1 Peter Bible Study for Individuals Introduction Peter is writing this letter to Christians being persecuted in Rome (which he calls Babylon). In this letter, Peter equates these Christians with Israel in the sense that now they are God’s chosen ​ ​ people. As such, they must see and use hardship as opportunity to show the world how the kingdom of God is different and thus spread Christ’s love and the message of the gospel. For a short, comprehensive and engaging explanation of the book of 1 Peter, watch the Bible ​ Project’s summary here. ​ *Question notations: (Pers) = Personal *From the reader* Answers aren’t necessarily based on the text, but can be ​ ​ ​ tied to the text. (Obs) = Observation *Point to the text* Answers are based exclusively on the text in question, ​ ​ ​ and often are “right there” without having to do much inferring. There are layers of observations to be made for many passages. It may be illuminating to read the text through two or three times. (Interp) = Interpretation *Point to the text* when developing thoughts. Answers are logically ​ ​ ​ inferred based on the text and the observable evidence we find in it. Be careful not to let personal bias color your interpretation. It’s something we cannot avoid altogether, but try to exclude as best we can. (App) = Application *Connecting ideas from text to personal life* Answers are taken from ​ ​ ​ logical inferences from the text and applied to address possible action steps to take in our own lives. It may help to think of analogous situations in life as you experience it to those situations surrounding the text. (Pr. Kn.) = Prior Knowledge These questions may require prior study, research, internet ​ searches (though be careful) into cultural, linguistic, or situational background. Having some prior knowledge about how Jews and Gentiles felt about each other in the 1st Century CE, for example, would greatly aid in the interpretation of many NT texts, and may help us to observe ​ ​ ​ nuances we would not otherwise have noticed. Side-note: When I read anything that has a word or a name I can’t pronounce, I tend to get hung up on it. There are a few city names in this letter that, if it helps, I pronounce like this: (of course, being English and not Greek speakers none of us probably pronounce them correctly, but for ​ ​ what it’s worth…) Pontus = PAWN-tiss / PON-tuhs Galatia = guh-LAY-shuh Capadocia = cap-uh-DOH-shuh Bithynia = bih-THIN-ee-uh) Study As you read: It is recommended that you keep a journal, scratch paper, whatever to write down answers to these questions. You may want to keep one page dedicated to questions 1 & 2 here and add to them as you read. 1. Take note of what stands out to you most as you go through this text. Use this space to write down verses/references as well as why you think they stand out. 2. Note also any words or ideas that are repeated: 3. Thirdly, as you read, keep in mind who is writing and who is receiving this letter. Try and observe as if you were one of the original readers as often as you can. Watching the Bible Project video (link in the Introduction) will help you do this. WEEK ONE ➳ FIRST PETER CHAPTER ONE THROUGH CHAPTER TWO VERSE TWELVE Day 1 Read 1:1-2:12 all at once without stopping. Write down anything that stands out, that you see repeated, questions, reactions, etc. 1. (Obs/Interp) How do you suppose Peter’s readers/listeners (audience) are feeling as they ​ begin reading/hearing this letter? Why do you think that? 2. (Obs/Interp) What do we learn about who God is according to this first section of ​ Peter’s letter? (What does Peter’s summary of faith teach us about who God is and how we relate to Him?) a. (Obs/Interp) How do Peter’s readers relate to this God? ​ b. (App/Pers) How do you feel about God/Christ? Why? ​ Day 2 Read 1:1-12 Write down anything that stands out, that you see repeated, questions, reactions, etc. 3. (Pers) What are your reactions and feelings as you read this section? ​ ​ c. What encourages you? d. What puzzles you? e. What other reactions do you have? 4. (Interp) What do you think Peter’s readers were supposed to understand from this ​ greeting? Why do you think that? (Keep in mind that it’s okay not to know for sure; interpretation ​ ​ questions ask you to think about it, to make your best guess based on what you observe in the text and then to hold your interpretation loosely - the farther you have to guess, the more loosely you should hold that interpretation.) ​ 5. (Obs) According to Peter, what do hard times serve? ​ a. (Pers) How have trials in your life shaped you? How have they shaped your faith? ​ b. (App) Take a moment here to formulate a prayer. Tell God how you really feel ​ about the hard times you have faced. Ask for what you feel you need to endure them, ask for perspective, thank Him for the work He is doing in you and anything else as you try to let His Spirit within you guide this prayer. 6. (Obs/Interp) What does Peter’s summary of faith teach about who God is and how we ​ relate to Him? 7. (App) Formulate and write down (and perhaps personalize) a 1-3 sentence prayer of worship and thanksgiving to God based off of this passage (1:1-12): Day 3 Read 1:13-21 Write down anything that stands out, that you see repeated, questions, reactions, etc. 8. (Obs) List out the commands in this section and the reason for each command: ​ 9. (Obs) Remember to write down the repeated words and phrases, either here or at the ​ beginning of the study (if you put them all in the same place, you will start to see patterns from the entire letter instead of just section by section). 10. (Obs) What does Peter say in this section about who God is? What are His characteristics ​ and actions? 11. (Interp) What do you think it means/looks like that our “faith and hope are in God?” ​ a. (Pers) Who comes to mind right away when you try to think of someone you ​ know personally whose faith and hope are in God? Why does that person come to mind? (Think also about how other people deal with the trials in their lives). 12. (Pers) What speaks to you most in this passage? What do you think God wants you to ​ understand? Why? Day 4 Read 1:22-2:3 Write down anything that stands out, that you see repeated, questions, reactions, etc. 13. (Obs/Interp) What title might you give this section? Why? ​ 14. (App/Pers) What do you need to do, internalize, understand or ask in order to live out ​ Peter’s commands here? a. (App) Take a moment to pray on that point. ​ 15. (Interp/App//Pers) What do you think it looks like to “love one another deeply” as Peter ​ commands us here? Why do you think that? a. (App/Pers) What do we do about people we genuinely don’t like? ​ i. (App) Take a moment to confess to God what you need to about how you ​ see and/or treat other people b. (App) What do you need to do in order to foster this kind of love? (what ​ perspectives must you keep in mind, what practices do you need to change or encourage, what training do you need, etc.?) 16. (Obs/Interp) What perspective is supposed to keep us from doing the bad things Peter ​ lists in 2:1 and to keep us doing v. 2-3? 17. (App) How do we go about actually carrying this out? ​ a. (Interp) Do you think Peter is serious when he asks his readers to do these ​ things? Why? What happens if they don’t? Day 5 Read 2:4-2:12 Write down anything that stands out, that you see repeated, questions, reactions, etc. 18. (Interp) What is Peter (the author) trying to do here? Why do you think he included the ​ piece about the cornerstone? 19. (Interp) What do you think Peter means when he says “Once you were not a people, but ​ now you are the people of God…” in verse 10? a. (Pers) What is your reaction to this? ​ b. (Interp) What do you think the reaction would be from Peter’s original audience? ​ What about those who didn’t accept Jesus? 20. (Pers) How do you experience Jesus? When have you stumbled over him and when have ​ you treated him as your foundation - the most important rock on which you build your life? 21. (Obs) According to this passage, how are we as Christians like Christ? ​ 22. (Obs) What will be the possible reactions of non Christians towards us? ​ Day 6 Today is a bit different. Open your Bible to 1 Peter chapter 1 and say a prayer for guidance and mindfulness. If you’d like, repeat or adapt the following: All-Loving Father, Thank you for your work in building your church, your chosen people, through your servant Peter. In your love and mercy you have caused your message to be written in a way we can understand it. Holy Spirit, I humbly ask that you open my mind to understand and my heart to receive your Word. Transform me by it. Guide my thoughts and bless my efforts to grow in love, in understanding, submission and obedience to you, Holy God.