven for you”. The reason that it can never perish, spoil or fade, is because it is not the possessions on the earth, but in the heaven. When LORD Jesus was on earth, He encourages the people to store up treasures in heaven (Mat 6:20). Since the Christians have the hope of the inheritance in heaven, and can turn the temporary wealth in this life into the everlasting wealth in heaven, the believers should offer many of their belongings according to the will of God and do more good works that can last permanently, such as the foundation using gold, silver, and costly stones (1Co 3:10-15), can be used as part of our possessions in heaven.
The believers at that time, were mostly in trials, and suffered the difficulties and poverties in men’s world. Here, the apostle reminds them that the believers have the inheritance that can never perish in heaven, which is the encouraging faith and hope. If the believers can believe surely that they have glorious and rich inheritance in heaven, they won’t lose heart and be discouraged even though they live in the poverty and persecutions .
C. The faith of those who give praises to God (1:5)
1 PETERS 1:5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
(NOTES)
This verse points out the reason and the evidence for the hope of the believers; those who believe in God will be shielded by the power of God. This also shows the reliability and faithfulness of God, and also the faith that the believers should have. Two points are mentioned here:
a. Being shielded by God’s power:
This includes both the power from God and the faith from men. God’s power is infinite (Mat 19:26). Therefore, according to the power of God, He surely can shield us. However, how could men be shielded by God? That is through “faith” -- “through faith are shielded by God's power ”. As long as the believers rely on God firmly, they will be shielded by God.
Note that “are shielded by God's power ” is absolutely not to shield the believers to be at ease in sins. The shielding from God is not to help the believers to be lazy and unwatchful, for LORD Jesus often clearly reminds the disciples to be watchful (Mat 26:41). On the contrary, God shield the believers by His power, including the rescue from God in secret, and all kinds of disciplines and pains when the believers are not watchful to refuse the temptations, in order to urge the believers to know to be watchful and alert, also to make progress eagerly. This is one of the ways that God shield His believers. As to those who have faith in LORD, the words of God will become the power to keep them away from the destruction. As to those who do not have faith, they can not draw the power from the words of God to overcome.
b. The salvation in the last time:
“until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time”. The salvation accomplished by LORD has been revealed clearly. In the Bible, when talking about the “salvation”, the most common meaning refers to the grace of the redemption of Christ though the cross. However, the meaning of the salvation does not only restrict on the redemption through the cross; the more complete meaning should be that starting from the grace of the redemption through the cross, the believers become holy in Christ to be one in Christ, until the believers enjoy the glories and blessings in the eternity.
(3) The achievements of the faith in the trials (1:6-22)
A. In all kinds of trials on the faith, one suffers grief only temporarily (1:6)
1 PETERS 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
(NOTES)
“In this you greatly rejoice”:
“this” refers to all kinds of spiritual grace mentioned above -- God’s great mercy, new birth, a living hope, an imperishable inheritance, and the salvation revealed in the last time; in all of them the believers should greatly rejoice. Therefore, even though the believers might live in the difficult circumstance, they have great joy.
Note that, here, it does not assume that if under certain circumstance, they will greatly rejoice; but because of the reasons mentioned above, they should be greatly rejoice. That is, regardless of their current circumstances, in terms of all the grace that God prepare for them, it is enough for them to greatly rejoice in any circumstance.
“all kinds of trials”:
It is the same as what is addressed in (Jam 1:2). One who is truly joyful should rejoice in all kinds of trials. However, all kinds of trials are the ways for us to learn this kind of joy, which is to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5:11). And we have had the advantages to learn this “lesson”; for we has received the great salvation which is enough to make us joyful continually in our entire life.
“for a little while you may have had to suffer grief ”:
“grief” implies pains, sufferings, and sorrows. The “trials” are all temporary, for it is only a method instead of a goal; a process instead of a outcome. Here, the apostle specially comforts the believers; although they are in all kinds of trials, they suffered only the temporary grief, which won’t last long. God often through the temporary loss let us harvest the eternal blessings. While the devil often through the temporary joy let us lose the eternal blessings (Phm 1:15). If we think of the eternity, we will make light of the temporary hardships and joys in the life and work (2Co 4:17). Therefore, the temporary grief in all kinds of trials, can be looked as the “investment” that God give to the believers so that they can inherit the eternal blessings, which is to remove the dross on us through the refining so that there is hope in the days to come (Job 23:10).
B. The faith after the trials is of greater worth than gold (1:7)
1 PETERS 1:7 These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
(NOTES)
This shows that the good will of God who allow us to suffer grief temporarily in the trials, is to let our faith shown through the trials and is of greater worth than the material gold. Here, the gold refined through the fire is used as the analogy to the faith of the believers through the trials. The reason that the gold is precious is because it need to be refined through many processes and the quantity obtained is very limited. Therefore, it is very valuable. The spiritual meanings that the gold is compared to the faith are listed as the following:
a. Gold need to pass through the multiple refinements to remove the impurities; faith also need to pass through all kinds of trials to remove the spiritual “impurities” -- the thoughts of the sinful nature, an impure mind, and the hypocritical decoration. As a result of the trials on the faith, they will expose all the impurities so that we can realize the real situation of our faith and know the marvelous effects of the true faith.
b. Gold can endure the high temperature; faith can make us stand firm in all kinds of hardships and sufferings which are like fire.(Dan 3:24-27).
c. Gold is very valuable; faith also has valuable weights spiritually. Faith can make us become precious and valuable spiritually in front of God. Our faith should be gold, silver and costly stones, but not wood, hay or straw; should be genuine, but not superficial.
d. Gold is bright and glorious; faith let us share in the glories of God and can also glorify God; faith let the deeds of God shown from us, and let people see the power of God.
e. Gold is pure and steady, faith can also make it difficult for the believers to be assimilated and shaken by all kinds of vanities in this world.
Therefore, it is proper to compare gold to the faith of the believers. However, if the gold is not refined, it does not have much difference from the ordinary ore which contains a lot of impurities and does not have the above characters; so is the heart of the faith without passing through the trials. On the contrary, if the faith of the believers pass through the trials, it will be more valuable than the gold refined by fire. It is because the gold is material thing and will perish; however, the faith is the imperishably spiritual inheritance, and can let us please God and receive the rewards (Heb 11:6), also can make all our talks and deeds become valuable eternally. It is certainly more valuable that the gold which will still perish even after being refined by fire.
Here, it illustrates that it comes from the good will of God to put the believers in trials, but absolutely not from any bad intention. Although it is painful for us to endure it, it will benefit us after all. In fact, from the side of God, He doesn’t need to test us, for He knows all of us beforehand; but He let us be in the trials in order to let us grow up and be able to enter His dwelling, also get more commendations and glories from Him.
The faith mentioned in this verse is the faith through the trials; so that the faith “may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ” This is also the goal of all the life and work of the believers live in this world. For the sake of this goal, the believers are able to make light of the sufferings before eyes and hope for the glories in the future.
C. With the love after the trials, one will love LORD whom has not been seen and will rejoice (1:8)
1 PETERS 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
(NOTES)
After reminding the believers to persevere in the trials before eyes for the praises, glories and honors, which will be received in the future, the apostle brings their thoughts back to LORD Himself, so that the believers not only think of the grace of LORD, but also think of LORD Himself. Turning our mind to LORD Himself is the way for us to rejoice in the sufferings.
a. Love through faith:
“Though you have not seen him, you love him”. This verse shows the truth of “loving through faith”. Although those believers are not like Peter who saw LORD by his own eyes, they have faith to make them overcome this defect. The Bible commends that those who have not seen and yet have believed are blessed (Joh 20:29). However, here, the apostle points out a greater blessing, which is to love LORD without seeing Him; such a love is certainly more valuable. Usually, people only love after seeing. We who are used to seeing with eyes, can love LORD without seeing; this is a marvelous deed of God, and is the achievements of the faith after passing through the trials.
On the other hand, this faith proves the genuine of the love. Although one has not seen -- has not seen the blessings, the peace and so on -- even only has seen the sufferings and trials, one can still love Him through the faith in Him, and won’t change mind because of the sufferings. This proves the love is genuine.
In the sufferings, one usually has an attitude that is not willing to suffer. Such an attitude brings more pains and is more unbearable to people than the suffering itself. However, if we love Him, we will be willing to suffer for Him because of the love to Him; thus, we can still rejoice in the sufferings.
b. Rejoice through faith:
“and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy”. The faith after passing through the trials, can make us be filled with joy through faith without seeing LORD. Peter and other believers used to rejoice because of seeing the appearance of LORD after his resurrection (Joh 20:20). Here, the apostle seems to try to use all the possible words to describe the joy that the believers should have in the sufferings. This joy is inexpressible and only those who experience it can understand. Therefore, it is described as “an inexpressible and glorious joy”. “Glorious joy” indicates that this faith in the sufferings is filled with the glories and brightness in the heaven. Therefore, this joy is completely different from the pleasures of sins in the darkness, or the secular pleasures of the worldly vanities.
Draw a conclusion on the above verses; there are three reasons that the believers are joyful:
i. because of hope; ii. because of faith; iii. because of love.
D. Receiving the salvation through faith (1:9)
1 PETERS 1:9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
(NOTES)
This verse continues the previous verse. That is, the joy mentioned above will be added with one more reason: as a result of our faith, we are receiving the salvation of our souls, which should refer to the experiences to be saved.
According to (2Co 1:10), it can be seen that the salvation received by the believers can include:
The past -- refers to the rebirth which has been received already; that is the new life to save one from the sins, evils and destructions; the present -- refers to the salvation in the daily life now, including the spiritual tests and trials; the future -- refers to the grace to be with LORD forever, when LORD Jesus Christ comes again to take the believers.
All of these are included in the complete salvation. However, according to the experiences of the believers, when we are still alive in the body, we actually can not experience all the salvations right away; we only started to experience this complete salvation from our rebirth on; until the day we see LORD, we will truly experience entirely the whole of this salvation.
E. The prophets have searched intently and with the greatest care on this salvation (1:10-12)
1 PETERS 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,
(NOTES)
“Concerning this salvation”: That is, the salvation mentioned above in verse (5-9).
“the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care”: As to the predictions of the salvation proclaimed by the prophets in the Old Testament, they have searched and inquired earnestly. It is obvious that regarding the salvation we proclaimed today, they did not talk carelessly and irresponsibly; but they predicted according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit with great care. Although they did not see the birth of the Savior by their own eyes, all of them with the inspiration from Holy Spirit predicted and looked upon to the time and way of birth of this Savior, also how He accomplished this great salvation.
This verse shows that the salvation predicted by the prophets in the Old Testament, is the same as the salvation that we know. Although the people with faith in the Old Testament believed in the coming of Christ in the hope, such as the great men with faith listed in chapter 11 of Hebrews; the believers in the New Testament believed in Christ who had come already. In (Gal 3:8), it says: “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."”. It is obvious that the people in the Old Testament were the same as us to be justified through faith and whom we believe in is also the same One.
When LORD Jesus was on earth, He also talks about the predictions that prophets of the Old Testament proclaimed concerning His birth and accomplishments of the salvation (Mat 13:17; Joh 8:56; 12:41; Luk 2:29-30). The “Messiah” in Greek is Christ (Joh 1:41; 4:25).
1 PETERS 1:11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
(NOTES)
“the Spirit of Christ ” :
That is, the Holy Spirit of God, for the Son is One in the Father; and is also Christ’s Spirit who testifies about Christ (Joh 16:14-15). In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is often called the Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9; Php 1:19; Gal 4:6; Act 16:7). Therefore, “find out … the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing”; that is, to pay attention to the inspirations and indications of Holy Spirit working within them. Then, according to the inspirations they received, they proved in advance (that is, predicted) that: how Christ will suffer, and receive the glory; when this will happen and so on; such as (Isa 53; Psa 22; Zec 13), the verses proclaimed by the prophets in the Old Testament are all concerning how Christ will suffer and receive glory.
Some believers do not understand why God allow them to meet with the trials and sufferings. Here, the apostle encourages the believers with the facts that the sufferings of Christ are in accordance to the will of God, which were also predicted by the prophets according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit long ago, and came true according to the time. The believers experience the sufferings first before entering into the glory; this fits the principle of the road of cross well (Mat 10:24-52; 14:22; 1Pe 4:13)
Concerning Christ will receive the glory, the Old Testament has mentioned for many times (Isa 4:2; 11:1; 35:2; 40:3-5; 60:1-3; 62:1-3; 66:18-19; Dan 7:13-14).
1 PETERS 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
(NOTES)
“It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you”:
That is, those things that they proclaimed about the birth of Christ and so on, are not for the people of their generation.
“when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. ”:
“those who have preached the gospel”: refer to the apostles and the servants of God. Regarding how to preach the Gospel, there are three teachings here:
a. “by the Holy Spirit”: the power to preach the Gospel;
b. “these things” -- “the salvation from Christ”: the theme in preaching the Gospel;
c. “spoke of ”: the method to preach the Gospel.
“they spoke of the things that have now been told you”. “now” refers to the whole times of the New Testament. Since the salvation predicted by the prophets of the Old Testament has come true, the Holy Spirit sent from the heaven inspired His servants in this times to preach all the truth to us.
“Even angels long to look into these things.”
It is known from this verse that the angels also care about how the salvation from Christ works on people and is received by people. There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Luk 15:7-10). Also, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14).
Reference:
1. Zhongdao Chen: “The Lectures on the Bible Studying of the Letters in New Testament”.
