Today we completed reading Peter’s first epistle: we developed the perception that it was written as the situation in Jerusalem was getting close to its’ final crisis.  The future Jesus had prophesied, the time when he said “… do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” [Mark 13 v.2] – that time was now clearly imminent, a matter of months? Even weeks, days?  

The sense of urgent encouragement Peter makes here is equally appropriate for believers today!  But we have no Peter among us to do so – but we have his epistle. We can see in the way the situation in the Middle East is building up that an ‘explosion’ of conflict is certain to happen – sooner – or later.   Jesus said that believers must “be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matt. 24 v.44]  Well, the world will not be expecting it – but what about believers?  But how few really know God’s word in detail!

This final chapter in Peter’s 1st Epistle is also interesting because it begins by Peters stating, “I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder…” This gives us the true picture as to Peter’s role – not at all like the ‘fiction’ the R C church developed 3 centuries later.  Look at the words of Jesus (Matt 23 v.9-11) “…call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. … The greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Peter tells them to “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”