Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen

“Christians, if they rightly consider their calling, must never settle themselves here, but feel themselves travellers. As the Jews in their dispersion diffused through the nations the knowledge of the one God, preparatory to Christ's first advent, so Christians, by their dispersion among the unconverted…”

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

“The divine three are introduced in their respective functions in redemption. through--Greek, "in"; the element in which we are elected. The "election" of God realized and manifested itself "IN" their sanctification. Believers are "sanctified through the offering of Christ once for all" (Heb 10:10).”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus…

“Christ's resurrection is the cause of ours, (1) as an efficient cause (1Co 15:22); (2) as an exemplary cause, all the saints being about to rise after the similitude of His resurrection.”

and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,

“Being "begotten again" as a "son," he is an "heir," as earthly fathers beget children who shall inherit their goods.”

who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

“The preparations for it are being made now, and began when Christ came: "All things are now ready"; the salvation is already accomplished, and only waits the Lord's time to be manifested: He "is ready to judge."”

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials

“2Ti 3:12 is not to be pressed too far. Not every believer, nor every sinner, is tried with afflictions [THEOPHYLACT]. Some falsely think that notwithstanding our forgiveness in Christ, a kind of atonement, or expiation by suffering, is needed.”

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

“The "glory" is partly in present possession, through the presence of Christ, "the Lord of glory," in the soul; partly in assured anticipation.”

now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

“Receiving--in sure anticipation; "the end of your faith," that is, its crowning consummation, finally completed "salvation" (Peter here confirms Paul's teaching as to justification by faith): also receiving now the title to it and the first-fruits of it.”

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who foretold the grace to come to you searched and investigated carefully,

“Even from the beginning of the world this salvation has been testified to by the Holy Spirit. prophets--Though there is no Greek article, yet English Version is right, "the prophets" generally (including all the Old Testament inspired authors), as "the angels" similarly refer to them…”

trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

“"Christ," the anointed Mediator, whose sufferings are the price of our "salvation" (1Pe 1:9, 10), and who is the channel of "the grace that should come unto you."”

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the…

“This verse implies that we, Christians, may understand the prophecies by the Spirit's aid in their most important part, namely, so far as they have been already fulfilled. with the Holy Ghost sent down--on Pentecost.”

Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

“Still, there may be an allusion to the "end" mentioned in 1Pe 1:9. Hope so perfectly (Greek, "teleios") as to reach unto the end (telos) of your faith and hope, namely, "the grace that is being brought unto you in (so the Greek) the revelation…”

As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.

“"Lusts" flow from the original birth-sin (inherited from our first parents, who by self-willed desire brought sin into the world), the lust which, ever since man has been alienated from God, seeks to fill up with earthly things the emptiness of his being; the manifold…”

But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,

“Literally, "But (rather) after the pattern of Him who hath called you (whose characteristic is that He is) holy, be (Greek, 'become') ye yourselves also holy." God is our grand model.”

for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

“As I am the fountain of holiness, being holy in My essence, be ye therefore zealous to be partakers of holiness, that ye may be as I also am [DIDYMUS].”

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,

“Man is "sold under sin" as a slave; shut up under condemnation and the curse. The ransom was, therefore, paid to the righteously incensed Judge, and was accepted as a vicarious satisfaction for our sin by God, inasmuch as it was His own love as…”

but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

“As Israel's redemption from Egypt required the blood of the paschal lamb, so our redemption from sin and the curse required the blood of Christ; "foreordained" (1Pe 1:20) from eternity, as the passover lamb was taken up on the tenth day of the month.”

He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.

“Peter's language in the history corresponds with this here: an undesigned coincidence and mark of genuineness. Redemption was no afterthought, or remedy of an unforeseen evil, devised at the time of its arising.”

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

“The life is in God, yet it is communicated to us through the word. "The Gospel shall never cease, though its ministry shall" [CALOVIUS]. The abiding resurrection glory is always connected with our regeneration by the Spirit.”

For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

“So also the Greek for "falleth" is "fell away," that is, is fallen away: it no sooner is than it is gone. thereof--omitted in the best manuscripts and versions. "The grass" is the flesh: "the flower" its glory.”

but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

“Ye have not far to look for the word; it is among you, even the joyful Gospel message which we preach. Doubt not that the Gospel preached to you by our brother Paul, and which ye have embraced, is the eternal truth.”

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

“The end to which growth leads is perfected salvation. "Growth is the measure of the fulness of that, not only rescue from destruction, but positive blessedness, which is implied in salvation" [ALFORD]. thereby--Greek, "in it"; fed on it; in its strength (Ac 11:14).”

now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

“Peter alludes to Ps 34:8. The first "tastes" of God's goodness are afterwards followed by fuller and happier experiences. A taste whets the appetite [BENGEL].”

As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,

“Nu 20:11. disallowed--rejected, reprobated; referred to also by Christ Himself: also by Paul; compare the kindred prophecies, Isa 8:14; Lu 2:34. chosen of God--literally, "with (or 'in the presence and judgment of') God elect," or, "chosen out" (1Pe 2:6).”

For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

“Wherefore also--The oldest manuscripts read, "Because that." The statement above is so "because it is contained in Scripture." Behold--calling attention to the glorious announcement of His eternal counsel. elect--so also believers (1Pe 2:9, "chosen," Greek, "elect generation"). precious--in Hebrew, Isa 28:16, "a corner-stone of preciousness."”