Commentary - 1 Peter 1:1-2

Bird's-eye view

In these opening two verses, the Apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, lays a glorious theological foundation for the entire epistle. He is writing to beleaguered Christians, identifying them not by their geographical dislocation but by their eternal, Trinitarian location. They are exiles, yes, but they are elect exiles. Their identity is not ultimately defined by their circumstances but by the eternal decree of God the Father, the cleansing work of God the Spirit, and the covenantal obedience and blood of God the Son. This is theology for the trenches. Before Peter gives them a single command or a word of exhortation for their suffering, he anchors their souls in the bedrock of God's sovereign, triune grace. Their entire Christian life, from its conception in eternity past to its consummation in glory, is a work of God. This grand opening is designed to fortify them, to give them a massive sense of their true identity, so that when the trials come, they know who they are and to whom they belong.

The flow is from the eternal to the temporal, from the divine counsel to their lived experience. They are chosen by the Father, set apart by the Spirit, and brought under the covenant blessings of the Son. This is not a dry, abstract doctrine but the very engine of their hope. The final greeting, a prayer for grace and peace to be multiplied, is not a mere pleasantry. It is a benediction that flows directly from this Trinitarian reality. Because they are chosen, sanctified, and sprinkled, they are in a position to receive an ever-increasing supply of God's favor and wholeness. It is a rich, dense, and glorious introduction to an intensely practical letter.

Outline

Context In 1 Peter

First Peter is a letter written to Christians facing various trials and persecutions. The central theme is how to live faithfully as God's people in a hostile world, or, as Peter puts it, how to live as "exiles." These opening verses are therefore crucial because they establish the true identity of these believers before addressing their difficult situation. Their status as "chosen" by the triune God is the foundation for everything that follows. It is because they are elect, sanctified, and sprinkled with Christ's blood that they can have a "living hope" (1:3), rejoice in trials (1:6), be holy as God is holy (1:15), love one another earnestly (1:22), and stand firm against the devil (5:9). The entire letter is an outworking of the glorious identity assigned to them in this salutation. Without the robust theology of verse 2, the ethical commands of the rest of the letter would be rootless and impossible. Peter begins with the gospel indicative, the glorious truth of who they are in Christ, before he moves to the gospel imperative, the call to live out that new identity in a pagan world.

Key Issues

The Trinity's Grand Project

It is impossible to miss the robust Trinitarianism packed into this opening. Peter doesn't just mention the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; he shows how each person of the Godhead is intimately and distinctly involved in the great work of our salvation. This isn't an abstract formula; it's the very shape of our redemption. The Father chooses, the Spirit applies, and the Son accomplishes. The whole Godhead is united in the purpose of saving a people for His own possession.

The Father's work is foundational, rooted in eternity past. His foreknowledge is not mere prescience, as though He looked down the corridors of time to see who would choose Him. In biblical language, to "know" is to love, to set one's affection upon. The Father's foreknowledge is His electing love. The Spirit's work is the effectual application of that election in time and space. He is the one who sets us apart, making us holy and turning our hearts toward God. The Son's work is the historical accomplishment of our salvation. His perfect obedience and atoning death, signified by the sprinkling of His blood, is the ground upon which the Father can choose us and the Spirit can cleanse us. Our salvation is not a haphazard affair; it is the carefully orchestrated masterpiece of the triune God.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as exiles, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen

Peter introduces himself with his official title: an apostle of Jesus Christ. This is not a personal boast but a declaration of authority. He writes not with his own wisdom but as a commissioned representative of the King. The letter carries the weight of Christ Himself. He then identifies his audience. Geographically, they are scattered across five Roman provinces in what is modern-day Turkey. But their true identity is not geographical but spiritual. They are exiles. This is a foundational theme. Like Israel in Babylon, they are living in a foreign land. The world is not their home. This sense of alienation is not a sign that something is wrong, but rather that something is profoundly right. They belong to a different kingdom, and their citizenship is in heaven. But they are not just any exiles; they are chosen exiles. Their displacement in the world is a direct result of their election by God. God has set them apart, and this divine selection is the ultimate definition of who they are.

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

This verse is a dense and glorious unpacking of what it means to be "chosen." Their election is not arbitrary; it is according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. As we noted, this is not God looking into the future to see our faith, but rather His eternal, loving determination to set His favor upon us. It is the fountainhead of our salvation. This eternal decree is then worked out in history by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Sanctification here refers to the initial act of being set apart for God, our regeneration. The Holy Spirit is the one who takes us out of the realm of the common and profane and consecrates us to God. He makes us holy. And what is the goal of this choosing and setting apart? It is twofold. First, it is for the obedience of Jesus Christ. This likely refers both to our own obedience to Christ, which is the fruit of our new birth, and to our being brought under the umbrella of Christ's perfect obedience, which is the ground of our standing. Second, it is for the sprinkling of His blood. This is rich covenantal language, harkening back to the ratification of the Mosaic covenant at Sinai (Ex. 24:8), where the people were sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice, signifying their inclusion in the covenant. We have been cleansed and brought into the New Covenant by the superior blood of Jesus. Having laid this Trinitarian foundation, Peter pronounces his blessing: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Because you are the objects of this great salvation, may you experience an ever-increasing, abundant measure of God's unmerited favor (grace) and the wholeness and well-being (peace) that flows from it.

Application

The first thing we must take from this is a profound sense of security and identity. In a world that wants to define us by our job, our nationality, our politics, or our problems, Peter insists that our true identity is found in the eternal counsel of the triune God. You are not primarily a resident of Pontus or America; you are an elect exile. Your struggles and feelings of not quite belonging are not a bug, but a feature. You are supposed to feel like a stranger here, because your Father's house is elsewhere.

Second, this passage demolishes any notion of salvation being our own work. From start to finish, it is a divine accomplishment. The Father chose you before time, the Son bled for you in time, and the Spirit regenerated you in your own lifetime. This should produce deep humility and overwhelming gratitude. We bring nothing to the table but the sin that made this great work necessary. Our only proper response is to bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is exactly what Peter does in the very next verse.

Finally, this truth is the fuel for Christian endurance. Peter is writing to people who are suffering. He doesn't begin with a seven-step plan for coping with persecution. He begins by reminding them who they are. When you know that your circumstances are not random, but are unfolding under the watchful care of the God who chose you in eternity, sanctified you by His Spirit, and purchased you with the blood of His Son, you can face anything. The multiplied grace and peace Peter prays for is not a sentimental wish; it is the logical and necessary provision for those who are so deeply and eternally loved by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.