First Peter 1:18-21

1:18

“For” is eidotes and refers to “live your lives” in verse 17.

“For you know” - Peter is saying “live this way because of what you know”. Our question is

“what do they know?” Peter is going to remind them.

“perishable” can mean “blemished” or “not culturally fit” as it is used in the LXX in Lev. 22:25.

“silver” and “gold” are in the diminutive form which gives the mean “a little bit of gold and a

little bit of silver”. No matter how much money you may have to spend on setting a slave

free it is “too little” to set us free from the emptiness of life without God and his will being done.

“ransomed” or “redeemed” is “lytroo” it means to set free by payment of a ransom

OT had the theme of redemption in the Exodus and in slavery.

There where three basic classes of people in the society:

1) Slaves

2) Freemen

3) Freed men

Reasons for having become a slave:

1) War captive

2) Bankruptcy

3) Sell themselves

4) Sold by parents

5) Born a slave

Freedom could eventually come by:

1) Fulfill period of service

2) Payment of ransom price or “lytron”

a. Slave could earn money in spare time

b. Slave could do more than was required

c. Someone else could make the payment

In our spiritual bondage case the price was paid by Jesus. There was nothing we could do,

nothing someone else could do and nothing in the realm of “silver and gold” that would work.

“empty” is mataios and it means an ineffectual attempt to do something or an unsuccessful effort

to attain something. This is a reference to failure of people who have tried to live the

pagan life or to live without God. A pagan life is a failed attempt and an unsuccessful

effort to live life the way God intended it to be lived.

Ephesians 4:17 – the empty way of life for the pagan

James 1:26 – the empty way of religion without God’s truth and purpose

Leviticus 17:7 and Jeremiah 8:19 – the worthless idols

Acts 14:15 – the empty life of pagans

“handed down” is the passing of the false meaning to life through heredity, teaching, example

and environment.

We have been delivered from living in this failed attempt.

1:19

We have been delivered from an empty life by Christ’s blood, and not by a few coins

Passover lamb was not connected with forgiveness of sin but with deliverance from bondage.

It was not until the tabernacle that God speaks of deliverance from sin.

“precious” has two concepts:

1) Costly – with the focus here not being on monetary value but its pricelessness because it is

unique. It is priceless like an original painting or a rare artifact. If these things are lost or

destroyed they can not be replace. If the blood of Christ is not accepted there is nothing

that can replace it.

2) Highly esteemed and held in honor

Israel leaving Egypt was their leaving an empty way of life into God’s plan for them which included a worship system, a government and the law, the Promised Land and a purpose for existence.

1:20

The price that God paid to redeem us was no accident or last minute plan.

“foundation” literally means “to throw down” and refers to God throwing down the foundation stone of the universe.

“world” is kosmos and means “ordered system”

“Kosmos” is the opposite of the Greek word “chaos”

a) Genesis 1:1 was cosmos, the establishing of the ordered system

b) Genesis 1:2 was chaos, the confused, unstructured world in darkness and judgment

“revealed” means “to make visible”. The use of this word clearly indicates the previous

existence of Jesus Christ.

The End of Times

The revealing of Jesus Christ was an indication that “the end of times” had begun.

This period known as “the end of times” (church age and tribulation) began with the revealing of

Jesus Christ and will end with his full manifestation upon his return.

Acts 2:16-21

1 Corinthians 10:11

Hebrews 9:26

“For your sake” – Jesus was revealed for our sake so we could live and fulfill our time here in the days

of “the end of times”. We now have the knowledge and the power of truth and righteousness in this age

(contrary to the futility of pagans.)

1:21

Faith in God comes through Jesus because:

1) Jesus reveals God to us (John 1:18

2) Jesus takes us to God through his reconciliation (2 Cor.5:19

1:22

“now that you have purified yourselves” is the Greek word “hegnikotes” in perfect tense referring

to a state they are already in.

They purified themselves by obeying the gospel which tells them to place faith in Jesus Christ:

Romans 10:16

2 Thessalonians 1:8