The Strand Study Bible

Written From Babylon (Rome) I PETER is true that not everything the prophets wrote about concerning Jesus was revealed to them, it is also true that every OT prophet believed in a coming MESSIAH who would redeem him from his sins via grace ( Job 19:25 , Lk 2:25b , 38 and Jn 1:29a ,41 & 4:25). Notice the last part of verse 10, “ who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you .” The OT prophets and saints knew much about salvation by grace (Rom 4:1-6), and although they may not have understood every aspect concerning the actual death, burial and resurrection of Christ ( Lk 18:34 ), they did understand the “facts” behind the actual death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and the “facts” behind the Gospel are what save a person ( I Cor 15:1 ). 1:10b The OT saints were saved the same way the NT saints were –by grace (Gal 3:6-8). The OT saints were well aware of the concept of grace. How else could they find it, and thus preach it to others (Gen 6:8 & 19:19 & 32:5 & 39:4 & 50:4, Exo 34:9, Psa 84:11, Jn 1:16, Acts 13:43 & 18:27 & 20:24, Rom 3:24 & 4:4 & 5:15-20 & 11:6, Eph 2:8-9 and II Tim 1:9)? 1:12 a Again, not everything the prophets wrote about concerning Christ was revealed to them. Psalm 22 is a good case in point. Written by King David, David thought his psalm was about his troubles, when in fact the Holy Spirit was using David’s troubles to prophesy about the future troubles of the coming MESSIAH . While it is true that the OT prophets and saints may not have known every detail concerning the GOSPEL OF CHRIST , they certainly understood the “facts” behind the actual death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and the “facts” behind the Gospel are what save a person ( I Cor 15:1 ). 1:12b This word ( look into ) is the Greek word παρακυψαι ( parakupsai ) and means “ to stoop down close in order to get a peek .” According to the Old Testament, two angelic cherubims made of pure gold were positioned above the Ark of the Covenant and were bent over, as if looking down into the Mercy Seat (a picture of redemption – Exo 25:10-22) with the utmost interest. ( II Chro 5:8 ) The reason angels look into salvation, even though they don’t understand salvation ( Mt 26:53 and Heb 2:16 ), is because they look forward to the day when their chaotic universe becomes orderly again ( Gen 2:17 b and Isa 6:2 ). 1:14a This word ( fashioning ) is the Greek word σXσFKP ατι ]οPHQο ι (suschematizomenoi) and is the same Greek word translated “ conformed ” in Romans 12:2. It means “ to shape something like another .” As children of God (Christians), we are to stop “ fashioning ” ourselves after the world, that is, we are to resist being “ poured into a mold ” and made to think like the world thinks and to take on its values. NOTE – Failure to remove oneself from the influence of the world is considered spiritual adultery (Jms 4:4). 1:14b This word ( lusts ) comes from two Greek words: επι ( epi ), meaning “ upon ,” and θυµος ( thumos ), meaning “ passion .” These two words placed together mean “ to have passion upon; hence, to long for, covet (Rom 7:7 & 13:9), lust after (Mt 5:28 and I Cor 10:6), whether things bad (Jn 8:44 and Jms 4:2) or good ( I Pet 1:15 ).” 1:15 We are warned in verse 14 “ not to fashion ourselves according to the former lusts ,” but (vs 15) to fashion ourselves according to new lusts (the meaning behind “ so be ye holy in all manner of conversation .”). According to the Bible, Christians are to learn to lust after the right things, such as, the things of Christ (Mt 13:16-17), the things of the Spirit (Gal 5:17), spiritual things (Lk 22:14-15), the things that accompany salvation (I Pet 1:12), and the things that minister to others (Heb 6:9-11). 2:3 Like the Psalmist (Psa 34:8), Peter challenges the people of God to “ taste and see that the LORD is good .” Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, remembered what it meant to finally reach out and accept the challenge to taste and see that the LORD is gracious . In his book called Born Again , Chuck recalled being encouraged by another believer to ask the HOLY SPIRIT (via the FATHER ) to fill him. He did. Chuck said: Father, please fill me with Your Spirit. Fill me so full there’s no room for nothing else, no hatred, no hurt, no bitterness, no exhaustion. Lift me above it all, Father… After he prayed, Chuck remembered: 2095 I’d often wondered how a person really knew when he was filled with the Spirit. There is no light which goes on or off like a warning light on a dashboard when seat belts are not fastened…From the moment of this infilling, I felt a new sharpness in my awareness of life about me. I felt more understanding for prison officials, more love for fellow inmates. 1 No wonder both David (Psa 34:8) and Peter (I Pet 2:3) challenged us to “ taste and see that the LORD is good. ” 2:5 According to I Peter 2:5,9, all those who have been purchased by CHRIST’S blood (those who have been saved), have become part of a holy and royal priesthood . As priests, we do not need a priest to act on our behalf. Having been washed in the blood of the LAMB , we don’t need a priest... we are priests. Each believer is a priest and can transact for himself, through Jesus the Mediator, directly with God. There is no need, therefore, for an intercessor between God and us. According to Revelation 1:6, every Christian is a priest and is required to fulfill seven practical duties: 1. To be in the Word (Lev 24:5-9 and Mt 4:4) 2. To be on our knees in prayer (Exo 30:7-8, Lk 1:8-10 and Rev 8:3-4) 3. To be SPIRIT -filled (Exo 28:40-41 and Eph 5:18a,b,c ) 4. To be a witness for CHRIST (Exo 29:38-42 and Jn 15:26 & 16:7-8) 5. To be separated unto God (Lev 8:24 and Rom 12:1-2) 6. To teach others (Lev 10:8-11, Ezra 7:10/Mt 5:19 and II Tim 2:15) 7. To strive to work matters out amongst the brethren (Deut 21:5 and I Cor 6:1-7) And there sitting on a bench in a bare classroom filled with people who were wrangling over theological terms, the most curious effervescent sensation rushed through my body. It was like the cleansing I had experienced in thePhillipses’ driveway. It was persistent and I kept praying…Joy and new strength were welling up within me. Chuck went on to recall: