the place of others and experience and show principal point here is that there will be no

the place of others and experience and show principal point here is that there will be no

HEBREWS 12:28 538

the removal of those things that are shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

sexually immoral, and adulterers.

5 Your manner of life must be without the love of money. So be content with what you have, for he has said,

28 Since, therefore, we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace so that we can serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

I will never leave you or forsake you.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man will do to me.

Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have unknowingly entertained angels. 3 Remember those who are in bonds, as though bound with them, and those who are ill-treated, as being yourselves also in the body.

7 Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you, and follow their faith, considering the final result of their manner of life.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

4 Marriage is honourable among all, and the marriage bed is undefiled, but God will judge the

9 Do not be carried away with various strange

Sometime in the future the material creation will pass away, but God’s kingdom, the perfection that has come through the new covenant, the things listed in vs 22-24 – these cannot be shaken. 12:28 “Kingdom” – notes at Matt 4:17; Rom 14:17.

all circumstances. But if believers sin will not God forsake them? Since He says He never will forsake them, then He never will. This does not mean they are free to sin. On the contrary, it makes them free to be holy (Rom 6:1,2; 15:18). But can’t believers forsake Him? They do not want to, and they do not (10:39; John 10:27. Though some who claim to be believers, and are not, do want to and actually do so). Even if true believers tried to do so, which they will not, it would be most difficult (see Ps 139:7-12). 13:6 See Ps 118:6,7; Rom 8:31; Matt 10:28-31; Ps 27:1-3. Men had already done much against them (10:32-34), but fear of men was to have no place in their lives. Whatever men could do was temporary. If God was with them they had a blessed eternity awaiting them. Compare 2 Cor 4:17,18. 13:7 “Leaders” – he is probably referring to those who first preached the gospel to them.

“Godly fear” – Gen 20:11; Job 28:28; Ps 34:11-14; 90:11; 111:10; Prov 1:7. Without reverence and awe and godly fear there is no wisdom and no worship acceptable to God. 12:29 “Fire” – note at Ex 3:2. “Consuming fire” suggests fiery holiness that will destroy everything that is contrary to it. The judgment that will come on unbelievers, and those who forsake God and refuse His voice, will be very terrible indeed. Compare 2 Thess 1:7,8. 13:1 John 13:34; Rom 12:10; 13:8; etc. 13:2 Rom 12:13; 1 Pet 4:9; 3 John 5-8. “Angels” – Gen 18:2,22; 19:1-3. Angels sometimes appear in the form of men. Only if we show hospitality to strangers will there ever be any opportunity of having one in our home. 13:3 Luke 6:31; Rom 12:15; Matt 25:3440. Love can enable us to put ourselves in the place of others and experience and show compassion. 13:4 “Honourable” – Christians should count marriage an honorable thing because God has ordained it (Matt 19:4-6).

“Imitate” – 1 Cor 4:16; 11:1; Phil 3:17; 1 Thess 1:6; 2 Thess 3:7,9. 13:8 Human leaders live and die, come and go. Christ is always the same (1:12) and His ministry as the great High Priest of His people will remain the same (7:24,25). The principal point here is that there will be no change in His character or in His loving care for His people. He will be forever what He was in eternity past and in Old Testament days and during His life on earth in the body.

“God will judge the sexually immoral” – Rev 21:8; Col 3:5,6; Eph 5:3-6; 1 Cor 6:9,10. 13:5 “Be without the love of money” – this is the meaning of the Greek words here, and it is a very important exhortation indeed. The love of money is ruinous. See 1 Tim 6:9,10; Matt 6:19,20,24; Luke 12:15-21; 16:14; John 12:4-6. “Be content” – Luke 3:14; Phil 4:12; 1 Tim 6:6-8. “I will never leave you” – Deut 31:6; Matt 28:20; John 14:16. The presence of God with us is far better than all the wealth of the world. If He is with us He will supply what we need (Matt 6:25-34; Phil 4:19), and by His presence in us we can learn contentment in

This does not mean that He will enable believers now to exercise all the gifts and signs that the apostles exercised (believers in Old Testament days did not do so and Jesus was the same then, and believers in the eternal ages will not do so – see 1 Cor 13:8-10 – and Jesus will be the same then). In the past at special times He manifested Himself in special ways, and in different ages emphasized different aspects of His divine being, but in His character and qualities Jesus will remain forever what He has always been. This is the subject here. 13:9 “Strange doctrines” – Eph 4:14; Rom 16:17; Acts 20:20; Matt 7:15. Evidently the writer had in mind some strange Jewish teachings about the spiritual value of

539 HEBREWS 13:21

doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods, which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. 10 We have an altar, and those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat there. 11 For the bodies of those animals, the blood of which is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

have, for God is very pleased with such sacrifices.

17 Obey your leaders and be submissive, for they watch over your souls, as those who must give an account. See that they are able to do so with joy, and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us, for we are confident that we have a good conscience, and are willing to live honorably in every way. 19 But especially I urge you to do this so that I may be restored to you more quickly.

12 So Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek one to come.

20 Now the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom

15 Therefore let us offer through him the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share what you

ceremonial foods (compare Rom 14:2,14,21; 1 Cor 8:8; Col 2:8,16-23. See notes on Lev 11:2-23). It is only God’s grace that can nourish the spiritual life, not physical things. 13:10 “An altar” – believers in Christ have no visible, material altar. The writer is speaking of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Those who receive Christ by faith have spiritual food, not ceremonial food (see John 6:53-58,63). And those who serve in the old Jewish system and refuse Christ and the new covenant have no part in this “altar.” 13:11 He refers to the Day of Atonement – 9:7. See Lev 16:27. No one could eat the flesh of the animals sacrificed that day. And certainly no one can eat the literal flesh of Christ sacrificed for us. It is unthinkable. 13:12 “Sanctify” – “make holy” or “set apart” or “consecrate” – 10:10. This is what the blood of Christ does for believers.

Luke 6:27,35; Rom 12:21; 2 Cor 9:8; Gal 6:10; Col 1:10; 2 Thess 2:17; Jam 1:27; 1 Pet 2:12. “Share what you have” – Matt 5:42; Rom 12:13; Gal 6:6; 1 Tim 6:18; 1 John 3:17. God is pleased with offerings like these. Compare 10:6. See Rom 12:1 for another offering that pleases Him very much. 13:17 “Leaders” – churches must have leaders, and leaders must have some authority. Their authority comes from God who appoints them. The writer was convinced that these leaders of these Hebrews Christians were good ones. Not all leaders are good, and none should be obeyed who do not live according to the truth God has revealed (compare Acts 4:19; 5:29), or who give commands not in accordance with the teachings of the New Testament. Good church leaders “keep watch” over the members – Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:1-4.

“Outside the gate” – the place of the cross (called Golgotha or Calvary) was outside the city of Jerusalem (Matt 27:32,33). 13:13 “Outside the camp” – he means outside the camp of the Jewish religion, outside the system of the old covenant.

“An account” – church leaders will have to give account not only of their lives, but of their leadership over God’s people. 13:18 “A good conscience” – 2 Cor 1:12; 4:2. 13:19 Compare Rom 15:30-32; Philemon 22. 13:20 “God of peace” – 7:2; Rom 15:33; 16:20; 2 Thess 3:16. “From the dead” – Matt 28:6. This is the only place in this letter where the writer speaks of Christ’s resurrection. But several times he implies it – 1:3; 2:9; 10:12,13.

“Reproach” – or “defamation” or “disgrace” – 12:2. Convicted criminals were crucified on crosses. If we go to Christ accepting His death in our place we are acknowledging that we are sinners worthy of death. Believers are the crucified people of a crucified Saviour (Gal 6:14), and must not be ashamed to say so. 13:14 “City” – 11:10,16; 12:22. 13:15,16 The old covenant had priests who offered sacrifices. Here the writer indicates that now all believers in Christ are the priests of the new covenant. See 1 Pet 2:5,9; Rev 1:6. Their offering is not animals, not any material things on any material altar, but something far better.

“Blood of the everlasting covenant” – 9:12; 10:29; Matt 26:28. Here the new covenant is called “everlasting.” There will be no need for another one to replace it. It accomplishes forever what God has purposed for His people.

“Again” – this means back to life again. 13:21 This is what God can do for every believer, and what no believer can do for himself. If God does not equip us we will never be equipped, and if He does not work in us, our activities will never please Him. Compare 2 Cor 3:5; Phil 2:13; Col 1:29. The aim of every believer should be exactly the same as that of the Lord Jesus (Matt

“Praise” – notes and references at Ps 33:1-3. “Do good” – this is a very important part of the ministry of believers as New Testament priests. See Matt 5:16; 25:34-40;

HEBREWS 13:22 540

be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

liberty. If he arrives shortly, I will come with him and see you.

22 And I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written a letter to you in few words.

24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.

23 Know that our brother Timothy is set at

25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

26:39; John 4:34; 6:38; 8:29) – the will of God – nothing less, nothing more, nothing else. God works this in believers “through” Jesus Christ. He is the one channel of God’s grace and power. 13:22 “Exhortation” – the doctrinal truths the writer presented were mixed with frequent exhortations. Often he says “therefore” and “let us” – v 13,15;

2:1; 4:1,11,14,16; 6:1; 10:19,22,23,24; 12:1,28. His reason for writing was practical, and he gave them deep truth that they might put it into practice and have deep spiritual lives. 13:23 “Timothy” – Acts 16:1. Evidently he had been in prison. 13:25 “Grace” – notes at John 1:14,16; Rom 1:7; 2 Cor 8:9; etc

The Letter of JAMES

Author:

In the New Testament there are several persons named James: the brother of John and one of the original apostles (Matt 10:2), the son of Alphaeus who was another of the original apostles (Matt 10:3), the father or brother of Judas who was one of the original apostles (see Luke 6:16 and note), and a younger half brother of the Lord Jesus (Matt 13:55). The author of this letter is generally thought to be the half brother of the Lord Jesus and a leader in the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:13). On the authorship of the books of the Bible, see the Introduction to Judges.

Date:

Probably sometime between 45 and 50 AD.

Theme:

The very important theme of proving one’s faith by one’s behavior. Genuine faith is shown to be so by enduring trials, by obedience to God’s Word, by love and impartiality toward others, by good deeds and by the words the mouth speaks. A key verse is 2:17.

Contents:

Meeting with testing and trials ....................................................................... 1:2-15

Counting it all joy..................................................................................... 1:2 Knowing that it will produce good results .................................................... 1:3,4 Asking God for wisdom ............................................................................. 1:5-8 Both the poor and the rich should rejoice.................................................... 1:9-11 The reward for patiently enduring trials ...................................................... 1:12 God does not tempt his people to do wrong ................................................ 1:13 Temptation, desire, sin, and death ............................................................ 1:14,15 God’s good gifts ........................................................................................... 1:16-18 Listening and doing ...................................................................................... 1:19-25 True religion ................................................................................................ 1:26,27 Dealing with others without favoritism ............................................................ 2:1-13 Dead faith ................................................................................................... 2:14-26 The tongue ................................................................................................. 3:1-12 Two kinds of wisdom ..................................................................................... 3:13-18 The reason for fights and quarrels ................................................................. 4:1,2 Wrong motive in prayer ................................................................................ 4:3 The world is opposed to God ......................................................................... 4:4 Humility and submission toward God ............................................................... 4:5-7 Resisting the devil and its result ..................................................................... 4:7 How to come to God ..................................................................................... 4:8-10 Judging is not the Christian’s job .................................................................... 4:11,12 Boasting about tomorrow .............................................................................. 4:13-17 Exhortation to the rich .................................................................................. 5:1-6 Patience ..................................................................................................... 5:7-11 Swearing .................................................................................................... 5:12 What to do in good times and bad .................................................................. 5:13-16 Power in prayer ........................................................................................... 5:17,18 Turning sinners toward God ........................................................................... 5:19,20

JAMES 1:1 542

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask it from God, who gives to everyone liberally and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, without wavering at all. For he who wavers is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man think that he will receive any thing from the Lord. 8 A doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the trying of your faith produces patient endurance. 4 But let patient endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

1:1 “James” – there are several persons with this name in the New Testament (Matt 10:2,3; Mark 15:40; Luke 6:16; Matt 13:55). More than likely it was James the half-brother of Jesus who wrote this letter. During Christ’s lifetime neither James nor his brothers believed Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. But after Christ’s death and resurrection they became believers (Acts 1:14). Later on James became the leader of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; Acts 15:13; Gal 1:9). “Lord” – one who did not believe in Him before the resurrection now recognizes who He really is. See 2:1.

1:5 The trials we face – the testing of our faith – will sometimes confuse and perplex us. We may not understand what God is doing or why He is dealing with us as He is. By our reasoning we will not understand why trials have come to us or how to make use of them spiritually. We need a wisdom that comes from God so we will know how to face trials and all the varied circumstances of life. Let us ask God for it, both for ourselves and for others. He delights to give it – Col 1:9; 2:3; Eph 1:17; 1 Cor 1:36; 2:6-10; Dan 2:20,21; Prov 1:20; 2:6; 8:1; Ps 51:6; 111:10. James describes this wisdom in 3:17.

“Liberally” – Matt 7:9-11; 2 Cor 9:8; Phil 4:19; 1 Tim 6:17.

“Twelve tribes which are scattered” – there were twelve tribes in Israel, and “twelve tribes” became another name for the Jewish people. But James was writing to Christians (2:1). So we can say he wrote to Jews who had become Christians in the countries and regions outside Israel. 1:2-4 “Count it all joy” – while undergoing trials our attitude is very important. If we are convinced they will bring a good result and are permitted by God for improving our spiritual life, then we can regard it as “all” joy. See John 16:33; Rom 5:3-5; 2 Cor 8:2. God wants His people to be spiritual and strong in faith. He wants us to be “perfect and complete” (compare Eph 4:1315). He wants us to be able to patiently endure anything that may come to us in this life. Trials are one means God uses to produce this result. See Ps 66:10-12.

“Without criticizing” – God does not criticize us when we come to Him; He does not refuse us because we are unworthy or do not pray in a perfect manner. We can come boldly to Him counting on His love and grace – Heb 4:15,16.

“It will be given” – this is a promise from the God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). 1:6-8 “But. . .ask in faith” – here is one thing absolutely necessary if we want our prayers answered. See Heb 11:6. Believing prayer makes all things possible (Mark 9:23; 11:23,24). “Wavering”, “double-minded” – expressions indicating doubt or unbelief. Unbelief is the same as calling God a liar (1 John 5:9,10). In other words, it is saying that God will not do what He says He will do. Doubting means to lean to the side of unbelief. It is to be without a firm trust in God’s character and promises. Facing a promise of God faith says “God will do it”, unbelief says “He will not”, doubt says “He may or may not.” In all his dealings with God and God’s Word a doubter will be “unstable.” He will always be pulled in two directions. He won’t be settled in his thoughts, his motives, his aims, or his dedication to God’s will. The very reason why he is a doubter is that he has a divided heart. See David’s prayer in Ps 86:11.

“Trials” – the Greek word here means either trials or temptations or both. Trials seems a better translation in the context here.

“Knowing” – this is the important thing. Knowing a good result will follow helps us to endure what brings the good result.

“Patient endurance” – Col 1:11; 2 Thess 1:4; 2 Tim 2:12; 3:10; Heb 12:10; 1 Pet 2:20. In Greek “patient endurance” is one word, which contains both meanings. By using this word James teaches us to endure whatever comes and to go patiently on trusting Christ and serving God. Without this quality our trials will not do us the good that they otherwise could do. Can we not rejoice about anything that brings us out of spiritual infancy and makes us better fit to live for God?

All believers are tempted to doubt at some time or other. We must learn to resist this temptation, and rest in the truth that what God says He will surely do. In this Abraham is a great example to us – Rom 4:18-21. What is the cure for doubt? The Word of God (Rom 10:17), meditating on God’s promises and God’s character (Ps 1:2,3), and full consecration to Him and His will (Rom 12:1,2).

“Perfect” – the Greek word means “finished”, “lacking nothing for completeness”, “mature”, “fully developed”, etc.

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9 Let the brother in lowly circumstances rejoice because he is exalted, 10 but the rich because he is made low, for like the flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For as soon as the sun has risen with burning heat, it withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also the rich man will fade away in his ways.

tempted, being drawn away by his own evil desire, and enticed. 15 Then when desire has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

16 Make no mistake, my dear brethren, 17 every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variability, or shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will he begot us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creation.

12 Blessed is the man who endures trials, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted let no one say, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. 14 But each person is

19 So, my beloved brethren, let everyone be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry. 20 For the anger of man does not produce the

1:9 “Lowly. . .exalted” – God, the great Creator of the universe, has raised poor, uneducated believers, whom the world counts as complete nobodies, to great heights in Christ. He has made them His own children and chosen them for a great future (John 1:12,13; Rom 8:29,30; Eph 2:6,7). In Christ no distinction is made between rich and poor, slave and master, educated and illiterate (1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11). The poor man should recognize this and have great joy and satisfaction because of his high position in Christ. 1:10 “Rich. . .made low” – the rich man who is a believer has the same high position in Christ as the poor man. But through Christ he has learned (in a way he did not learn before) of his frailty and mortality. He can know that self-abasement is the way to exaltation (Matt 18:4; 23:12). He has learned his sinfulness and the great truth that apart from God’s grace he can have no good thing either in the present or in the future. He must find joy and satisfaction in all this. We should all rejoice in any truth that brings us down low before God. See 4:6. 1:11 Compare Ps 103:15; Isa 40:6-8; 1 Pet 1:23-25. 1:12 “Blessed” – compare Ps 1:1; 119:1; Matt 5:3-12. Trials work for the good of believers both now and hereafter – vs 2-4; 2 Cor 4:17. “Crown” – note at 2 Tim 4:8. See also 1 Cor 9:25; Phil 4:1; Rev 3:11; 4:10. The “crown of life” appears again in Rev 2:10. There, too, it is promised to those who faithfully endure trials; in other words, to those of genuine faith who prove their faith (and their love) by such endurance.

God is. Our old nature is fallen and corrupted. That is why sin has an attraction for us (Gal 5:16,17; Rom 7:15-20; Eph 4:22-24). Satan knows this very well and brings enticing, tempting things before us (1 Thess 3:5). But if we give in to temptations the fault lies only in us, and we should not dream of blaming God for it. Compare 1 Cor 10:13. 1:15 Spiritual death is the final result of sin. Compare Gen 2:17; Rom 5:12; 8:6. Acts of sin have their beginning in desire (Gen 3:6; 2 Pet 1:4; 1 John 2:16). In the strength given by God believers must fight in the battlefield of their desires, and win before desire brings forth sin. 1:16 “Make no mistake” – v 22; 1 Cor 6:9; Gal 6:7; Eph 5:6; 1 John 1:8. 1:17 God’s gifts can be nothing less than good and perfect. They cannot be tainted with sin or promote sin. If men abuse God’s gifts and make with them opportunities for sin, the fault is in men, not in God’s gifts.

“Father of lights” – God is the creator and giver of every kind of light – literal and spiritual (Gen 1:3,14-16; Luke 1:78,79; John 1:4,5; 3:19; 2 Cor 4:6).

“No variability” – Num 23:19; 1 Sam 15:29; Mal 3:6; Heb 1:10-12; 13:8. God is eternally perfect. He does not need to develop and grow. Nothing can be added to His character, nothing taken away. 1:18 Here is God’s greatest and best gift to men.

“Begot us” – gave us the new birth, made us His own children – John 1:12,13; 3:3-8; 1 Pet 1:23. This was God’s way of delivering us from sin and death (v 15). “The word of truth” He used to give us this new birth is the gospel of Christ.

“Love Him” – this is the motive power which enables believers to persevere under trials (1 Cor 13:6). This perseverance is the evidence of their love. 1:13 God tests us and proves us, but does not tempt us (Gen 22:1; Ps 66:10-12). Matt 6:13 is a prayer He delights to answer.

“Firstfruits” – Rom 11:16; 1 Cor 15:20, 23; Rev 14:4. Believers now are “firstfruits” of a greater harvest still to come. 1:19,20 From thoughts of the new birth he turns to thoughts of what that experience should produce in our lives.

“Swift to hear” – he may mean swift to hear God’s Word, or, possibly, a willingness to listen to what others have to say.

“Tempted by evil” – no evil, no sin has the slightest attraction for God. He utterly, eternally hates all wrong – Lev 20:7; Deut 12:31; Ps 11:5; Prov 6:16-19. 1:14 We are not innately, naturally holy as

“Speak” – 3:1-8; Prov 10:19; 13:3; 17:28; 29:20; Matt 12:36,37. People who talk too much will surely say much that is useless or wrong or harmful, and they will

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righteousness of God. 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and the abounding wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls.

trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

My brethren, having faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, do not show favoritism. 2 For if a man with a gold ring and fine clothes comes to your meeting, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes, 3 and you show respect to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit here by my footstool,” 4 are you not showing partiality among yourselves, and becoming judges with evil thoughts?

22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what he looked like. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues to do so, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the deed, this man will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you seems to be religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and faultless religion before God the Father is this: To look after the fatherless and widows in their

5 Listen, my dear brethren, has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have treated the poor with

not be able to hear what they should hear.

sin, but freedom from sinning. 1:26 Verse 19; 3:2-12. On every hand there are many who do not control their tongues. Evidently, then, many are self-deceived and have a useless form of worship. 1:27 We should understand that God does not accept every kind of worship and religion – Matt 15:8,9. Compare Ps 50:7-21; Isa 1:11-17. The kind of religion God wants to see is love and holiness in action, not merely in word. God has a special concern for the weak and helpless and poor – Ex 22:22; 23:11; Lev 23:22; Deut 10:18; 24:19; Ps 146:19; Isa 1:17; other references at Gal 2:10. We too must have concern for them, if we want to be pleasing to Him. God has a hatred for the pollutions of the world. So must we have if we want our worship to be fully acceptable to Him (Rom 1:18; 2 Cor 6:17; 7:1; 1 Pet 1:15,16; Jude 23). 2:1 “The Lord of glory” – 1 Cor 2:8. Notes on Lord at Luke 2:11; Phil 2:10,11. 2:1-4 God does not show favoritism or partiality. As believers in Christ we must follow Him in this (Rom 2:11; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 6:9; Col 3:11,25; 1 Tim 5:21; 1 Pet 1:17). It is a sad truth that this instruction is often ignored and disobeyed in churches. James (and God’s Spirit speaking through James) plainly tells us that favoritism comes from “evil thoughts” (v 4). In Christ we are to accept all men alike, and honor and respect all alike – Rom 12:10,16. Looking down on fellow believers because they are poor, or uneducated, or poorly dressed, or from a different class or group or caste, or for any other reason, must have no place among Christ’s people. 2:5 Compare Luke 6:20. See also Matt 11:5; Luke 4:18; 1 Cor 1:26. It is far, far better to be rich in faith than to be rich in material things.

“Slow to get angry” – Matt 5:22; Eph 4:26; Prov 16:32. Man’s anger, even so-called righteous anger, does not establish or promote God’s righteousness. Compare 2 Tim 2:24,25. Gentleness and meekness are much more useful than any kind of anger we can display. 1:21 “Lay aside” – Eph 4:22-32; 5:3,4; Col 3:5-10.

“The implanted Word” – the Word of God planted in our hearts. Compare Matt 13:3-9,18-22. If God’s Word sown in us is to produce a harvest we must humbly, believingly accept it, yield to it and let it work. God’s Word in the heart has power to transform and save. 1:22-24 Hearing the teachings of the Bible without acting according to them is useless. Mere hearing only increases our condemnation. In the parable of the sower all four classes of people hear the Word (Matt 13:19,20,22,23), but only one class produces fruit. The Jews were great for reading the Word and hearing it and memorizing it, but (like most of us) not so great in acting according to what they heard (Matt 23:3; Acts 7:53; Rom 2:17-24). See in Matt 7:21-27 the emphasis the Lord Jesus put on obedience to His teaching. A great many who are called Christians will be lost forever because they have not done what the Word of God says they must do to be saved. And many more will lose the rewards they might have had because they did not do what God’s Word told them to do. 1:23 “Mirror” – the Bible is like a mirror. If we inspect ourselves in it, it will show us exactly what we are. But if we do not act according to this knowledge, it will do us no good and we will soon forget it. 1:25 The law of Moses brought bondage – Acts 15:10; Gal 5:1. Believers are free from that law – Rom 6:14; 7:4. But they are under Christ’s law – 1 Cor 9:21 – a law of grace and love. This law when obeyed gives freedom – not freedom to

“Heirs” – Matt 5:5; 1 Cor 6:9; 15:50; Gal 5:21; Heb 1:14; 6:12; Rev 21:7. Note on God’s kingdom at Matt 4:17.

“Love Him” – 1:12. Those who do not

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contempt. Do not rich men oppress you, and drag you to court? 7 Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called?

shown mercy will have judgment without mercy. And mercy rejoices against judgment.

14 What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, and does not have works? Can such faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing, and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them those things which are needful to the body, what is the use? 17 Even so faith, if it is without works, is dead, being alone.

8 If you fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the Law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole Law, and yet goes wrong in one point, he is guilty of breaking the whole Law. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” said also, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the Law.

18 Yes, a man may say, “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well to believe it, but the devils also believe it, and tremble.

12 So speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For the one who has not

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man,

love God will have no inheritance with Him – 1 Cor 16:22; 1 John 4:8. 2:7 “Name” – Christ. 2:8 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” – Lev 19:18; Matt 19:19; 22:39; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9,10; Gal 5:14.

transforms people. He gives them new spiritual birth. He makes them a new creation. See 1:18; 2 Cor 5:17. Such people are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good deeds (Eph 2:10). Good deeds are a part of the evidence that our faith is real, that God has done His work in our hearts (Heb 6:10; Gal 5:6).

“Royal law” – it is the supreme law relating to human relationships, and given by the King of kings for all those in His kingdom. 2:9 “Favoritism” – James takes us back to vs 1-4. Looking down on the poor and showing favoritism to the rich is a sin. It is disobedience to God’s greatest law for men. 2:10 A person is a lawbreaker if he keeps all the law and disobeys only one command. And if he disobeys the command to love he is breaking a very great command and so is a very great sinner. So we see that showing favoritism is not at all a small matter. We should see also that every one of us in some way or other is guilty of breaking God’s law. And we are worthy of the whole condemnation of the law (Col 3:10). Everyone of us needs forgiveness through Christ (Rom 3:9,19,23). “Goes wrong” – the literal meaning of the Greek word is “stumbles”, but in the context it means to break a law of God. See 3:2 where the same word is used. 2:11 Ex 20:13,14. Observe how he joins adultery, murder, and showing favoritism together in one brief passage. In this way he shows the seriousness of the sin of showing partiality or favoritism, of exalting some and looking down on others. 2:12 “Judged” – 2 Cor 5:9,10. “Liberty” – 1:25. If we are at all wise we will behave toward others in the light of the coming judgment. 2:13 Matt 5:7; 7:1,2; 18:23-35; Luke 6:37,38; Prov 21:13; Ps 18:25,26. 2:14 “Can such faith save him?” – clearly the answer is “No, such faith cannot save him.” The reason is this: such faith is not genuine faith, not the kind of saving faith the Bible speaks about. The plain teaching of the Bible is this: we are saved by God’s grace through faith apart from works (Eph 2:8,9; Rom 3:24,25,28; 4:5). But through this way of grace and faith God

A consistent lack of good works is proof that our faith is only in words, that we have not been changed by God’s grace. True faith is a powerful force in a person’s life. See notes at Heb 10:39; 11:4. 2:15-17 All words and no action is a mark of spiritual death. Compare 1 John 3:17,18. A person who behaves in this way shows he does not have God’s love in him. If he does not have love he does not know God (1 John 4:8). In other words, the faith he claims to have is not real (note and references on giving at 2 Cor 9:15). What is “dead” faith? A faith that does not produce what God wants to see – mercy, love, kindness, etc (Gal 5:22,23). A dead faith may be very orthodox. It may believe the right doctrines. It may persuade itself that it has a firm belief in God and His Word. But it has not laid hold of the Lord Jesus in a saving, life-giving way. Compare John 5:39,40. 2:18 Someone may object to James’ teaching and say, “some people have faith, others have deeds. They are both an important part of religion. But the one can exist without the other.” James denies this. He insists that if there are no good deeds there is no faith. It is quite impossible to show faith without deeds. 2:19 Demons know the truth about God and Christ. See also Mark 5:2-7. They “believe”, but they are not saved. They believe, but they are without good works. They do not have a living faith that changes them. It is a sad and terrible truth that many very religious people, including many Christians, have no more of a living faith than demons. They believe there is one God, but they are merciless, unloving, selfish and hardhearted. And what good will the faith of demons do them? 2:20 “Foolish” – the Greek word literally

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that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith was working with his deeds, and that faith was made perfect by works? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.” 24 You see then that a man is justified by deeds, and not by faith only.

My brethren, let not many of you be teachers, knowing that we teachers will receive more severe judgment. 2 For all of us go wrong in many ways. If anyone does not go wrong in what he says, that person is a complete man, able also to control the whole body.

3 See, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, so that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. 4 See also the ships. Though they are so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See, what a great forest is set on fire by such a little flame! 6 And the tongue is a flame, a world of evil. Among

25 In the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

means “empty” and here signifies a person who is lacking in the wisdom God gives, an empty-headed man, a “hollow” man.

it, is like a corpse. It is lifeless, inactive, and will soon begin to stink. Is our faith active? Is it producing fruit for God? If not, let us shudder and tremble as demons do (v 19), and let us repent and turn to God with all our hearts. 3:1-12 “Teacher” – he means a teacher of the Bible. Such a person has a very solemn responsibility. First of all, he should live according to the truth he is teaching. Since he has more knowledge, God will require more of him, and will judge him more severely. See Luke 12:47,48. So teaching the Bible is a very serious matter. The more so because they and all other believers “go wrong in many ways.” And they have to use a very dangerous instrument in their work – the tongue. So no one should rush into the work of teaching. Each teacher should be sure God is calling him for that and has given him the gift of teaching (Rom 12:6,7). Of course, a teacher called and prepared by God to teach His Word has a very wonderful and satisfying task, and can do much good. All such teachers may well rejoice – with trembling – in this glorious calling. 3:2 “Go wrong” – see 2:10, where the same Greek word is used, also Rom 11:11. The Greek word is “stumble” but when used figuratively means to go astray, to err, do wrong, or sin. Observe that James says we “all” do this, and in many ways. How good it is, then, to have Matt 6:12; 1 John 1:9.

“Dead” – a dead faith will never produce anything useful. And if it produces nothing useful, how can it be acceptable to God? 2:21-26 James is not at all contradicting the teachings of the apostle Paul in Rom 1:16,17; 3:22-28; 4:5; 10:9,10; Eph 2:8,9. He is giving the opposite side of the same truth. He is showing that true faith and good works are inseparable – so united that what can be said of one may be said of both together. He is teaching what Paul himself taught in Rom 2:7-10; Gal 5:6; Eph 2:10; Titus 2:14. And what the Lord Jesus taught in Matt 7:21,24-27; 25:35-43.

Faith that does not express itself through love is useless, dead faith. James’ language suggests that since good works come out of faith, they may be considered a part of faith. James is not contradicting Paul. He is opposing those who said that bare faith is sufficient even if it never results in good actions. 2:21 Gen 22:1-18. 2:22 If faith and actions do not work together they will not work apart. Actions are the evidence of faith, the fulfillment of faith, faith itself revealed to view. 2:23 See Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3. Both James and his readers knew that this event took place many years before Abraham offered Isaac. God had already counted Abraham righteous through faith. But Abraham’s faith was living and proved itself when he offered Isaac. We might even say that the offering of Isaac was inherent in Abraham’s faith long before he actually offered him.

“In what he says” – James is saying that the tongue is more difficult to control than anything else a person has. And the one who has mastered his (or her) tongue is a complete, mature person, well-fitted for the work God has for him. 3:3-5 The point is that small things can have great effects. The tongue has more power for good or ill than any other part of the body. It has amazing power. It can build or tear down, create or destroy. It can be a tree of life (Prov 15:4; 18:21), or the fang of a snake (Ps 140:3). It can be a murdering sword (Ps 57:4), or a healing medicine (Prov 12:18). It can promote trouble and evil (Ps 10:7), or justice and righteousness (Ps 37:30; 51:14). 3:6 James is speaking of the untamed

“The friend of God” – 2 Chron 20:7. Compare John 15:15. 2:24 He is speaking this way for the sake of emphasis. He means that God justifies men through the kind of faith that will produce good deeds, the kind of faith that has good deeds inherent in it. 2:25 Joshua 2:1-21; Heb 11:31. If Rahab had not had faith she would not have acted as she did. Her actions came out of her faith, were the proof of her faith. 2:26 Faith that does not produce good works, that does not have good works inherent in

547 JAMES 3:18

our members the tongue is such that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.

both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man and has understanding among you? Let him show it by good behaviour, by his deeds with the meekness produced by wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, do not boast, and do not deny the truth. 15 This wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work.

7 All kinds of beasts and birds, and serpents, and creatures in the sea, are being tamed, and have been tamed, by man. 8 But the tongue no one can tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we praise God, the Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceeds praising and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth from the same place sweet and bitter water ? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olives? Or a vine, figs? In the same way no spring can give

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, readily obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

tongue, the tongue as it is by nature. And by “tongue”, of course, he means the power to speak, to communicate what is in the mind and heart.

worldly-minded or unspiritual. Such people may gain a reputation for wisdom with men. They may think they are wise. They may be very intellectual, very bright, very clever. But God sees where their so-called wisdom comes from. For another comparison between these two kinds of wisdom see 1 Cor 1:17 - 2:16. 3:13 Only the good are wise. An evil man is a fool no matter how much intellect he has. Humility is one of the fruits of true wisdom. Those who have the wisdom that comes from God will not exalt themselves, will never think that they themselves are God or any similar wicked nonsense (Ps 14:1; 111:10; Prov 3:7; 8:1-8). 3:14 “Envy” – Job.5:2; Prov 14:30; 23:17; Matt 27:18; Mark 7:22; Rom 1:29; 1 Cor 13:4; Gal 5:26. “Do not boast” – can a person filled with bitterness, envy and strife still be a boaster? Oh yes, partly by denying that it is true. 3:15 Do many religious people (including some professing Christians) have the devil’s wisdom, and not God’s? Their actions, aims and ambitions lead us to think so. A lack of meekness, a spirit of envy and strife, boasting, denying truth – these do not reveal the wisdom God gives. 3:16 See the result of Satan’s wisdom working in the minds of men. 3:17 “From above” – heavenly wisdom, God’s wisdom – Prov 8:22,23; 1 Cor 1:24,30; 2:7,13; Col 2:3. “Pure” – the wisdom God gives is free from any kind of sin or defilement or corruption, and it does not lead to any such things. It is holy and separate from the wisdom of this world. This wisdom loves peace between God and men and between men and men. It is kind and concerned for the well-being of others and is obedient to God. It recognizes the truth of Matt 5:7,9 and puts it into practice. It produces good fruit for God’s glory. It makes us impartial in our treatment of others (2:1), and sincere (Acts 2:46; 2 Cor 1:12; 6:6; 1 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim 1:5; Heb 10:22; 1 Pet 1:22). There is no hypocrisy whatever in it. If we do not have such wisdom, let us ask God for it, and let us believe that He will give it to us – 1:5.6. 3:18 Righteousness grows when there are

“Flame” – the tongue can be a great destroyer (Ps 52:2). One spark from it can ignite a fire which destroys many people. The tongue is a whole “world” in itself. And by nature this world is evil – Ps 58:3. It is on fire with desire and sin, and the fire has come from hell. Satan has taught human beings to lie and deceive and slander and blaspheme and curse. These things are fire which destroys lives. 3:7,8 Has there been a single person in the whole of human history (apart from Christ) who always controlled his own tongue completely? Abraham did not – Gen 13:1120; 20:2-9; 17:17,18. Moses did not – Num 20:10-12; Ps 106:33. Peter did not – Matt 26:69-74. Paul did not – Acts 23:2-5. James confesses he did not. This is not to say we should not try to control our tongues. We must. Far better to have some control over it than to have none at all (Ps 141:3; Prov 10:19; 11:12; 21:23). The best of all is to have our hearts and minds filled with God’s Word and then our tongues will speak good things – Matt 12:34-37; Col 3:16. Though alone we cannot control our tongues, God and His Word can.

“Unruly” – Ps 39:1-3. “Deadly poison” – Ps 58:4; Rom 3:13. 3:9,10 This should not be so, need not be so, but often it is so. Some men are like saints in public, but like demons at home or in private.

“The likeness of God” – Gen 1:26,27; Eph 4:24. 3:11,12 In all creation it seems only man’s tongue has a double source and a double channel. 3:13-18 There are two kinds of wisdom in the world. One comes from Satan (v 15), and the other comes from God (v 17). The results which flow from the one are very different indeed from the results which flow from the other. We can tell whether a person is really wise by what we see in his life. No one has the wisdom which comes from God who is evil or proud or envious or selfish or

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Where do conflicts and fights among you come from? Do they not come from your desires that are at war in your members? 2 You desire and do not have; you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain what you want; you fight and struggle, yet you do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 You ask, and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, that you may use it up on your desires.

think that the Scripture says in vain, The spirit that dwells in us desires jealously? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore he says,

God resists the proud,

but gives grace to the humble.

7 Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that the friendship of the world is enmity toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do you

right relationships between God and men, and between men and men. Peace and righteousness go together and both flow from God’s wisdom – Ps 85:10; Prov 3:17; Isa 32:17. Therefore, with all our getting, let us get wisdom (Prov 2:3-6). 4:1,2 Here are some of the results from having the devil’s “wisdom” (3:15) instead of the wisdom God gives. The picture is a raging war within the heart, and this war erupts into quarrels with other men. Compare 1 Cor 3:3; Gal 5:17.

friends with the world that crucified the Lord Jesus? Will we follow its aims and ambitions, its desires and pleasures, its methods and ways? Let us beware. Compare Rom 12:2. 4:5 The Greek here is very difficult. It could be translated in several different ways. For example, besides the above translation it could mean – “God jealously longs for the spirit He has made to live in us”, or “The Spirit [the Holy Spirit] He caused to live in us longs jealously.” In any case, James is saying that in spite of what men are by nature, God can enable us by His grace to renounce the world and draw near to Him (vs 6-8), and this is what God desires. God is a “jealous” lover of our spirits and wants us for Himself. See Ex 20:5; 34:14; Deut 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; Josh 24:19. “My child”, He says to each of us, “give me your heart.” 4:6 Prov 3:34; 1 Pet 5:5. “Proud” – Prov 6:16,17; 16:5; 21:4; Isa 2:12-18; 13:11. If we allow pride to rule us God will be our enemy and will fight against us.

“Kill, and desire” – James is writing to Jews who professed to be followers of Christ. Evidently the behavior of some revealed them to be followers of Satan (John 8:44). Wrong desire is at the root of all the corruption in the world (1:15).

“You do not ask God” – rather than pray, some people prefer to quarrel, fight and even kill to get what they want. 4:3 Notice carefully why God sometimes does not answer prayer, and what is meant by wrong motives. God does not always give us what we ask for because, if He did, it would only make us more selfish, and worse in every way. A desire for selfish pleasure is often the reason why people ask for things. We should not blame God if He does not give them. God is not like some foolish parents who give whatever a child wants whether it is good for him or not. Let us open our hearts to God and sincerely pray as He wants us to pray (Ps 139:23,24; 66:18; Matt 6:9-13). 4:4 “Adulterers and adulteresses” – there may have been individuals among them guilty of literal adultery, but James probably means adultery in spiritual matters, since he immediately speaks of friendship with the world. On adultery in spiritual matters see Jer 2:2; 3:6-9; Ezek 16:31-34; Hos 1:2. It means that those who are called God’s people forsake God for something else.

“Grace”–John 1:14,16,17; Rom 5:2,20, 21. God’s grace is what we need in order to reject the world, overcome our selfish desires and devote ourselves to God.

“Humble” – 3:13; Ps 138:6; Prov 16:19; Isa 57:15; 66:2; Matt 5:3; 18:3,4. 4:7 “Submit” – this is what the humble do, what the proud will not do.

“He will flee” – here is a great promise. Satan is afraid of those who resist him in the strength God gives. But he will run only from those who submit themselves to God. Submitting comes first, then resisting the devil. Note on the devil at Matt 4:1. To resist the devil in one’s own strength or in pride is to ask for a fall. 4:8 This is another great promise we can always count on, if we come to God in the manner he tells us to come. Compare Zech 1:3. “Cleanse” – compare Isa 1:16,17. “Purify your hearts” – compare Ezek 18:31. James is speaking about full repentance (notes at Matt 3:2,8), and the earnest use of the means God has given for cleansing – 1 Pet 1:22; 1 John 1:7,9.

Why is friendship with the world hatred toward God? The word “world” here means the fallen sinful world of men. It is clearly described in John 3:19; 7:7; 15:18-21; Gal 1:3; 1 John 2:15-17; 5:19. It is in rebellion against God. It loves sin and hates Christ. So to have friendship with it is to join the enemies of the one true God, and to become His enemy. Let us take these solemn words to heart. Will we dare to be

“Double-minded” – 1:8. If we want God to draw near to us we must turn from all known sin and have a firm faith in Him. 4:9 Matt 5:4; Luke 6:21; 2 Cor 7:8-10.

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joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.

16 But now you boast in your arrogant presumption. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

11 Do not speak evil about one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, is speaking evil of the Law, and judging the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you that judges another?

Come now, you rich men, weep and howl because of your miseries that will come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and will eat your flesh as if it were fire. You have heaped together wealth for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the labourers who have harvested your fields, which you have fraudulently kept, cry out, and the cries of those who have done the harvesting have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived in pleasure and

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into a certain city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit.” 14 The fact is you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live, and do this, or that.”

James is speaking of sorrow for sin. God does not draw near to bless those who take sin lightly. How long should our grief and mourning continue? Until we know that God has drawn near, forgiven us, and lifted us up. We must do a thorough work of repenting (Jer 29:13). 4:10 Verse 6; Luke 1:52; 1 Sam 2:7,8; Ps 15:1,3; 50:20; Prov 10:18; Matt 15:19; 23:12; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8. 4:11 “Do not speak evil” – slander is a work of the devil and the meaning of his name. What business do Christians have doing the devil’s work? Anyone who speaks against another is judging him (or her). The law tells us to love others as ourselves (2:8). Speaking against them is not loving them. And if a person does so he is setting himself above the law, and treating it as if its words have no importance, and becomes a judge of it. 4:12 “Lawgiver” – Isa 33:22; Ex 20:1. “To save and to destroy” – Matt 10:28; Isa 43:11.

They may have been acting as they did in ignorance, but now they would know the right way to behave and can have no excuse. Observe that good left undone is sin just as evil done is sin. Compare Num 32:23; 1 Sam 12:23; Matt 25:41-46. 5:1-6 “You rich men” – James is speaking to the selfish rich who oppress the poor and care nothing for what God says about heaping up riches (Ps 37:16; 52:6,7; 62:10; Prov 11:28; Matt 6:19-21; Luke 12:16-21; 14:33; 1 Tim 6:6-10,17-19). 5:1 “Miseries that will come on you” – Luke 6:24,25; 16:19-31. 5:2,3 “Corroded” – James uses the past tense, not because this wealth had already been destroyed, but to show how certain it was that this would happen. And he is showing the eventual worthlessness of earthly riches. Whatever those riches are they will perish and leave those who had them naked before God. James knew that gold does not literally “corrode.” He is stating in vivid language the fact that absolutely nothing will remain to the rich of what they had loved and hoarded.

“Who are you that judges another” – Matt 7:1,2; Rom 14:4,10-13. 4:13 Here is another very common fault even among Christians. Some make their plans as if God were not important to them, as if they were perfectly able to carry on their affairs without His guidance and help. 4:14 Compare 1:10,11; Job 7:7; Ps 39:5; 102:3; 144:4; Prov 27:1; 1 Pet 1:24; Luke 12:16-20. We do not know what natural calamity may come tomorrow, or what accident may befall us, or whether tomorrow is our last day on earth. 4:15 “Say” – he is not suggesting that we should merely say the words that follow as a kind of ritual. We should mean them and submit ourselves to the will of God and do what He tells us (v 7; Matt 6:10; John 4:34; Acts 21:14; Rom 1:10; 12:1,2). 4:16 “Now you boast” – Ps 52:1; 75:4; Jer 9:23; Amos 4:5; 1 Cor 4:7; Gal 6:13. Men like to boast about what they have done or what they think they will do or can do. God tells us what such boasting is like. 4:17 Luke 12:47; John 9:41; 2 Pet 2:21.

“Heaped together wealth” – with so many people poor, destitute, starving and dying in the world, hoarding riches is a great crime. And the rich will pay for it with the misery God will send on them (v 1). They will find that piling up riches costs too much. 5:4 “Labourers” – the Bible is for the poor, the working man, the down-trodden.

“The ears of the Lord of hosts” – there is a just Judge on high, and we may be sure He hears the cries of those oppressed by the rich. 5:5 “Luxury” – Luke 16:19,25. Woe to those who deny themselves nothing they want. Compare Luke 9:23. Selfishness will always end in disaster.

“Slaughter” – the end of their luxury and self-indulgence is death. James compares them to dumb cattle being fattened only to be slaughtered (compare Amos 4:1). Let us learn to seek the truly important things during our brief earthly life – salvation,

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luxury on the earth. You have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed the righteous, when he was not resisting you.

blessed who patiently endure. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job, and have seen the end the Lord brought about, and that the Lord is very compassionate, and very merciful.

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it, until he receives the early and later rains. 8 You also be patient and make your hearts firm, for the coming of the Lord draws near. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be judged. See, the judge is standing at the door!

12 But above all things, my brethren, do not swear, not by heaven, or by the earth, or with any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no. Otherwise you will fall into judgment.

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? He should pray. Is any happy? He should sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed

10 My brethren, as an example of patient suffering take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord. 11 See that we count them

wisdom, righteousness, truth, holiness (Matt 6:33; etc). 5:6 It is a strange and terrible fact that men, who are here today and gone tomorrow, will kill or trample any law of God under their feet to get money or property. Truly “madness is in their hearts while they live” (Eccl 9:3). 5:7 “Brethren” – James leaves off his remarks to the rich and speaks again to believers. Though they are facing oppression and hardships they should be patient (Rom 12:12; Gal 5:22; Col 1:11; Heb 6:12). “The coming of the Lord” – Matt 16:27; John 14:3; Acts 1:11. Farmers patiently wait for God’s work in nature to produce a harvest. Believers are to wait patiently for the fulfillment of God’s plan in the spiritual realm. 5:8 “Firm” – Matt 24:13; 1 Cor 15:58; 16:13; 2 Cor 1:21,24; Eph 6:14; Col 1:23; 4:12; 1 Pet 5:9,10. “Draws near” – he does not say how near or make any prediction. None of the writers of the New Testament knew the day of Christ’s return. Sometimes it seems that they believed (or at least hoped) that it would take place during their life time. But see John 21:18-23; 2 Tim 4:6. See notes on Rev 1:1-3. 5:9 Grumbling about others is the same as judging them, and this is not our business (4:11,12).

“The end” – Job 42:10-17. “Compassionate. . .merciful” – Ex 34:6,7; Ps 5:7; 25:6; 103:13; 116:5. God will never put more on us than we can bear, and will bring good out of all we have to suffer (Rom 8:28). 5:12 Matt 5:33-37. We should speak every word as if God Himself were listening to what we say. And indeed He is. So there should be no attempts to deceive anyone. 5:13,14 The three situations he mentions covers much of the life of believers.

“In trouble” – the Greek means to suffer or endure hardship (2 Tim 2:3; 4:5). This is the common lot of all believers (Acts 14:22). “Pray” – in answer to prayer God either delivers us from trouble or gives us comfort and strength to endure it patiently. But we should not think James is teaching us to pray only when we are in trouble (compare Eph 6:18; 1 Thess 5:17).

“Happy” – there are times when believers experience relief from their troubles, feel no burdens and are filled with happiness – a good time to sing praises to God (Ps 9:13,14; 18:49; 35:28; 47:6; 51:14,15). All times are good for praising God (1 Thess 5:18), but no doubt there are times when we are better able to do it. 5:14 Times of sickness are the common lot of mankind, and believers in Christ are not immune from them. James tells us what to do when we are sick. It is one provision God has made for the healing of His people. It is surprising how few believers avail themselves of it. What he states here should be the common practice in all Bible-believing churches.

“Lest you be judged” – Matt 7:1,2. “The judge” – the Lord Jesus (compare 4:12). He is always at the door. 5:10 He has told them to have patience (v 7), now he points them to great examples of patience in the Old Testament. Heb 11:35-39 briefly sets forth some of the things they suffered.

“In the name of the Lord” – everyone must recognize it is not their power or the power of their words or the oil that heals anyone. The Lord is the healer. It is one of His names – Ex 15:26. 5:15 It seems clear that God does not always choose to heal His servants immediately when they fall sick (Phil 2:26,27; 1 Tim 5:23; 2 Tim 4:20). In such a case it will not be possible to pray in faith that they will be healed at once. When anyone has called for the church elders, and

“Prophets” – note at Gen 20:7. “In the name of the Lord” – Ex 5:1; 1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 7:1; Isa 1:10; Jer 1:9,10; 7:2; Ezek 3:4; 13:2; Hos 4:1; Amos 1:3. 5:11 “Endure” – 1:2-4. Their sufferings did not destroy their patience and perseverance, but increased them (Rom 5:3).

“Job” – Job 1:13 - 2:10.

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sins, they will be forgiven him.

six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit.

16 Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. A righteous man’s prayer at work is very powerful.

19 Brethren, if any of you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns the sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death, and will hide a multitude of sins.

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like we have, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and

God chooses to heal that person, He will give faith to one or more of the elders and then restore the sick person to health.

God, are a powerful force in the world, and accomplish great things. 5:17,18 Here is an example of the power of prayer. See 1 Kings 17:1; 18:41-46. There are many other Bible examples of prayer’s power – Gen 20:17; 25:21; Ex 8:30,31; 10:18,19; Num 11:2; Deut 9:20,25-29; 2 Sam 15:31; 17:14,23; 2 Kings 4:32-35; Job 42:10; Ps 18:6-24; Dan 9:4,20-23; Jonah 2:1,10; Luke 9:29; 22:31,32; John 11:41-44; Acts 4:31; 9:40; etc. “A nature like we have” – Elijah was no superman. He was flesh and blood as we are. He had a sinful nature as we do. He was tempted and tried as we are. His power was not in him but in the God he served. If he could effectively use this wonderful means God has given (prayer), then so can we – if we are righteous as he was righteous. 5:19,20 “Brethren” – he is addressing a large group of people who are called Christians. We cannot assume that they were all true believers in Christ, or that James thought they were. In most large groups of Christians there are a variety of people – some born again, some not; some following the truth, some not. In such a group there is always the possibility that some might forsake the truth altogether (1 Tim 1:6; 6:10,21; 2 Tim 2:18; 2 Pet 2:15). It is very difficult to bring such sinners back to the truth, but James suggests it is possible.

“If he has committed sins” – he seems to be suggesting that in some cases (“if”) sickness comes as a result of the sick person’s sin. Compare 1 Cor 11:30 – there weakness and sickness are said to be a result of God’s chastisement for certain sins.

“Forgiven” – the Lord who raises him up will forgive him the sins which led to his sickness. 5:16 “Confess” – he is not speaking of confession to a “priest”, but “to one another.” This should be a regular part of the fellowship ordinary believers have with each other, especially if any of them falls sick. There should be an openness, and a love and understanding and acceptance which would make this possible. (According to the New Testament all believers are priests – 1 Pet 2:5,9.) We should not think that prayer is a weak and ineffective thing. If we are righteous it has great power.

“Righteous man” – this means a man right with God, who walks in God’s ways. If we are to be right with God He must count us righteous (note at Rom 1:17; 3:21-26; 5:1), and we must live righteous lives in obedience to His Word and will (Ps 66:18; Prov 15:29; Isa 1:15; John 9:31). If these two things are true of us, we then have the use of a powerful means for good – prayer. See references at 1 Thess 5:17.

“Death” – spiritual death, separation from God (John 5:24; Eph 2:1). To save anyone from that is surely a very great thing. When it happens all the sins of the rescued sinner are put out of God’s sight forever (Ps 103:12; Micah 7:19).

“Very powerful” – or “strongly prevails”, or “is able to accomplish much.” The Greek noun related to the verb here means “strength”, “power”, “ability.” The prayers of righteous people prevail with

The First Letter of the Apostle

PETER

Author:

Peter one of the original apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Date:

Sometime between 65 and 67 AD.

Theme:

Peter wrote to Jewish believers in Christ (1:1) because he was the apostle to the Jews (Gal 2:8,9). However, the blessed truth he writes down came by the inspiration of God’s Spirit and is for all believers in all times. The command the Lord Jesus gave to Peter in Luke 22:31,32 he partly fulfilled by writing this letter. Countless believers in Christ have been strengthened in their faith through what Peter wrote here. Some key words are “hope”, ”suffering”, “grace” and “glory.” The principal theme is the suffering of believers and the glory that will follow.

Contents :

The Trinity and believers: The Father chose them, the Spirit set them apart,

the Son is their Master and Redeemer ................................................... 1:2 The hope of believers ................................................................................... 1:3-9

This hope comes through the new birth ...................................................... 1:3 It is a living hope ..................................................................................... 1:3 It is based on the resurrection of Christ ..................................................... 1:3 It is related to an eternal inheritance ......................................................... 1:4 It is a hope for something that God keeps safe in heaven ............................. 1:4 It is a hope living in those who are kept safe themselves .............................. 1:5 It is a hope that gives great joy ................................................................ 1:6 It is a hope associated on earth with grievous trials ..................................... 1:6 It is a hope joined with faith and love toward Christ ..................................... 1:7-9 The salvation of believers, the sufferings and

glory of Christ were revealed in the OT.................................................. 1:10-12 How believers in Christ should live .................................................................. 1:13 - 2:3

Being ready for action .............................................................................. 1:13 Being obedient ........................................................................................ 1:14 Being holy............................................................................................... 1:15,16 Having the reverent fear of God ............................................................... 1:17 Recognizing the price of redemption .......................................................... 1:18-21 Possessing love for fellow believers ........................................................... 1:22 Being assured of the new birth .................................................................. 1:23 Understanding what is temporary and what is eternal .................................. 1:23-25 Renouncing all evil attitudes...................................................................... 2:1 Growing by feeding on the Word of God ..................................................... 2:2,3 The living Stone and living stones ................................................................... 2:4-8 Who and what believers are .......................................................................... 2:9,10 What believers are to do .............................................................................. 2:11-21 The example Jesus set for us ........................................................................ 2:22-25 Wives and husbands .................................................................................... 3:1-7 The kind of life that inherits blessing ............................................................... 3:8-17 The reason for the death of Christ ................................................................. 3:18 What happened after Christ’s death............................................................... 3:19-22

553 1 PETER

Be ready for troubles and suffering ................................................................ 4:1-4 God’s judgment will come .............................................................................. 4:5,6 Living as though the end of this age were near................................................ 4:7-11 Suffering for Christ ...................................................................................... 4:12-19

We should not be surprised when it comes.................................................. 4:12 We should rejoice when it comes ............................................................... 4:13 We should regard it as blessing ................................................................. 4:14 We should not suffer for the wrong reasons ............................................... 4:15 We should not be ashamed to suffer for Him ............................................... 4:16 We should praise God .............................................................................. 4:16 We should consecrate ourselves to God ..................................................... 4:19 A word to church elders ................................................................................ 5:1-4 A word to youth .......................................................................................... 5:5,6 What to do with life’s cares ........................................................................... 5:7 How to resist the devil .................................................................................. 5:8,9 Closing remarks ........................................................................................... 5:10-14

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Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those residing as foreigners and scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling by the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, be multiplied.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in accordance with his abundant mercy has given us new birth into a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 for an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in

1:1 “Apostle” – Matt 10:2. “Foreigners” – 2:11; Heb 11:9,13. Believers in Christ are not at home in this world. Their citizenship is in heaven – Phil 3:20.

have been forgiven and cleansed from their sins (Eph 1:7; Heb 9:14; 1 John 1:7), as priests they have been given full access to God’s presence (Heb 10:19-22), and they have been made partakers of the new covenant (Matt 26:28; Heb 12:24). 1:3 “God and Father” – Eph 1:3. “Mercy” – Titus 3:5; Eph 2:4. “New birth” – John 1:13; 3:3-8; Eph 2:5; Jam 1:18; 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1. “Living hope” – Rom 5:2; 8:24,25; Titus 1:2. “Hope” here means “expectation.” “Resurrection” – Matt 28:6; Acts 1:3; 2:24; Rom 1:4; 1 Cor 15:12-19. If Christ had not risen there would be no hope of salvation for anyone, ever. 1:4 “Inheritance” – Matt 25:34; Acts 20:32; Eph 1:14; Col 1:12; Heb 1:14; 6:12; Jam 2:5. Only the children of God by the new spiritual birth have an inheritance. Those who renounce this world for Christ will inherit the world above (Matt 19:27-29). The inheritance is, first of all, God Himself (Gen 15:1; Ps 16:5; 73:25,26; Lam 3:24); then everything else He chooses to give us (Rev 21:7).

“Scattered” – Peter uses a technical word in Greek (diaspora) which means Jews living outside of Palestine (John 7:35). The ones Peter was writing to had become followers of Christ. Peter was the apostle to the Jews (Gal 2:7,8), and in his two letters he sends instructions to Jewish Christians. It seems very likely that some of them heard the gospel from him on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9).

“Pontus. . .Bithynia” – these were all provinces in the area now known as Turkey. 1:2 “Chosen” – Matt 24:22,24,31; John 17:6; Eph 1:4. “Foreknowledge” – see notes at Rom 8:29 and at the end of the notes on Romans. Observe the three persons of the Trinity in this verse (notes at Matt 3:16,17; etc). Here several things are said about the salvation of believers.

We see the cause and the origin of it – God’s choice.

“Does not fade” – the inheritance is not of this creation, not something perishable (1 Cor 15:50,53), but indestructible and eternal.

We see the manner and process of it – the Spirit’s work.

We see the purpose and goal of it – obedience to Christ.

“Reserved. . .for you” – there is no danger of anyone breaking in and stealing it. God has “reserved” this inheritance for believers and nothing and no one can get it from His care. Those who believe they have such an inheritance in heaven should not be (and will not be) eager to lay their hands on everything they can get now on earth. 1:5 “Kept. . .through faith” – the Greek word translated “kept” is a military term meaning “to keep with a guard.” God’s power is the guard. He is the Lord of hosts who has all the armies of heaven at His command, and He sends forth His powerful angels to serve believers (Heb 1:14; Ps 91;11,12). He can and does arrange matters both in this world and in the unseen spiritual world so that His believers are guarded and safely kept to the end (John 6:39; 10:28,29). This is in answer to the prayer of His Son (John 17:11,12; Rom 5:9,10; Heb 7:25).

And we see the means and basis of it – the blood of Christ.

Compare 2 Thess 2:13,14. “Sanctification” – note on sanctify at John 17:17-19. See also Lev 20:7. God’s Spirit sets believers apart from everyone else in the world, He convicts them of sin, brings them to repentance and gives them new spiritual life, and teaches them the truth (John 3:5-8; 16:7-15).

“Obedience” – the purpose of God’s call and the Spirit’s work is to make us obedient to Christ. See note at Acts 22:10. Observe here that it is put before being sprinkled with the blood of Christ. We receive Him as Lord and Saviour and so are cleansed and consecrated by His blood. After this, all our life through, God wants to see loving obedience in us (John 14:15,23; Rom 1:5).

“Sprinkling” – in the Old Testament the blood of animals was sprinkled to signify four things:

But what if believers stop believing – will they not lose their salvation? God shields them “through faith.” Faith is the gift of God (Eph 2:8; Phil 1:29). It is the instrument in His hand to keep us in living contact with Himself. It is a powerful force that God has brought into our lives. It is a perfect gift and perfectly fitted for the work

Cleansing (Lev 14:1-7) Consecration of priests (Ex 29:20-22) Confirmation of God’s covenant (Ex 24:1-8). Atonement (Lev 16:14). Through the blood of Christ believers

555 1 PETER 1:12

the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice. Though now for a while, if need be, you are distressed by various trials. 7 These have come so that the proving of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found to result in praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 8 Him you have not seen, but love. Though now you do not see him, yet believing in him, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 and receive

the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, made earnest search and enquiry, 11 trying to find out what the Spirit of Christ who was in them indicated, or what time it would take place, as he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but us, in these things which are now made known to you by those

God planned to do in us. He who gives faith to believers is well able to keep faith alive in their hearts (Luke 22:31,32). God does not keep us whether we believe or not – He keeps us believing (Phil 1:6; Heb 12:2), though, no doubt, He also keeps us even when our faith temporarily stumbles, and then He renews our faith.

Faith is so precious because it lays hold of eternal riches in heaven.

“Proving” – this word brings out the meaning of the Greek better than “trial.” Trials (v 6 – altogether a different Greek word than the one here) reveal whether we truly believe, or only think or say we believe. When we go on believing through fiery trials, and do not turn back to the world, this is strong evidence that our faith is real. Compare Matt 13:21,23; Heb 10:32,39. 1:8 “Love” – John 14:15; 21:16; 1 Cor 13:7; 16:22; Gal 5:6 – here is further evidence that faith is genuine. True faith and love for Christ go hand in hand. If we do not have one, we will not have the other.

“For salvation. . .in the last time” – God does not keep believers only until they sin or until some doubt enters their minds. He keeps them until their salvation is completed. Here Peter is speaking of the future aspect of salvation. Believers are already saved (John 5:24; Rom 8:24; Eph 2:5; 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5). They are being saved (1 Cor 1:18; 2 Cor 2:15). They will be saved (Rom 13:11; Phil 1:28; Heb 1:14; 9:28). 1:6 “Rejoice” – having spiritual joy in Christ is one of the marks of a true Christian. It too is a gift of God to His own. This joy is not mere happiness that arises from our own natures when things go well. It is a supernatural joy. If we have never experienced it at all, this is strong evidence that we have not trusted in Christ (John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13; Acts 5:41; 8:39; 16:34; Rom 5:2,3,11; 14:17; 2 Cor 6:10; 8:2; Gal 5:22; 1 Thess 1:6). Notice the words “in this.” These words refer to all he has said from v 3. He is saying that joy comes from four things:

“Do not see” – is it possible to love and believe i someone whom we have never seen? Certainly. We have Christ’s Word, and His Spirit who makes Him real to believers. “Joy”–v 6; Neh 8:10; Ps 4:7; 16:11; 21:6; 28:7; 43:4; 81:1; Isa 12:3; 35:6,10; Luke 2:10; John 16:20-24. “Inexpressible” – “unspeakable” (KJV) today usually has no good connotation. 1:9 “Receive” – v 5. Even now in the midst of trials believers are experiencing the salvation they shall more fully experience hereafter. 1:10 “Prophets” – he is speaking of Old Testament prophets (notes on prophets at Gen 20:7; etc). They wrote of the grace that comes to believers now. Their writings are full of prophecies, pictures, types and shadows of Christ and the salvation He has brought (Luke 4:17-21; 24:25-27,45-47; John 5:39,46; Heb 8:5; 10:1). 1:11 The Spirit of Christ was in OT prophets and caused them to write words they themselves did not fully understand. They searched their own writings to try to understand them better. Observe that the Spirit of Christ was in the world before Christ came into the world. He “predicted” Christ’s suffering and glory. For example compare psalm 22 – in vs 1-21 there is suffering, in vs 22-31 there is glory. The same is true of Isaiah chapter 53. In vs 1-9 there is suffering, in vs 10-12 glory. Both sufferings and glory appear in Isa 52:13-15, and glory in Isaiah chapter 54. Other examples could be given. 1:12 God revealed to the prophets that their words would be fulfilled afterwards, and that they were serving future generations. The Old Testament is for the instruction of Christian believers (Rom 15:4; 1 Cor

The new birth A living hope A knowledge of a future inheritance in heaven

And an assurance of God’s keeping power. “Though now” – there are certain experiences which can block the flow of God’s joy in our hearts. Sin is one (Ps 32:3-5; 51:3,4,8,12). Doubt is another (Matt 14: 29-31; Luke 24:37,38; Jam 1:6). Falling into false teaching is another (Gal 3:1-3; 4:15-17). Trials can be another (Job 3:126), though they need not be. A strong faith can rejoice even in the most severe trials (Acts 5:41; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Col 1:24; Jam 1:2). So distress and joy can exist in us at the same time (2 Cor 6:8-10). Observe that trials are only “for a little while” (2 Cor 4:17). 1:7 Men use fire to refine gold and prove it. God puts believers in fiery trials for the same reasons. Compare Ps 66:10-12. Faith is far more precious than gold. Is it not a sad thing then that men neglect faith and go after gold and other riches of this world?

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who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. These things the angels desire to look into.

partiality, judges according to everyone’s deeds, spend the time of your stay on earth in reverential fear. 18 For you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, from your empty way of life received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He was indeed foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for you. 21 Through him you believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

13 Therefore gird up your mind for effort, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not let yourselves be conformed to the cravings you formerly had in your ignorance, 15 but just as he who has called you is holy, so you be holy in your whole way of life. 16 Because it is written,

You be holy, for I am holy.

17 And if you call on the Father, who, without

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying

10:11). They spoke of things which gospel preachers now proclaim to the world – the death, resurrection and exaltation of Christ. All gospel preachers should preach “by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven”– John 14:16,17; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,5,8; 2:1-4. “Angels” – note at Gen 16:7. It seems that they do not understand all that God is doing through Christ and His Spirit in the salvation of believers. God is teaching them now (Eph 3:10). So great are these mysteries that they long to know more of them. 1:13 Angels are eager to know more of this great gospel of salvation. Should we who have been given this salvation be less eager? We should have new minds (Rom 12:2; Eph 4:23,24) and fill them with God’s Word. The Christian life demands effort in thinking, meditation, and careful study to try to understand all that God has revealed to us. Compare Ps 1:2; 119:26,27,34,73, etc; Eph 1:18; 3:18; Phil 1:9,10; Col 1:9. “Gird up your mind for effort” – literally tucking a long garment up to the waist indicates preparation for action. Believers are to get ready for mental activity.

sacred. 1:17 “Father” – note at Matt 5:16. “Without partiality” – Rom l2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25. “Your stay” – v 1. The Greek word means living as a foreigner, living away from home.

“Fear” – notes at 2:17; Gen 20:11; Job 28:28; Ps 34:11-14; 86:11; 90:7-11; 111:10; Prov 1:7; Rev 14:7; 15:4; 19:5. Reverential fear and respect and awe of the one true God, fear of offending Him or dishonoring Him – this is at the heart of the spiritual life. Without it we do not have true religion. This fear will cause us to depart from evil and to do good, and to worship God as He ought to be worshiped. This is why it is commanded in the Bible (2:17; Rev 14:7). 1:18 “Redeemed” – notes at Ps 78:35; Matt 20:28. “Empty way of life” is all any of us had before we believed the gospel of Christ, and all anyone has now apart from Christ (though many, lacking understanding of the Bible, may think otherwise). Compare Eccl 1:2; 2:11. To be filled with the things of the world is to be empty. Do any of us feel this vanity and emptiness of life? Let us turn to Christ. He can fill our lives with meaning, purpose and hope. 1:19 Here is the price God paid to redeem us and make us His own (Matt 20:28; 26:28; Acts 20:28; Rom 3:24,25). It is precious beyond words.

“Sober” – figuratively the Greek word may mean “self-controlled” or, possibly, “sober minded”.

“Grace” – God has already given believers grace, but there is more to come (v 4; Eph 2:7). Setting our hopes fully on that enables us to bear our trials and sufferings with joy.

“Lamb” – John 1:29. “Without blemish” – 2:22; Heb 4:15; 7:26; Ex 12:5; Lev 1:3. Without the shedding of Christ’s blood there would be no salvation for anyone, ever (Heb 9:22). 1:20 Before He created the world, before mankind fell into sin God had a plan for the salvation of man, and Christ was at the heart of that plan. Compare Eph 1:4; Acts 2:23. 1:21 “Through him” – Peter is saying that it is only through Christ that men come to trust the living God. Apart from Christ men may think they believe in Him but they really do not.

“Revelation of Jesus Christ” – v 7; Matt 24:30; Titus 2:13; Heb 9:28. 1:14 “Obedient children” – v 2. This is what God wants – v 2; Rom 6:17,18; 2 Cor 2:9; 2 Thess 2:8. “Conformed”–Rom 12:2; 8:29. “Cravings” – or “evil desires” – Matt 15:19; Rom 1:24; 8:5; Eph 2:1-3; Gen 8:21.

“Ignorance” – John 15:21; Acts 3:17; 17:30; 1 Cor 15:34; Eph 4:18; 1 Tim 1:13. 1:15,16 Lev 20:7; Isa 6:3; John 17:1719; Rom 6:19,22; 2 Cor 7:1; Eph 4:24; Heb 12:10,14. This must be, and is, the aim of every believer.

“Gave him glory” – Acts 2:32,33; 3:13; John 17:1. Only because God raised Jesus from the dead is it possible for us to have our faith and hope in the true God – v 3. 1:22 Observe the only way we can be holy and purified – it is by obeying God’s truth

“Whole way of life” – we must not try to divide our lives into secular and sacred. For believers in Christ the whole of life is to be

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the truth through the Spirit into a sincere love for the brethren, fervently love one another with a pure heart, 23 being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever. 24 For,

evil speaking, 2 as newborn infants desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow by it, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

4 Coming to him, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 And so it is contained in the Scripture,

All flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man as the flower

of grass. The grass withers,

and its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures for ever.

See, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone,

chosen, precious; and he who believes on him will not be

put to shame.

And this is the word, which, by the gospel, was preached to you.

7 Therefore to you who believe he is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner, 8 and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of 2

Therefore laying aside all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all

“Rejected” – Matt 21:42; Mark 8:31; 9:12; Luke 17:25; John 1:11; Acts 4:11. “Precious” – Matt 3:17. See how different God’s thoughts are from men’s. Men did not think Christ was fit for the building they were constructing.

revealed in the Bible. Compare Rom 6:1719; John 8:31,32. The result of this purification is sincere love. If there is no love in our hearts for God’s people we may be sure that we have no real purification, no salvation (1 John 3:14; John 13:34). See here the kind of love believers should have for one another – sincere, fervent, pure. 1:23 “Born again” – v 3; John 1:13. The Word of God is the imperishable seed. The new birth comes through God’s Word planted in the heart (James 1:18). 1:24,25 Isa 40:6-8. All that man apart from God does, or can do, has no permanence. The Word of God (and those who have been given new life through that Word) will stand forever – Matt 24:35; 1 John 2:17. 2:1 Eph 4:25,29,31; Col 3:5-10. All such things are of the old nature and must have no place in the believer’s life (Gal 5:19-21). 2:2 “Newborn infants” – may suggest that he has new believers in mind particularly. Or he may be rebuking older Christians for making slow progress in the Christian life (compare 1 Cor 3:1,2; Heb 5:11-14). Or his meaning may be that we are all spiritual babies compared with what we shall be after Christ’s return (compare Matt 18:3). Three qualities of infancy we should always retain:

“Living stones” – coming to Christ the Living Stone believers become living stones themselves. For the Living Stone is also a “life-giving spirit” (1 Cor 15:45).

“House” – Eph 2:19-22; Heb 3:6; 1 Cor 3:9. God is an Architect and Builder. We may be sure He has planned His house well. He knows each stone and where it should go. Surely He will not have to tear some stones out later and put others in their places. Surely God is not tearing out with one hand and building with the other. See note at Eph 2:21 also.

“Priesthood” – not only are believers built into the “house” of God, they are all priests to serve in the house – v 9; Rev 1:6; Heb 10:19-22. In the New Testament there is no separate priesthood taken from among believers. All believers are priests. It is a striking fact that in the New Testament no individual disciple or apostle of Christ is called a priest. And among those whom Christ gave to be the leaders of the Church the office of priest is not given (Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28). Mark this well. “Spiritual sacrifices” – Rom 12:1; Heb 13:15,16. Priests must have something to offer God. Believers as priests have themselves, their praise, and their deeds of love and kindness to offer. 2:6 Verse 4; Isa 28:16; Zech 1:4; Eph 2:20. 2:7 “Precious” – 1:8. Only to those who believe in Him is Christ precious. Only they see His value. Only they truly love Him.

Desire for spiritual nourishment Innocency and simplicity And dependence on God. If there is no appetite for spiritual things, no desire for God’s Word, is it not a sure mark that there is no spiritual life in a person?

“Pure milk” – the Greek word translated “pure” means either “without guile” or “unadulterated” (pure). The milk we need is the teaching of God’s Word. We should all crave this, new believers and old alike (Ps 119:40,131). “Grow” – Eph 4:13-15. 2:3 Ps 34:8. 2:4,5 “Living stone” – the Lord Jesus. Believers do not go to lifeless images but to a living person.

“Head of the corner” – Ps 118:22; Matt 21:42; Acts 4:11. 2:8 Isa 8:14; Rom 9:33. Those who do not want to obey God’s truth will stumble over the truth. And this truth is Christ (Luke 2:34). Those who want Him will rise; those who do not will fall.

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offense. For they stumble at the Word, being disobedient. Also they were appointed to this.

your conduct among the Gentiles so beautiful that, although they speak against you as evildoers, seeing your good deeds they will glorify God because of them, in the day of visitation.

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, so that you may declare the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light, 10 you who in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God, you who had not obtained mercy, but have now obtained mercy.

13 Submit yourselves, for the Lord’s sake, to every institution for governing men, whether it is to the king, as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him to punish evildoers and to praise those who do well. 15 For such is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Be as free men, not using your liberty as a cloak for evil, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all men. Love the

11 Dearly loved ones, I plead with you as foreigners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly desires, which war against the soul. 12 And have

“Appointed to this” – Peter is probably referring to the rejection of Christ by the Jewish nation. Both the Lord Jesus and the apostle Paul used references from Psalms and Isaiah to teach that. On this subject see Romans chapters 9-11 and notes, particularly 9:14-24,30-33; 11:7-12,22-32. 2:9 “Chosen” – Eph 1:4,11; John 15:16. “Royal priesthood” – v 5. These words may mean a priesthood belonging to a king and in the king’s service, or a priesthood which forms a kingdom (Rev 5:10), or a priesthood where all the priests are princes as well, or all three.

2:11 “Foreigners” – 1:17 – those now living away from their true home – heaven.

“Fleshly desires” – 1:14. These are of this world, of the sinful nature in man. Believers are of heaven.

“War” – desire for wrong things is one of the instruments Satan uses in his fight against believers (Eph 6:11,12). Evil desires are like swords that cut and wound our spiritual life, like flaming arrows in the mind that turn us from thoughts of God and holiness. They can be as destructive to the soul as bullets are to the body, wounding and causing much pain and suffering. We do not have to give in to them or give them a place in our hearts.

“Holy nation” – a nation set apart from all other people on the earth, and consecrated to God. Compare Ex 19:5,6; John 17:6. Peter is not calling the Church “The new Israel” or “the Spiritual Israel.” He is writing to Jewish believers. They, and not the nation of Israel which rejected Christ are the true stock of Israel. Peter is not implying that God is finished with the old nation of Israel (compare Acts 1:6,7). No New Testament writer calls the Church the new Israel, and since they did not we should not. Gentile believers are grafted in to the stock of Israel. See Romans chapter 11; Eph 2:11-19. “Belonging to God” – the Greek word here means several things – “keeping safe” or “obtaining” or “possessing” (but not what we mean now by “peculiar” – KJV).

The command to “abstain” means we can do so by God’s grace. Total abstinence from every wrong desire – this should be our goal. If evil desires are permitted to lodge in our minds they may well prove to be overpowering, and we will find it is easier to allow such thoughts in than to expel them once they get in. Abstinence from evil thoughts is the way of wisdom, the way God teaches us. And it involves the believer’s choice and will – we must choose not to permit them in our minds. 2:12 See Matt 5:16. “Beautiful” – the Greek word means also “excellent”, “admirable”, “praiseworthy”, “honorable”, “attractive”, “good.”

“Speak against you” – rejecters of Christ like to slander believers, pick at every fault in them, and invent new ones. Slander on the part of others is to be a motive for us to do better. This evil can work for our good.

“The praises” – the Greek word means virtue, goodness, excellence, that is, things worthy of praise. See Phil 4:8 and 2 Pet 1:3,5, where the Greek has the same word. It is the duty and privilege of all believers now, whether Jewish Christians or Gentile, to declare to the world the excellence and goodness of the one true God. We are not to seek our glory, but His. We are not to declare our goodness, but His (compare Ps 40:10; 71:16; Isa 42:12; 43:7; Eph 1:6,12,14). “His. . .light” – Acts 26:18; 2 Cor 4:6; Eph 5:8; Col 1:13; 1 John 1:5-7. 2:10 Before believing in Christ it was true of both individual Jews and Gentiles that they were not God’s spiritual people – Hos 1:9,10; 2:23; Rom 9:24-26; Eph 2:11,12. In calling people from darkness into His light God acts in pure mercy (Titus 3:5).

“Day of visitation” – this may refer to a special time of either blessing or judgment from God. 2:13,14 Rom 13:1-5. 2:15 “Doing good” – good deeds can do what arguments cannot do. One of the very best of arguments for the gospel of Christ is the changed and holy lives of those who believe it.

“Ignorance” – 1:14; 2 Pet 3:16. They talk ignorantly about Christ, His gospel and His people because they do not know the true God (John 15:21; Eph 4:17,18).

“Foolish men” – Rom 1:21,22. 2:16 See Gal 5:13 and Rom 6:15-18. 2:17 “All men” – rich or poor, high or low,

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brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

were healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

18 Slaves, be subject to your masters with all respectful fear, not just to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is praiseworthy, if a man suffers wrongfully and endures grief because of his conscience toward God. 20 For what glory is it, if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do well and suffer for it, if you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For you have been called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps. 22 He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was insulted he gave no insults in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. 24 He himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, so that we, being dead to sins, should live for righteousness. By his wounds you

Likewise you wives be in subjection to your own husbands, so that, if any do not obey the Word, they also, without the Word, may be won by the behaviour of the wives, 2 seeing your chaste behaviour joined with reverential fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be that outward adornment of braiding the hair, and of wearing gold, or of merely putting on outer garments, 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, in what is not perishable, that is the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is of great value in the sight of God. 5 For in this way in times of old the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands, 6 even as Sarah obeyed Abraham,

educated and illiterate. All racial pride, bigotry, and feelings of superiority must be renounced. Believers must not despise or look down on anyone. Compare Rom 12:10; Jam 2:1-4,9; 1 Cor 12:14-26; Acts 6:1.

the purpose of Christ’s sufferings and death. Compare Rom 14:9; 2 Cor 5:15.

“Dead to sins” – Rom 6:10-14; Gal 2:20; 5:24; Col 3:5. “Live for righteousness” – Rom 6:18,19; 14:19,21; 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 4:24; Phil 1:11; 1 Tim 6:11. “Healed” – Isa 53:5. The sins were ours, the punishment for them that brought us healing was His. 2:25 “Going astray” – Isa 53:6. “Shepherd” – 5:4; John 10:1-18. “Overseer” – the same word used of elders in churches in Acts 20:28; Phil 1:1; Titus 1:7. As Christ is the Chief Shepherd He is also the Chief Overseer and the only such one. 3:1,2 “Be in subjection” – Eph 5:22-24. “The Word” – God’s Word, especially the gospel.

“Fear God” – references at 1:17. This is a command to believers just as certain as the command to love God. In fact, reverential fear, respect and awe of God go hand in hand with the love of God, and cannot be separated from it. Since it is commanded to Christians we should make sure that we have it. And if we are lacking in it, we should pray as David did in Ps 86:11. “Honour the king” – compare Rom 13:1-7. 2:18 “Slaves” – Eph 6:5-8; Col 3:22-24. 2:19 “Praiseworthy” – God himself will commend and reward such people. 2:20 Compare 4:15,16. “Take it patiently” – without getting angry, without seeking revenge. 2:21 “Called” – when God called us to be His own special people, suffering for doing good was part of the calling. Christ is the great example of suffering for doing good. He never did anything but good, but suffered far more than any of us.

“Won” – won to Christ. Compare 1 Cor 7:16. “Behavior. . .and reverence” – this can bring unbelieving husbands to Christ even though all talk, all arguments fail. Indeed wives preaching to their husbands may drive them away rather than win them to Christ. 3:3,4 Compare Isa 3:16-23; 1 Tim 2:9,10. Women will not win their husbands to Christ by fixing their hair, but by fixing their hearts; not by gold, but by godliness; not by outer garments, but by inner grace. There is such a thing as inner spiritual beauty which is far superior to any outward beauty. And it is a beauty which will never fade away. Compare Proverbs 31:10-31. The churches and the world would be better places if more women went after the inner sort of beauty. 3:5,6 Holiness, hope in God, and a submissive spirit are the marks of the beauty God wants to see in believing women.

“Follow”– Matt 4:19; 8:22; 16:24; 19:21; Luke 9:23; John 1:43; 10:4,27; 12:26; Rom 15:5; 1 Cor 11:1. They who think they believe in Christ but will not follow Him are deceiving themselves. 2:22 Isa 53:9; Matt 27:23; John 8:46; 19:4; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26. 2:23 Isa 53:7; Matt 26:63; 27:12-14; Luke 23:8,9. We should behave in the same way. The one “who judges righteously” is God. 2:24 Here is one of the clearest statements in the Bible that Christ suffered in our place, as our substitute. See also 3:18; Isa 53:5; Matt 20:28; John 1:29; 10:11,14; Rom 3:25; 2 Cor 5:14,21; Heb 9:28. See here

“Sarah” – Gen 18:12. “Daughters” – Abraham is the “father” of all believers (Rom 4:16). Sarah is the “mother” of all believing women who are

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calling him lord. You are her daughters, as long as you do well, and are not afraid with any terror.

and his ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against

7 Likewise, you husbands, live with them with understanding, giving honour to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

those who do evil.

13 And who is he who will harm you, if you are followers of what is good? 14 But even if you suffer for righteousness’ sake, blessed are you. And do not fear their dread, or be troubled, 15 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give an answer, with meekness and fear, to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, 16 having a good conscience, so that, although they slander you, as if you were evildoers, those who falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous one for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the body, but made alive by the Spirit. 19 By whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison,

8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind, having compassion on one another. Love as brothers, be merciful, be courteous. 9 Do not pay back evil for evil, or insult for insult, but, on the contrary, blessing. You know that you have been called to this, so that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For,

He who would love life,

and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking any deceit. 11 Let him avoid evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and follow after it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous,

submissive to their husbands. 3:7 Eph 5:25,28; Col 3:19. He is speaking to Christian husbands.

3:15 “Sanctify the Lord” – see the use of he word “sanctify” here. It means to set the Lord apart from everyone else to be the one we worship, adore, and obey. We must consciously, willingly, continuously make Him Lord in our hearts.

“Understanding” – husbands should understand their wives’ problems, desires and weakness, and honour them in spite of any of these.

“Always be ready” – Eph 5:15,16. We should know why we are believers in Christ and why we have our hope in heaven, and we should be able to tell others about it in a clear and convincing way. 3:16 “Conscience” – Acts 23:1; 24:16; 2 Cor 1:12; 1 Tim 1:5,19; 3:9. “Ashamed” – 2:15. 3:17 See 2:20; 4:15,16. 3:18 See 2:24. “Suffered” – 2:21; 4:1. “Once” – John 19:30; Heb 9:25-28; 10:10. “The righteous one” – Luke 23:47; Acts 3:14; 7:52; 22:14; 1 John 2:1. “Unrighteous” – this is what we all are by nature (Rom 1:29-32; 3:9-20,23). See the purpose of Christ’s sufferings for sinful men – to bring us to God. Compare Eph 2:13,18; Heb 10:19-22; John 14:6. “Put to death” – Matt 16:21; 27:50,5860; Mark 15:43-45; John 19:32-34; 1 Cor 15:3. “Made alive” – Matt 28:6; Rom 1:4. “Spirit” – God’s Spirit (John 14:16,17; Matt 3:16). 3:19-22 This passage is obscure and difficult. It seems that sometime between His death and ascension into heaven Christ went somewhere and proclaimed something to some spirits in prison. Peter does not tell us what he means by “spirits” or “prison” or by Christ’s going there. Some think Peter means that Christ’s Spirit was in Noah preaching to the people of that day, but this seems to ignore the wording of v 19. 3:19 Where did Christ go when He died? In

“Weaker” – women are physically weaker, not mentally (though they are different in the way they think and in emotional makeup). Their position is also weaker – they are the ones to submit and obey.

“Prayers. . .not hindered” – if a married couple want their prayers answered they must be very careful in the way they treat each other. God may well refuse the prayers of a man who behaves badly toward his wife, or the prayers of a wife who refuses to submit to her husband. 3:8,9 Rom 12:9-17; Eph 4:2,3,32; Phil 2:2,3; Col 3:12-14; Luke 6:28; John 13:34; 1 Thess 5:15. “Might inherit a blessing” – 1:3-5; Gal 3:14; Eph 1:3. In view of God’s blessings poured on us, and of the blessing that still awaits us in the future, we should be willing to bless others instead of seeking revenge. 3:10-12 Ps 34:12-16. If we do not live as God tells us to live in vs 8,9, He may cause us to see bad days instead of good days, and may turn away His ears from our prayers instead of answering them. 3:13 Rom 13:3. Unbelievers also can recognize and appreciate kind and compassionate behavior, blessing instead of cursing, doing good instead of evil. 3:14 But suffering for doing what is right is always a possibility in a world like this – 2:19,20; 4:12,13. If it happens to us we should remember the truth the Lord Jesus spoke in Matt 5:10-12.

“Do not fear” – Isa 8:12. Compare Matt 10:26,28,31; John 14:27.

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20 who in time past were disobedient, when once the patience of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved through the water. 21 The exact representation of this water now saves us, baptism, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection

of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

Therefore, since Christ has suffered for us in the body, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. For he who has suffered in the body has ceased from sin, 2 so that he no longer should

a statement of faith called “The Apostle’s Creed” these words appear: “He descended into hell.” Christ certainly did not descend into hell to endure punishment. All His sufferings were ended on the cross (John 19:30). But it seems He went to the unseen realm of the dead called, in Hebrew, “Sheol” (Eph 4:9; Ps 16:10).

us? Only if we think that the water of the flood saved Noah and his family should we think that baptism saves anyone.

For salvation and new life we first get into Christ, our “ark”, and only after we have salvation and new life should we go through the water of baptism. Compare Mark 16:16. If we are not already in Christ, and so saved, we should not be baptized. Baptism is only a picture of the death and resurrection of Christ and our union with Him. The Bible is very clear about what saves us:

“Preached” – Peter does not use the Greek word which means preaching the gospel (euvangelizo), but a word which means to proclaim something as a herald (kerusso).

God Himself saves us by His mercy – Titus 3:4,5 Jesus saves us – Matt 1:21; Rom 5:9,10 The blood of Christ saves us – Eph 1:7 The sacrifice of Christ saves us – Heb 10:10,14 We are saved by grace through faith – Eph 2:8,9; Acts 16:31; Rom 3:22-25; John 5:24; Heb 10:39

“Spirits” – Peter does not say the spirits of men, so it is not necessary to think they were people who died in the flood. In the Bible the word “spirits” sometimes refers to either demons or angels (Matt 8:16; Heb 1:14). “Prison” – the Bible does not tell us the departed spirits of men are in prison, but indicates that some angels are (2 Pet 2:4). So “spirits” here may possibly refer to fallen angels. 3:20 “Disobedient” – this was true of both angels and men before the flood (Jude 6,7; 2 Pet 2:4; Gen 6:2-7). “Eight” – Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives (Gen 6:10; 7:1).

We are saved by believing the gospel – 1 Cor 15:1-4; Acts 10:44-47 Peter says that the living hope we have is because of God’s great mercy in giving us the new birth – 1:3, and that the goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls – 1:9.

“Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh” – Peter says that this is what baptism is not. “Flesh” is the translation of a Greek word that means several things, including the physical body and the fallen nature in man. Baptism does not deal with either of these. It has to do with the inner person – “the pledge of a good conscience toward God” (compare Heb 9:14 where we see that what cleanses the conscience is the blood of Christ). Baptism is a public announcement that those receiving it mean to live as God wants them to live and not defile or silence their conscience any more. The outward ceremony of baptism can no more save a person than circumcision could save any Jew – see Rom 2:28,29. But the attitude of heart that baptism signifies is essential, that is, in faith submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Saved through the water” – compare with the first sentence of the next verse. Observe that in the same way that going through the water of the flood saved them, so going through the water of baptism saves believers now. In actual fact going through the water did not save them at all – being in the ark is what saved them. The ark going through the water of the flood delivered them from destruction and death by that water. 3:21 “Baptism” – notes at Matt 3:6,13-16; 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38. The waters of the flood are a picture of water baptism. The Greek word translated “exact representation” is used in the plural in Heb 9:24 (there translated “copies”). Just as the Holy Place in the tabernacle was an exact copy of the one in heaven, so the water of the flood is a copy or type or exact representation of baptism.

Notice that we are saved through “the resurrection of Jesus Christ” – compare Rom 4:25. 3:22 Acts 2:33; Eph 1:20,21; Phil 2:9-11; Heb 1:3. 4:1,2 Christ suffered to free us from sin (2:24; 3:18). We must be willing to suffer in our fight against sin. If we have this attitude it will be like a weapon in our warfare. Christ died to sin; believers should recognize their union with Christ and the fact that in Christ they too have died to sin. See Rom 6:5-13; Col 3:3. In the light of the

Now it is clear that Noah and his family were saved, not by being in the water, but by being in the ark. The ark symbolizes Christ (Gen 7:24). The water did not save them, but they were saved “through the water” (v 20). Heb 11:7 clearly states that they were saved by faith.

Since baptism is an exact representation of the flood waters, how can anyone think that the ceremony of baptism itself can save

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live the rest of his time in the body for the desires of men, but for the will of God. 3 For the time of life already past is enough for us to have performed the will of the Gentiles, going about in lustfulness, evil desires, excessive drinking, carousing, drunken parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 Now they think it strange that you do not rush with them into the same excessive reveling, and speak evil of you. 5 But they will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 Because for this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, so that they might be judged

according to men in the body, but live according to God in the spirit.

7 But the end of all things is at hand. Therefore be sober minded, and watch so you can pray. 8 And above all things have fervent love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without grudging. 10 As each one has received a ministry gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him do so like one speaking the utterances of God. If anyone ministers, let it be done with the ability

sufferings of Christ we should be finished with sin forever. We are to live not to fulfill our desires but to do God’s will (Rom 8:5,12; 12:1,2; Col 1:9; 4:12; 1 Thess 4:3; Heb 13:21). 4:3 Compare Titus 3:3; 1 Tim 1:13; Eph 2:1-3; 1 Cor 6:11. The gospel of Christ can reach people in the very depths of sin and change them forever. Observe that idolatrous religions and the life style described here can go hand in hand.

a mind that is healthy, kept from unreasonable or corrupting thoughts, a mind sound in every way. 4:8 “Love”–1:22; John 13:34; 15:12,17; 1 John 3:11,18; 4:8. Peter uses the Greek word for divine love. See 1 Cor 13:1.

“Covers” – we should try to understand what this means and does not mean. Peter is not speaking of church discipline, of a local church trying to cover sin which should be exposed and put away. Compare Matt 18:15-17; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Cor 5:1-5,12,13. Peter is showing how love works in personal relationships. See Prov 10:12. Love does not like to expose the sins of others. It does not want to bring shame and condemnation on anyone. It will do its best to turn everyone to God who alone can really cover sin (compare Ps 32:1,2; Rom 4:6-8; Jam 5:20).

“Abominable idolatries” – Deut 7:25; 12:31; 13:12-14; 17:2-5; 27:15; 29:17; 32:16. 4:4 The holy lives of believers who have left the old life are a rebuke and condemnation to those who remain in it. This partly accounts for the abuse and slander of the ungodly. See Matt 12:36; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Rom 2:16; 14:12; 2 Tim 4:1; Heb 4:13. 4:5 “Give an account” – Rom 14:12; etc. 4:6 This is another difficult and obscure verse. The meaning seems to be this: some who are now dead had the gospel preached to them while they were still alive on earth. The purpose for them, as for us who are still living, was the same – that they might have spiritual life and live “for the will of God” (v 2).

Peter may also be reminding believers that love will forgive and go on forgiving (1 Cor 13:5; Matt 18:21,22). He may mean too that if we have love, God covers a multitude of our sins (compare Luke 7:4750). He is certainly giving the nature of love wherever it is found. Divine love always seeks for a way to cover sins consistent with justice and holiness. Compare Gen 3:21; 9:21-23; Rev 3:18,19. Of course, love will never cover the sins of others if that will be harmful to them, or will be a reason for them to go on sinning. Love will always try to get those sinning to forsake their sins (compare Prov 28:13). Real love can never promote sin in any way. 4:9 Rom 12:13; 16:23; Heb 3:2; 3 John 8. This is one way love can be expressed. 4:10 “Gift” – Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:7-13.

Some teach that this verse means that the gospel was preached to men after they died, if they had not had a chance to hear it on earth. They link this verse with 3:19 and believe “spirits” there means the spirits of men who have died. However, there is no such teaching in any other book of the Bible, and we should not believe so important a teaching of men based, as it is, on obscure and doubtful phrases in a verse or two. If such a teaching is ever true, God has not revealed it to us, and all we know is what he has revealed – Deut 29:29. Others teach that the “dead” means dead in “transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1). This interpretation seems unlikely here. 4:7 “At hand” – Rom 13:12; 5:9; Rev 1:3; Jam 5:8; 2 Pet 3:8,9; Matt 24:36,42. At the time of the end of this age there will be great troubles and temptations, great deception (Matt 24:4-14,21-25). To stand true and firm for Christ prayer will be absolutely vital. See here two qualities needed for real prayer. Compare Luke 21:36; 22:40,46.

“To serve one another” – those who love use the abilities God gives to help others, not for personal advancement, money, fame, etc.

“As good stewards” – Matt 24:45-47; 1 Cor 4:1,2. 4:11 “Speaks” – refers to any kind of spoken ministry using the Bible. Those who do so should be conscious of standing in Christ’s place as His representative and ambassador, and speak the Word of God with authority.

“Ability which God gives” – it is very possible to try to serve with our own natural ability or strength. This will come to

“Sober minded” – the Greek indicates

563 1 PETER 5:1

that God gives, so that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

16 Yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God that this is his lot. 17 For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begins at us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?

12 Dear ones, do not be surprised at your fiery trial which is for your testing, as though some strange thing happened to you, 13 but rejoice because you are sharers of Christ’s sufferings, so that when his glory is revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. He is slandered by them, but glorified by you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a meddler in other men’s matters.

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as to a faithful Creator.

I urge the elders who are among you, I who also am an elder and a witness of the 5

the world.

nothing.

“House” – Gal 6:10; Eph 2:19. “Those who do not obey” – John 3:36; 2 Thess 1:8,9. Note at Acts 22:10. 4:18 Prov 11:31. “Scarcely be saved” – Mark 10:24. Why is it difficult for the righteous to be saved? Consider the following:

“God may be glorified” – the motive of all our service should be this. Those who speak or serve for their own glory are trying (perhaps unconsciously) to rob God of the praise that belongs to him. Compare Matt 6:2,5; 1 Cor 10:31. 4:12 “Surprised” – Christ and His apostles warned repeatedly that troubles and persecution would come (2:20,21; 4:1; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Rom 8:17; 2 Tim 3:12). “Fiery” – Peter is speaking of trial by “fire” – the process used in refining metals. See 1:7; Ps 66:10. God permits fiery troubles, or sends them to us to test and prove us. 4:13 “Rejoice” – Matt 5:11,12; Acts 5:41; Rom 5:3; Col 1:24; Jam 1:2. This is always God’s instruction to believers when they face trials. Our inner attitude toward them is extremely important. When suffering trials we must never grumble and complain, faint or be discouraged. We must trust God that He knows best how to deal with us for our good, and rejoice in the knowledge of Rom 8:28. Observe that enduring fiery trials is the same as having a part in the “sufferings of Christ” (2 Cor 1:5).

Their enemies are many and strong – 5:8; Eph 6:11,12. They are weak and have a sinful nature – Rom 6:19; 7:18; 8:26; Gal 5:16,17; 1 John 1:8. God’s law of sowing and reaping cannot be set aside for believers – Rom 2:6-8; Gal 6:7,8. God must make them righteous in their behavior. God’s standards are very high. He has laid down certain principles which must be fulfilled in His people.

They must not only enter the narrow gate but be kept on the narrow road (Matt 7:13,14). They must learn to refuse their own will and do God’s (Matt 7:21), and forsake all they have to follow Christ (Luke 14:33).

They must learn to follow holiness (John 10:27; Heb 12:6). They must be brought safely through fiery trials and much discipline (Heb 12:5-13). And they must be kept believing to the end (Heb 10:38,39).

“When his glory is revealed” – Titus 2:13. Then we shall have the rewards of our trials and sufferings (Rom 8:17,18; 2 Cor 4:17,18). 4:14 “Blessed” – see Luke 6:22. This is true only of those insults which come because we are believers in Christ, not those that come for other reasons.

But though the salvation of the righteous is difficult it is certain (1:5; John 6:39; 10:28; Rom 5:9,10). “Ungodly” – since the salvation of the righteous is so difficult, what hope is there for those who reject Christ and His narrow way and His will, and spurn holiness and faith? 4:19 “Commit” – 5:7; Ps 31:5; 37:5; Acts 20:32.

“Spirit of glory” – God’s Spirit comes from the glory of heaven and leads believers there. He now rests upon them (Acts 1:8; 1 John 2:20), and their patiently enduring sufferings and insults for Christ’s sake is proof of this. 4:15,16 See 2:19,20. “Let him not be ashamed” – compare Acts 5:41; Heb 11:26. Why should Christians suffer because they bear His name? That is the kind of world we live in (John 15:18-25; 16:1-4). The world is willingly in darkness and hates any spiritual light (John 3:19,20). 4:17 “Judgment” – 1 Cor 11:31,32; 2 Thess 1:5. God judges and disciplines believers so He will not have to condemn them with

“In well doing” – 2:12,15; 3:11; Rom 2:7; 2 Cor 5:10; 9:8; Gal 6:9,10; Eph 2:10; Col 1:10; 2 Tim 3:17; Titus 2:14. We must never let trials, insults, persecutions, or God’s discipline keep us from doing good to others. 5:1 “Elders” – Acts 14:23; 15:2; 20:17; 1 Tim 4:14; 5:17; Titus 1:5. “Witness”–Peter was one of the original apostles of Christ.

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sufferings of Christ, and also a sharer in the glory that will be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly; not for sordid gain, but with a ready mind; 3 not like lords over God’s inheritance, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that will not fade away.

hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that these same sufferings are being imposed on your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, make you perfect, make you stable, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

5 Likewise you young people, be submissive to older ones. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty

12 With the help of Silvanus, whom I regard

“Glory that will be revealed” – Rom 8:17,18. 5:2-4 Here we see that elders (Greek “presbuteros”) are to do the work of overseers (1 Tim 3:1, in Greek “episkopos”) – evidently Peter is equating the two terms. See the qualifications needed for elders or overseers in 1 Tim 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Christ is the Chief Shepherd and He has delegated to elders the work of looking after local churches – Acts 20:28. Christ has entrusted His people into their care and they will have to give an answer to Him as to what they have done. They should all feel very keenly their responsibility to be the kind of shepherds He wants them to be. Compare 2:21; Isa 56:10-11; Jer 3:15; 10:21; 12:10; 23:1-4; Ezek 34:2-10. “Sordid gain”–Matt 6:24; 1 Tim 6:810; Titus 1:7. “With a ready mind” – Titus 2:14. “Not like lords” – Matt 20:25-28. “Examples”–1 Cor 11:1; Phil 3:17; 2 Thess 3:7; 1 Tim 4:12; Titus 2:7. “Appears”–Matt 24:30; Titus 2:13; Heb 9:28; Rev 22:12. 5:4 “Crown” – Phil 4:1; 1 Thess 2:19; 2 Tim 2:5; 4:8; Jam 1:12. There will be glorious rewards for faithful elders.

5:7 Ps 55:22; Matt 6:33,34; Phil 4:6,7. “He cares for you” – Matt 6:30; Heb 2:6-8; Phil 4:19. God thinks about us, plans for us, is concerned for us as a Father for His children. To be anxious is to make ourselves miserable and to dishonor Him. Casting our cares on Him means to bring them to Him and trust Him to take them and work everything out for the best, resting in His goodness and wisdom and power. 5:8 “Sober” – The Greek means literally “sober”, but figuratively may mean “selfcontrolled” or “sober minded” or “alert” – not controlled by anything foreign to a true Christian walk. 1:13; 4:7; Prov 25:28; Gal 5:23; 1 Thess 5:6,8; 2 Pet 1:6.

“Vigilant” – Eph 6:18; 1 Thess 5:6. Satan can catch those who are spiritually asleep or self-indulgent. Note on “devil” at Matt 4:1. He has to “walk about” because he cannot (like God) be in every place at the same time. Though he comes like a lion, he is cowardly when facing faithful believers (James 4:7), and they can trample on him (Ps 91:13). 5:9 “Resist him” – Eph 6:10-18. Believers need never give in to any temptation or trick of Satan, if they will meet him with a firm trust in Christ (1 John 4:4; 1 Cor 10:13).

“Not fade away” – 1 Cor 9:25. 5:5 “Submissive” – 2:13,18; 3:1; 1 Cor 16:16; Eph 5:21; Jam 3:17; 4:7. “Humility” – Prov 11:2; 15:33; Zeph 2:3; Phil 2:3; Col 3:12; Titus 3:2; Jam 3:13; Matt 5:13; 11:29. One mark of humility is to think lowly of ourselves and to be willing for others to think lowly of us. The first of these is easier than the second.

“Same sufferings” – when we are tempted and tried we may think we alone are having to face such things. It is not so. All believers face similar trials. 5:10 “Grace” – John 1:14,16,17; Acts 15:11; 20:24,32; Rom 1:7; 3:24; 5:21; 2 Cor 8:9; 9:8; Eph 2:8-10. “Called” – 2:9; 3:9; Rom 1:6,7; 8:28-30; 11:29; Eph 4:1; Heb 3:1; 2 Pet 1:10. “Glory” – John 17:24; Rom 5:2; 8:17. “In Christ” – notes at Rom 6:3-8; Eph 1:1,3. “After you have suffered” – 1:6; 4:1,12. Sufferings, then glory was the way with Christ (1:11) and it is the way God has appointed for believers. See what God says He will do for us who are undergoing trials and sufferings. Compare Ps 66:12. He promises to bring us safely through them all and make us stronger than we were before. 5:12 “By the help of Silvanus” – compare

“Proud” – Jam 4:6. Do we want God to oppose us? Here is the way. Pride keeps us from getting God’s grace which He gives to the humble. It is the root cause of much failure and defeat in the Christian life. 5:6 James 4:10. “In due time” – he is still speaking to young men (v 5). Due time is not what they think is due time, but what God thinks. The young should not be restless and selfassertive but prove themselves in small matters (Luke 16:10) and wait on God to put them in the place He chooses in His way and time (Ps 75:6,7; 31:15).

565 1 PETER 5:14

as a faithful brother to you, I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

together with you, greets you, and so does my son Mark.

14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be with all of you that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

13 The church that is at Babylon, chosen

Rom 16:22; 1 Cor 1:1; 2 Cor 1:1; Phil 1:1; Col 1:1. Silvanus is the same person as Silas – Acts 15:22; 2 Cor 1:19.

was also at that time a military station in Egypt called Babylon. Many commentators think Peter meant Rome (compare Rev 17:5,18). There is a tradition that he wrote his first letter from there, but no proof. If he wrote from Rome the question comes, why would he not plainly say so?

“The true grace of God” – throughout this letter the grace of God has been one of his major themes – 1:2,10,13; 4:10; 5:5;10. Salvation comes by God’s grace alone, and that same grace will bring God’s saved people safely to glory at last. 5:13 “The church that is” – notice that the words “church that is” have been added. It could be translated “She who is” and could mean either the local church in Babylon or possibly Peter’s wife.

“Mark” – Acts 12:12,25; Col 4:10; 2 Tim 4:11. Peter considered Mark his spiritual son. Compare 1 Tim 1:2. 5:14 “Love” – divine love – agape – note at 1 Cor 13:1. “Kiss” – Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; etc. “Peace” – Luke 1:79; 2:14; John 14:27; Rom 1:7. There can never be real peace to anyone who is not “in Christ”.

“Babylon” – Gen 10:10; 2 Kings 17:24; Isa 13:1; Jeremiah chapters 50-52. There

The Second Letter of the Apostle

PETER

Author:

Peter one of the original apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Date:

Sometime about 67 AD.

Themes:

Peter knows that very shortly he will die (1:13-15). His purpose in writing was to remind believers of what they had already learned and to encourage them (1:13; 3:1), to warn them again about false teachers, and to urge them to go on growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus (3:18). “Knowledge” is a key thought of this letter, used 7 times. The words “know”, “knows”, “known”, and “knowing” are used another 7 times, and the word “ignorant” appears 3 times. All this indicates Peter’s conviction of the great importance of true knowledge in the Christian life.

Contents :

The way grace and peace come to believers ................................................... 1:2 What God has given believers and the reason for it ......................................... 1:3,4 How to make sure of our salvation, be fruitful in the

Christian life, and receive a rich welcome in heaven ................................ 1:5-11 The importance of remembering the truth ....................................................... 1:12-15 The apostles were eye-witnesses to Christ’s glory ........................................... 1:16-18 Prophecy in the Bible .................................................................................... 1:19-21

It is true and certain ................................................................................ 1:19 It should be the object of our study ........................................................... 1:19 It is a light in the darkness ........................................................................ 1:19 It cannot be understood without God’s help ................................................ 1:20 It was given by God Himself to the prophets ............................................... 1:21 False teachers and their end ......................................................................... 2:1-22

What they teach ..................................................................................... 2:1-3 God will punish evil men ............................................................................ 2:4-10 What these false teachers will be like ......................................................... 2:11-22 The Day of the Lord ..................................................................................... 3:1-18

Ignorant scoffers .................................................................................... 3:3-7 God views time differently than we do ....................................................... 3:8,9 A sudden event ....................................................................................... 3:10 How God’s people should live in the light of this truth ................................... 3:11-14 Peter’s word about Paul’s letters ............................................................... 3:15,16 Two exhortations: Be careful, and grow ..................................................... 3:17,18

567 2 PETER 1:6

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:

and virtue. 4 Through these, great and precious promises have been given to us, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through evil desire.

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 just as his divine power has given to us all things that we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who has called us by his glory

5 For this very reason, giving all your effort, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, 6 and to knowledge self-control, and to self-control patient endurance, and to patient

1:1 1 Pet 1:1. “Simon” – Matt 4:18; 10:2. “Servant” – Rom 1:1. Observe that Peter calls the Lord Jesus “our God and Saviour.” This is a more literal translation of the Greek and brings out the deity of Christ better than the KJV. The Greek phrase here is constructed exactly like the one in v 11 – “our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” On Christ’s deity see also Titus 2:13; Phil 2:6; Heb 1:3,8,10; John 20:28; etc. “Precious” – faith is of very great value indeed (1 Pet 1:7). Those who have faith have “obtained” or “received” it. In other words, faith in Christ is a gift of God (Acts 3:16; Eph 2:8; Phil 1:29). “Righteousness” – Rom 3:20-26. 1:2 Rom 1:7. “Be multiplied” – 1 Pet 1:2. Observe in what way grace and peace overflow to believers. Compare John 17:3. The better we know the Father and the Son the greater will be our peace, the more we will appreciate God’s grace. God wants us to know Him better that we might better receive and use His grace (3:18). Paul was always praying that believers might know God better – Eph 1:17; 3:19; 4:13; Phil 1:9,10; Col 1:9-12. 1:3 “His divine power” refers to the power of the Lord Jesus. He has divine power because He is God. For living the Christian life as it should be lived He has given us everything we need. Compare Eph 1:3. All resources of wisdom and power and holiness and strength are in Him, and He is in all believers (Rom 8:9,10; 2 Cor 13:5; Col 1:27; 2:3). “Godliness” – 1 Tim 2:2; 3:16; 4:8; 6:5,6,11; Titus 1:1. “Called” – 1 Pet 1:15; 2:9,21; 3:9; 5:10 (notes at Rom 1:6; 8:30). “Glory” – John 1:14; 17:5. “Virtue” – the Greek word is translated “praises” in 1 Pet 2:9. It means excellent qualities, worthy of praise. God is good, His character is praiseworthy – Ex 33:19; Neh 9:25; Ps 17:13; 31:19; 145:7; 1 Pet 2:3. 1:4 “Great and precious promises” – the New Testament, the whole Bible, is full of them.

believers in Christ do not become God. This is quite impossible for any man, any created being. But believers are united to Christ; they are in Him and He is in them, and God’s Spirit is in them (John 14:17; 17:20-23). In this sense they participate in the divine nature.

“Having escaped” – if we do not escape the world’s corruption we shall not escape the anger of God which comes on it (Matt 23:33; Rom 2:3; 1 Thess 5:3; 2 Tim 2:26; Heb 2:3; 12:25). And it is only by believing the promises of God that we can escape.

“Corruption” – Gen 6:11,12; Ps 14:3; Isa 1:4; Acts 2:40; Eph 4:22.

“Evil desire” – all the world’s corruption can be traced to man’s heart. See Jam 1:14,15; 4:1,2. We all need to obey Peter’s exhortation in 1 Pet 1:14 and 2:11. God’s very great and precious promises hold out a way of complete escape from corruption. Let us use them. 1:5-7 Because Christ has given us everything we need, we should lay hold of what He has given and make earnest efforts to grow in all the good qualities of the Christian life.

“Add” – he does not mean to wait until we have one good quality before trying to add another one. These qualities should all be added together as we grow in the spiritual life. How can we add them? By laying hold of God’s promises by faith, by self-examination, prayer and meditation on God’s Word, by simply putting His Word into practice – doing those things we know we should do, by “putting on” Christ and the new nature (Ps 1:1-3; Luke 11:28; Rom 13:14; 2 Cor 5:7; Eph 4:22-24; etc). 1:5 “Faith” – this is where we all must start. Without it, of course, we are not real Christians at all, and even if we could add the other qualities they would do us no permanent good – Heb 11:6; John 3:36.

“Virtue” – v 3. The Greek word suggests an excellent character, moral, upright, good.

“Knowledge” – v 2. This is something that cannot be added once and for all. Believers need a constant growth in knowledge – 3:18; Phil 3:10 – but we can begin to add it. 1:6 “Self-control” – this is a fruit of God’s Spirit (Gal 5:23). We “add” it by yielding to the Spirit and walking in the Spirit and using the strength the Spirit gives to bring our thoughts and desires and actions under control.

“Through them” – we must find these promises, believe them, meditate on them, use them to claim the things God has given us. Otherwise there cannot be the blessed results in our lives that God wants us to experience. It is by faith in God’s Word and His promises that we overcome sin, Satan and the world, and it is by faith that we walk with Christ and serve Him.

“Patient endurance” – means to persevere no matter what troubles and trials

“Partakers of the divine nature” –

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endurance godliness, 7 and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are in you, and are increasing, they will cause you to be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he who lacks these things is blind, and cannot see far off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

think it fitting, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by giving this reminder, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me. 15 Moreover, I will make an effort to see that you will always be able to keep these things in memory after my decease.

16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when such a voice as this came to him from the majestic glory: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven, when we were with him in the holy mountain.

10 Therefore, brethren, give even more effort to make your calling and election certain. For if you do these things, you will never fall. 11 For in this way an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will be richly provided to you.

12 Therefore I will not neglect to remind you always of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I

may come to us, and go on in the faith. This is not something we have by nature. We must learn to “add” it (Jam 1:2-4,12).

1:11 “Kingdom” – Matt 4:17; 5:3,10; 6:10,33; 7:21; 25:34; 1 Thess 2:12; 2 Tim 4:1,18; Heb 12:28. Christ will give a rich welcome to those believers who have eagerly added the qualities of vs 5-7. It may not be the same for those who have failed to add them. Compare Matt 5:19; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12. 1:12 “Remind” – Rom 15:15; 1 Cor 15:1; 2 Tim 1:6; 2:14. There is a continual need for believers to remember the truths God has revealed. Forgetting is all too possible, and it will have very harmful results. See Deut 8:1-5; etc.

“Godliness” – v 3; 3:11. The word means piety and devotion to God put into action. 1:7 “Brotherly kindness” – Rom 12:10; 1 Thess 4:9; Heb 13:1; 1 Pet 1:22. This is love of fellow believers expressed in action, tender affection.

“Love” – divine love which God puts into the hearts of His believers (“agape” – note at 1 Cor 13:1). 1:8 “Increasing” – 3:18; Gal 5:22,23; Eph 4:12-15; Phil 3:12-14.

“Neither barren or unfruitful” – we may not wish to be useless and unproductive in our Christian lives, but we will be just that – if we do not add the above qualities to our lives. 1:9 “Blind. . .far off” – blind, that is, to certain spiritual truths, to many wonderful things he could see if his eyes were opened. See Paul’s prayer in Eph 1:18,19. Those who can’t see far off are not totally blind. They can see the things of this world, things that are all around them, but they lack the kind of sight Paul speaks of in 2 Cor 4:18.

“Established” – Col 1:23; Luke 21:19; 1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 1:21,24. 1:13 “Tabernacle” – or “tent” – 2 Cor 5:1,4. 1:14 In other words, Peter was expecting to die soon. See John 21:18,19. Compare 2 Tim 4:6. Then Peter was not expecting the return of Christ in his lifetime. 1:15 “Effort” – he was making part of that effort then, but he probably means he will write more fully on the above matters and send it to them. 1:16 “We” – himself and the other apostles. They were with Jesus throughout His ministry and saw His supernatural power on many occasions.

“Forgotten” – if he kept in memory what cleansing from sin meant he would realize that God had called him to a high and holy life and would be adding the good qualities of vs 5-7. 1:10 “God’s calling and election” – Peter means God’s choosing them for salvation and calling them to it. In the way the word “election” is used in the Bible God’s people are chosen by only one vote – God’s – and this vote was cast before the world was created (Eph 1:4; 1 Peter 1:2). See notes at John 6:37; Rom 1:6; 8:28-30; Eph 1:4-6. How do we make sure God has chosen and called us? One way is by adding the good qualities of vs 5-7. If we do not add them we might well doubt whether we know anything about the salvation God gives.

“Cunningly devised fables” – compare 2:3; 1 Tim 1:4; 4:7. “Eyewitnesses” – John 15:27; Acts 1:3. They knew exactly what He did and what He said. There was no room for doubt whatever.

“His majesty” – John 1:14. Here Peter may be speaking of a particular event – the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus. See Matt 17:1,2. 1:17 See Matt 17:5. The voice came out of heaven, God’s dwelling place. 1:18 Matt 17:6. Peter is not reporting something he heard from someone else. He was there. He saw that Jesus was transfigured. He heard the voice from heaven. This is one factor that made the witness of the original apostles so powerful. Compare Acts 1:8; 2:32; etc.

“Fall” – by adding those good qualities we become more sure that God has chosen us, our confidence in Him grows, and with it our strength to stand also grows.

“Holy” – the mountain became holy

569 2 PETER 2:3

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy. And you do well to take heed to it, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the day star arises in your hearts. 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For prophecy did not come in olden times by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

But there were false prophets also among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways. Because of them the way of truth will be slandered. 3 And because of greed they will make merchandise of you with fabricated teachings. Their

because God set it apart for that event. Note at Lev 20:7. 1:19 “Prophecy” – he means the writings of the Old Testament prophets. Note at Gen 20:7. They too spoke of the “power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v 16; Ps 2:8,9; 96:13; 98:9; Isa 2:12-19; 13:9-11; 26:21; 62:11; 63:1-6; Dan 7:13,14; Zech 14:3-5; etc). The transfiguration of Jesus confirmed their prophecies, made believers even more certain that they would be fulfilled. The word of the prophets is a light which God has given believers (compare Ps 119:105; Prov 6:23). It shows us where we are and where we are going. It helps us to walk without stumbling and falling.

truths we need to know. 2:1 “False prophets” – Deut 13:1-5; 18:2022; 1 Kings 18:19-40; 22:6,7; Isa 9:15; Jer 2:8; 5:31; 14:14; 28:1-9; Ezek 13:2-7.

“Among you” – Matt 7:15; 24:11; Acts 20:29,30; Rom 16:17,18; Gal 1:7; Phil 3:18; 1 Tim 4:1,2; 2 Tim 4:3; Jam 4:1. Satan will not give up a method which has proved so successful through the centuries. He himself was the first false prophet on earth. See Gen 3:4; John 8:44.

“Secretly” – 2 Cor 11:13-15; Gal 2:4; Jude 4. Very cleverly they try to gain the confidence of Christians before introducing their false teachings. They mix truth with error so the false is more appealing and attractive. Many of them are pastors and teachers and professors and bishops accepted by churches and denominations.

“Dark place” – Ps 82:5; Prov 4:19; John 1:5; 3:19; Rom 1:21; Eph 4:18; 6:12; 1 John 2:11. “Day dawns” – the appearing of the Lord Jesus. Then the long night of earth’s sin and darkness will be over – Rom 13:12; Isa 60:1-3.

“Destructive” – false teachings destroy the souls of individuals and whole churches. Religious lies are very deadly. Satan’s first one (Gen 3:4) plunged mankind into ruin. His followers keep many people there.

“Day star” – or “morning star” – Rev 22:16. In this verse Peter is urging us to study the Old Testament prophets and observe carefully what they say. 1:20 “Scripture” – he is referring to the Old Testament. The prophets did not write down their own interpretation of what they saw, and we will not be able to interpret what they wrote with our unaided reason. False prophets are just the opposite. They both prophesy and interpret prophecy out of their own hearts and imaginations – Jer 14:14; 23:16; Ezek 13:3. The prophecies of Scripture came from God and God’s help is necessary to understand them. 1:21 “By the will of man” – he means prophecy uttered by God’s prophets and recorded in the Old Testament. The prophets did not of themselves decide to speak or to write something or other. Their prophecies came from heaven. Compare Jer 1:9. They could truthfully say, “Hear the word of the Lord”, or “Thus says the Lord” (Isa 1:2,10,11; Jer 2:4; Ezek 3:16,17; etc) because it was absolutely true. God gave them the very words they should say. They were instruments in the hands of God’s Spirit to declare God’s truth. See Matt 4:4; 5:17,18; Mark 12:46; John 10:35; Acts 4:25; 1 Cor 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16; Heb 1:5-13; 1 Pet 1:11. If we neglect the Bible we are neglecting the Word of the living God. If we are ignorant of prophecy, we are ignorant of what God will yet do on this earth, and many other

“Denying the Lord who bought them” – Matt 20:28; 1 Cor 7:23; Gal 3:13; Rev 5:9. Christ gave Himself “a ransom for all men” and this includes false teachers. See 1 Tim 2:6. He paid a sufficient price to save everyone if everyone will repent and believe the gospel. False teachers deny Christ. This may mean they deny His deity or that they deny the necessity of His sacrifice. But they will call themselves Christians, and their denials may be subtle and sly (compare Rom 16:18).

“Bring upon themselves” – Phil 3:19. False teachers are inviting disaster. They are provoking God to destroy them. Their behavior cries out for judgment. They will be fully responsible for what happens to them. 2:2 “Many will follow” – Matt 24:11; Phil 3:18. “The way of truth will be slandered” – those who profess to walk in Christ’s way when actually they do not, cause people to think that the way of Christ is not good. They dishonor the gospel they say they believe. 2:3 “Greed” – v 15; Rom 16:18; Phil 3:19; 1 Tim 6:5,10. Their religious activity is not for God or for others, but for their own gain.

“Make merchandise of you” – they care nothing for God’s people, or for the church. Like Judas they would sell anyone for money.

“Fabricated teachings” – 1 Tim 4:1,2,7; 6:20,21; 2 Tim 4:3,4. The clear teachings of the Word of God is not to the liking of such

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condemnation uttered long ago now does not delay, and their damnation does not slumber.

deliver the godly out of temptations, and to keep the unrighteous for the day of judgment to be punished, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise authority. They are arrogant and self-willed, and are not afraid to speak evil of honored ones. 11 Whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring abusive accusations against them before the Lord.

4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be kept for judgment; 5 and did not spare the old world, but saved Noah one of eight, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and if he turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes and condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example to those who afterwards would live ungodly lives, 7 and delivered righteous Lot, troubled with the filthy behavior of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man living among them, in seeing and hearing them, had his righteous soul pained day after day with their unlawful deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to

12 But these people, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand. And they will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the consequences of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, delighting themselves with their own deceitfulness while they

people, so they make up their own teachings.

the godly believe in Him and follow Him. The unrighteous reject Him (though, some of them may say they believe in Him), and their lives reveal that they do not truly believe in Him.

“Condemnation” – God has already condemned them and will deal with them at the proper time. 2:4 This is the first of three examples Peter gives to show that God is well able to punish those who will not walk in His truth.

“Deliver. . .out of temptations” – 1 Cor 10:13; Rom 8:35-39. “Day of judgment” – Acts 17:31. “To be punished” – though the day of final judgment has not come, the unrighteous who have died are now being punished (Luke 16:22-25). This will continue until the day of judgment, and afterwards. 2:10 “Walk according to the flesh” – see Rom 7:5; 8:4-8.

“Angels who sinned” – Jude 6. Notes at Gen 6:1-5; 16:7; etc. Compare Rev 12:4,7,8. Sometime in the past some of the angels in heaven revolted against God and were cast out. Since God did not spare them, we may be sure He will not spare false teachers.

“Hell” – the original has “Tartarus”, a Greek word indicating a place of punishment.

“Lust of uncleanness” – Matt 15:19; Rom 1:24; Eph 4:19,22. “Despise authority” – that is, despise any authority anyone tries to exercise over them. This often goes along with greed and immorality. Under the power of these things men reject all authority, God’s or man’s, that would interfere with them in their wickedness. They reject the Lordship of Christ. The more they follow their corrupt desires the more bold and arrogant they become.

“Chains of darkness” – compare v 17; Matt 25:30.

“Judgment” – 1 Cor 6:2,3. 2:5 Gen 6:5-8,11-13,18; 7:11,12,23. “Noah. . .a preacher” – this is the only place in the Bible where Noah is called a preacher. He was a righteous man (Gen 6:9) and preached righteousness to the people of his day, but they refused to listen. His ministry went on for many years without a single convert. Since God did not spare the whole of mankind except for eight persons, we may be sure He will not spare false teachers. 2:6-8 See Gen 19:1-29. How then will false teachers escape?

“Honored ones” – or “heavenly beings” – such people are contemptuous of the unseen world. To them this world is everything. 2:11 Compare Jude 9. 2:12 Eph 4:18; Jude 10. They are not humble enough to admit they are ignorant of anything. In their arrogance they speak evil of glorious truth beyond their understanding.

“An example” – Jude 7; Mal 4:1; Matt 3:10,12; 25:41. “Righteous Lot” – Gen 18:23. From this verse we understand that Lot had believed God, and that God had counted him righteous (compare Gen 15:6), though we have no record of this in the Bible. Peter gives us further information about Lot’s inner experiences as he lived in Sodom. His words show us what goes on in a righteous man’s heart when he sees the sins of the world. 2:9 As in all former eras, so now mankind is divided into two groups – the “godly” and the “unrighteous”. In the Bible the “godly” are those who have faith in the one true and living God and are devoted to Him. The Lord Jesus Christ is His one incarnation, and so

“Brute beasts” – Ps 49:12,20; 57:4; 74:19. Such people have no more spiritual understanding than animals. The satisfaction of bodily desire is all they want. They may pride themselves on their ability to reason, but behave as if they had none. 2:13 “Consequences of unrighteousness” – Gal 6:7,8; 2 Thess 1:6.

“Daytime” – the nights are not enough for them to satisfy their corrupt desires. They have no shame and do not try to hide their sins.

“Feast with you” – Acts 2:42; Jude 12; note at 1 Cor 11:20-22.

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feast with you. 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, they entice unstable souls. They have a heart exercised with greedy practices. They are cursed children 15 who have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness 16 (and was rebuked for his wickedness. The dumb donkey speaking with man’s voice prohibited the madness of the prophet).

whatever overcomes a man that same thing brings him into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, their latter end is worse than their beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy command delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog has turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

17 These people are wells without water, clouds that are carried about by a storm. The blackness of darkness is reserved for them for ever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much shamelessness, those who had completely escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the slaves of corruption. For

This second epistle, dearly loved ones, I

am now writing to you. In both of them I would stir up your pure minds by way of reminder, 2 so that you may remember the words

2:14 They look at every attractive woman with lust and think how they might seduce her. They sin continually in thought, desire and deed. Compare Matt 5:28-30.

sins and still be saved (Jude 4; Gal 5:13), ignoring the teachings of God’s Word on this (1 Cor 6:9,10; Gal 5:21,24).

“Slaves” – John 8:34,35; Rom 6:16. Slaves to money and to lust sometimes stand and preach freedom to others – the freedom to be enslaved as they are. 2:20 “Escaped. . .through the knowledge of the Lord” – such people may have much knowledge of Christ, may even know Him as Judas did. Notice the word “if” and compare Heb 6:4-6; 10:26,27. People may know a great deal about Christ, may decide to turn over a new leaf and turn away from the corruption in the world. This does not necessarily mean they have received a new spiritual life and a new nature by God’s Spirit.

“Greedy” – v 3. They are utterly selfish, totally inconsiderate of others.

“Cursed” – 1 Cor 16:22; Gal 1:8,9; Heb 6:8; Gen 4:11; Deut 16:22; Gal 1:8,9; Heb 6:8; Gen 4:11; Deut 11:26-28; Prov 3:33; Isa 24:6. 2:15 “Forsaken the right way” – 1 John 2:19. “Balaam” – Jude 11. His story is found in Numbers chapters 22-25. See notes on Num 22:1-7,19. False teachers and false prophets are for hire. They go after money or other worldly advantages, and are willing to teach what people want to hear. 2:16 Num 22:28-31. “Madness” – it is madness for anyone to think he can hide his motives and intentions from God, and to be determined to take one’s own way instead of His. 2:17 “Wells without water” – compare 2 Tim 3:5. They appear promising on the outside but are empty of spiritual life. They profess to belong to God but are without God’s Spirit. On “water” see John 4:13,14; 7:38,39.

“Worse than their beginning” – compare Matt 12:43-45. 2:21 Christ’s way is the way of righteousness, a straight and narrow way (2:2,15; Matt 5:20; 7:13,14; Isa 35:8; Ps 15:15). It is very possible to know this way and turn back from it.

“Holy command” – Matt 4:17,19; Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47; Acts 17:30. The gospel message is like God’s holy command to man. 2:22 The first proverb is found in Prov 26:11, the origin of the second is unknown. True believers are “sheep” (John 10:27), not dogs or pigs. Sheep neither return to their vomit nor wallow in the mud. It is possible for Christ’s people to fall into sin (Jam 3:2; 1 John 2:1; Gal 2:11-13; 5:17), but they do not stay wallowing in it (Prov 24:16; 1 John 3:9). Peter gives a clear picture of those who for some reason or other become religious and leave behind for a while their former corrupt and immoral practices. But soon their real nature reasserts itself and they return to them. A washed pig will always be a pig and not anything else. 3:1 “Reminder” – 1:12-15. 3:2 “Prophets” – 1:19-21. “Command” – 2:21. Again he

“Clouds. . .carried about” – Jude 12. See Eph 4:14.

“Darkness” – they choose darkness here on earth (John 3:19,20); they will have darkness forever (Matt 8:12; 22:13; Jude 13). 2:18 “Swelling words of vanity” – the ungodly are often great boasters – Ps 52:1; 75:4; 94:4; Rom 1:30; Gal 6:13; 2 Tim 3:2; Jam 3:5. They who have least to boast about are often the most boastful.

“Escaped from them” – these evil teachers want to regain control over those who show an interest in the gospel, or who are new Christians, and try to corrupt them. 2:19 “Promise them liberty” – the only socalled liberty they know is the freedom to do what their sinful natures desire. They pervert the grace of God and seemingly believe that Christians may go on in their

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which were spoken beforehand by the holy prophets, and the command of the Lord and Saviour through us, the apostles.

thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some men count slowness, but is patient toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

3 First understand this: in the last days there will come scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 5 For they are willingly ignorant of the fact that long ago by the word of God the heavens existed, and the earth stood out of the water and in the water, 6 and that the world that then existed was covered with water and perished. 7 But by that same word the heavens and the earth which now exist are reserved for fire, kept until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. In that day the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fiery heat. The earth also and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Since then all these things will be dissolved, what kind of people you ought to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 as you look for and speed the coming of the day of God, in which the heavens will be on fire and dissolve, and the elements will melt with fiery heat! 13 Nevertheless, in accordance with his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell.

8 But, dearly loved ones, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is like a

emphasizes the importance of both the Old and New Testaments to the understanding and growth of believers. 3:3 “Scoffers” – 2:12; 2 Chron 36:16; Ps 1:1; Ps 73:8; 74:22; Prov 14:9; 15:12; 19:29; 21:24; Isa 28:14; Acts 13:41; Jude 18. Some men ignorantly sneer at the well-founded beliefs of Christians. It is easier to scoff than to examine the evidence and renounce evil desires. 3:4 “His coming” – Matt 24:3,30; John 14:3. These scoffers will assume that because Jesus has not returned for a long time He will not return at all. 3:5 “Are willingly ignorant” – they wish to follow their evil desires and do not want to keep in mind anything that might interfere with that. Their beliefs are not based on the facts, but on what they want to be true. Compare Rom 1:28. Their ignorance of God’s truth and unbelief are intentional, deliberate.

Isa 2:12; 13:6-13; Joel 2:1,2,30,31; Zeph 1:14-18; Acts 2:20; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Thess 2:2. In the Bible the word “day” does not necessarily mean one single literal day. See Gen 2:4; John 9:4; Isa 34:8; 1 Thess 5:5,8. The “day” of salvation (2 Cor 6:2) has continued from Paul’s day to ours, nearly two thousand years. The period of time for the “day” of the Lord may be a thousand years or more, beginning with the return of Christ and ending with the final judgment of Rev 20:11-15.

“Like a thief” – 1 Thess 5:1-3; Rev 3:3; 16:15. “Fire” – v 7. Peter does not give us a schedule of future events. His language does not rule out the possibility that Christ will return and reign for a thousand years before the final judgment of men and the complete destruction of the heavens and earth (Rev 20:1-6). There will be fiery punishment both before and after that thousand years – 2 Thess 1:7; Isa 24:613; 29:6; 30:30; Rev 16:8,9; 20:9,14,15. 3:11 “What kind” – is it reasonable to live for the things of a world which is heading for destruction? Compare 1 John 2:15-17.

“By the Word of God” – Gen 1:1-3,6,9, etc; Ps 33:6. 3:6 See 2:5. 3:7 “Word” – Heb 1:3. “Fire” – v 12; Isa 66:15,16; Nahum 1:56; Mal 4:1; Rev 20:9. When will the heavens and earth be destroyed by fire? At the time of the judgment of the unsaved, not before (see Rev 20:11-15). Compare Matt 19:28; Acts 3:21; Rom 8:19-21. 3:8,9 To men it seems a long time since Christ promised to return. But God does not experience time as we do, and to Him it is like two days, or less. See Ps 90:4 and note. If He waits 2000 years (or more) in our reckoning before sending Christ again, He has a very good purpose in mind. He is at work bringing men to repentance and waiting until He knows He should wait no more. Compare Gen 6:3.

“Holy conduct and godliness” – Titus 2:11-14; 1 Pet 1:15; 1 John 1:6. 3:12 “Day of God” – v 10; 1 Cor 1:8; 3:13; 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 1:6. How can believers speed its coming, that is, cause that day to come more quickly? By doing what the Lord Jesus told us to do. He has instructed us to pray for His Kingdom to come (Matt 6:10), and to take His gospel to all the various peoples on earth (Matt 28:19; Mark 16:15). When His Church has completed this task the end of this age will come (Matt 24:14). 3:13 “New heavens and a new earth” – Isa 65:17; Rev 21:1. “Where righteousness dwells” – Rev 21:27; 22:14;15; Ps 15:1-5; 89:14; 118:19; Isa 11:4,5; 1 Cor 6:9,10. It will be the exact opposite of this world where true righteousness, God’s righteousness, is

“Not willing that any should perish” – Ezek 18:32; 1 Tim 2:4; John 3:16. God wants every human being to come to repentance – Acts 17:30. “Repentance” – Matt 3:2; etc. 3:10 “The Day of the Lord” – notes at

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14 Therefore, dearly loved ones, since you look for such things, make every effort to be found by him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And consider that the patience of our Lord is salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also according to the wisdom given to him has written to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things. In them some things are hard to understand. Those who are ignorant

and unstable twist these things, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 Therefore, dearly loved ones, seeing that you know these things beforehand, be careful that you also are not led away by the error of the wicked, and fall from your own firm position. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

“Other Scriptures” – observe that Peter places what Paul wrote to them on a par with the Scriptures (which Peter accepted as inspired by the Holy Spirit – 1:21,22).

despised and persecuted. 3:14 Dan 12:10; 1 Cor 1:8; Eph 1:4; 4:3; 5:27; Phil 1:10; 2:15; 1 Thess 5:23; Heb 12:14. If we live as He has told us, we can look forward to His coming with joy and confidence. 3:15 “Patience” – v 9. “Paul” – he wrote of God’s patience in Rom 2:4; 3:25,26; 9:22,23; 10:21. Peter may be referring to that letter. 3:16 “Hard to understand” – there are difficult matters and difficult language in some of Paul’s letters (for example, parts of Romans). Without much study and, above all, the enlightenment and wisdom God’s Spirit gives, we shall not understand them.

“To their own destruction” – 2:1,3; 2 Thess 2:10. We must be extremely careful how we treat God’s revelation. If we twist and pervert His teachings and do what we wish we cannot escape His condemnation. 3:17 “Be careful” – or “be on your guard” – Matt 10:17; 16:6; Mark 13:9,23,33; Acts 20:31; 1 Cor 16:13. “Wicked” – or “lawless” – 2:7,8; 2 Thess 2:3,7-9; 1 John 3:4; Jude 4; 1 Cor 9:21; Jam 2:8. “Fall” – 1:10; 1 Cor 10:12. 3:18 “Grow” – Eph 4:12-15; 1 Pet 2:2. “Grace” – see in Titus 2:11-14 what grace teaches us and what we are to grow in. This is the grace of Christ, and growing in it will be growing more like Him.

“Ignorant” – this seems a better translation than “unlearned.” It is not a lack of education that causes people to “twist” the Scriptures, but ignorance of God and ignorance of how God’s Word should be studied and understood.

“Knowledge” – Eph 1:17; 3:18,19; Phil 3:10; Col 1:9; 2:2. To know Christ better and to be more like Him – this must be the great aim of every believer.

“Unstable” – 2:14; Jam 1:8 – not firm in the truth (Col 1:23; 4:12; 1 Thess 3:8; 2 Thess 2:15; 1 Pet 5:9,10). “Twist” – or “distort” – Acts 20:30; 2 Cor 4:2; Gal 1:7; Jer 23:36. How the writings of Paul (and indeed, the whole Bible) have suffered at the hands of such people – many of them highly educated people.

“To him be glory” – Peter knows glory belongs to Christ. Only God is worthy of this glory. Isa 42:8; Rom 11:36; 16:27. Christ is worthy of it because He is the incarnation of God.

The First Letter of the Apostle

JOHN

Author:

John one of the original apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Date:

Probably sometime between 85 and 95 AD.

Themes:

This letter is written to all those who, by God’s grace, have received new spiritual birth in Christ. They are God’s dearly loved children (2:1,12,13,18,28; 3:7; 4:4; 5:21). They are members of the family and household of God, and John writes that they should behave in a way worthy of this great truth. That is, they should live in fellowship with God and with each other (1:3-7), confess any sin they might be guilty of and obtain forgiveness (1:8 - 2:2), obey the commands of God the Father (2:3-7), and love one another (3:11-20). Three key words of this letter are “life” (1:1,2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11,12,13,20), “light” (1:5,7; 2:8,9,10), and “love” (3:11-18; 4:7-12). Another key word is ”know” (2:3,5; 4:6,7; 5:13,18), and an important theme is assurance – how we can know we have really been born into God’s family.

Contents:

What John proclaimed and why ..................................................................... 1:1-4 Walking in God’s light, the results of this ......................................................... 1:5 - 2:11

Fellowship with God and fellow believers..................................................... 1:6,7 Cleansing from sin ................................................................................... 1:7 Understanding our sinfulness,

confessing sin and being forgiven ......................................................... 1:9 The possibility of not sinning ..................................................................... 2:1 Provision for believers who do sin .............................................................. 2:1 The one and only one basis for forgiveness ................................................ 2:2 Obedience to God’s commands, knowing that we know Him........................... 2:3-6 Brotherly love ......................................................................................... 2:7-11 Why John wrote .......................................................................................... 2:12-14 The believer and this world ........................................................................... 2:15-17 Warning about antichrists ............................................................................. 2:18-27 God’s children .............................................................................................. 2:28 - 3:10

They do what is right ............................................................................... 2:29; 3:10 They have new spiritual birth from God ...................................................... 2:29 They are greatly loved by God .................................................................. 3:1 The world does not understand them ......................................................... 3:1 They will be like Christ when He returns ...................................................... 3:2 They purify themselves ............................................................................ 3:3 They know that Christ is sinless and

that He died for their sins ..................................................................... 3:4,5 They are changed people and do not remain in sin ....................................... 3:6-10 The command to love one another ................................................................. 3:11-24

Loving is the evidence of the new birth ...................................................... 3:14 Love is proved by deeds, not by words ...................................................... 3:16-18 Love gives great confidence toward God .................................................... 3:19-24 Testing the spirits ......................................................................................... 4:1-6 Love described ............................................................................................ 4:7 - 5:3

Real love comes from God......................................................................... 4:7

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A person without love does not know God .................................................. 4:8 How God showed His love ......................................................................... 4:9,10 We should love as God loved .................................................................... 4:11,12 God’s Spirit gives us God’s love .................................................................. 4:13-16 Love gives confidence, removes fear ......................................................... 4:17-19 Loving others is the proof we love God....................................................... 4:20,21 Love obeys God’s commands ..................................................................... 5:2,3 Faith is the victory........................................................................................ 5:4,5 How to know we have eternal life .................................................................. 5:6-15

A great promise concerning prayer ............................................................ 5:14,15 The sin that leads to death ........................................................................... 5:16,17 Things believers can know ............................................................................. 5:18-20 The true knowledge of God rejects all idolatry ................................................. 5:21

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That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked on, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life 2 (for the life was revealed, and we have seen, and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was revealed to us), 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our

fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we write these things to you, so that your joy may be full.

5 This then is the message we have heard from him, and declare to you: God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus

1:1 “Beginning” – Gen 1:1; John 1:1. “We” – John speaks of all the original disciples of Christ. When Jesus was on earth they knew Him personally, heard what He taught and saw what He did. Compare 2 Pet 1:16; John 15:27; Acts 4:20. “Handled” – see Luke 24:39; John 20:27. This was after Christ’s resurrection.

mean complete joy. 1:5 “God is light” – not physical light, of course, but spiritual light. In the New Testament darkness signifies sin and ignorance of spiritual things; light signifies holiness and truth – Matt 4:16; Luke 2:32; John 1:4,5; 3:19,20; 8:12; 11:10; 12:36,46; Acts 26:18; Rom 13:12; 2 Cor 4:4,6; Eph 5:8,9,13,14; 1 Tim 6:16. “No darkness at all” – there is much evil in the world, but there is none whatever in God. He did not create it and He does not approve of it in any form. He is absolutely holy and gloriously pure (Lev 20:7; Isa 6:3). 1:6 “If we say” – it is impossible to have fellowship with holiness and truth while living in sin and error. Choosing sin is the same as rejecting God, and if we reject Him how can we share with Him in anything? See 2 Cor 6:14. The sad fact is that there are many who claim to know God who do not know Him, and they prove they do not know Him by their manner of life (Titus 1:16).

“Word of life” – Christ Himself is the Word, God’s fullest revelation to mankind. And He is eternal life (5:20; John 1:4; 5:26; 14:6), and He came to bring eternal life to people (John 10:10; 6:51). The words He spoke were also “life” (John 6:63). And His gospel produces spiritual life (Rom 5:21; 6:23). 1:2 “Was revealed” – eternal life appeared when Christ appeared (John 1:14; 2 Tim 1:10). “Eternal life” – 5:11,12; John 3:16. “With the Father” – John 1:2; 17:5. Christ was not the Father, but is with the Father in the one Godhead. See notes at John 17:1,5; 1 Cor 8:5,6; 2 John 3. 1:3 “We have seen” – this is the third time in three verses he says this. He is saying very emphatically that he and the other apostles did not pass along information gathered from others, or stories they had invented. They knew exactly what they were talking about because they personally had seen and heard Jesus.

“Lying” – such people are either deceived or trying to deceive others. In either case their claim is utterly false.

“Not practicing the truth” – simply hearing the truth or studying the truth is not enough. We must put the truth into practice in our lives. 1:7 What does it mean to walk in the light? John shows what it means in the rest of this letter. It is the opposite of walking in the darkness of sin, ignorance and error. It means to renounce sin and all that is contrary to God’s Word, and to put into practice what His Word tells us. It is to be open toward God, trying to hide nothing of what we are and do. If we would walk in the light we must first have the light. It is the work of God to bring us into it – 2 Cor 4:6; 1 Pet 2:9; Col 1:12,13. Being in the kingdom of light we are responsible to behave accordingly (2:6).

“Fellowship” – Acts 2:42; 1 Cor 1:9; 2 Cor 13:14; Phil 3:10. The Greek word means sharing together. John had good reasons for proclaiming the truth of Christ. This is one. Others appears in v 4; 2:1; 12-14,21; 5:13. “With the Father. . .with his Son” – John distinguishes between these two persons of the Godhead (notes on the Trinity at Matt 3:16,17; etc), but they are so united that to have fellowship with the one is to have fellowship with the other also. Other references on Christ’s deity at Phil 2:6; Luke 2:11. Fellowship with God means to know Him (John 17:3), to share in His joy, His peace, His thoughts, His work on earth. Only believers in Christ know God, and have fellowship with God. No one else has true enlightenment or spiritual life (5:11,12). 1:4 “Joy” – Luke 2:10; John 15:11; 16:22,24; 17:13; Rom 14:17; Gal 5:22. Joy is the result of truth received into the heart and practiced in the life. So John writes the truth to them which he had learned from Christ. Complete knowledge of the truth of Christ and complete obedience to it will

“Fellowship” – true Christian fellowship can exist only when believers are walking in the light. Sin and error will kill fellowship.

“The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin” – believers sometimes sin in thought, word, or deed (2:1; Jam 3:2; Gal 2:11-13; 5:17; Rom 7:18; 1 Kings 8:46; etc). If they walk in the light God will forgive their sins, cleanse them away, and blot them out as if they had never existed. He does this on the basis of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross (2:2). This process goes on continually (the

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Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

sinned, we make him a liar, and his Word is not in us.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not

My little children, I write these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 2

Greek verb is in the present continuous tense – “goes on cleansing”). 1:8 If Christ’s blood cleanses us from every sin, does this mean we are sinless? Not at all. Lest anyone should mistakenly think so John immediately makes the point clear. No human being on earth, no believer is sinless, not even the holiest. Paul, the great and holy apostle, spoke of sin living in him (Rom 7:17). See also Matt 7:11; Rom 7:14-25; Gal 5:16,17; 1 Tim 1:15; Jam 3:2. None of us in this life ever gets beyond the need of confessing sin and of the blood of Christ cleansing from sin (Matt 6:12).

and walking in the light go hand in hand. God’s light exposes our sins (Eph 5:13,14), and as they are exposed we are to confess and forsake them. Of course our confession should be to God for He is the one who can forgive us.

“Faithful” – Ps 33:4; 111:7,8; 145:13; 146:6; 1 Cor 1:9; 2 Tim 2:13; Heb 10:23; 11:11; 1 Pet 4:19. God is always faithful to His Word, to His plan to save people, and to His own nature. He is a forgiving God – Ex 34:7; Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:5; 99:8; 103:3; Dan 9:9; Micah 7:18; Matt 6:12; 9:2; Rom 4:7,8; Heb 8:12; Jam 5:15. His Word (the Bible) shows that in order to forgive the sins of people He sent His own Son to die as a sacrifice for them – John 1:29; 3:14-16. So we may be sure that He will forgive us our sins if we repent and truly desire forgiveness and cleansing.

If any of us think our nature is sinless “we deceive ourselves” – that is, we are leading ourselves astray. We are persuading ourselves that something is true which is not true, and we are responsible for doing this, and so guilty of doing wrong. Thinking we are sinless comes out of our own efforts to think so, not from God’s Word.

“Just” – Deut 32:4; Ps 9:16; 36:6; 89:14; 111:7. He will forgive our sins on the basis of justice. Christ has paid for our sins, endured the penalty for them. Therefore God can justly forgive them when we repent and confess them. See 2:2; Rom 3:25,26.

“The truth is not in us” – whatever other truth may be in us, the truth about sin and cleansing from sin is not in us, if we think our nature is sinless. In such case we are not facing the truth, but evading it, calling sin by a different name and excusing it. In this way falsity takes the place of truth in our hearts.

“Cleanse” – v 7. God forgives our sins, blots them out forever and cleanses our consciences from all unrighteousness (Heb 9:14). 1:10 Verse 8 speaks of the present; this verse speaks of the past. God says “all have sinned” (Rom 3:9-23). If we say we have not, we are saying that God’s Word is not true, that the God of the Bible is a liar. In such case, no part of the Bible has any real place in us. 2:1 “My little children” – he considered them his spiritual children. Compare 1 Tim 1:2.

All believers should aim to be perfect, but none achieves it – Phil 3:12. As believers we should aim to live without ever sinning (2:1), but we do not achieve this either. If we do not sin knowingly, we do unknowingly, and sins done ignorantly are still sins and not something else (compare Lev 4:1,2). If we do not sin by what we deliberately do, we sin by not doing what we should do (see notes at Num 32:23 and Matt 25:42,43). Who of us can say we never fail to do what we should do? 1:9 “We” – John is writing to believers (2:1,12-14) and he includes himself in what he says. He knew the need of all believers to confess their sins – Matt 6:12; Luke 11:4.

“So that you will not sin” – this is the ideal, the goal to which we should press. And this word opens up a grand possibility for all believers. Though a sinful nature is in us (1:8), we can overcome it by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not need to be overcome by temptation and knowingly sin. Compare 1 Cor 10:13; 2 Cor 7:1. Having a sinful nature does not mean believers in Christ have to sin, and it gives them no excuse if they do sin, for they also have a new nature created by God in righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:24), and God’s Spirit lives in them (1 Cor 6:19).

“Confess” – the Greek word means to say the same thing as another person, to agree, to admit that an accusation is true, etc. Confessing sins means to say the same thing that God says about them. We must not call them by some other name such as mistakes or errors of judgment, etc. Anything in thought, word, or deed in any way contrary to God’s standard of perfect righteousness and holiness is sin. Also anything left undone that should be done is sin (Jam 4:17; Matt 25:41-46; 1 Sam 12:23; etc). Committing sin makes us guilty and we need forgiveness. So we must agree with God, call our sins by their names, and ask God for forgiveness. Confessing our sins

“We have an advocate” – see Rom 8:34; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 7:25; Rom 5:9,10. Jesus is the heavenly advocate, the defense attorney, speaking to the Father on behalf of believers when they sin. Satan accuses us (Rev 12:10), Christ defends us. If a believer sins, is he destroyed? Does he lose

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Christ the righteous, 2 and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

to you, but an old command, which you have had from the beginning. The old command is the word which you have heard from the beginning.

3 And by this we know that we know him: If we keep his commandments. 4 He who says, “I know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, in him indeed the love of God is perfected. By this we know that we are in him.

8 Again, I am writing a new command to you, a thing that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is past, and the true light is now shining. 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because his salvation? Is there no hope? That is not the teaching of the Bible – 1:9.

6 He who says he remains in him ought to walk just as he walked.

7 Brethren, I am not writing any new command

ultimate truth about God and to be perfectly one with Him. But do they keep the commandments of Jesus Christ? If not, their wisdom and experience is deceptive and useless.

How can they be destroyed and lose their salvation when they have such an Advocate and Defender? This is an Advocate who can defend us with perfect justice, who loves us with infinite love, who is determined to have us released from the penalty of every sin, to rescue us from God’s anger against all sin. Can we doubt that He will be successful?

What is the proof that we know God? Obedience (v 3) God’s love in the heart (v 5) A life that follows the pattern Jesus gave us (v 6).

“Righteous” – Acts 3:14; 7:52; 22:14. He will not do anything in His dealings with us, or in His work as Advocate, Mediator and Defender, that is in any way contrary to perfect justice and righteousness. He can righteously defend believers when they sin because He has taken away their sins by the sacrifice of Himself. 2:2 “Propitiation” – Christ is the one who turns aside God’s anger, by taking away sins. This is the meaning of the word as used in the Bible. See Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17. Compare Matt 26:28; John 3:14,15; 1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 5:19,21; Gal 1:4; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:12,28; 1 Pet 2:24; 3:18. “Sins of the whole world” – 4:14; John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:14; 1 Tim 2:6; Heb 2:9. Men are not lost because Christ has not died as a sacrifice for them. They are lost because they do not accept this sacrifice and do not believe in Him. They choose darkness rather than light, sin rather than holiness. This is their condemnation. 2:3-6 “We know” – v 5; 3:14,19,24; 4:13; 5:13. Here John is not speaking of knowing about God, but of knowing Him personally. The Word “know” is a key word in this letter. It appears 33 times (more than in any other letter of the New Testament). In this verse John speaks of knowledge based on evidence. People can think they know God when they do not. They can be deceived by some emotional or mystical experience. There are powerfully deceptive forces in the world which lead people astray – Jer 17:9; Heb 3:13; Rev 12:9.

“Keep his commandments” – 3:24; 5:3; Matt 28:20; John 14:15,23; Acts 4:19; 5:29; Rom 6:16; 16:26; Heb 5:9. True believers receive Jesus as Lord as well as Saviour (note at Acts 22:10).

“Liar” – v 8; 4:20; John 8:44. “Love” – 4:7,8 – another key word in this letter. It appears 35 times (more than in any other book of the New Testament). The real proof of love toward God is obedience to Him. All else is mere sentiment and deception (John 14:15). Truth planted in the heart results in love and in obedience.

“In Him” – see John 17:21-23; Rom 6:3-8; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 1:1,3. “Walk just as he walked” – see 1 Pet 2:21; compare Eph 5:1; 1 Thess 1:6. 2:7 “Have heard” – 1:1-3. The message is who Christ is, what He is, and what He wants us to be and do. See 3:23. John was not writing some strange new thing which he had invented (compare 2 Pet 1:16). 2:8 “New” – like the old command but emphasized anew and put in a new way.

“Now shining” – before Christ came into the world there was great spiritual darkness everywhere (Isa 60:2). He came as a light (John 8:12), sent forth His disciples as lights (Matt 5:14), and gives light to people through His gospel. This light began to shine in Israel but in John’s day soon began to spread throughout the Roman empire. Now it shines in every country of the world. 2:9-11 Love is the test of whether we are in light or in darkness. People may think or say all sorts of things about being in the light and being enlightened, and they can deceive themselves and others. But we can know what they are by their behavior. Love and light go together; hate and darkness go together.

John insists that we should not think we know God unless there is proof of this knowledge in the way we live. The true knowledge of God has a profound effect on people (John 17:3). It changes their hearts, their thinking, their behavior. If there is no change, we may be sure there is no true knowledge of God. There are those who claim to have enlightenment, to know the

“Brother” – probably means here another Christian, but John is not suggesting that it is all right for Christians to hate those who are not Christians. See Matt 5:44; etc. If

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that darkness has blinded his eyes.

15 Do not love the world, or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world – the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the pride of life – is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passes away, and its desires also; but whoever does the will of God continues on forever.

12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.

I am writing to you, little children, because you have known the Father.

18 Little children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that antichrist will come, even now there are many antichrists. By this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but none of them were of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. there is God’s love in our hearts we will love everyone, though we will have a special love for fellow believers.

14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

17:6,14,16). All of this is reason enough for them not to love the world.

“If. . .the love of the Father is not in him” – this “world” is utterly opposed to all that the one true God is and desires, therefore to love it is to show a complete lack of love for Him. What shall we say, then, of those Christians who run after the world and imitate the world and long for the things of the world? They do not know God or love God. 2:16 “All” – there is no exception. There is nothing in this fallen world worthy of a believer’s love. Desires that come from man’s fallen nature, desires that come because of what man sees, pride and exalting self – these are the only things in the world – compare Gen 8:21; Matt 15:19; Rom 1:28-32. And so we must not be conformed to it – Rom 12:2.

“No cause of stumbling” (v 10) – this probably means that there is nothing in him to make others stumble. God’s love in our hearts will make us the sort of people who will not give others reason to stumble spiritually. Lack of love among Christians is a significant stumblingblock to many people. On stumbling see Rom 14:13; 1 Cor 8:9; 10:32; 2 Cor 6:3. “Where he is going” – John 12:35; Prov 4:19. “Blinded” – compare 2 Cor 4:4. 2:12 “Are forgiven” – 1:7.9. “His name’s sake” – we are forgiven because of who Christ is and because of what He has done for us, and because we have believed and accepted God’s revelation about Him, and because He wants us to be forgiven. 2:13 “Known” – v 3; John 17:3; 2 Cor 4:6; Matt 11:27. “Who is from the beginning” – 1:1 – he is referring to Christ.

“Flesh” – see the note at Rom 7:5. 2:17 “Passes away” – God will judge the world, punish it, and put it away forever (Acts 17:31; Isa 24:1-13; 2 Pet 3:10-13). “Does the will of God” – Matt 7:21. Notice again John’s emphasis on doing, not merely believing, though he well knew that we are saved by grace through faith. Compare James 2:14-26. True faith produces a great change in one’s life which results in a mind to obey God. See note at Acts 22:10. God’s will is for us to believe in Christ, receive Him as Lord and Savior, obey the gospel and follow Him. They are the ones who will live forever with God. All others will have to experience “the second death” (Rev 20:14,15). 2:18 “Last hour” – compare Acts 2:17; Rom 13:11,12; Jam 5:3; 1 Pet 1:20; Rev 1:3. This last hour is still going on. Perhaps we are in the last minutes of this last hour. Compare 2 Pet 3:8.

“Overcome” – see 4:4; 5:4; Rev 2:7; 12:11; 21:7. The wicked one is Satan. People “overcome” him when they repent, trust in Christ and begin to live a true Christian life.

“The Father” – v 1; Matt 5:16 (note). 2:14 “Strong” – they had the physical strength of youth and, far more importantly, the spiritual strength God gave them to overcome Satan.

“Word of God remains in you” – vs 24,27; John 15:7; Ps 119:11; Col 3:16. 2:15 John now appeals to all and gives a command to all.

“World” – 3:1,13; 4:5; 5:19. This is another key word in this letter, appearing 20 times. It means the system that has been developed by sinful men apart from God; the society, the aims, the thoughts, the religions, the ways of living that come out of man’s fallen nature. According to God’s Word the world does not know God (John 14:17; 15:21). It does not know what believers are (1 John 3:1). It hates Christ and believers (3:13; John 15:18,24). And it is controlled by Satan (5:19; Eph 2:1,2). God has chosen believers out of the world to be His own special people (John 15:19;

“Antichrist” – v 22; 4:3; 2 John 7; 2 Thess 2:3,4. The antichrist will come opposing Christ, but possibly claiming to be Christ. He will certainly claim to be God.

“Many” – compare Matt 24:4,5; 2 Cor 11:13-15. 2:19 “Out from us” – Acts 20:30. These antichrists claimed to be followers of Christ.

“None. . .of us” – that is, they were not real believers, not born again, not of God’s spiritual family. Their going out proves they did not belong. God’s chosen ones remain in the faith (Heb 10:39; John 6:67,68; etc).

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But they went out, so that it might be made evident that all of them were not of us.

26 I have written these things to you concerning those who would lead you astray. 27 But the anointing which you have received from him remains in you, and you do not need any man to teach you; but as that same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you will remain in him.

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He who denies the Father and the Son is antichrist. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

28 And now, little children, remain in him so that when he appears, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

24 Therefore let that remain in you which you have heard from the beginning. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will continue in the Son and in the Father.

29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him.

25 And this is the promise that he has promised us, eternal life.

See what kind of love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the sons of 2:20 “Anointing” – compare 2 Cor 1:21,22. This anointing is the gift of God’s Spirit (3:24). It sets believers apart to be God’s servants. Christ means “The Anointed One” (Matt 1:1). Believers have an anointing from Him and so are able to recognize antichrists when they appear. They will be able to discern from their teaching and behavior that they are not Christ’s servants.

us and turn us away from the true faith. 2:27 “Remains” – the Holy Spirit does not forsake believers (John 14:16; Eph 1:13,14). “To teach you” – they had already been taught the truth concerning antichrist and false teachers – that is the context here. And God’s Spirit was in them to enable them to understand what they had learned. They did not need even the apostles to teach them any new truths, and they certainly did not need false teachers who claimed to have new truth and did not.

“The Holy One” – Mark 1:24; Acts 2:27; 3:14. “You know all things” – John certainly did not mean that those believers knew everything that can be known about all subjects. He understood very well that only God knows like that. But those to whom he was writing had God’s Spirit and had been well taught in the truth of God. They knew all the things he was writing to them were true. Now we who have the Bible and God’s Spirit are also at the source of all true spiritual knowledge. 2:21 Verse 13 – anything that deviates from the truth God has revealed in the Bible is false and dangerous. 2:22 The man who says Jesus is not the anointed Messiah, the Son of God, is a liar, and the worst of all possible liars. Some people do this. They deny that Jesus combines in Himself both God’s nature and man’s nature, that Jesus is the eternal Son of God become man. Such people by denying the Son are denying God the Father who sent Him. Compare John 5:23. See references to Christ’s deity at Phil 2:6 and Luke 2:11. 2:23 Whatever people may think, no one has God who does not believe and receive the Son of God Jesus Christ. It is absurd to think that we can have God and reject His Son. But those who believe in Jesus have God the Father as their Father. 2:24 “Heard” – 1:1; 2:7. “If” – Heb 3:6,14; Col 1:23; 1 Cor 15:2. “Remains” – John 15:4,5,7,9,10. 2:25 “Promised us, eternal life” – 5:11; Titus 1:2; John 3:16; 6:47. 2:26 “Astray” – 3:7; Matt 24:4,14; 2 Cor 11:3; Rev 12:9. This is the kind of world we live in – if we believe in the Lord Jesus, Satan and his angels do their best to deceive

John is not denying the need of teachers in the churches. God Himself appoints them (Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28), and John himself was one of them. The believers John was writing to had been taught and knew the truth, but many today have not been taught and do not know the truth. And none of us, no matter how much we think we know, should arrogantly think we cannot learn from godly teachers of God’s truth.

“Anointing teaches you” – through God’s Spirit we learn spiritual truths which cannot be learned by any other means (1 Cor 2:10-14). Compare Isa 54:13; Ps 25:4,5. The divine Teacher actually lives in believers – Rom 8:9,15,16. 2:28 “Remain in him” – v 24. “Appears” – 3:2; Matt 24:30; Col 3:4; 1 Tim 6:14; Titus 2:13; Heb 9:28. “Not be ashamed” – the only way to be without shame before Him is to live in a way pleasing to Him. And this can be done only by continuing in Him – John 15:4,5. 2:29 “Righteous” – what a person is will be revealed by what he does (Matt 7:15-20). Notes on doing right at Matt 7:21; Rom 6:16-18; 8:4; etc. In fact, we might say what a person does is what he is.

“Born of Him” – John 3:3-8; Jam 1:18; 1 Pet 1:23. 3:1 “What kind of love” – 4:8-10; John 3:16; Rom 5:8; Eph 1:4; 2:4. We are worthy of nothing but hell. It was because of His great love that God took such sinners as we are and transformed them into His children.

“The Father” – note at Matt 5:16.

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God. Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know him. 2 Dearly loved ones, we are now the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we will be, but we know that when he appears, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

him is no sin. 6 Whoever remains in him does not go on sinning. Whoever goes on sinning has not seen him, and has not known him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He who commits sin is of the devil. For the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever is born of God does not go on sinning, for his seed

4 Whoever commits sin also breaks the Law, for sin is the breaking of the Law. 5 And you know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in

nature revolts against sin and causes them to reject it and strive to get out of it. And Christ is praying that they will get out of it. And the Holy Spirit in them (Luke 22:31,32; John 17:17; Heb 7:25) convicts them and urges them to get out of it.

“Sons of God” – John 1:12,13; Rom 8:16,17; Phil 2:15; Heb 2:13; 1 Pet 1:14. Not everyone is a child of God – only those who have received the Lord Jesus and been born again by God’s Spirit.

“Does not know us. . .know Him” – John 15:21; 16:3. Because believers are new people, born again, and “in Christ” the world does not know them any better than it knows Christ. They are not of the world just as Christ is not of the world (John 17:14,16). The world cannot understand their nature, their motives, their faith or anything that God has put in their hearts. 3:2 “What we will be” – God has not given a full revelation of what it will mean in eternity to be God’s children.

If people who profess to be Christians remain in sin and practice it as a way of life, this shows they were not Christ’s sheep, not born of God. Compare 2 Pet 2:22. The children of God are totally different from the children of the devil and this will be seen in their behavior.

“Does not go on sinning” – the Greek word is in the present tense and may be translated like this, and this certainly states the truth accurately. Or it could be translated “continue to sin” or perhaps “practice sinning.” The translation “does not sin” may suggest that a believer never, ever sins. But John (just as other apostles) has already shown that this is not true – 1:9; 2:1. 3:7,8 “Let no one deceive you” – 2:26; 1 Cor 6:9; Gal 6:7; Eph 5:6. There are only two ways of life open to people – the way of sin and the way of righteousness. Every one is either in the one way or in the other (compare Matt 7:13,14; Rom 2:6-10). This does not mean that a righteous person never sins (1:7,9; 2:1; Jam 3:2; etc), or that a sinner never does a righteous act. John is speaking of the whole course of a person’s life. In the life of a righteous person doing right will predominate. In the life of a sinner doing wrong will predominate.

“When he appears” – 2:28. “We will be like Him” – see Rom 8:29. This is the highest conceivable goal for any human being. When believers see Him they will be changed into His likeness forever (1 Cor 15:48-54).

“We will see him as he is” – Matt 5:8; 1 Cor 13:12; Rev 22:4. 3:3 Those who hope to become like Christ when He comes will want to be like Him now. The process of becoming like Him has already begun (2 Cor 3:18; Col 3:9,10), and real believers will cooperate with God in this work of purification. Compare Heb 12:14.

“Purifies” – 1:7,9; 2 Cor 7:1. We can only purify ourselves by walking in the light. 3:4 Sin is setting up one’s own will against God and against God’s revelation of right and wrong. It is to act as if there were no law of God, no principle of righteousness in the universe. It is to be taken up fully with one’s own selfish desires. 3:5 “To take away our sins” – John 1:29; Rom 11:27; Heb 9:28; 10:11-14,17.

“Righteous” – 2:29. “Devil” – Matt 4:1; Eph 2:2. Every person is either of God or of Satan (v 10). See John 8:44. If God does not rule our lives, the devil will.

“Beginning” – Satan was the original sinner.

“In him is no sin” – Heb 4:15; 7:26. This can be said only of the Lord Jesus Christ. John has already pointed out that believers must not say it of themselves – 1:8. 3:6 Everyone is either in sin or in Christ. Those in sin practice sin as a way of life. Those in Christ cannot do this. They have been born again (2:29). They are the children of the righteous God and therefore have a righteous nature (3:1). God’s Spirit lives in them (4:13). It is impossible for them to continue as they were before (Eph 2:1-3). Believers sometimes fall into sin (1:7; 2:1; 5:16; etc), but they do not, cannot knowingly continue to sin as a way of life (Prov 24:16). If they sin, their new

“Destroy the works of the devil” – the devil’s work is sin and death. Christ came to destroy these in His people. By dying for their sins and rising again He laid the foundation for this destruction, and for the destruction of the devil too. 3:9 “Born of God” – John 3:3-7. “Does not go on practicing sin” – v 6. “His seed” – God’s seed, spiritual seed that gives spiritual life (1 Cor 9:11). This seed is the Word of God (Jam 1:18; 1 Pet 1:23; Matt 13:3,23; Luke 8:15). It is sown in the hearts of people; it germinates and produces a new nature.

“Remains in him” – believers need not

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