Discipleship Material
1 Peter
The 1st Epistle of Peter
Block Diagrammed
One of the pressing needs of any serious student of Scripture is an understanding of the syntax of a given passage. Syntax refers to the interrelationships of paragraphs, sentences, phrases, clauses, and words. The purpose of Block Diagramming is to graphically illustrate the syntax of a passage of Scripture. The Block Diagramming process involves the laying out of a passage of Scripture by indenting subordinate linguistic units while maintaining the word order of the given text or translation. This allows the student of Scripture to determine the Divinely-inspired structure of the passage, it’s key features, and main points, so as to enhance the study and understanding of God’s Word.
Ronald Jay Frasco
Scripture taken from
the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (R), (C)
Copyright The Lockman Foundation
1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977
Used by permission.
1st Peter
I. Greetings – ‘Cooperation of the Deity’ 1:1-2
:1 Peter,
an apostle of Jesus Christ,
to those who reside as aliens,
scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia,
who are chosen
:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
by the sanctifying work of the Spirit,
that you may obey Jesus Christ
and be sprinkled with His blood:
May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.
II. Salvation in Christ – ‘Reborn to Glory’ 1:3-2:10
A. ‘Reborn to Glory’ :3-5
:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who
according to His great mercy
has caused us to be born again
to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
:4 to obtain an inheritance
which is imperishable
and undefiled
and will not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you,
:5 who are protected
by the power of God
through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
B. ‘A Joyous Faith’ 1:6-12
:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if
necessary,
you have been distressed by various trials,
:7 that the proof of your faith,
being more precious than gold which is perishable,
even though tested by fire,
may be found to result
in praise
and glory
and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
:8 and though you have not seen Him,
you love Him,
and though you do not see Him now,
but believe in Him,
you greatly rejoice
with joy inexpressible
and full of glory,
:9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
:10 As to this salvation,
the prophets
who prophesied of the grace that would come to you
made careful search and inquiry,
:11 seeking to know
what person
or time
the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating
as He predicted the sufferings of Christ
and the glories to follow.
:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you,
in these things which now have been announced to you
through those who preached the gospel to you
by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven —
things into which angels long to look.
C. ‘Saints Response to Salvation’ 1:13-16
1. Mentally Focused :13
:13 Therefore,
gird your minds for action,
keep sober in spirit,
fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
2. ‘God-like Holiness’ 1:14-16
:14 As obedient children,
do not be conformed to the former lusts
which were yours in your ignorance,
:15 but
like the Holy One who called you,
be holy yourselves also
in all your behavior;
:16 because it is written,
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
3. ‘Child-like Reverence’ :17-21
:17 And if you address
as Father
the One who impartially judges
according to each man’s work,
conduct yourselves in fear
during the time of your stay upon earth;
:18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things
like silver or gold
from your futile way of life
inherited from your forefathers,
:19 but
with precious blood,
as of a lamb unblemished and spotless,
the blood of Christ.
:20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world,
but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you
:21 who
through Him
are believers in God,
who raised Him from the dead
and gave Him glory,
so that your faith and hope are in God.
4. ‘Born-again Affection’ :22-25
:22 Since you have
in obedience to the truth
purified your souls
for a sincere love of the brethren,
fervently love one another from the heart,
:23 for you have been born again
not of seed which is perishable
but imperishable,
that is, through the living and abiding word of God.
:24 For,
“All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, And the flower falls off,
:25 But the word of the Lord abides forever.”
And this is the word which was preached to you.
D. ‘Soul Food: Spiritual Appetite’ 2:1-3
2:1 Therefore,
putting aside
all malice
and all guile
and hypocrisy
and envy
and all slander,
:2 like newborn babes,
long for the pure milk of the word,
that
by it
you may grow in respect to salvation,
:3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
E. ‘God’s Construction Project’ 2:4-6
:4 And
coming to Him
as to a living stone,
rejected by men,
but choice and precious in the sight of God,
:5 you also,
as living stones,
are being built up
as a spiritual house
for a holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ.
:6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone,
a precious corner stone,
And he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed.”
F. ‘The Harvest of Unbelief’ 2:7-8
:7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe.
But for those who disbelieve,
“The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the very corner stone,“
:8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word,
and to this doom they were also appointed.
G. ‘The Treasures of Faith’ 2:9-10
:9 But you are
a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation,
a people for God’s own possession,
that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him
who has called you
out of darkness
into His marvelous light;
:10 for you once were not a people,
but now you are the people of God;
you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
III. Relating to Others as a Christian 2:11-3:12
A. ‘A Call to an Excellent Life’ 2:11-12
:11 Beloved, I urge you
as aliens and strangers
to abstain from fleshly lusts,
which wage war against the soul.
:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles,
so that
in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers,
they may
on account of your good deeds,
as they observe them,
glorify God
in the day of visitation.
B. Sanctified Relationships 2:13-25
1. ‘Yielded and Free’ :13-17
:13 Submit yourselves
for the Lord’s sake
to every human institution,
whether to a king
as the one in authority,
14 or to governors
as sent by him
for the punishment of evildoers
and the praise of those who do right.
:15 For such is the will of God
that
by doing right
you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
:16 Act as free men,
and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil,
but use it as bondslaves of God.
:17 Honor all men;
love the brotherhood,
fear God,
honor the king.
2. ‘Servants who Suffer’ 2:18-25
:18 Servants,
be submissive to your masters with all respect,
not only to those who are good and gentle,
but also to those who are unreasonable.
:19 For this finds favor,
if
for the sake of conscience toward God
a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.
:20 For what credit is there if,
when you sin and are harshly treated,
you endure it with patience?
But if
when you do what is right and suffer for it
you patiently endure it,
this finds favor with God.
:21 For you have been called for this purpose,
since Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
:22 who committed no sin,
nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
:23 and
while being reviled,
He did not revile in return;
while suffering,
He uttered no threats,
but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges
righteously;
:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the
cross,
that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds you were healed.
:25 For you were continually straying like sheep,
but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
3. Instructions to Women 3:1-6
a. Attitude – ‘The Winsome Wife’ :1-2
3:1 In the same way,
you wives,
be submissive to your own husbands
so that
even if any of them are disobedient to the word,
they may be won
without a word
by the behavior of their wives,
:2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
b. Attire – ‘Soul-Clothing’ :3-6
:3 And let not your adornment be merely external —
braiding the hair,
and wearing gold jewelry,
or putting on dresses;
:4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart,
with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is precious in the sight of God.
:5 For
in this way
in former times
the holy women also,
who hoped in God,
used to adorn themselves,
being submissive to their own husbands.
:6 Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham,
calling him lord,
and you have become her children
if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.
4. ‘The Godly Man of the House’ :7
:7 You husbands likewise,
live with your wives in an understanding way,
as with a weaker vessel,
since she is a woman;
and grant her honor
as a fellow heir of the grace of life,
so that your prayers may not be hindered.
5. Instructions to All – ‘Living under the Smile of God’ :8-12
:8 To sum up,
let all be
harmonious,
sympathetic,
brotherly,
kindhearted,
and humble in spirit;
:9 not returning evil for evil,
or insult for insult,
but giving a blessing instead;
for you were called for the very purpose
that you might inherit a blessing.
:10 For,
Let him
who means to love life and see good days Refrain his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking guile.
:11 And let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
:12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the
righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against those who
do evil.”
IV. Suffering and Service in Christ 3:13-4:19
A. ‘Instructions to the Oppressed’ 3:13-22
:13 And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?
:14 But
even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness,
you are blessed.
And do not fear their intimidation,
and do not be troubled,
:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,
always being ready to make a defense
to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that
is in you,
yet with gentleness and reverence;
:16 and keep a good conscience
so that
in the thing in which you are slandered,
those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to
shame.
:17 For it is better,
if God should will it so,
that you suffer for doing what is right
rather than for doing what is wrong.
:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all,
the just for the unjust,
in order that He might bring us to God,
having been put to death in the flesh,
but made alive in the spirit;
:19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the
spirits now in prison,
:20 who once were disobedient,
when the patience of God kept waiting
in the days of Noah,
during the construction of the ark,
in which a few, that is, eight persons,
were brought safely through the water.
:21 And corresponding to that,
baptism now saves you —
not the removal of dirt from the flesh,
but an appeal to God for a good conscience
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
:22 who is at the right hand of God,
having gone into heaven,
after angels and authorities and
powers had been subjected to
Him.
B. ‘Snapshots of the Worldly’ 4:1-6
4:1 Therefore,
since Christ has suffered in the flesh,
arm yourselves also with the same purpose,
because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
:2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts
of men,
but for the will of God.
:3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried
out the desire of the Gentiles,
having pursued a course of
sensuality,
lusts,
drunkenness,
carousals,
drinking parties
and abominable idolatries.
:4 And
in all this,
they are surprised that you do not run with them
into the same excess of dissipation,
and they malign you;
:5 but they shall give account to Him
who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
:6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to
those who are dead,
that
though they are judged in the flesh as men,
they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
C. ‘The Fruit of 11th-Hour Intensity’ 4:7-11
:7 The end of all things is at hand;
therefore, be of sound judgment
and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
:8 Above all,
keep fervent in your love for one another,
because love covers a multitude of sins.
:9 Be hospitable to one another
without complaint.
:10 As each one has received a special gift,
employ it
in serving one another,
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
:11 Whoever speaks, let him speak,
as it were, the utterances of God;
whoever serves, let him do so
as by the strength which God supplies;
so that
in all things
God may be glorified
through Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and
ever. Amen.
D. ‘When through Fiery Trials’ 4:12-18
1. Welcoming Suffering
:12 Beloved,
do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you,
which comes upon you for your testing,
as though some strange thing were happening to you;
:13 but
to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ,
keep on rejoicing;
so that also
at the revelation of His glory,
you may rejoice with exultation.
2. Blessing of Genuine Suffering
:14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ,
you are blessed,
because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
3. Distinguishing Suffering
:15 By no means let any of you suffer
as a murderer,
or thief,
or evildoer,
or a troublesome meddler;
:16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian,
let him not feel ashamed,
but in that name let him glorify God.
:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God;
and if it begins with us first,
what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
:18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved,
what will become of the godless man and the sinner?
4. Grace for Suffering
:19 Therefore,
let those also who suffer
according to the will of God
entrust their souls to a faithful Creator
in doing what is right.
V. The Christian Church 5:1-11
A. ‘Shepherding Directives’ 5:1-4
5:1 Therefore,
I exhort the elders among you,
as your fellow elder
and witness of the sufferings of Christ,
and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
:2 shepherd the flock of God
among you,
exercising oversight
not under compulsion,
but voluntarily,
according to the will of God;
and not for sordid gain,
but with eagerness;
:3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge,
but proving to be examples to the flock.
:4 And
when the Chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
B. ‘Flock Directives’ 5:5-7
:5 You younger men, likewise,
be subject to your elders;
and all of you,
clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,
for God is opposed to the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.
:6 Humble yourselves, therefore,
under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you at the proper time,
:7 casting all your anxiety upon Him,
because He cares for you.
C. ‘Fight or Feed the Lion’ 5:8-11
1. Be Watchful
:8 Be of sober spirit,
be on the alert.
Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour.
2. Be Steadfast
:9 But resist him,
firm in your faith,
knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
3. Be Hopeful
:10 And
after you have suffered for a little while,
the God of all grace,
who called you to His eternal glory in Christ,
will Himself
perfect,
confirm,
strengthen
and establish you.
:11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.
VI. ‘Acknowledging God’s Grace in Others’ 5:12-14
:12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother
for so I regard him,
I have written to you briefly,
exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God.
Stand firm in it!
:13 She who is in Babylon,
chosen together with you,
sends you greetings,
and so does my son, Mark.
:14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.
Peace be to you all who are in Christ.
- The word document: 1 Peter
