INTRODUCTION
In Peter's first epistle the heavenly inheritance in its holy and imperishable character is announced to Jewish Christians, to whom, as the apostle of the circumcision, he was appointed to minister, and whose earthly national hope had faded before their eyes, however sure to be revived in the last days. Those whom he addresses are spoken of as " sojourners of the dispersion " in five provinces of Asia Minor, – that is, they were away from their proper home and center – Jerusalem and the land of their fathers.
This is their humiliation ; but the resurrection of Christ, whom their nation had crucified, gave these believers, by that cross and resurrection, a new and living hope that could never fade. The character of the ministry in both these epistles is of a kind foreshadowed in the words of the Chief Shepherd to Peter, "Lovest thou Me?" – "Feed My lambs." – "Tend," "feed my sheep;" but this first epistle has its own rich and peculiar character in leading the soul by the still waters, and in green pastures. There is an absence of the defense of doctrine against corrupters, and an absence even of the development of doctrine compared with the consolations and encouragements, with of course needed exhortations as to holiness and the fear of God.
In John's first epistle, and in the epistle of James, there is an entering almost at once upon warnings and tests of false profession and seducing doctrine ; and as to almost all Paul's epistles, their breadth
and compass in meeting and arming the saints against an incoming tide of evil is well known.
Excepting this first epistle of Peter, and Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, may we not say there is no other epistle in which evil within the Church is not more or less dealt with. But in those, though they are warned, as those ready or liable to fail, evil is not treated as having made headway within. The storm is without:they are sheltered within- a place of soul-rest. The enemy is shut out, and is to be withstood, in his wiles in the one case, and as a roaring lion in the other.
In the Ephesians, we are led on by a victorious Leader to enjoy the fruits of the heavenly land; and in the epistles of Peter, we are watched over of the Shepherd, and incited to diligent progress through the wilderness. And this comparison suggests a parallel comparison between the addresses to Smyrna and Philadelphia. In these alone of the seven churches is there a company addressed to whom no failure is imputed; and in the latter, " Hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown," reminds us of the Ephesians " Be strong in the Lord;" and in the former, " Be thou faithful unto death " suggests or calls to mind the "fiery trial" in Peter;-again the wiles on the one hand and the roaring lion on the other.
It is worthy of note that it is in the gospel of John, in which the Lord is presented as the Good Shepherd, that we find recorded the commission to Peter to feed the sheep. In the other gospels, we have the commission to preach the gospel; but in John, the absence of such a commission, and this special one to Peter introduced, by which he was specially appointed to feed and care for the flock.
Let it be noted too that it is in that gospel that speaks of the Lord as Shepherd that we are told throughout of His divine glory and power. He is the Good Shepherd, and lays down His life; but He lays it down of Himself-no man takes it from Him-and He takes it again, having given up His spirit when all was accomplished and He had said, " It is finished." He is the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. It is very precious to us that the divine glory and power should especially shine out in that gospel that tells us,-nay, in which He Himself tells that He is the Good Shepherd. "All things were made by Him" is recorded in that gospel. He that dwells in the bosom of the Father -such an one is our Shepherd. We may well say, "I shall not want!" and rest fully in Him.
We have, then, in these epistles, the Chief Shepherd speaking to us through a chosen and prepared under-shepherd-one who was instructed, disciplined, chastened, matured by years of suffering, and now ripe for martyrdom. Such an one subject to God, the Spirit of God uses in his old age, as it were, leaning upon the top of his staff to pronounce a blessing on his brethren-to tell us of the exceeding great and precious promises, and of the gospel preached to us with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven.
Peter, as well as Paul and John, like Caleb, maintains vigor in old age, bears fruit and flourishes.
For these examples, these witnesses to the power of God through faith, let us give thanks and glory to God, and take courage, and follow in their steps. It is not necessary to decline in the Christian course. We know it is not, but we fail, and see it all around; but let us, therefore, dwell upon these precious examples, that we may show diligence, and have renewed strength as the journey lengthens.
The new position in Christ prominent in Paul's writings is only referred to by Peter in the benediction at the end of the first epistle. It does not appear as a doctrine in Peter, nor resurrection with Christ and being in Him in heavenly places; nor do we get here the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer and in the Church; nor the doctrine of the Church as the body of Christ, of which Paul was the minister specially (Col. 1:25); nor the doctrine of eternal life.
Even the term "forgiveness of sins" does not appear in Peter's epistles, while of course the fact is always present in his doctrine.
These differences and omissions are interesting to note-deeply interesting to the devout mind- as showing the overruling hand of the Spirit in leading the writer to record only that which was consistent with his own voice of ministry and subject.
However well versed he was in kindred truths, they are not introduced by him; they are found elsewhere. This shows the hand of God, and is precious to contemplate. The writer communicates only what God gave him to communicate. Therefore each part agrees with the whole in divine precision, and fits into its place like the stones in the temple.
Peter ministers the salvation spoken of by the prophets of old (chap. 1:10), while Paul, beside this, ministers also about the Church-a mystery not made known before to the sons of men-a new revelation (Eph. 3:4-10). Naturally, in Peter's as well as in Paul's epistles we have the heavenly inheritance and the hope of eternal glory. It is not higher truth in Paul and lower truth in Peter, but divinely perfect parts of a perfect salvation-a perfect whole; it is deep and high and broad. "To know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge" (Eph. 3:19) is a deep experience; so also in Peter, " Whom having not seen, ye love ; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
According to the character of the epistle, there are numerous references to or quotations from the Old Testament (verses 2, 10, 11, 12, 16 of chap, 1:, and so on throughout), and the last verse of chap. 2:peculiarly indicates what class of people are addressed. " For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." Even when astray, they are spoken of as sheep,-that is, nominally the people of God; not Gentiles, but Jews. Gentiles were not as sheep going astray. We do not find such a mode of address in Paul; they were simply afar off, and without God, and without hope; but as to the Jews (as of all Israel), relationship is acknowledged even when they are afar from God, as in Luke 15:both the Pharisees and the publicans and sinners are compared to sons in a family-the elder and the younger,–while both classes depicted refer to the unconverted state.
To the flock, Peter speaks of the Shepherd; to the elders, of the Chief Shepherd, who would reward the under-shepherds. Paul, in addressing the uncircumcision, no where speaks of the Shepherd, only in the Hebrews again appropriately the Shepherd is mentioned in closing the epistle.
As we have the Shepherd in Peter, so also the roaring lion,-the one caring for the sheep, the other seeking to devour. In the New Testament, we are warned to contend against Satan, not in the Old. This again is an interesting feature, and shows, what appears more and more, the distinctness of character of the New Testament from the Old. In the New Testament, God's people are, as it were, full-grown men-soldiers in conflict in the field- the world subject to Satan as its god-Christians called out from it, witnesses for their absent and rejected Leader. The world was not stamped with its character in the Old Testament as it is now. One nation was chosen, and put on trial by the law, as in a sense representing all men-not yet condemned, but under trial,-the verdict not yet rendered. But now it is otherwise. The trial is ended, the law broken, and the Son of God put to death on the cross. Satan, who was behind the scenes, is brought to the front; the world is marked for judgment. It has chosen its leader; and the world, the flesh, and the devil are ranged against the follower of Christ.
Surely, in the Old Testament as now, Satan was against the saint, and the saint armed against him by the Word; but now "all is out," so to speak,- all publicly declared, sides taken, and an increased power, no doubt, of Satan in the world; and an increased energy called for in the saint, and supplied by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. .
Naturally, therefore, in such a world, the followers of Christ become strangers (sojourners) and pilgrims, as was the Lord Himself. Before the eyes of the Jewish saints, their nation's hope for the time had faded and gone, the nation at large persecutors of the faithful, their city about to be destroyed, the wrath was come upon them to the utmost; but these were begotten again,-such is the force of the term ; collectively begotten again to a new hope, a living hope, by Christ's resurrection, which would never fade. The hope of an inheritance in heaven replaced the earthly national hope, which however sure to be revived in the last days, yet for the time, and on the ground of human responsibility, had utterly perished. It was what Stephen specially realized when he saw the people stoning him to death, and the heaven opened above him.
One feature of Stephen's address may be appropriately mentioned in this connection. In his brief outline of the history of the nation, he says, " our fathers," associating himself with the nation as a matter of fact; but when bringing home the charge against them at the close, he significantly changes the pronoun, and says," As your fathers did, so do ye," – that is, he takes his place outside the nation, who were the religious people of the earth, the chosen people of God. He goes forth to Jesus, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. Immediately he beholds the opened heavens-the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
This we find it hard to do-to give up what we have been brought up in, and which has become as it were a part of ourselves. So Samuel found it hard to give up king Saul, and yet the one after God's heart is soon persecuted and hated by Saul, the self-righteous misuser of power, while the true king is an outcast in rejection. So Paul found it hard to give up Jerusalem, and yet Jerusalem had crucified the Lord, and scattered His lowly followers, and had the brand of Cain. So Abraham found it hard to give up Ishmael and Hagar, and yet Ishmael was a mocker of the son of promise, and Hagar was of Egypt, the country that was to set itself up against God, to keep the promised seed from liberty and groaning in bondage.
Abraham, Samuel, Paul, cling to that which proves to be enmity against God,-and with devout religious intent, and themselves true children of God. Alas for the best of men in themselves! How utterly should we distrust ourselves and our feelings and attachments, religious and otherwise, and diligently seek grace that we may not be deceived, but be ready to forsake all and follow Christ-to go forth to Him again and again if called to-from that which tends to cluster round us and more or less to shut out Christ (Rev. 3:20) while bearing His name!
Such the suggestions of the term "begotten again" to the living hope of the inheritance in heaven.
In comparing the first epistle with the second, we find in the first the Father's government of His children, judging without respect of persons (1:17); judgment in the house of God (4:17); and in the second, God's judgment of the world-of the ungodly. Therefore in the first epistle the flood is mentioned as a type of salvation (" saved by water "), and in the second as a type of judgment ("the world . . overflowed with water, perished"), and used as a premonition of " the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."
So also in the second,-excepting the reference to the testimony of Christ on the mount, the name of the Father is not mentioned:it is " God " and "the Lord." E. S. L.
(To be continued.)