I Peter 1:17-23

I Peter 1:17-23 (NRSV)

¹⁷ If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. ¹⁸ You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. ²⁰ He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. ²¹ Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.

²² Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. ²³ You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

I Peter 1:13-25 is the larger context for 1:17-23, having the theme of admonitions to holy living. Much of this section contains hints of a baptismal catechesis, hymn, and creedal elements. 

¹⁷ If you invoke as Father, unabashedly using a term that suggests familiarity and implying tenderness and concern, the one who judges, reminding us that it is best not to trust only in divine grace, for the Father is also a judge and can be severe when people are disobedient. Yet, the judgment of the Father rests upon all people impartially, a notion we also find in the sermon by Peter in Acts 10:34.  Peter’s words would have shocked most Jews and Gentiles, in part because his words upset their distinctions. Many Gentiles in the Mediterranean world believed that Jews were unusually ascetic and sober in their moral behavior and odd in insisting on Sabbath rest and in believing in but one god. Many Jews believed that God had chosen Jews alone as his special people; they also assumed that most Gentiles had filthy morals, corresponding to their “adulterous” belief in multiple gods. In a manner like our time, tribalism often prevailed, with many in-group and out-group perceptions and consequent antipathy between various groups of people. Clearly Peter has in mind something other than obedience to the covenant. He does not require a specific knowledge of the Law and the God of Israel. The judgment of the Father upon all people will be according to their deeds, which means the people to whom Peter is writing ought to live in reverent fear. The phrase does not mean God is going to get you.  It suggests awe and wonder.   Reverent fear is a baseline for personal obedience and holiness. This "fear" is not a terrified quaking-boots fear that God will "get you" if you do not measure up. Peter's call to "reverent fear," however, reminds his audience that even God the "Father" is still magnificently holy and unfathomably wholly other. It is this carefully cultivated sense of awe and wonder at God's power that makes it possible for Peter to offer his most comforting words to this exiled band of believers living at great distances from other believers. Because of God's strength, we can experience a sense of calm and confidence, trust and reliance, in this powerful, uncontrollable mystery that is God (see verse 21). They are to live this way during the chronological span of time (χρόνον) of your exile.

I Peter 1:18-21 have some hymn qualities. One’s actions are to conform to the call to holiness. ¹⁸ You know that you were ransomed (ἐλυτρώθητε, redeemed) Although most of those to whom Peter writes were probably Gentile Christians, the author still takes great delight in alluding to Old Testament theology. For example, just as verse 16 had echoed Levitical commands to "holiness" (making these Christians as responsible for their actions as the Jewish people are for theirs), this author now draws a connective line of continuity from the Old Testament Exodus tradition to God's latest redemptive work through Jesus the Christ. The importance of this "ransom" imagery for the early church's sense of self is without doubt. Mentioned again explicitly in Mark 10:45 and I Timothy 2:6, Christians found this whole concept validated by their reading of Isaiah's reference to the "Suffering Servant." In Isaiah 53:10-12 this Suffering Servant "redeems" (ransoms) Israel from her sins. In this letter, the ransom or redemption is from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, the redemption is not with perishable things like silver or gold, a philanthropist could purchase freedom for the slave. The contrast with silver and gold shows how trifling the things of this world are in comparison to that of what God has done in Jesus Christ. Finite and temporal things do not bring ransom; ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, the sacrifice of divine life, which was like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. The image of the lamb is recalls Exodus 12:5, just as Isaiah 53:7 had spoken of the suffering servant as a "lamb." Thus, the apostle carefully welds this new Christian community of faith to the history of God's redemptive work carried out in the first rescue mission in Exodus and as foretold in Isaiah's prophetic witness of future deliverance. He reminds them they have been "ransomed" by the miracle of God's redemptive work, connecting them with the Old Testament exodus event and sacrificial terminology.   The blood of the lamb redeems the Christian. The point of the plan of salvation that was fulfilled in Jesus Christ and his atoning death is the bringing of all people into participation in salvation by faith.[1]

An important part of the belief that Peter shares with his readers is the significance of the death of Christ. He goes on to refer to other beliefs they share. The declaration in I Peter 1: 20-21 suggests a creedal type formula that may have had a liturgical life of its own. ²⁰ He was destined (προεγνωσμένου, foreknown)before the foundation of the world, such a verse expressing the origin of salvation in the eternity of God prior to all the chances of history. However, a literal application to the concept of God leads to an unfittingly anthropomorphic view of God, as though from some standpoint before the beginning of the world God were looking ahead to a different future. Such a thought is hardly compatible with the eternity and infinity of God.[2]As important as is the foundation of redemption in the eternity of God, what is significant in the relation between God and the world is the event that reveals its reality to humanity: but was revealed (φανερωθέντος)at the end (ἐσχάτου) of the ages (χρόνων, the larger span of the times). He adopts a phrase from Jewish apocalyptic literature. The Lord revealed to Abraham the end of the times (IV Esdras 3:14). The end is manifest, as are the times of the Most High (IV Esdras 9:5-6). The Lord deemed the prophet worthy of showing to him the end of the times and the last events of the times (IV Esdras 12:9). The Lord showed Moses the secrets of the times and declared to him the end of the times (IV Esdras 14:5). It refers to the end of the cosmic times that God has ordained, but not to the end of time or timelessness as such. This means that in human history, and beyond all history, there is no other or higher law than that of the divine mercy, now revealed, established and applied in the oblation of the Lamb of God. This is no law developed by human beings, to be repealed by another of the same kind. One cannot relativize it. For the Lamb of God foreordained before the foundation of the world is the person and work in which this law had been revealed.[3]I Peter deeply personalizes the formulaic sound of these verses, however, by adding for your sake. Christ's resurrection and glorification stand as an example for our faith and hope of what God intends for all those who are in Christ. ²¹ Through him, Christ being the one who will show grace to believers in the last time, acting as an advocate when the Father comes in judgment.[4] Thus,  you have come to trust (πιστοὺς) in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory (δόξαν), in verses 11-21 God already implants the glory of God to Jesus Christ in the event of his resurrection. As 1:7 puts it, believers await their sharing in this coming revelation of the glory of Jesus.[5] This results in the practical effect so that your faith (πίστιν) and hope (ἐλπίδα) are set on God. God's past, present, and promised future are the basis for Christian trust in God. God's past, present and promised future redemptive activity is the cause for Christian "trust in God." Believing in Christ's resurrection both grows out of this trust and magnifies it. Christian "faith" and "hope" are dependent upon the trust they have in this redeeming God. The redemption by the blood of Christ and the resurrection was the outcome of the eternal plan of the Father, who in this way consecrated a new people. Christian hope is finally in God and in fellowship with divine life, rather than any analogy with human experience.[6] Here is the heart of the beliefs they share: the significance of the death and resurrection of Christ in the plan of God for the ransom or redemption of humanity.

          I Peter 1: 22-24 have baptism as a background focusing on purity and the power behind it – the world of God. ²² Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth (ἀληθείας), a truth that unites writer and reader and a truth that centers in the redeeming/ransoming event of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, so that you have genuine mutual love (φιλαδελφίαν), love (ἀγαπήσατε) one another deeply from the heart. One way to think of this is that the adherence to such basic truth was not enough for their community to thrive.  Though they lived in a culture which believed many things contrary to what he has just shared, it was not enough to hold fast to these truths. Despite the frustrations of living in a culture which often lived and governed in the opposite way as Christians might like, they needed to cultivate a growing love for each other within their communal life. The appeal to mutual love is one we see in 3:8-12, 4:8-11, and 5:5 as well. Love is the authenticating sign of a renewed life. Peter continues to specify some demands made upon Christians who hold this faith and hope. These demands involve not just their relation to the redeeming work of God in Jesus Christ, but extend into the community of faith, encompassing all Christian brothers and sisters. Their love flows from the depths of believers' own deliverance through their conversion and sanctification. The only legitimate response from those so redeemed and delivered is one of boundless love.  ²³ You have been born anew (ἀναγεγεννημένοι, born again), baptism symbolizing their unity and bringing individuals into the community as individuals receive new birth, being born anew or again, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word (λόγου) of God. The word is the principle of our divine birth and gives us power to act according to the will of God.  For James, the word is still the Law.  For Peter the word is the preaching of the gospel, for John it is Jesus himself. This verse may contain pieces of an early baptismal liturgy, though it is doubtful it reflects an actual service, for he is not sending a liturgy, he is sending a letter to new Christians about spiritual growth.  He seems to have some fascination with initiation into the community. The verse reflects a typical pattern in 1 Peter: a call to holiness that builds to a command for shared love among all believers. This demonstrates the apostle's concern for the future well-being of these Christian communities. In order to embody the "living and enduring" qualities of God's Word in this "new life," communities of Christ must grow and flourish. The only way this can happen is through a spirit of "genuine mutual love." 

Peter brings together truth and love.  It can be difficult to hold them together.  One person believes they have truth in politics, or in philosophy, or in religion.  Someone else always believes something different.  What then?  Do we fight?  Are we still able to love each other?

When I was in Atlanta in February 1996, one of the challenges offered to 42,000 pastors from many denominations was to break down the walls between us.  Max Lucado gave what I consider to be a courageous talk.  He said that this love of God is too good to be true, but too great to be missed.  We may look across the table and wonder, “How did he or she get here?”  That is just like God, is it not?  God includes people whom we do not think should be in the kingdom.  Of course, the kingdom God is not a democracy.  Membership is not determined by a majority vote.  God makes these decisions.  Every decision by God is based upon grace offered in Christ. Mr. Lucado went on to compare Christianity to a battleship.  He stressed that this is a battleship, not a luxury liner.  There are various crews working throughout the ship.  Some think they are the only ones there.  They fight and divide.  The captain only wants them to get along.  The tragedy is that there are other ships out there in the sea.  They might come on board, except that they see all the fighting. Mr. Lucado concluded his talk by asking whether we dare to dream of being known, not by our denominational label, but as Christians.  For him, Baptist, United Methodist, Church of God, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Lutheran, none of them make any difference.  Are we Christians?

Have you ever wondered why Jesus did not write one book or give one formal lecture?  Perhaps his view of truth is different from our own.  Jesus uttered sayings which are provocative and go against the grain of our behaving.  He offered stories which invited us to become part of them and thereby be changed.  Jesus did not approach truth like a scientist or mathematician.  He took truth out of the classroom and placed it in the lives of people.

Love is wonderful.  It can break down the walls.  

Does truth exist?  There are people today who would say that Christians need to give up such beliefs as are mentioned in this text: that the death of a man 2000 years ago could make any difference today; that dead men do not come back to life.  As such, they either need to be removed from our belief system entirely, or they need to be reinterpreted for today.  They will say that what is important is not what happened on that first Easter, but what happens today to change our perspective on life.

Part of me wishes I could stand before you and remove such stumbling blocks to believing.  Sometimes, I am confident in the message of the church. Sometimes … well, let us say that I keep trying to believe the resurrection of Jesus. The point is, Easter is not simply a beautiful story.  It did not simply give life to wonderful music.  Easter is true.  If it is a scandal, it is one I cannot avoid.  Our response is important.  The fact that God is revealed in the risen Lord is even more important.

We like to think we are so much smarter than the people of the first century.  We probably are.  Yet, they could tell the difference between a nice story and an account of what happened.  It is clear to me that the New Testament is telling us what happened on that first Easter.  

I would like you to consider that maybe our intellectual problem with the truth of Easter says less about the people of that first century, and much more about us and our view of God.  Our experience of God is poverty stricken, distorted, and weak.  In the resurrection, God may be calling us to a level of experience we have never known before.  We are reminded of a level of experience which has been carefully excluded from modern life.  Our world is too flat, too rational, too predictable, too dull, for the reality of God.  That is why our puny, narrow experience of God cannot be used to judge what God has done.

I know of no way to avoid the scandal of Easter.  It is fair to say that we have doubts and questions.  Who does not?  It is fair to say that we do not understand.  However, for those who dare, there is nothing in our lives more true, and we say it in love - Christ is risen, he is risen indeed!

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[1] Pannenberg (Systematic Theology, Volume One, 211)

[2] Pannenberg (Systematic Theology, Volume Two, 143)

[3] Barth (Church Dogmatics, III.2 [47.1] 484)

[4] Pannenberg (Systematic Theology, Volume 3, 613.

[5] Pannenberg, (Systematic Theology, Volume 3., 626

[6] Pannenberg (Systematic Theology, Volume 3, 174)