The writer of this letter is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, he also has the name of Simon Peter (Matthew 4:18) and Jesus Christ gave him another name, Cephas (John 1:42). Among the twelve, he was one of the three closest apostles of Jesus Christ: Peter, James and John his brother. These three men saw the transfiguration of Christ (Mark 9:1-10). There is no problem of understanding in reading the two letters of Peter. Nevertheless, sometimes Peter uses expressions which are linked to the Mosaic Law and particularly the former priesthood system, which will be explained without necessarily going into details. The purpose of this meditation is to understand how the advice of these letters can guide us towards Christian maturity and makes it possible to expand the reflection and the understanding, regarding the teaching presented by the apostle Peter.
Chapter 1:
« Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the temporary residents scattered about in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, to those chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, with sanctification by the spirit, for the purpose of being obedient and sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ: May undeserved kindness and peace be increased to you » (verses 1 and 2).
The expression of « temporary residents » is a metaphor to designate the Christians with the heavenly hope of everlasting life. The names of the different geographic places seem to indicate the territories of the Christian ministry of the apostle Peter. They are nearby the Black Sea, in Asia Minor, the geographic places of the current Turkey. In addition, in the conclusion of his letter, he addressed the greetings of the congregation which is in Babylon, the current Iraq (1 Peter 5:13). In the letter to the Congregation of Galatia, written by the apostle Paul, we read that he met the apostle Peter in Antioch, in the south of the current Turkey (Galatians 2:11). All this information, to note that it is very unlikely that Peter went to Rome, according to the narrative of the Bible (New Testament) because he developed his Christian ministry in Asia Minor (the current Turkey), up to Babylon, the current Iraq. It was the apostle Paul (and not the apostle Peter) who preached in the west direction, to Rome, according to the narrative of the Acts of the Apostles.
The expression « sprinkled with the blood » of Jesus Christ on these Christians, temporary residents, is another metaphor linked to the priesthood installation. In the context of this letter, the future heavenly priesthood of theses Christians. The same symbolic image of the outer garment of King Jesus Christ, stained with blood, in the book of the Apocalypse, which is described in his function of High Priest, during the great tribulation: « and he is clothed with an outer garment stained with blood, and he is called by the name The Word of God » (Apocalypse 19:13; Exodus 29:21). Indeed, these Christians, who have the heavenly hope of everlasting life, will constitute a kingdom of priests in the heavens alongside the High Priest, Jesus Christ (Apocalypse 1:5.6; 5:9,10).
The Christian hope (heavenly or earthly) has a price, that of trials which refine the faith: « Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for according to his great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance. It is reserved in the heavens for you, 5 who are being safeguarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last period of time. 6 Because of this you are greatly rejoicing, though for a short time, if it must be, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 in order that the tested quality of your faith, of much greater value than gold that perishes despite its being tested by fire, may be found a cause for praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you never saw him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet you exercise faith in him and are greatly rejoicing with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 as you attain the goal of your faith, your salvation » (verses 3-9).
Regarding the « new birth », Jesus Christ, during his conversation with Nicodemus, spoke about it: « In response Jesus said to him: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him: “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter into the womb of his mother a second time and be born, can he?” Jesus answered: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. What has been born from the flesh is flesh, and what has been born from the spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed because I told you: You people must be born again. The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who has been born from the spirit » (John 3:3-8).
During the baptism of the Christian who has the heavenly hope, the symbolism of the death takes place, leading to a new birth (his future heavenly resurrection) (Matthew 28:19). At the moment of the baptism, when the human body of the Christian is completely immersed in the water, it symbolizes the death of his old condition, and also his future death of his physical body. When he emerges from the water, which in the circumstances acts as a symbolic matrix, there is a new birth by water and also, before or after baptism, by the spirit. Jesus Christ says that we must both be born from water and spirit to inherit the kingdom of Heavens (John 3:5). The new birth from the spirit is a divine phenomenon that escapes to human understanding. It is God who anoints with spirit the one who will be born for the future heavenly life (John 3:8). The apostle Paul described this new birth which will be made in a tangible way, during the death of the faithful Christian and then, of his heavenly resurrection: « It is sown a physical body; it is raised up a spiritual body » (1 Corinthians 15:44a).
Can this process be applied to all human beings who will live forever on earth? Yes, but in a different way. Instead of the expression of new birth, Jesus Christ used the expression « re-creation », which is in itself, like a new birth with a new physical body without sin: « Jesus said to them: “Truly I say to you, in the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel » » (Matthew 19:28). Still in the same letter from the apostle Paul, concerning the different forms of resurrections, in the second part of verse 44, it is written: « If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one » (1 Corinthians 15: 44b). It is true in both directions: if there is a resurrection with a spiritual body, there will also be a resurrection with a physical body. The first will be born again from water and spirit (for life in heaven), and the other will be born again of water (symbolizing the immersion in death), and the rise of water by the resurrection with a re-creation of a new human body (for life on earth). We can even say that the future resurrected people will be borne by the effect of the Holy Spirit of God which will give them the life on earth (Acts 24:15).
Even the angels in the heavens have sought to understand the process that leads to everlasting salvation, by means the sacrifice of Christ: « Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the undeserved kindness meant for you made a diligent inquiry and a careful search. 11 They kept on investigating what particular time or what season the spirit within them was indicating concerning Christ as it testified beforehand about the sufferings meant for Christ and about the glory that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were ministering, not to themselves, but to you, regarding what has now been announced to you by those who declared the good news to you with holy spirit sent from heaven. Into these very things, angels are desiring to peer » (verses 10-12).
Each Christian must improve their behavior before God and his Son Jesus Christ, in order to have the fulfillment of his hope of everlasting life (heavenly or earthly): « So brace up your minds for activity; keep your senses completely; set your hope on the undeserved kindness that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, stop being molded by the desires you formerly had in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all your conduct, 16 for it is written: “You must be holy, because I am holy.”
17 And if you are calling on the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your temporary residence. 18 For you know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were set free from your futile way of life handed down to you by your forefathers. 19 But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, that of Christ. 20 True, he was foreknown before the founding of the world, but he was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. 21 Through him you are believers in God, the one who raised him up from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth with unhypocritical brotherly affection as the result, love one another intensely from the heart. 23 For you have been given a new birth, not by corruptible, but by incorruptible seed, through the word of the living and enduring God. 24 For “all flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like a blossom of the field; the grass withers, and the flower falls off, 25 but the saying of Jehovah endures forever.” And this “saying” is the good news that was declared to you » (verses 13-25).
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Peter is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, he also has the name of Simon Peter (Matthew 4:18) and Jesus Christ gave him another name, Cephas (John 1:42). Among the twelve, he was one of the three closest apostles of Jesus Christ: Peter, James and John his brother. These three men saw the transfiguration of Christ (Mark 9:1-10).
Achieving Spiritual Maturity (Hebrews 6:1)
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