# Commentary on The First of Saint Peter **1:1 Peter, an apostle:** Simon, the leader of the Twelve (Mt 10:2). Jesus renamed him \"Peter\", from the Greek *petros,* meaning \"rock\". The Aramaic equivalent of Peter is rendered \"Cephas\" (Jn 1:42) (CCC 552). See word study: **Peter** at Mt 16:18. **exiles:** Sojourners separated from their homeland (Heb 11:13-14). *See introduction: *Destination.** **Pontus . Bithynia:** The names of several provinces in northern Asia Minor (modern Turkey) **1:2** Peter coordinates three aspects of redemption with the three Persons of the Trinity: the Father elects us for salvation, the Spirit makes us holy, and the Son consecrates us for service by his blood (CCC 258). Other trinitarian passages in the NT include Mt 28:19, Lk 1:35, 1 Cor 12:4-6, and 2 Cor 13:14. **sprinkling with . blood:** Associated with rites of priestly ordination in ancient Israel. • In Ex 24:8, Moses sprinkled the people of Israel with the blood of the Sinai covenant, binding them to Yahweh and consecrating them to be a holy and priestly nation to the world (Ex 19:6). Similarly, in Lev 8:30, Aaron and his sons were ordained to the priesthood by the ritual sprinkling of blood. This background anticipates the description of believers as members of the \"royal priesthood\" of Jesus (1 Pet 2:9). **grace and peace:** A common Christian greeting in NT times (Rom 1:7; 2 Pet 1:2; Rev 1:4) **1:3 Blessed be the God:** A traditional prayer form, called a *berakah* (Hebrew for \"blessing\"), in which the Lord is praised for his saving deeds and thanked for his wonderful gifts (1 Chron 29:10-13; Tob 13:1-18; Dan 3:3-22). For other NT examples, see Lk 1:68-79 and Eph 1:3-14 (CCC 2626-27). **living hope:** Not mere optimism or wishful thinking, but the earnest desire, made possible by grace, for the unseen glory of heaven (1:13, 21; Rom 8:24-25). Notice that Peter\'s benediction makes reference to all three theological virtues: \"faith\" (1:9), \"hope\" (1:3), and \"love\" (1:8). See note on 1 Cor 13:13 **1:5 the last time:** The climactic end of history, when the definitive salvation of believers will take place in connection with the Second Coming (described in 1:7 as \"the revelation of Jesus Christ\") **1:6 suffer various trials:** Endurance of suffering and persecution is frequently mentioned in the letter (2:19-22; 4:1, 12-19; 5:9-10). It is here compared to a smelting process that removes alloys and impurities from precious metals such as gold (1:7; Job 23:10; Sir 2:4-5). Suffering, Peter says, is the fire that refines our faith and makes us more like Christ, whose own endurance of torment was an expression of filial obedience to the Father (1 Pet 2:21; Phil 2:8; Heb 5:8) (CCC 618, 1031). • The saints, perceiving the benefits of divine fire, did not shrink from trials or become discouraged by them. Instead of suffering injury, they were improved by what they endured, gleaming like gold refined in fire (St. Athanasius, *Festal Letters* 10) **1:8 you do not now see:** Peter affirms readers for living by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7; cf. Jn 20:29). Faith will eventually bring believers face to face with the Lord (1 Cor 13:12) **1:9 the outcome:** Salvation is here described as a future event, which means it cannot be reduced to an event or experience already completed in the past. See note on Rom 5:10. **salvation of your souls:** The expression is a Semitic way of saying \"your salvation\". The term \"soul\" is used in the Hebrew sense of a whole living \"person\" (as in 1 Pet 3:20) # Word Study > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Born Anew* (1 Pet 1:3) - *Anagennaō* (Gk.) means \"regenerate\" or \"cause to be born again\". It occurs in the NT only in 1 Pet 1:3 and 1:23, but parallel notions are expressed in similar words in Jn 3:3-5, Tit 3:5, and 1 Jn 3:9. For Peter, the rebirth of Jesus from the dead (resurrection) gives believers a spiritual rebirth by grace (regeneration). The idea is that God fathers or begets us anew, not in the natural way of biological parentage, but in a supernatural way that gives us a share in his own divine life (cf. 2 Pet 1:4). The benefit of this grace is a new birth into the family of God, so that believers united with Christ become \"newborn infants\" (1 Pet 2:2) and \"children\" (1 Pet 1:14) united in a \"brotherhood\" of faith (1 Pet 5:9). It is their privilege to invoke God as \"Father\" (1 Pet 1:17) and to await heaven as their \"inheritance\" (1 Pet 1:4). ^o1jcxw **1:11 the Spirit of Christ:** The Holy Spirit (1:12), who is sent into the world by the Father (Jn 14:26) and the Son (Jn 15:26). The activity of the Spirit is here linked with the inspiration of the Prophets, who spoke the word of God to Israel and foretold the suffering of the Messiah (e.g., Is 52:13 ---53:12; Dan 9:26). Peter will return to this subject in his second letter, where he describes the Prophets being \"moved\" by the Spirit to speak messages that come \"from God\" (2 Pet 1:21). • In the Nicene Creed, the Spirit is identified as the Divine Person \"who has spoken through the prophets\" (CCC 687, 702) **1:12 those who preached:** The apostles and prophets of the Church spoke by the same Spirit that had once inspired the Prophets of Israel (1:10-11). The result is a divinely established unity between OT and NT revelation (CCC 128-29). **angels long to look:** The salvation of men, worked out through the suffering and glorification of Christ, was once a mystery hidden in God (Eph 3:9). It is now revealed to the Church through the Spirit and to the angels through the ministry of the Church (Eph 3:10) **1:13 gird up your minds:** A metaphor for mental preparedness. In biblical times, to \"gird up\" meant to tuck a long garment into a belt so that one could run or move more quickly (Ex 12:11; Lk 12:35) **1:16 You shall be holy:** A recurring mandate from Leviticus (Lev 11:44; 19:2; 20:7). • Yahweh often demanded holiness from Israel; that is, he bid the people to draw close to him and to shun the vile practices of the Gentiles. Peter\'s readers are likewise surrounded by pagans, yet they are urged to serve God in holiness of life **1:17 invoke as Father:** Refers to addressing God as \"Abba\" or \"Father\" in prayer (Mt 6:9; Rom 8:15; CCC 2780-82). **impartially:** I.e., with absolute fairness. Because God exercises perfect justice, he cannot be bribed to show favoritism toward some and not others (Deut 10:17). **according to his deeds:** The standard of judgment established in the OT (Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12) and maintained in the NT (Mt 16:27; Rom 2:5-11) (CCC 682). **your exile:** I.e., your time on earth. *See introduction: *Destination.** . **1:19 lamb without blemish:** Depicts Jesus as a Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7). • Exodus stipulates that lambs chosen for Passover must be free from all physical defects (Ex 12:5). The point here is that Jesus is free from every blemish of sin (1 Pet 2:22). Other details reminiscent of the Passover tradition include the notion that Jesus \"ransomed\" us from sinful ways (1:18), just as Israel was redeemed from sinful Egypt (Ex 15:13), and that the \"blood\" of Jesus was shed for our salvation (1 Pet 1:19), recalling how the blood of the paschal lamb was shed as the sign of God\'s deliverance at the first Exodus (Ex 12:21-23) (CCC 602) **1:20 the end of the times:** The manifestation of Christ in the flesh marks the beginning of the end of history. Paul refers to this final era as \"the end of the ages\" (1 Cor 10:11) **1:22 love one another:** Echoes the new commandment of Jesus in Jn 13:34-35 **1:23 not of perishable seed:** The imperishable seed of grace and new life comes through the gospel. It begets children of God destined to live forever (CCC 1228, 2769). See word study: **Born Anew** at 1:3 **1:24 All flesh is like grass:** A quotation from Is 40:6-8. • Isaiah contrasts the fleeting existence of men with the abiding word of the Lord. Peter connects this with the gospel, the word that gives eternal life to all who accept it (1:25; Jas 1:18) **2:2 newborn infants:** The imagery of new birth is applied to new converts (1:3), who need the milk of sound instruction to grow and mature in their faith (Heb 5:12). • The simple elements of faith can be sought from the breasts of Mother Church, that is, from the teachers of the Old and New Testaments (St. Bede, *On the Seven Catholic Epistles* at 1 Pet 2:1-2) **2:4-10** The Church is pictured as a spiritual temple under construction. Believers are like living stones built up securely on Christ, who is the cornerstone of the entire structure (Eph 2:19-22). Since temples are not only dwelling places for God but also houses of worship and sacrifice, Peter can also describe Christians as a priestly people who make acceptable offerings to God through Christ. These truths are supported by a series of OT citations: 2:4 is elucidated by the quotations in 2:6-8, and 2:5 by references in 2:9-10 (CCC 901, 1141, 1179) **2:6-8** Three OT texts that make reference to a \"stone\", which Peter interprets as an image of the Messiah. • The first is Is 28:16, where the foundation stone of a new edifice is laid down by the Lord as an invitation to faith. The second is Ps 118:22, which refers to a stone that was rejected by some but is chosen by God to be the cornerstone of a new building. The third is Is 8:14, where the Lord describes himself both as a sanctuary to the faithful of Israel and as a stumbling stone to the unfaithful. Similar use of these passages is made by Jesus (Lk 20:17-18), Paul (Rom 9:33), and Peter himself in Acts (Acts 4:10-11) (CCC 756) **2:9 But you:** Contrasts believers in Christ with those who reject the Messiah (2:8). The rest of the verse is a patchwork of expressions drawn from the Greek OT. • Two come from Is 43:20-21, where Israel is the **chosen race** commissioned by Yahweh to declare his **wonderful deeds** to the nations. Another comes from Mal 3:17, where the faithful of Israel are called **God\'s own** special **people.** Two more come from Ex 19:6, where Israel is gathered at Sinai and consecrated as a **royal priesthood** and a **holy nation.** These titles and privileges, once the exclusive prerogative of Israel, are now extended to the whole messianic people, who have come to share in the blessings of a covenant relationship with God (Rom 11:17-24; 15:27). One responsibility entailed in this relationship is the missionary vocation to announce God\'s goodness and salvation to the world. • Here we learn of the \"priesthood of all believers\", the doctrine that Baptism makes every member of the Church a sharer in the priesthood of Christ (CCC 1268, 1546). This grace, which differs in kind and not merely degree from the grace of ministerial priesthood possessed by bishops and priests, enables every Christian to minister to the spiritual needs of others (1 Pet 4:10) and to offer sacrifices of love and praise to God in his daily life (2:5; Rom 12:1; Heb 13:15-16) **2:10 no people:** An allusion to the Greek version of Hos 2:23. • Hosea is speaking about the restoration of Israel, specifically the northern tribes, who had rejected the Lord\'s covenant and had thereby reduced themselves to the status of the nations. Their return to covenant standing is thus equivalent to the conversion of Gentiles, which is now taking place through the preaching of the gospel and the ingathering of all nations into the Church (Rom 9:25) **2:11 aliens and exiles:** Heaven is the fatherland of the believer, making life in this world a journey away from home. *See introduction: *Destination.** **wage war:** The internal conflict that rages in fallen human nature (Gal 5:16-24; CCC 2516). See note on Rom 7:23 **2:12 see your good deeds:** Echoes the teaching of Jesus in Mt 5:16. **the day of visitation:** A biblical expression for the day of divine judgment, when God vindicates the righteous (Wis 3:7; Sir 18:20) and wreaks vengeance on the wicked (Is 10:3 LXX). Jesus spoke in these terms about the judgment of Jerusalem (Lk 19:44) **2:13-17** Peter urges the saints to be model citizens. Submission to civil authorities is part of one\'s submission to God, by whose will earthly government is established (Wis 6:1-3). Justice demands that we give honor and taxes to these authorities in return for the benefits of a stable society that would not exist without them (Rom 13:1-7) (CCC 2238-42) **2:16 Live as free men:** Christians are free from absolute servitude to the State because they are servants of the Lord (1 Cor 7:22; Gal 5:13). See note on Acts 5:29 **2:17 the brotherhood:** The community of believers united as brothers and sisters in the Lord (5:9). **Honor the emperor:** Caesar Nero, who reigned from A.D. 54 to 68 and who launched a savage persecution of Christians after a fire swept through Rome in A.D. 64 (Tacitus, *Annals* 15, 44). The fact that Peter exhorts readers to honor the emperor in this unqualified way is a strong indication that he is writing *before* the days of government-sponsored persecution against the Church, which began in the mid-60s and intensified toward the end of the first century. His words would certainly be susceptible to misunderstanding in the late first century when the public display of devotion to the emperor was a life-and-death issue for Christians **2:18 Servants:** Encouraged to bear unjust treatment with patience. Neither slavery nor physical abuse is thereby condoned; the point is only that innocent suffering can make one more like Christ (2:21). On slavery in NT times, see notes on 1 Cor 7:21 and Eph 6:5 **2:22-25** Peter reflects on the Passion of Jesus. His thoughts are dominated by Isaiah\'s vision of the Suffering Servant (especially Is 53:5-11). • The prophet foresees the rejection and agony of the Messiah. Though he is reviled, the lips of the Servant are silent and free from deceit (Is 53:7, 9). Though wounded, he brings healing and forgiveness to others (Is 53:5, 11). Though an innocent lamb led to the slaughter, he gives his life for other sheep who have strayed from the Lord\'s pasture (Is 53:6-7) (CCC 601) **2:22 committed no sin:** The sinlessness of Jesus is an established doctrine of the NT (Jn 8:46; Heb 4:15; 1 Jn 3:5; CCC 612) **2:24 the tree:** The Cross, perhaps alluding to the words of Deut 21:22-23 (Acts 5:30; Gal 3:13) **2:25 Shepherd and Guardian:** The terms are roughly synonymous, both expressing Jesus\' vigilant oversight of the Church (Jn 10:1-16; Heb 13:20) **3:1-7** The responsibilities of married life are outlined. Similar codes for Christian households and spouses are given in Eph 5:21-6:2 and Col 3:18-4:1 (CCC 2204) **3:1 Likewise:** Begins a third application of the submission principle introduced in 2:13 and continued in 2:18. **wives, be submissive:** Christian wives are counseled to obey their husbands, some of whom were non-Christians. Peter envisions this as a dignified submission that earns a husband\'s respect rather than a degrading servitude that quietly endures personal abuse or insults to the faith. The social order of the day, where husbands ruled over their wives as the supreme authorities of the household, is not directly challenged or criticized. Instead, existing norms are infused with gospel charity: in this case, Peter urges Christian brides to exercise heroic love and service within the context of marriage. Paul gives similar counsel to married women (Eph 5:22-24; Col 3:18), though he addresses situations in which husband and wife are both believers (an important exception is 1 Cor 7:12-16). See note on Eph 5:22. **without a word:** The witness of a loving and supportive wife can win unbelieving husbands over to the faith. For the example of St. Monica and the eventual conversion of her husband, see St. Augustine, *Confessions* 9, 19-22 **3:3 outward adorning:** Preoccupation with physical appearance is discouraged (1 Tim 2:9). Outwardly, a woman should content herself with modest dress; inwardly, she should adorn herself with the virtues of Christian womanhood. Peter\'s insistence that interior beauty is precious \"in God\'s sight\" (1 Pet 3:4) indicates that his pastoral counsel is based on fixed spiritual principles, not on fluctuating standards of cultural acceptability **3:6 calling him lord:** A reference to Gen 18:12, where Sarah calls Abraham \"my husband\". The expression is literally \"my lord\" (Heb., *\'adoni*). Peter concludes from this that Sarah acknowledged Abraham\'s leadership in marriage. Genesis gives no indication that Abraham, for his part, lacked respect for Sarah or considered her a mere slave under his authority. **her children:** Not by generation, but by imitation (cf. Mt 5:44-45; Jn 8:39-40). **let nothing terrify you:** Wives exposed to mistreatment from pagan husbands are admonished to take courage. The implication is not that Christian women are expected to tolerate such things without complaint. On the contrary, Peter anticipates that a holy and deferential wife will find herself respected and honored by her husband **3:7 husbands, live considerately:** Christian husbands must be respectful and understanding toward their wives. Paul makes the additional demand that husbands should be models of Christ\'s sacrificial love (Eph 5:25). **the weaker sex:** The statement is made in reference to a woman\'s physical constitution, not her moral character or intellectual ability. Because a man\'s natural strength exceeds that of a woman, the husband is called to honor his bride, lest he misuse his physical advantage to intimidate or abuse her. **joint heirs:** Men and women are persons of equal dignity in God\'s eyes, for they are equal recipients of his salvation and love (Gal 3:28). **prayers . hindered:** A husband\'s prayers will go unanswered if he fails to honor and cherish his wife (3:12). He can expect the same result if he prays with doubt (Jas 1:5-8) or selfish motives (Jas 4:3) or cherishes iniquity in his heart (Ps 66:18) **3:9 Do not return evil:** The summons to bless those who curse you is made several times in the NT (Lk 6:28; Rom 12:14, 17; 1 Thess 5:15) **3:10-12** A quotation from Ps 34:12-16. • Blessings are promised to those who shun evil, for the Lord is good to those who fear him, seek him, and direct their prayers to him. Peter offers these words of encouragement to readers being persecuted for their faith (3:14) **3:14 suffer for righteousness\' sake:** Echoes the eighth beatitude given by Jesus in Mt 5:10 **3:15 make a defense:** I.e., make a reasoned articulation of the faith and be ready to disarm any attacks mounted against it. Essential to the task is an attitude of calm self-composure, so that the truth will always be honored and spoken in love (Eph 4:15). The word \"defense\" (Gk. *apologia*) often refers to a legal case presented before a judge and jury (Acts 25:16; 2 Tim 4:16). It is the basis of the word \"apologetics\", which involves explaining and defending Christian truth (Acts 22:1) **3:18-20** On these verses, see essay: **Christ and \"the Spirits in Prison\"** at 1 Pet 3:18-20 **3:21 Baptism . saves you:** The clearest statement in the NT that Baptism brings us salvation. It is not only a sign of forgiveness and renewal, but an instrument of grace that actually regenerates (Jn 3:5; Tit 3:5). The Greek word translated as **corresponds** means \"the fulfillment of a type\" (Gk. *antitypos*). See word study: **Type** at Rom 5:14. • The flood is a type of Baptism: the raging waters that cleansed the earth of wickedness (Gen 7:17-24) prefigure the sacramental waters that cleanse the believer of sin (Acts 2:38; 22:16). In both cases, the water that brings judgment on sin is also the water that saves. It is unclear how far Peter intends us to see parallels beyond this basic level of correspondence. Certainly the story line itself is meaningful in a Christian context: Noah and his family, having built the ark in faith, passed through the waters of judgment (1 Pet 3:20) into a new life and a new covenant with God (Gen 9:8-17). So, too, Baptism is the sacrament of faith (Mk 16:16) that brings us new life (Rom 6:4) and makes us members of the New Covenant (CCC 1219). **not as a removal of dirt:** This clarification makes it certain that Peter is referring to the Sacrament of Baptism, an actual washing of the body that could be misunderstood because its effects on the soul are unseen (Heb 10:22). Some scholars read this statement as an allusion to circumcision, which entails the removal of flesh from the body as something unclean (Gen 17:9-14). In this case, Peter would be setting forth a contrast between the physical effect of circumcision and the spiritual effect of Baptism, much as Paul did in Col 2:11-13 **3:22 right hand:** An allusion to Ps 110:1, which envisions the enthronement of the Messiah (Lord) in heaven beside Yahweh (Lord). Every hostile opponent is then trampled underfoot ---an idea that Peter connects with the subjugation of demons from the ranks of the **angels,** the **authorities,** and the **powers** (1 Cor 15:24-25; CCC 671). See note on Eph 1:21 > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Appeal* (1 Pet 3:21) - *Eperōtēma* (Gk.) refers to an \"answer\", \"decision\", or \"pledge\". The term is rarely used in the Bible, only once in the Greek OT (Dan 4:17, Theodotian) and once in the NT (1 Pet 3:21). In secular Greek, it often refers to the formal acceptance of a contract or covenant using solemn words. The procedure followed a question-and-answer format that involved the terms of the agreement being spoken and the appropriate party pledging his compliance. In early Christian times, a similar procedure was used in the liturgy of Baptism. Most likely, this is the background of its use in 1 Pet 3:21, where the \"appeal\" to God for a clear conscience is best understood as a \"pledge\" made to God at Baptism to maintain a clear conscience by living in accord with the gospel. Thus, the sacrament not only cleanses the conscience of evil (Heb 10:22), but it entails a solemn commitment to follow a Christian way of life (for possible allusions to such a pledge, see Pliny the Younger, *Epistles* 10, 96; St. Justin Martyr, *First Apology* 61; St. Jerome, *Letters* 14, 2). Peter thus equates \"good behavior in Christ\" with the effort to \"keep your conscience clear\" (1 Pet 3:16). ^lneeru # **CHRIST And \"THE Spirits in PRISON\"** **F**EW passages of the NT are as difficult to interpret as 1 Pet 3:18-20. The history of interpretation, beginning in patristic times, has witnessed numerous attempts to unravel its meaning. In the early third century, St. Clement of Alexandria took these verses to mean that Christ, during the silence of Holy Saturday, descended to the dead to make a final offer of salvation to the deceased sinners of Noah\'s day (*Stromata* 6, 6, 44-46). In the fifth century, St. Augustine proposed a different interpretation: Christ, by an exercise of his preexistent divinity, preached to the ancient world through the person of Noah, urging the wicked to repent before the floodwaters of judgment came to sweep them away (*Letters* 164). Much later, near the turn of the seventeenth century, St. Robert Bellarmine reconnected the passage with Holy Saturday, only he proposed that Christ descended to the dead to announce his salvation to those sinners who had privately repented just before the onset of the flood (*Disputations on Christ* 2, 4, 13). Modern times have seen the rise of yet another interpretation: the passage concerns, not the descent of Christ to the realm of the dead, but his Ascension into glory. On his way up, it is said that he presented himself as Victor and Conqueror to a company of demons imprisoned in the lower heavens. In view of this diversity of opinion, even among great theologians of the Church, a definitive interpretation of the passage seems out of the question. Still, it is worthwhile to wrestle with the difficulties of the text and to offer a reasonable judgment as to its meaning. This might best be achieved by keeping one eye on the history of interpretation and the other on contemporary insights of biblical scholarship. Below is a brief examination of these verses and the challenges they present to the interpreter. **1 Peter 3:18** It is clear that Peter refers to the Crucifixion when he says that Jesus was \"put to death in the flesh\". What is more difficult to interpret is the statement that he was \"made alive in the spirit\". At first sight, this would seem to refer to the Resurrection, for this is how the verb \"make alive\" (Gk. *zōopoieō*) is often used in the New Testament (Jn 5:21; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 15:22). Not all agree, however. Given the tradition that links these passages with the descent of Jesus into Hades (i.e., Sheol, the realm of the dead, visualized as a chamber of souls hidden deep in the underworld), some take the expression \"made alive in the spirit\" to mean that Christ was \"kept alive in his soul\". The question is whether Peter is talking about the activity of Jesus on Holy Saturday, when his soul descended to the dead without his body, or at some time subsequent to Easter Sunday, when his body and soul were forever reunited. No firm answer can be given until we consider what follows. **1 Peter 3:19-20** Here we come to the crux of the matter, to the question of when and where Christ went to preach \"to the spirits in prison\" (1 Pet 3:19) who were disobedient \"in the days of Noah\" (1 Pet 3:20). Historically, the spirits in this verse have been identified with the souls of the wicked that perished in the flood. The problem, however, is that \"spirits\" (Gk. *pneumata*) is not a word that is normally used in Scripture for the souls of the dead (the lone exception is Heb 12:23). Beyond that, it is difficult to see why Jesus should single out these particular sinners as his audience for preaching in Hades. Surely they could not experience a saving conversion after death, and none of the ancient texts or traditions known to us indicates that any of Noah\'s contemporaries repented at the last moment. On the contrary, the generation that drowned in the flood is taken as an example of a generation condemned by God (Lk 17:26-27; 2 Pet 2:5). Modern scholarship has, thankfully, recovered Jewish traditions about the flood that had long been forgotten, traditions that were no doubt known to the earliest Jewish Christians. These ancient accounts have since helped to bring the picture of Christ\'s preaching to the spirits into focus. The main element of interest concerns an interpretation of the \"sons of God\" mentioned in Gen 6:2. According to several Jewish texts, these are rebel angels (called \"the Watchers\") who corrupted the world of men before the flood (*1 Enoch* 6-21; *Jubilees* 5, 1-11). Being spirits, they could not be destroyed by the waters of the deluge, so the Lord thrust them into the prisons of the underworld to await their final doom (*1 Enoch* 14, 5 and 18, 14). One tradition has them locked up, not in the depths of the earth, but in the lower heavens (*2 Enoch* 7, 1-3). The benefit of retrieving this forgotten perspective is obvious for interpreting 1 Pet 3:18-20. It seems now that \"the spirits in prison\" are not human souls at all, but fallen angels whose wickedness was closely connected with the flood in Jewish tradition. This accords well with the frequent use of \"spirits\" for angels in the NT (Mt 12:45; Lk 10:20; Heb 1:14). The question remains whether Peter locates these demons in heaven above or in the netherworld below. Some, as stated above, connect these verses with the Ascension; the idea would be that Christ proclaimed himself Victor over evil as he passed by the spirits bound in the lower regions of heaven. More likely, however, Peter is referring to Christ\'s descent into the darkness and gloom of Hades, for that is where the disobedient angels are kept in chains, according to other biblical texts that allude to this Jewish tradition (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6). Thus, in addition to liberating the righteous dead of the OT for entrance into heaven, he also proclaimed himself Conqueror of evil to the infernal spirits whose power had just been shattered by his redeeming death. In this way, insights from the history of interpretation can be coupled with modern findings to produce a new and more plausible ---though not definitive ---interpretation of 1 Pet 3:18-20. Readers faced with the hardships of persecution would be led to see that Jesus was victorious over evil, not in spite of his death, but precisely in his death. For at that moment, lowered into the darkness of Hades, Jesus Christ descended as the victorious Savior of the world (CCC 632-37). « Back to 1 Peter 3:1. # **4:1 ceased from sin:** Suffering gives added incentive to break away from sinful habits, which often lose their attraction when times get tough and especially when life is threatened **4:2 the will of God:** This was the driving force behind Jesus\' earthly mission (Mk 14:36; Jn 4:34) as it should be of ours (Rom 12:2). The task is difficult because our fallen inclinations and passions are constantly competing for our allegiance (1 Pet 2:11; Jas 4:1-2) **4:3 the Gentiles like to do:** The godless ways of the pagans must be shunned (Rom 13:13; Gal 5:19-21). Peter cautions, however, that efforts to live heroic and holy lives can be a cause of persecution, that is, once the heathens discover that Christian purity is a moral protest against their own depravity (4:4) **4:5 the living and the dead:** Every member of the human race, the vast majority of whom will have died before the end of history (Rev 20:12-13). That Christ is their Lord and Judge is stated several times in the NT (Acts 10:42; Rom 14:9; 2 Tim 4:1). Only the last generation will live to see Christ return as Judge (1 Thess 4:15-17) **4:6 the gospel was preached:** The RSV translation implies a link between this verse and 3:19, in which case \"the dead\" would seem to be identified with \"the spirits in prison\". However, the statement in Greek does not have a specified subject (the RSV adds \"the gospel\"). As scholars have pointed out, the subject could just as well be Christ (translating \"he was preached\"), in which case the text refers to the evangelization of Christians who have since died **(judged in the flesh)** in the hope of a future resurrection **(in the spirit).** . **4:7 end of all things:** Another indication that Christ has ushered the world into its final phase of history (see also 1 Pet 1:5 and 1:20). • This is said so that no one will be deceived into thinking that the future judgment is far off. Though length of life is uncertain, it is clear that no one can live for very long in this mortal life (St. Bede, *On the Seven Catholic Epistles* at 1 Pet 4:7) **4:8 love . multitude of sins:** A quotation from Prov 10:12. • The proverb contrasts the damaging effects of hate with the healing power of love, which builds up and restores relationships because it forgives and forgets the offenses of another (1 Cor 13:4-7) **4:10 each has received a gift:** Charismatic and ministerial graces are bestowed on believers, not merely for their private edification, but for the building up of the Church as a whole (CCC 2003). See note on 1 Cor 12:7 **4:14 reproached . blessed:** Echoes the words of Jesus in Mt 5:11 **4:17 the household of God:** Or, \"the house of God\", possibly alluding to the Church as a spiritual temple (2:6). • Even now judgment begins with the Lord\'s house, that is, with the Church, which is prepared for the joys to come by enduring the afflictions of the present. The condemned, for their part, are living securely in this transitory life, in contrast to the future punishment that awaits them (St. Bede, *On the Seven Catholic Epistles* at 1 Pet 4:17) **4:18 If the righteous man:** A quotation from the Greek version of Prov 11:31. • The proverb reasons from the lesser to the greater, implying that if the saints pass into glory only with great effort and through many difficulties, sinners can expect only doom if they persist in their wanton revelry until the Judgment (cf. Mt 7:13-14) **5:1 the elders:** The shepherds of the local Churches addressed by Peter (1:1). Their pastoral authority to guide, instruct, and protect the flock under their care is derived from the supreme pastoral authority of Christ the \"chief Shepherd\" (5:4; Acts 20:28-32). And because they stand accountable for the welfare of the Lord\'s sheep, Peter warns them not to misuse their authority grudgingly, greedily, or oppressively (5:2-3). In modern terms, the elder is equivalent to a \"presbyter\" or \"priest\" (CCC 1551, 1567). See word study: **Elders** at Jas 5:14. **fellow elder:** Peter shares in the grace of pastoral ministry that is possessed by the clergymen he is addressing. This does not imply, as some have claimed, that Peter saw himself on the same level as these local pastors, as though he possessed no special authority over them. This is a misunderstanding. At the very least, Peter was numbered among the apostles, who were designated \"first\" in authority over the Church (1 Cor 12:28). Not only that, but Peter held the distinction of being \"first\" in relation to the twelve apostles hand-picked by Jesus (Mt 10:2). Evidence for Peter\'s headship over the Church has a clear and solid basis in the NT, for he alone was singled out to wield \"the keys of the kingdom of heaven\" (Mt 16:19) and to tend the entire flock of Christ\'s \"sheep\" (Jn 21:15-17). See essay: **Peter, Prince of the Apostles** at Acts 2. **a witness:** Means both that Peter witnessed some of Christ\'s sufferings and that he bears witness to them when he preaches the gospel (Acts 5:29-30; 10:34-43) **5:5 be subject to the elders:** The flock must heed the ordained shepherds of the Church (1 Thess 5:12; CCC 754). **God opposes the proud:** A quotation from the Greek version of Prov 3:34. • The proverb pleads for humility with the promise that God will exalt us in his favor. Peter is encouraging humble submission to clergymen, who represent the Lord to his people (Acts 20:28). The proud, who are puffed up and insubordinate, will one day be humiliated (Jas 4:6-7) **5:6 Humble . exalt you:** Echoes the saying of Jesus in Mt 23:12 **5:7 all your anxieties:** Like any good father, God invites his children to unload their worries upon him so that peace and comfort can be given in return (Phil 4:6-7; CCC 322) **5:8 Your adversary the devil:** Peter points the finger at Satan, accusing him of being the unseen perpetrator of Christian persecutions (5:9). His deadly intentions and predatorial tactics make him comparable to a ravenous lion on the hunt for food. Lions were greatly feared in biblical times (2 Kings 17:25-26) and were sometimes made a symbol of one\'s enemy (Ps 7:1-2; 10:8-9) (CCC 2851-54) **5:12 Silvanus:** Also known in the NT as \"Silas\". He was once a member of Paul\'s missionary team (Acts 15:40; 2 Cor 1:19) and a co-sender of two of his letters (1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1). Most likely, Silvanus is mentioned here because Peter employed him as the writer or drafter of the epistle. It is also possible that he delivered the letter to its original recipients (1 Pet 1:1) **5:13 She:** I.e., the Church, which is a feminine noun in Greek. **Babylon:** The place of writing where the letter originated. Most agree it is a code name for the city of Rome, in central Italy. See introduction: *Origin.* **my son Mark:** John Mark, an early believer from Jerusalem (Acts 12:12) whom Christian tradition identifies as the author of the Gospel of Mark. Here associated with Peter, he was also a onetime companion of Paul (Col 4:10; 2 Tim 4:11) **5:14 the kiss of love:** A customary form of greeting in Jewish antiquity (Gen 33:4; Lk 15:20). It was adopted by the early Christians as a sign of their fraternal affection as brothers and sisters in the faith (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20) **INTRODUCTION TO** --- > Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, *The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament*, Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010).