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Lesson 7 -- Written by Marcia McCance
1. What it says:
20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
24 ¶ because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
1 ¶ Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
2a. What it means -- review:
20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
What does “foreordained” mean?
What does “foundation” mean?
What does “manifest” mean?
Who was Jesus manifest for?
21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
What is verse 21 saying?
2b. What it means:
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
This is a somewhat difficult verse to interpret at first glance because:
1. It appears to say that our souls are purified, or we are saved, by obedience – which would be a gospel of works – and we know that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works.
2. It also appears to say that they already have sincere love of the brethren which has purified their souls – and then they are told to love one another fervently with a pure heart – which makes no sense. Why would Peter tell them to do what they are already doing?
So we will have to dig a little deeper. If we start with the word “purify” and do a word search we find that this word was used in the Old Testament in this way:
Genesis 35:2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.
This is the first time the word “purify” shows up in the NKJV version and it is clearly a task that they are to complete. This is a turning away from foreign gods, and the putting on of fresh clean untainted garments. To “purify yourselves,” in this context, means to make yourself ceremonially and morally clean – to wash yourself.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double–minded.
James clearly says that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. He then tells us how to draw near to God – by cleansing our hands (cleaning up our act – changing what we do – sinners laying aside sinful activities to do them no more), and purifying our hearts (which would be adjusting our focus and purpose back onto God). We know that is what he means because those he tells to “purify your hearts” he also labels “double-minded” or having a wavering purpose – which is no purpose at all.
When we apply the meaning of “laying aside corruptible things” to the word “purify,” we are coming closer to Peter’s meaning, too.
What does the word “purify” mean?
The folks that Peter is addressing had purified their own souls as they obeyed the truth. They heard the truth of the Gospel which the Holy Spirit confirmed in their hearts and they had changed their life styles or” purified” themselves in response. They must have dropped some habits or actions that were not acceptable and replaced them with brotherly love; and for this he commended them.
They had become “Baby Christians” – saved but not mature. They had bonded as brothers, or soldiers, bond. They are in the same “company” and have the same goals so are therefore kind, familiar and considerate towards one another – but something is missing, or Peter would not have given the instruction to “love one another fervently with a pure heart.” So, let’s continue looking:
The words “sincere love of the brethren” are translated from the Greek word:
5360 filadelfia philadelphia fil-ad-el-fee’-ah -- from 5361 -- AV-brotherly love 3, brotherly kindness 2, love of the brethren 1; 6
5361 filadelfov philadelphos fil-ad’-el-fos -- in a broader sense, loving one like a brother, loving one’s fellow countrymen – plus: “delfos” = “the womb”
So now we see that Peter wants them to step it up a notch, from the warm fuzzy feelings of brotherly love to loving one another earnestly (seriously, solemnly and industriously) or fervently (with great passion and enthusiasm, eagerly and zealously).
The second word “love” that Peter used comes from the Greek word:
25 agapaw agapao ag-ap-ah’-o -- to love, to feel and exhibit esteem and goodwill to a person, to prize and delight in a thing. -- used in the NT of Christians’ love to God and man, the spiritual affection which follows the direction of the will, and which, unlike “feeling” which is instinctive and unreasoning, can be commended as a duty based on principle.
Now it begins to make sense! He wanted them to move from the casual and instinctive friendships formed by “fuzzy feelings” formed in a group, (a few of them may have bonded out of similar personalities and interests); to the kind of love that is done out of commitment to God and principle. The “God kind” of love, “agape,” that comes from a pure heart and love for God. They were not only to love those already in the group, and coming into the group (new converts), but to love those outside the group, as well – and in a new way. They are to be of service to others, and to lend a hand, and sacrifice for them – not just “like” them.
And then he goes on to tell them why he wanted them to “step it up” in verse 23
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible,
Peter pictured in his mind a new-born baby, and referred to the seed of the incorruptible Father, from which the new baby comes!
What would corruptible seed be?
Why do you think he used the word “seed”?
Read Luke 8:11– What did Jesus call the seed?
through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
What were they born through?
This is Peter’s identification of the source of the incorruptible seed: the word of God – which lives (is alive) and abides (continues to be present) forever! “The word of God” is also His solemn promise to us! He has given us His word which is incorruptible!
24 ¶ because "All flesh is as grass,
Grass is compared to what?
So the corruptible seed does not come from God, it comes from:
all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
What is “the flower of the grass” compared to?
What is “the glory of man?”
The grass withers, And its flower falls away,
What is Peter saying here?
25 But the word of the LORD endures forever."
What is Peter’s point?
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
What is Peter identifying here?
Read Isaiah 40:6-9 to see where Peter has gotten his metaphor. How does verse 9 compare to what Peter has said about the word in 1 Peter 1:25? (Optional: Read to the end of Isaiah 40 for an amazing description of God as compared to man)
1 ¶ Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
“Therefore” meaning because you are born again and have purified your souls by putting off the old man, do not become entangled again in evil doings, of which he gives a list of examples. What is:
a. Malice
b. Deceit
c. Hypocrisy
d. Envy
e. Evil speaking
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word,
What is more pure, fresh, and clean than a newborn babe? And what is its only desire?
that you may grow thereby,
What common purpose do “pure milk” and “the word” share?
Meditate on: the kind of “growing” that comes from “the word:”
3 if indeed
If – “if” you really have – if your heart has truly been touched by Jesus – if you are not a hypocrite – if you are sincere and
you have tasted
“you, yourself” have tasted – personally experienced – you have been assuaged by the wonder of Jesus in your own heart…
that the Lord is gracious.
Define “gracious:”
3. What it means to me:
(Believe, Trust, Conform)
Read again: 1 Peter 1:20 –2:3, at the top of this study – and in another translation.
Definitions and Synonyms:
1. corruptible -- in a state of decay; rotten or putrid; dishonest, evil or unreliable
2. deceit – dishonesty, treachery, deception, trickery, sham, pretense, cheating,
3. envy –jealousy, greed, desire, resentment, spite, covet, begrudge
4. evil speaking—backbiting, unkind remarks, infighting, viciousness, bad-mouthing, spitefulness, defamation, gossip, slander, insult, disparage,
5. foreordained -- (of God) appointed or decreed (decided) beforehand
6. foundation – base, basis, groundwork, underpinning
7. gracious – cordial, congenial, affable, sociable, courteous, polite, well-mannered, kind, benevolent, generous, merciful, compassionate, lenient, humane, charitable, understanding
8. hypocrisy – insincerity, double standards, pretense, duplicity, two-facedness
9. incorruptible – principled, morally upright, imperishable, everlasting
10. malice – hatred, spite, malevolence, meanness, nastiness, cruelty, wickedness
11. manifest -- clear or obvious to the eye or mind, display, show, exhibit, demonstrate, present, reveal
12. purify – cleanse, disinfect, sanitize, decontaminate, clean, get rid of impurities
13. purpose – reason, principle, intention, aim, objective, target, goal, determination, resolution, resolve, persistence, tenacity, single-mindedness. Antonym: indifference
14. redeem -- buy the freedom of, regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment
15. taste – flavor, savor, experience, feel , undergo, go through, live through ,try, sample, nibble, drink, sip, test, discern, judge
16. traditions -- customs, beliefs, or actions handed down from generation to generation
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