Cathedral Epistle of the Apostle Peter. The first ecumenical council. Grace be upon you and peace be multiplied
Peter, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, to strangers scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, chosen, by the foreknowledge of God the Father, at the sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Said aliens either because they are scattered, or because all who live by God are called strangers on earth, as, for example, David says: for I am a stranger with you and a stranger, like all my fathers (Psalm 38, 13). The name of the alien is not the same as the name of the alien. The latter means a person who came from a foreign country and even something more imperfect. For both an extraneous matter (πάρεργον) is lower than the present (τοΰ εργου) and alien (παρεπίδημος) below the immigrant (έπιδήμου). This inscription needs to be read with a permutation of words, exactly so; Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ, by the foreknowledge of God the Father, at the sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. The rest of the words should be put after this; for they designate those to whom the message is written. By the foreknowledge of God. With these words, the apostle wants to show that, with the exception of time, he is no lower than the prophets who themselves were sent, and that the prophets were sent, Isaiah says this: to preach to the poor sent Me (Isa. 61, 1). But if it is lower in time, then not lower in the foreknowledge of God. In this regard, he declares himself equal to Jeremiah, who, before being educated in the womb, was known and consecrated and appointed a prophet for the nations (Jer. 1, 5). And as the prophets, among other things, foreshadowed the coming of Christ (because for this they were sent), he explains the ministry of the apostolate, and says: when I was sanctified by the Spirit, I was sent to obey and sprinkle the Blood of Jesus Christ. Explains that the work of his apostolate is to separate. For it means the word consecrationfor example in words: for you are a holy nation with the Lord thy God (Deut. 14, 2), that is, separated from other nations. So, the work of his apostolate is through spiritual gifts to separate peoples submissive to the cross and suffering of Jesus Christ, sprinkled not with the ashes of the calf, when it is necessary to cleanse the desecration from fellowship with the Gentiles, but the Blood from the sufferings of Jesus Christ. In a word Blood at the same time predicts torment for Christ believers in Him. For whoever obediently follows the Master’s footsteps, no doubt, he himself will not refuse to shed his own blood for Him who shed His for the whole world.
Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Grace, because we are saved without giving anything from ourselves. World, because, having insulted the Lord, we were among His enemies.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by His great mercy He has revived us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to the hope of the living, to the imperishable, pure, unfading inheritance.
Bless God, thanks to Him for all the blessings that He gives. What does He give? Hope, but not what was through Moses, about a settlement in the land of Canaan, and which was mortal, but hope alive. Where does it come from? From the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. For He himself has risen, and he who comes to Him through faith in Him also gives power to rise. So, a gift is a living hope, imperishable inheritance, not on earth set aside, for example, to the fathers, but in heaven, from which it has the property of eternity, which is more advantageous over the earthly inheritance. With this hope, another gift is the preservation and observance of the faithful. Because the Lord prayed about this when he said: Holy Father! keep them (John 17, 11). By force. What is the strength? - before the appearance of the Lord. For if the observance were not strong, it would not extend to such a limit. And when there are so many such gifts, then it is natural for those accepting them to rejoice.
That which is stored in heaven for you, by the power of God through the faith of those who are kept to salvation, ready to be revealed at the last time.
If the inheritance is in heaven, then the discovery of the millennial kingdom on earth is a lie.
Oh, rejoice, now having mourned a little, if necessary, from various temptations, so that your tested faith would be more precious than dying gold, although it’s being tested by fire.
As a Teacher in his promise declares not only joy, but also sorrow, saying: in the world you will have sorrow (John 16. 33), and the apostle added to the word about joy: mourning. But just like this is regrettable, it adds now, and this is in accordance with its leader. For he also says: you will be sad, but your sadness will be joy (John 16, 20). Or a word now should be attributed to joy, because it will be replaced by future joy, not short-term, but long-lasting and endless. And since the question of temptations is embarrassing, the apostle indicates the purpose of temptation: because through them your experience becomes the most obvious and most precious gold, like gold experienced by fire is valued more by people. Adds: if needed, teaching that not everyone who is faithful, nor every sinner is tested by sorrows, and neither one nor the other is left in them forever. The righteous mourners suffer to receive crowns, and sinners as punishment for sins. Not all righteous people suffer sorrows so that you do not consider the malice of meritorious and hate virtue. And not all sinners experience grief - so that the truth of the resurrection would not be questioned, if here everyone else would receive due.
To praise and honor and glory in the appearance of Jesus Christ, who, without seeing, love, and of whom you have not seen before, but believing in Him, rejoice in indescribable and glorious joy, finally reaching your soul salvation by faith.
With these words, the apostle indicates the reason why the righteous here suffer evil, and partly consoles them with the fact that through sorrow they become more glorious, partly encourages them by adding in the appearance of Jesus Christthat it was then that He, through the discovery of works, would bring the ascetics great glory. He also adds something else that carries away the transfer of sorrows. What is this? following: Which, without seeing, love. If, he says, without seeing Him with bodily eyes, love Him by one rumor, then how will you feel love when you see Him, and, moreover, appearing in glory? If you have thus tied you to His suffering, then what affection should His manifestation be upon you in an unbearable brilliance, when soul salvation will also be given to you as a reward? If you have to appear before Him and be honored with such glory, then now show patience corresponding to it, and you will fully achieve your intended goal.
To this, salvation included the research and research of the prophets, who predicted the grace that was assigned to you.
Since the apostle mentioned the salvation of the soul, and it is unknown and strange for hearing, it is testified by the prophets who sought and researched about it. They looked for the future, such as, for example, Daniel, whom the angel who appeared to him called for it. husband desires (Dan. 10, 11). They examined what the Spirit in them pointed to and for how long. On which, i.e. the execution time, on whichthat is, when the Jews, through various captives, come to perfect reverence and become capable of accepting the sacrament of Christ. Note that by naming the Spirit Of Christ, the apostle confesses Christ to God. This Spirit pointed to the sufferings of Christ, saying through Isaiah: like a sheep He was led to the slaughter (Isa. 53, 7), and through Jeremiah: put the poison tree in his food (11, 19), and on Sunday through Hosea, who said: he will revive us in two days, on the third day He will raise us up, and we will live before Him (Hos. 6, 3). The apostle says to them, it was open not for themselves, but for us. With these words, the apostle accomplishes a twofold work: he proves both the prediction of the prophets and the fact that those called to the faith of Christ were known to God before the creation of the world. With a word about the foreknowledge of the prophets, he inspires them to accept with faith the prophets foretold by him, because prudent children do not neglect the works of their fathers. If the prophets, who did not have anything to use, found and researched, and, having found it, then put it in books and handed it to us as an inheritance, then we would be unfair if we began to treat them with contempt. Therefore, when we also proclaim this to you, you do not neglect, and do not leave our gospel in vain. Such a lesson from the prophets! And the fact that believers are foreknowledge of God, the apostle fears that they do not show themselves unworthy of the foreknowledge of God and calling from Him, but that they would encourage each other to become worthy of God's gift.
Exploring what the Spirit of Christ in them indicated and for how long, when He foreshadowed the suffering of Christ and the glory that followed, it was revealed to them that it was not for them, but for us.
If both the apostles and prophets acted by the Holy Spirit, proclaiming some prophecies and others the Gospel, then, obviously, there is no difference between them. So, you must, the apostle says, have the same attention to us as their contemporaries had to the prophets, so as not to be punished by the rebellious prophets. It should be noted that in these words the apostle Peter reveals the sacrament of the Trinity. When he said: Spirit of christ, then he pointed to the Son and the Spirit, and he pointed to the Father when he said: from the sky. For the word from the sky should understand not about the place, but mainly about God, sending the Son and the Spirit into the world.
What is now preached to you by the gospel of the Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, into which the Angels want to penetrate.
An exhortation derived from the high dignity of the subject is offered here. The searches of the prophets about our salvation served us, and the work of our salvation is so wonderful that it became lusty for angels as well. And the fact that our salvation to the angels is pleasant is evident from the joy that they expressed during the Nativity of Christ. They sang then: gloria (Luke 2, 14). Having said this, the apostle gives the reason for this and says: since this salvation is kind to all of us, not only to people, but also to angels, you do not neglect it, but focus and take courage. This is indicated by the words: girding loins (v. 13) that God also commanded Job to do (Job 38: 3; 40, 2). What loins? your mindfurther says the apostle. Get ready in this way, watch, and hope completely for the joy that will come to you, the joy at the second coming of the Lord, about which he spoke a little earlier (v. 7).
Therefore, (beloved ones), having girded your loins of your mind, awake, fully trust in the grace that is given to you in the appearance of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not conform to your previous lusts that were in your ignorance, but, following the example of the Holy One who called you, be holy in all your actions. For it is written: be holy, because I am holy.
The co-educated apostle calls the fascination with the present circumstances. For even now some madmen say that it is necessary to adapt to circumstances. But since it is frivolous to give oneself up to the circumstances, the apostle commands that they, whether ignorant or ignorant, adhere to this until now, but henceforth conform to the One who called them, who is truly holy, and themselves become saints.
And if you call the Father of Him, who judges everyone by actions in an unpleasant manner, then spend your time wandering with fear, knowing that you have not been redeemed by corruptible silver or gold from the vain life that was betrayed to you from your fathers, but by the precious Blood of Christ, as immaculate and pure The lamb.
Scripture distinguishes between two kinds of fears, one primary and one perfect. The initial fear, which is also fundamental, is when someone turns to an honest life out of fear of responsibility for their own affairs, and perfect - when someone for the perfection of love for a friend, for jealousy of a loved one, is afraid not to stay before him is indebted for anything that is required by strong love. An example of the first, that is, initial fear, is found in the words of the psalm: may the whole earth be afraid of the Lord (Psalm 32, 8), that is, those who do not care about heaven at all, but only fuss about earthly things. For what they will have to endure when The Lord will rise to crush the earth (Isa. 2, 19; 21)? An example of the second, that is, perfect, fear can also be found in David, for example, in the following words: fear the Lord, all his saints, for there is no poverty for those who fear him (Psalm 33, 10), and in words: the fear of the Lord is pure, abides forever (Psalm 18, 10). In such a perfect fear of life the Apostle Peter convinces those who listen to him, and says: by the indescribable mercy of the Creator of God, you are accepted as His children; therefore, always let this fear be with you, since you have become so by the love of your Creator, and not by your deeds. The apostle uses many arguments in persuasion. He convinces, first, that angels take a sincere and lively part in our salvation; secondly, the sayings of scripture; thirdly, by necessity: for he who calls God the Father, in order to maintain the right of adoption, he must create a worthy of This Father; and fourthly, by the fact that they received countless blessings through the price paid for them, that is, the Blood of Christ, shed in ransom for the sins of men. Therefore, he commands them throughout their lives to have this perfect fear as a companion. For people who strive for excellence are always afraid not to be left without any kind of perfection. Note it. Christ said the Father does not judge anyone, but gave all judgment to the Son (John 5, 22). But the apostle Peter now says that the Father judges. How is that? We also respond to this with the words of Christ: The Son cannot do anything from Himself unless he sees the Creator (John 5, 19). From this one can see the consubstantial Holy Trinity, the perfect identity in Her, and the peaceful and unperturbed consent. Father judges - it is said indifferently, because everything that someone says about One of the Three Persons should be common to all of them. On the other hand, since the Lord and the apostles call children (John 13, 33), And the relaxed one says: child! your sins are forgiven you (Mark 2, 5); then there is no inconsistency that He is called the Father of those whom He has revived by giving them holiness.
Intended even before the creation of the world, but which appeared in recent times for you, who believed through Him in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory.
Having spoken about the death of Christ, the apostle added to this the word about the resurrection. For he is afraid that the new converts will not bow to unbelief again because the sufferings of Christ are derogatory. He adds that the sacrament of Christ is not new (because it is unreasonable, and this outrages), but from the beginning, before the creation of the world, it was hidden until a decent time for him. However, it was revealed to the prophets who sought this, as he said a little higher. And now he says that what was intended before the creation of the world is now revealed or accomplished. And for whom is it done? for you. For for you, says, God raised Him from the dead. Why for you? so that, having purified yourself by obeying the truth through the Spirit, you have faith and hope in God. Why having cleared? Because believing in Him who, through the resurrection from the dead, laid the foundation for your incorruptible life, you yourself must walk in a renewed life (Rom. 6, 4), following the example of He who called you to incorruption. Do not be embarrassed by the fact that here the apostle Peter and the apostle Paul repeatedly say that the Father raised the Lord (Acts 13, 37; 17, 31). So he says, using the usual way of teaching. But listen to Christ say that He Himself resurrected. He said: destroy this temple, and in three days I will build it (John 2, 19). And in another place: i have the sweetness to give my life, and I have the power to accept it again (John 10, 18). It is not without purpose that the resurrection of the Son is assimilated to the Father; for in this is shown the single action of the Father and the Son.
That you have faith and trust in God. By obeying the truth through the Spirit, having cleansed your souls to an unceremonious brotherly love, you constantly love one another from a pure heart, as regenerated not from a corruptible seed, but from an incorruptible, from the word of God, living and abiding forever, for all flesh is like grass and all glory the human one is like a color on the grass: the grass has dried up, and its color has fallen; but the word of the Lord abides forever; and that is the word that has been preached to you.
Having said that Christians were born again not from a corruptible seed, but from an incorruptible one, by the word of God alive and abiding forever, the apostle reveals the insignificance and extreme fragility of human glory, prompting the listener to hold on to the previously taught teaching, since it is constantly and extends forever, but the earthly will soon decay in its very essence. To confirm this, grass and color on the grass are given here, the weakest in existence than grass; to them, and David likens our life (Psalm 102, 15). Having shown the worthlessness of our glory, the apostle again returns to an explanation of what exactly revived them with the word of God, living and abiding forever, and said: this is the word that has been preached to you. He affirms this word that it abides forever, because the Lord Himself also said: heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matt. 24, 35). Must know what words to fake brotherly love you need to read in this order: from a pure heart love one another all the time, to an unfeigned brotherly love. For the end of the matter usually follows what was done for him. And as for the constant love for each other from a pure heart follows an unfeigned brotherly love; it is true that the words from the heart and others stood in front, and the words impersonal brotherly love after them. It should be noted that the preposition to (είς) should take instead of the preposition for a reason for (διά).
The apostle showed the advantage of spiritual rebirth before carnal birth, and exposed the appearance of the low value of mortal glory, namely, that birth is connected with corruption and impurity, and the glory is no different from spring plants, while the word of the Lord does not experience anything like this. For all human opinion soon ceases, but the word of God is not so, it has an eternal abode. For this purpose, he added: the word that is preached to you.
Both the testimonies of an ancient, Christian tradition, as well as the internal signs contained in the epistle, indisputably prove that it belongs to St. to the supreme apostle Peter. This message is used in his writings by the apostolic husband and disciple of St. St. John the Evangelist Polycarp; knew him and used him and sv. Papy of Hierapolis. We find links to this epistle from St. Irenaeus of Lyons, at Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Origen. It is also found in the Pescito sir translation.
The tone of speech in many places of the epistle fully corresponds to the ardor of the temperament of the Apostle Peter, known to us from the Gospel; the clarity and accuracy of speech, its similarity with the speeches of the Apostle Peter in the book of Acts also eloquently testify to the undoubted authorship of St. Petra.
St. Peter, formerly called Simon, was the son of the fisherman Jonah of Bethsaida of Galilee (John 1:42, 45) and brother of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, who brought him to Christ. St. Peter was married and had a House in Capernaum (Matthew 8:14). Called by Christ the Savior for fishing on Lake Gennisareth (Luke 5: 8), he at least expressed his special devotion and jealousy to Him, for which he was honored with a special approach to the Lord with the sons of Zebedee (Luke 9:28).
Strong, fiery in spirit and decisive, he naturally took first place in the face of Christ's apostles. He was the first to strongly confess the Lord Jesus Christ as Christ, i.e. Messiah (Matthew 16:16), and for this he was honored with the name Stone (Peter); on this stone of Peter's faith, the Lord promised to create His Church, which the gates of hell will not prevail (Matthew 16:18). Three times his renunciation of the Lord Peter washed with bitter tears of repentance, as a result of which, according to His Resurrection, the Lord again restored him to apostolic dignity, three times, according to the number of denials, entrusting him to feed his lambs and his sheep (John 21: 15-17). He was the first to promote the spread and affirmation of the Church of Christ after the descent of the Holy Spirit, delivering strong speech to the people on the day of Pentecost and turning 3000 souls to Christ, and after a while another powerful speech, on the occasion of the healing of the lame from birth in the temple, he turned 5000 more ( Acts Chap. 2-4).
The first part of the book of Acts (ch. 1-12) tells mainly about his apostolic activity. But from the time that he, miraculously freed by the Angel from the dungeon, went to another place (Acts 12:17), he is mentioned only once more in the book of Acts, in the story of the Apostolic Council (chap. 15). All other information about him was preserved only in church traditions, which were not very complete and not completely defined and agreed with each other.
In any case, it is known that he took trips with the preaching of the Gospel along the Palestinian, Phoenician, and Syrian shores of the Mediterranean Sea, was in Antioch, where he ordained the first Bishop of Euodius. Then he preached in the regions of Asia Minor to the Jews and proselytes, then in Egypt, where he ordained Mark to the first bishop for the Church of Alexandria. From here he went to Greece (Achaia) and preached in Corinth, as can be seen from 1 Cor. 1:12.
According to legend, Peter from Greece went to Italy and was in Rome, then visited Spain, Carthage and Britain. Towards the end of his life Peter again arrived in Rome, where he suffered a martyr's death along with St. Apostle Paul in '67, being crucified upside down.
The original purpose of the message, reason for writing and purpose
The original purpose of the message is evident from its very inscription: it is addressed to " aliens scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia"(1: 1) - the provinces of Asia Minor. Under these" aliens"it is necessary to understand mainly the believing Jews, for St. Peter was predominantly" apostle circumcised"(Gal. 2: 7), but, as can be seen from some places of the epistle (2:10; 4: 3, 4), here we have in mind the pagans, who, of course, were also part of the Christian communities of Asia Minor, as this can be seen from the book of Acts and some of the epistles of St. Paul.
What incentives could have sv. Apostle Peter to write to Asia Minor Christians whose communities were founded, as we know from the book of Acts, St. Apostle Paul?
The internal reason, of course, was for the Apostle Peter the command of the Lord " affirm his brothers"(Luke 22:32). The external cause was the disorder that appeared in these communities, and in particular the persecution suffered by the enemies of the Cross of Christ (as can be seen from 1 Pet. 1: 6-7 and 4:12, 13, 19; 5: 9) .In addition to external enemies, even more subtle enemies appeared - internal, in the person of false teachers.Taking advantage of the absence of St. Paul, they began to distort his teaching on Christian freedom and patronize all moral licentiousness (1 Pet. 2:16 ; 2 Pet. 1: 9; 2: 1).
There is reason to believe that information about the trials that befell the Asia Minor communities was delivered by St. Apostle Peter Siluan, who was a constant companion of the Apostle Paul, but at the conclusion of the Apostle Paul passed into bonds with St. Peter.
The purpose of the epistle, therefore, is to encourage, comfort in the sorrows of Asia Minor Christians and to establish them in the faith. The last goal of St. Peter himself means: " i wrote these things briefly to you through Silvanus, faithful, as I think, your brother, to assure you, comforting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand" (5:12).
Place and time of writing the message
The place where St. Peter wrote his first epistle, Babylon is indicated (5:13). Roman Catholics claiming that St. the apostle Peter, 25 years old was a bishop of the city of Rome, they want to see in this " Babylon"the allegorical name of Rome. Such allegory is hardly appropriate in a farewell greeting.
It is more natural to see the real name of the city in this. There is no need to suppose that it was Babylon of Euphrates, of whose visit St. Peter we have no news. In Egypt there was a small town on the banks of the Nile, founded by immigrants from Babylon, who also called it Babylon. In the history of the Christian Church, the Babylonian church in Egypt is known (Chet.-Min. For June 4, The Life of St. Zosima). St. Peter was in Egypt, set there, in Alexandria, St. Mark is a bishop, and therefore it is quite natural that he could write from there and at the same time send greetings from St. Mark.
When this message is written, it is impossible to determine with accuracy. Assumptions about the time of its writing are based on the fact that under St. Then there were Petra Silouan and Mark, on behalf of whom the apostle sends greetings to Asia Minor (1 Pet. 5:12, 13). Both of these persons accompanied St. to the Apostle Paul and were well known to Asia Minor Christians. They could probably leave him only after St. the apostle Paul was taken into bondage and sent to Rome for the trial of Caesars (Acts chap. 26-27).
It was also natural for Peter, precisely after taking Paul in bonds, to take care of his flock. And since the first epistle was written shortly before the second, which undoubtedly was written before the martyrdom of St. Peter, who followed in the year 67, the date of writing the first epistle is determined between 62 and 64 years according to R.X.
First Epistle of St. Apostle Peter consists of only 5 chapters. Their content is as follows:
1st chapter: Writing and salutation (1 -2). Glory to God for the grace of rebirth (3-5), for the sake of which it should rejoice in sorrows (6-9) and to which the searches of the prophets belonged (10-12). Exhortation to the holiness of life (13-21) and mutual love (22-25).
Chapter 2: Instructions on spiritual growth (1-3) and dispensation (4-10), on virtuous life (11-12), on submission to the authorities (13-17), on the obedience of servants to the masters (18-20). An example of the suffering of the Lord (21-25).
Chapter 3: Moral instructions to wives (1-6), husbands (7) and all Christians (8-17). Christ suffered, descended to hell, resurrected and ascended (18-22).
Chapter 4: Instructions to Christians regarding various moral qualities and virtues (1-11), especially about innocent misery (12-19).
Chapter 5: Instructions to shepherds and flocks (1-9). The Blessing of Hadostol (10-11). News and Greetings (12-14).
Exegetical, analysis of the first epistle of St. Apostle Peter
Begins its first conciliar epistle of St. Apostle Peter with the words: " Peter, Apostle of Jesus Christ"- it is impossible not to see that the holy apostle deliberately exposes his apostolic dignity, because the churches to which he wrote were not founded by him and did not have a personal acquaintance with him.
After listing, to whom his message was addressed, sv. Throughout his epistle, Peter tries to reinforce and exalt the moral life of the oppressed Asia Minor Christians with various inspired inspirations.
In the first 2 chapters he reveals " the greatness and glory of the salvation taught to us in Jesus Christ"which gives a dogmatic connotation to this whole department. The remaining chapters are dominated solely by moral instruction.
Christians of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia St. the apostle calls " aliens"in a double sense: they live outside their homeland - Palestine; for Christians, life on earth is a pilgrimage and alienation, for the Christian homeland is a different world, a spiritual world.
The Apostle calls them " elected“in the sense that in the New Testament all Christians constitute the new chosen people of God, as the Jews were in the Old Testament (1: 1). They are chosen” at the foreknowledge of God the Father, at the sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ"- all three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity took part in the work of saving people: God the Father, knowing by His foreknowledge which of the people will use the free will granted to him, predetermines people for salvation; the Son of God accomplished the very work of salvation by His death on the Cross and the Holy Spirit through His grace, he sanctifies the elect, assimilating to them the work of salvation, completed by Christ (v. 2).
From the depths of the heart, filled with gratitude to God for the atonement of the world, the apostle afterwards offers praise to God, who bestowed upon people imperishable inheritance", in contrast to the sensual earthly, which the Jews expected from the Messiah (vv. 3-4).
Having further said that the power of God is " through faith"abides by them" to salvation"the apostle inspires that this salvation will be revealed in all strength only in" lately"; now it must be afflicted" little"so that faith tested by the fire of temptation is more precious than the most refined gold" in the appearance of Jesus Christ", that is, at His second coming (v. 5-7).
Finishes his praise of st. the apostle, pointing out the great importance of the economy of our salvation, which included all the research and research of the prophets; and which is so deep that " angels want to penetrate"(vv. 8-12).
Based on the foregoing, the apostle offers a series of moral instructions, reinforcing them with high dogmatic contemplations. The first general instruction is about perfect trust in the grace of Christ with childish obedience to God as the Father and the desire to become like the holiness of life: " be holy because I am holy"(vv. 13-16). A high awareness of the price at which Christians are redeemed should encourage this:" not silver or gold", "but with the precious Blood of Christ"(vv. 17-20). Therein lies the high urge to keep the faith of Christ and hold fast to it, in spite of any temptations (vv. 21-25).
In 2nd chapter St. Peter inspires Christians that, living among the hostile pagans, they must show by their holy, virtuous life that they " the chosen clan, the royal priesthood, the holy people, people taken for inheritance, in order to proclaim the perfection of He who called them from darkness to His wonderful light"Then the Gentiles, seeing the virtuous life of a Christian, will themselves turn to Christ and glorify God for what they used to slander the believers.
Here, in refutation of the false teaching of the Roman Catholics that the stone on which the Church is based is the personality of the Apostle Peter, it is important to note that St. the apostle Peter calls " a stone"not by himself, but by the Lord Jesus Christ, as can be seen from verse 4. The foundation of the Church, its cornerstone is Christ Himself, and all believers, members of the Church -" living stones"- must make oneself on this stone" spiritual house, holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices favorable to God"(v. 5) - just as God in the Old Testament had His temple and His priests who served as a sacrifice to Him, so in the New Testament the entire Christian community in the spiritual sense should be both a temple and priests.
This, of course, is figurative speech, and this does not abolish the priesthood as a special class of persons who are placed in the Church for teaching, performing the sacraments, and administering. All believers are called " priesthood of saints"because they should" make spiritual sacrifices"To God, that is, sacrifices of virtue. Virtues are called." the victims"because their performance involves the feat of suppressing their passions and lusts.
In verses 6–8 the apostle again calls the Lord Jesus Christ " the cornerstone"citing the prophecy of Isaiah 28:16, the words of which undoubtedly refer to the Messiah. This prophecy and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself referred to Himself (Matthew 21:42).
In verse 9 of st. the apostle calls Christians again " the chosen clan, the royal priesthood, the holy people, people taken"- all these features are borrowed from the Old Testament names of the Jewish people and are applied to Christians, because Christians finally came to the fulfillment of what these names originally meant in the appendix to the Jewish people (cf. Exodus 19: 5-6). And St. John the Theologian in his Apocalypse says that in the spiritual sense the Lord Jesus Christ made us all Christians, kings and priests to God and His Father (1: 6).
These figurative expressions, indicating only the high dignity of the Christian rank, of course, cannot be taken literally as they do, they are sectarians who reject on the basis of these words of the apostle the priesthood and royal authority legally established in the Church.
"Once a people, but now God's people"(v. 10) - these words are borrowed from the prophet Hosea (2:23), where God, calling the then Jewish people not His people, because he was unworthy in his sinful way of life, promises that during the Messiah the people will be worthy of God to say to him: " you are my people". This promise was fulfilled when the best part of the Jewish people accepted the teaching of Christ. This saying is all the more relevant to Christians from former Gentiles.
From verse 11, the apostle begins purely moral instruction concerning the inner and personal lives of Christians. Here he reveals in detail what exactly this royal priesthood of Christians should express, what spiritual sacrifices they should make and how they should behave so that the pagans, seeing their virtuous life, glorify them for what they are now slandering. At the head of the persecutors of Christians were pagan authorities and the upper classes of pagan society, and Christianity was originally distributed primarily among slaves. The disenfranchised position of these slaves deteriorated further with their acceptance of the persecuted faith of Christ. A consciousness of the injustice of the persecution could not yet strengthen Christians in the faith to incite grumble and resistance.
To prevent this, the apostle in verses 13-19 teaches humility to all human superiors " for the Lord". This obedience and Christian freedom are by no means mutually excluded, but, on the contrary, freedom, understood in the true sense, imposes the obligation of obedience and related duties. Christian freedom is spiritual freedom, not external: it consists in freedom from slavery to sin , to the sinful world and the devil, but at the same time it is slavery to God and therefore imposes the obligations required by the Word of God, Christian freedom can be abused, reinterpreting the concept of it and covering it with all unbridledness, which is what fear should be stianam. Cautioning against this abuse of the concept of Christian freedom, the apostle may be meant false teachers have appeared while the Gnostic. Calling for a patient transference unjust sufferings, the apostle refers to " example of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself"(vv. 20-25) and convinces Christians" so that we follow his tracks", that is, imitate Him in the patient transfer of suffering.
IN 3rd chapter St. the apostle gives moral instruction to wives, husbands and all Christians. The apostle commands the wives to obey their husbands. This refers especially to Christian wives who were married to Jewish husbands or Gentiles who did not accept the Christian faith.
The situation of such wives was, of course, very difficult. Naturally, they could be tempted - to be under the special guidance of persons already enlightened by the Christian faith, i.e. alien husbands, to become in a special relationship of obedience to alien husbands, through which misunderstandings and disorder in family life could arise. The Apostle with particular care warns such wives from such a temptation and inspires them to obey their own husbands, even if they were unbelievers, indicating the lofty purpose of this: " so that those who do not obey the word are acquired by the life of their wives without a word"The Apostle inspires us that the true adornment of a Christian woman is not in the outer garments, but in the inner beauty." gentle and silent spirit, which is precious before God"(v. 4). As an example, the apostle cites Sarah, obeying her husband Abraham.
The plight of a woman, both in the ancient pagan world and among Jews, prompts the apostle to give instructions to the husband about the wife, so that the instruction on obedience to the wife does not give the husband a reason to abuse this obedience. The husband must treat his wife carefully, as with " weak vessel"(vv. 5-7).
Further, the apostle gives moral instructions to all Christians in general, inspiring them to rejoice if they suffer for the truth, for " and Christ ... suffered for our sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit with which he and the spirits who were in prison went down, preached"(vv. 18-19). Under this" dungeon"as the Greek word used here shows, one must understand Hell, or" Sheol "- the place where, according to the Jews, all the souls of people who died before the coming of the Messiah went; this place is in the underworld, that is, underground or inside the earth This is not hell in our sense of the word, as a place of eternal torment for sinners, but still a place, as its name shows, shy for the human spirit, unpleasant, undesirable. This was the place before the coming of Christ for all people who died in the Old Testament, although apparently, there were still different degrees, depending STI from the wickedness or righteousness of the dead.
The Lord descended into this "dungeon" to preach about the salvation of mankind accomplished by Him. This was the call of all those who died before Christ and were in sheol souls to enter the Kingdom of Christ, and those who repented and believed without a doubt were released from the place of their imprisonment and entered into the heaven opened by the Resurrection of Christ - the place of the bliss of the righteous.
According to church tradition, this sermon of Christ Himself in hell was preceded there by a sermon on Christ St. John the Baptist (see his troparia).
"Rebellious"- means that the sermon of Christ the Savior was addressed to the most stubborn sinners, an example of which the apostle sets contemporaries of Noah, who died from the flood.
From verse 6 of chapter 4, we can conclude that even those who were saved were preached by Christ in hell: " for it was preached to the dead, that they, judged by man in the flesh, should live according to God in spirit"With this the apostle also emphasizes that the preaching of Christ was addressed to all people without exception, not excluding the Gentiles, and, moreover, the most sinful of them (vv. 19-20).
From the thought of the flood and those who were saved in the ark in verse 20, the apostle proceeds to the sacrament of baptism, represented by flood water. In verse 21, the apostle defines the essence of baptism. It is not " carnal impurity washing", similar, for example, to the numerous and diverse ablutions of the Jews, which, purifying only the body, did not touch the sewage of the soul: it is" promise of good conscience to God". These words do not mean, of course, that a good conscience, or cleansing from spiritual filth, is not given in baptism, for it is further said that" baptism saves with the resurrection of Christ"(v. 21). The apostle here indicates only the need for the baptized to decide to start a new life according to his conscience.
4th chapter all is devoted to moral instruction. These moral instructions are based on the thought of Christ's suffering: " because Christ suffered flesh for us, then you will arm yourself with the same thought: for the one who suffers from the flesh ceases to sin"(Art. 1).
This whole chapter is permeated with the thought of patiently enduring persecution of faith and of the need to overcome the evil attitude of the enemies of faith by virtuous life. " A sufferer of flesh ceases to sin"- bodily sufferings, whether from the voluntary feat of self-mortification or from violent oppression from the outside, weaken the strength and effect of human sinfulness. At the same time, the same idea is expressed here as in chapter 6 of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans: To Christ and whoever dies with Him dies for sin, he should consider himself dead for sin, and alive for God.The apostle urges Christians not to be embarrassed by the pagans slandering them for the fundamental change in their life that has happened in them, reminding them that they will be judged by God for their races utstvo (v. 2.6).
"Near the end"- in the sense that Christians should always be ready for the coming of Christ. From this the apostle deduces the need for a moral life for Christians and gives a number of instructions, putting love at the forefront, because" love covers many sins"(v. 8), as St. Apostle James also teaches about this.
Chapter 4 ends with an instruction to the martyrs: " temptation of fire ... do not give up"(v. 12). Christians should fearlessly practice their faith, not being afraid of slander and suffering, but glorifying God for such a fate (vv. 13-19).
5th chapter contains instructions from the shepherds and the flocks, the apostolic blessing and closing salutations. The apostle admonishes the shepherds to shepherd the flock of God, overseeing him not coercively, but willingly, not for vile greed, but out of zeal, and not dominating the inheritance of God, but giving an example of the flock. He edifies the Passover so that they, obeying their shepherds and surrendering humbly to the guidance of the strong hand of God, themselves, however, should be sober and awake, for the adversary the devil walks, looking for someone to devour. The three main features of true shepherd are indicated here by st. Peter:
1) "Graze the flock of God, overseeing it is not forced, but willing and pious"- it says here that the shepherd himself must be filled with love for his great work, should feel his inner calling to him, so as not to be a mercenary instead of a true shepherd (5: 2);
2) "not for vile greed, but out of zeal"- this is the second feature of good shepherding, which can be called selflessness. This does not mean that the shepherd should not use anything from his flock (see 1 Cor. 9: 7, 13, 14), but only that the shepherd does not dare to place their personal benefits and material profit at the forefront of their pastoral activities;
3) "not dominating ... but setting an example"- the shepherd cannot but have power over his flocks, but his power should not be of the nature of worldly domination with violence, oppression and oppression, which would manifest elements of pride; a true shepherd must himself be a good example of his flock - then he is easy, without coercion, will acquire the necessary authority and spiritual authority over them (5: 3).
For such a good shepherding of St. the apostle promises " unfading crown"from the Shepherd - Christ (5: 4).
"Also junior", i.e., not all elders, not elders, but younger in position in church society, that is, flocks," obey the shepherds", "yet, obeying one another, clothe yourself with humble wisdom, because God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble" - "obey each other"means that everyone in his position must obey the elders, bosses over him, and thereby show humility, which alone attracts the grace of God on a person (5: 5-7).
The Apostle calls for sobriety and spiritual wakefulness, indicating that the enemy of human salvation is the devil. " walks like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour"- like a hungry lion, the devil, always spiritually hungry and always annoyed against those whom he cannot devour, frightens them like a lion with his roar, his malice and seeks to do them any harm. He must be confronted first of all" firm faith"for faith unites with Christ, the Conqueror of the devil (5: 8-9).
Concludes his first epistle of St. Peter is well-wishing from God - to be firm, unshakable in faith, sends greetings from the church in Babylon and from " his son Mark"and teaching" peace in Christ Jesus" (5:10-14).
The persecution of the Church stopped only at the beginning of the fourth century, when the Christian emperor Constantine the Great ascended the throne.
In the three hundred and thirteenth year, the emperor issued the famous Edict of Milan on complete religious tolerance. According to the edict, Christianity became the state religion.
The attacks on the Church by external enemies ceased, but they were replaced by an internal enemy, even more dangerous for the Church. This worst enemy was the heretical teaching of the Alexandrian presbyter Arius.
Arian heresy concerned the fundamental principle of the Christian faith - the doctrine of the Divinity of the Son of God.
Arius rejected the divine dignity of Jesus Christ and His equality with God the Father. The heretic claimed that "the Son of God was no more than the highest perfect creation of the Divine through which the world was created." “If the second Person is called in the Holy Scriptures the Son of God,” Arius asserted, “then by no means by nature, but by adoption.”
Hearing of a new heresy, Bishop Alexander of Alexandria tried to reason with Arius, but the archpastor’s admonitions were in vain. The heretic was firm and adamant.
When a heresy, like a plague, swept Alexandria and its environs, Bishop Alexander convened the Local Council in the twenty-twentieth year, at which Aria condemned the false doctrine.
But this did not stop the apostate: by writing letters to many bishops complaining about the definition of the Local Council and receiving their support, Arius began to spread his teachings throughout the East. Rumors of heretical unrest soon reached Emperor Constantine himself. He entrusted the investigation of the troubles to Bishop Hosea of \u200b\u200bKordub. Having convinced himself that the false doctrine of Aria was directed against the foundations of the Church of Christ, Constantine decided to convene the Ecumenical Council. In the three hundred and twenty-fifth year, at his invitation, three hundred and eighteen fathers arrived in Nicaea: bishops, presbyters, deacons and monks - representatives of all the Local Churches.
The Great Fathers of the Church also participated in the Council: Saint Nicholas, Archbishop Mir Lycian, Saint Spyridon, Bishop of Trimyphuntes, and others. Bishop Alexander of Alexandria arrived with his deacon Athanasius, later the famous Saint Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria. The emperor himself attended the meetings of the Council. He made a fiery speech. “God helped me to overthrow the wicked power of the persecutors,” Konstantin said. “But it’s incomparably more sad for me to be any war, any bloody battle and incomparably more harmful internal warfare in the Church of God.”
During the cathedral debate, Arius and his supporters, among seventeen bishops, held proudly and adamantly.
For two months and twelve days, those gathered participated in the debate and clarified the theological formulations. Finally, decisions were made and announced, which have since become binding on the entire Christian world.
The Cathedral became the spokesman for the apostolic teaching on the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity: the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God is the true God, born of God the Father before all ages, He is as eternal as God the Father; He is born, not created, and consubstantial, that is, one by nature with God the Father. So that all Orthodox Christians could clearly know the dogmas of their faith, they were briefly and accurately set forth in the first seven parts of the Creed, which has since been called Nicaea.
The false doctrine of Arius, as an error of a proud mind, was denounced and rejected, and the heretic himself was excommunicated by the Council.
After resolving the main dogmatic issue, the Council established twenty canons, that is, rules on church administration and discipline. The issue of the celebration of Holy Easter was resolved. By the decree of the Council, Holy Easter should not be celebrated by Christians on the same day as the Jewish one, and certainly on the first Sunday after the vernal equinox.
Epistles of the Apostle Peter
The apostle Peter, formerly called Simon, was the son of the fisherman Jonah of Bethsaida of Galilee (John 1: 42-45) and the brother of the apostle Andrew the First-Called, who brought him to Christ. St. Peter was married and had a house in Capernaum (Matt. 8:14). Called by Christ the Savior for fishing on Lake Hennisaret (Luke 5: 8), he always expressed particular devotion and determination, for which he was honored with a special approach to the Lord with the sons of the Zavedeevs (Luke 9:28). Strong and fiery in spirit, he naturally took an influential place in the face of Christ's apostles. He was the first to decisively confess the Lord Jesus Christ with Christ, that is, the Messiah (Matt. 16:16), and for this he was awarded the name Stone (Peter). On this stone of Peter's faith, the Lord promised to create His Church, which the gates of hell will not prevail (Matthew 16:18). The apostle Peter washed his triple renunciation of the Lord (on the eve of the crucifixion of the Savior) with bitter tears of repentance, as a result of which, after His resurrection, the Lord again restored him in apostolic dignity, three times, according to the number of denials, entrusting him to feed his lambs and sheep (John 21: 15- 17).
The first apostle Peter helped to spread and establish the Church of Christ after the descent of the Holy Spirit by delivering fiery speech to the people on the day of Pentecost and turning 3000 souls to Christ. After some time, having healed the lame from birth, he turned another 5,000 Jews to the faith with a second sermon. (Acts 2-4 chapters). The book of Acts, from the 1st chapter to the 12th, tells about his apostolic activities. However, after his miraculous release by the Angel from prison, when Peter was forced to hide from Herod (Acts 12: 1-17), he is mentioned only once more in the story of the Apostolic Council (Acts 15 chapter). Other information about him was preserved only in church traditions. It is known that he preached the Gospel along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in Antioch (where he ordained Bishop Euodia). Up Peter preached in Asia Minor to Jews and proselytes, (pagans converted to Judaism) then - in Egypt, where he ordained Mark (who wrote the Gospel according to Peter, called “from Mark.” Mark was not among the 12 apostles) in the first bishop Alexandria church. From here he went to Greece (Achaia) and preached in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:12), then he preached in Rome, Spain, Carthage and Britain. Towards the end of St. Peter again arrived in Rome, where he suffered a martyrdom in 67, being crucified upside down.
First Holy Epistle up Peter is drawn to the "aliens scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia" - the provinces of Asia Minor. By "newcomers" it is necessary to understand mainly the believing Jews, as well as the Gentiles who were part of the Christian communities. These communities were founded by Ap. Paul. The reason for writing the letter was the desire of the apostle Peter “Affirm his brothers” (Luke 22:32), in the event of disagreement in these communities, and in the persecution suffered by the enemies of the Cross of Christ. Among the Christians, internal enemies appeared in the person of false teachers. Taking advantage of the lack of up. Paul, they began to distort his teaching on Christian freedom and patronize all moral licentiousness (1 Peter 2:16; 2 Peter 1: 9; 2: 1).
The purpose of this epistle of Peter is to encourage, comfort, and affirm the faith of Asia Minor Christians, as the apostle Peter pointed out: “I wrote this briefly to you through Silvanus, faithful, as I think, your brother, to assure you, comforting and testifying that this is true the grace of God in which you stand ”(5:12).
The place of the first epistle is Babylon (5:13). In the history of the Christian church, the Babylonian church in Egypt is known, where, probably, St. Peter wrote his message. At this time, Silouan and Mark were with him, leaving Ap. Paul after he was sent to court in Rome. Therefore, the date of the first epistle is determined between the 62nd and 64th years after R.H.
Second Cathedral Epistle written to the same Asia Minor Christians. In this second epistle ap. Peter especially warns believers against depraved false teachers. These false teachings are similar to those denounced by the Ap. Paul in the epistles to Timothy and Titus, as well as the apostle Judas, in his epistle. The false teachings of heretics threatened the faith and morality of Christians. At that time, Gnostic heresies began to spread rapidly, absorbing elements of Judaism, Christianity and various pagan teachings (In essence, Gnosticism is Theosophy, which in turn is a fantasy in the toga of philosophy). In life, the adherents of these heresies were immoral and boasted of their knowledge of “secrets”.
The second epistle was written shortly before the martyrdom of Ap. Petra: “I know that soon I should leave my temple, as our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to me”. Writing can be attributed to 65-66 years. The apostle Peter spent the last years of his life in Rome, from which it can be concluded that the second epistle was written in Rome as his last will and testament.
Both the testimonies of an ancient, Christian tradition, as well as the internal signs contained in the epistle, indisputably prove that it belongs to St. to the supreme apostle Peter. This message is used in his writings by the apostolic husband and disciple of St. St. John the Evangelist Polycarp; knew him and used him and sv. Papy of Hierapolis. We find links to this message from St. Irenaeus of Lyons, at Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Origen. It is also found in the Pescito sir translation.
The tone of speech in many places of the epistle fully corresponds to the ardor of the temperament of the Apostle Peter, known to us from the Gospel; the clarity and accuracy of speech, its similarity with the speeches of the Apostle Peter in the book of Acts also eloquently testify to the undoubted authorship of St. Petra.
St. Peter, formerly called Simon, was the son of the fisherman Jonah of Bethsaida of Galilee (John 1:42, 45) and brother of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, who brought him to Christ. St. Peter was married and had a House in Capernaum (Matthew 8:14). Called by the Christ the Savior for fishing on Lake Gennisareth (Luke 5: 8), he at least expressed his special devotion and jealousy to Him, for which he was honored with a special approach to the Lord with the sons of Zebedee (Luke 9:28) . Strong, fiery in spirit and decisive, he naturally took first place in the face of Christ's apostles. He was the first to decisively confess the Lord Jesus Christ with Christ, that is, the Messiah (Matthew 16:16), and for this he was awarded the name Stone (Peter); on this stone of Peter's faith, the Lord promised to create His Church, which the gates of hell will not prevail (Matthew 16:18). Three times his renunciation of the Lord Peter washed with bitter tears of repentance, as a result of which, according to His Resurrection, the Lord again restored him to apostolic dignity, three times, according to the number of denials, entrusting him to feed his lambs and his sheep (John 21: 15-17). He was the first to promote the spread and affirmation of the Church of Christ upon the descent of the Holy Spirit, delivering a strong speech to the people on the day of Pentecost and turning 3000 souls to Christ, and after a while another powerful speech, on the occasion of the healing of the lame from birth in the temple, he turned 5000 more ( Acts Chap. 2-4). The first part of the book of Acts (ch. 1-12) tells mainly about his apostolic activity. But from the time that he, miraculously freed by the Angel from the dungeon, went to another place (Acts 12:17), he is mentioned only once more in the book of Acts, in the story of the Apostolic Council (chap. 15). All other information about him was preserved only in church traditions, which were not very complete and not quite definite and consistent with each other. In any case, it is known that he took trips with the preaching of the Gospel along the Palestinian, Phoenician and Syrian shores of the Mediterranean Sea, was in Antioch, where he ordained the first Bishop of Euodius. Then he preached in the regions of Asia Minor to the Jews and proselytes, then in Egypt, where he ordained Mark to the first bishop for the Church of Alexandria. From here he went to Greece (Achaia) and preached in Corinth, as can be seen from 1 Cor. 1:12, According to tradition, St. Peter from Greece went to Italy and was in Rome, then visited Spain, Carthage and Britain. Towards the end of his life Peter again arrived in Rome, where he suffered a martyr's death along with St. Apostle Paul in '67, being crucified upside down.
The original purpose of the message, reason for writing and purpose
The original purpose of the message is evident from its inscription: it is addressed to "aliens scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia" (1: 1) - the provinces of Asia Minor. By these "newcomers" it is necessary to understand mainly the believing Jews, for Peter was predominantly the “apostle of the circumcised” (Gal. 2: 7), but, as can be seen from some parts of the epistle (2:10; 4: 3, 4), this also refers to the pagans, who, of course, were also part of Christian communities of Asia Minor, as can be seen from the book of Acts and some of the epistles of St. Apostle Paul.
What incentives could have sv. Apostle Peter to write to Asia Minor Christians whose communities were founded, as we know from the book of Acts, St. Apostle Paul?
The internal reason, of course, was for the apostle Peter the command of the Lord "to confirm his brothers" (Luke 22:32). The external cause was the disorder that appeared in these communities, and in particular the persecution suffered by the enemies of the Cross of Christ (as can be seen from 1 Pet. 1: 6-7 and 4:12, 13, 19; 5: 9). In addition to external enemies, even more subtle enemies appeared - internal ones, in the person of false teachers. Taking advantage of the lack of St. Apostle Paul, they began to distort his teaching on Christian freedom and to patronize all moral licentiousness (1 Pet. 2:16; 2 Pet. 1: 9; 2: 1). There is reason to believe that information about the trials that befell the Asia Minor communities was delivered by St. to the Apostle Peter Siluan, who was a constant companion of the Apostle Paul, but at the conclusion of the Apostle Paul, he transferred to the bonds of St. Peter.
The purpose of the epistle, therefore, is to encourage, comfort, and afflict the faiths of Asia Minor Christians. The last goal of St. Peter himself means: “I wrote this briefly to you through Silvanus, faithful, as I think, to your brother, to assure you, comforting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand” (5:12).
Place and time of writing the message
The place where St. Peter wrote his first epistle, Babylon is indicated (5:13). Roman Catholics claiming that St. The apostle Peter was a bishop of the city of Rome for 25 years; they want to see in this "Babylon" the allegorical name of Rome. Such an allegory in a farewell greeting is hardly appropriate. It is more natural to see the real name of the city in this. There is no need to suppose that it was Babylon of Euphrates, of whose visit St. Peter we have no news. In Egypt there was a small town on the banks of the Nile, founded by immigrants from Babylon, who also called it Babylon. In the history of the Christian Church, the Babylonian church in Egypt is known (Chet.-Min. For June 4, The Life of St. Zosima). St. Peter was in Egypt, set there, in Alexandria, St. Mark is a bishop, and therefore it is quite natural that he could write from there and at the same time send greetings from St. Mark.
When this message is written, it is impossible to determine with accuracy. Assumptions about the time of its writing are based on the fact that under St. Then there were Petra Silouan and Mark, on behalf of whom the apostle sends greetings to Asia Minor (1 Pet. 5:12, 13). Both of these persons accompanied St. to the Apostle Paul and were well known to Asia Minor Christians. They could probably leave him only after St. the apostle Paul was taken into bondage and sent to Rome for the trial of Caesars (Acts chap. 26-27). It was also natural for Peter, precisely after taking Paul in bonds, to take care of his flock. And since the first epistle was written shortly before the second, which, undoubtedly, was written before the martyrdom of St. Peter, who followed in 67, the date of writing the first epistle is determined between 62 and 64 years according to R. X.
First Epistle of St. Apostle Peter consists of only five chapters. Their content is as follows:
First chapter: Writing and salutation (1 -2). Glory to God for the grace of rebirth (3-5), for the sake of which it should rejoice in sorrows (6-9) and to which the searches of the prophets belonged (10-12). Exhortation to the holiness of life (13-21) and mutual love (22-25).
The second chapter: Instructions on spiritual growth (1-3) and dispensation (4-10), on a virtuous life (11-12), on submission to the authorities (13-17), on the obedience of servants to the masters (18-20). An example of the suffering of the Lord (21-25).
Third chapter: Moral instruction to wives (1-6), husbands (7) and all Christians (8-17). Christ suffered, descended to hell, resurrected and ascended (18-22).
The fourth chapter: Instructions to Christians regarding different moral qualities and virtues (1-11), especially about innocent misery (12-19).
Fifth chapter: Instructions to shepherds and flocks (1-9). The Blessing of Hadostol (10-11). News and Greetings (12-14).
Exegetical, analysis of the first epistle of St. Apostle Peter
Begins its first conciliar epistle of St. the apostle Peter with the words: “Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ” - one cannot help but see that St. with an intent purpose, the apostle exposes his apostolic dignity, for the churches to which he wrote were not founded by him and did not have a personal acquaintance with him. After listing, to whom his message was addressed, sv. Throughout his epistle, Peter tries to reinforce and exalt the moral life of the oppressed Asia Minor Christians with various inspired inspirations. In the first two chapters, he reveals the "" greatness and glory of the salvation that was taught to us in Jesus Christ, "which gives a dogmatic connotation to this whole section. The remaining chapters are dominated by exclusively moral instructions.
Christians of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia St. the apostle calls "newcomers" in a double sense: they live outside their homeland - Palestine; for Christians, life on earth is a pilgrimage and adultery, for the Christian homeland is another world, a spiritual world. The apostle calls them "chosen" in the sense that in the New Testament all Christians constitute the new chosen people of God, as the Jews were in the Old Testament (1: 1). They were chosen "at the foreknowledge of God the Father, at the sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" - all three Persons of the Holy Trinity took part in the work of saving people: God the Father, knowing by His foreknowledge which of the people will use the free gift granted to him will, predetermines people to salvation; The Son of God accomplished the very work of salvation by His death on the cross, and the Holy Spirit sanctifies the elect through His grace, assimilating to them the work of salvation completed by Christ (v. 2). From the depths of his heart, filled with gratitude to God for the redemption of the world, the apostle afterwards extols the praise to God, who gave people the “imperishable inheritance”, in contrast to the sensual earthly, which the Jews expected from the Messiah (vv. 3-4). Having further said that the power of God “through faith” observes them “to salvation,” he apostates that this salvation will be revealed in all power only in the “last time”; now it is necessary to grieve “a little”, so that the faith tested by the fire of temptations would be more precious than the most refined gold “in the appearance of Jesus Christ,” that is, at His second coming (vv. 5-7). Finishes his praise of st. the apostle, pointing out the great importance of the economy of our salvation, which included all the research and research of the prophets; and which is so deep that angels "want to penetrate into it" (vv. 8-12). Based on the foregoing, the apostle offers a series of moral instructions, reinforcing them with high dogmatic contemplations. The first general instruction is about sover. the hope of the grace of Christ with childish obedience to God as the Father and the desire to become like the holiness of life: “be holy, because I am holy” (vv. 13-16). This should be encouraged by a high consciousness of the price at which Christians were redeemed: “not with silver or gold,” “but with the precious Blood of Christ” (vv. 17-20). This is a high urge to keep the faith of Christ and hold fast to it, in spite of any temptations (vv. 21-25).
In the second chapter of st. Peter inspires the Christians that, living among the hostile pagans, they must show by their holy, virtuous life that they are “the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the holy people, people taken for inheritance, in order to proclaim the perfection of Calling them from darkness to His wonderful light " Then the pagans, seeing the virtuous life of a Christian, will themselves turn to Christ and glorify God for what they used to slander the believers.
Here, in refutation of the false teaching of the Roman Catholics that the stone on which the Church is based is the personality of the Apostle Peter, it is important to note that St. the apostle Peter calls the "stone" not himself, but the Lord Jesus Christ, as can be seen from verse 4. The foundation of the Church, its cornerstone is Christ Himself, and all believers, members of the Church - “living stones” - must make of themselves on this stone “a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to make spiritual sacrifices favorable to God” (v. 5) - just as God in the Old Testament had His temple and His priests who served as a sacrifice to Him, so in the New Testament the whole community of Christians in the spiritual sense should be both a temple and priests. This, of course, is figurative speech, and this does not abolish the priesthood as a special class of persons who are placed in the Church for teaching, performing the sacraments, and administering. All believers are called "holy priesthood" because they must "offer spiritual sacrifices" to God, that is, sacrifices of virtue. Virtues are called “victims” because their performance involves the feat of suppressing their passions and lusts. In verses 6–8 the apostle again calls the Lord Jesus Christ the "cornerstone", citing the prophecy of Isaiah 28:16, the words of which certainly refer to the Messiah. This prophecy and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself referred to Himself (Matt. 21:42). In verse 9 of st. the apostle calls the Christians again “the chosen clan, the royal priesthood, the holy people, people taken for inheritance” - all these features are borrowed from the Old Testament names of the Jewish people and are applied to Christians, since the Christians finally fulfilled what these names originally meant attached to the Jewish people (cf. Exod. 19: 5-6). And St. John the Theologian in his Apocalypse says that in the spiritual sense the Lord Jesus Christ made all of us Christians kings and priests to God and His Father (1: 6). These figurative expressions, indicating only the high dignity of the Christian rank, of course, cannot be taken literally as they do, they are sectarians who reject on the basis of these words of the apostle the priesthood and royal authority legally established in the Church. “Once the people, but now the people of God” (v. 10) - these words are borrowed from the prophet
Hosea (2:23), where God, calling the then Jewish people not His people, because he was unworthy in his sinful way of life, promises that during the Messiah the people will be worthy of God to say to him: “you are My people " This promise was fulfilled when the best part of the Jewish people accepted the teaching of Christ. This saying is all the more relevant to Christians from former pagans. From verse 11, the apostle begins purely moral instruction concerning the inner and personal lives of Christians. Here he reveals in detail what exactly this royal priesthood of Christians should express, what spiritual sacrifices they should make and how they should behave so that the pagans, seeing their virtuous life, glorify them for what they are now slandering. At the head of the persecutors of Christians were pagan authorities and the upper classes of pagan society, and Christianity was originally distributed primarily among slaves. The disenfranchised position of these slaves deteriorated further with their acceptance of the persecuted faith of Christ. A consciousness of the injustice of the persecution could not yet strengthen Christians in the faith to incite grumble and resistance. To prevent this, the apostle in verses 13-19 teaches humility to all human superiors "for the Lord." This obedience and Christian freedom are by no means mutually excluded, but, on the contrary, freedom, understood in the true sense, imposes the obligation of obedience and the duties associated with it. Christian freedom is spiritual freedom, and not external: it consists in freedom from slavery to sin, the sinful world and the devil, but at the same time it is slavery to God and therefore imposes the duties required by the Word of God, Christian freedom can be abused, reinterpreting the concept of covering it with all unbridledness, which Christians should be afraid of. Cautioning against such abuse of the concept of Christian freedom, the apostle, perhaps, has in mind the false Gnostic teachers who appeared then. Calling for the patient suffering of unjust suffering, the apostle points to the example of the Lord Jesus Himself “Christ (vv. 20-25) and convinces Christians“ so that we can follow his footsteps ”, that is, to imitate him in the patient suffering of suffering.
In the third chapter of St. the apostle gives moral instruction to wives, husbands and all Christians. The apostle commands the wives to obey their husbands. This refers especially to Christian wives who were married to Jewish husbands or Gentiles who did not accept the Christian faith. The situation of such wives was, of course, very difficult. Naturally, they could be tempted - to be under the special guidance of persons already enlightened by the Christian faith, that is, strangers' husbands, to become in a special relationship of obedience to strangers, through which misunderstandings and disruptions in family life could be generated. The apostle with special care warns such wives from such temptation and inspires them to obey their husbands, even if they are unbelievers, pointing out the lofty purpose of this: "so that those who do not obey the word can be acquired without a word by the life of their wives." The apostle inspires that the true adornment of a Christian woman is not in the outer garments, but in the inner beauty of the “meek and silent spirit, which is precious before God” (v. 4). The apostle cites Sarah as an example, obeying her husband Abraham.
The plight of a woman, both in the ancient pagan world and among Jews, prompts the apostle to give instructions to the husband about the wife, so that the instruction on obedience to the wife does not give the husband a reason to abuse this obedience. The husband must treat his wife with care, as with a "weak vessel" (vv. 5-7).
Further, the apostle gives moral instructions to all Christians in general, inspiring them to rejoice if they suffer for the truth, for "and Christ ... suffered for our sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, was put to death in the flesh, but revived by the spirit with which he is in prison preaching to the spirits, he preached "(vv. 18-19). Under this "dungeon", as the Greek word used here shows, one must understand Hell, or "Sheol" - the place where, according to the Jews, all the souls of people who died before the coming of the Messiah went; it is a place in the underworld, that is, underground or inside the earth. This is not hell in our sense of the word, as a place of eternal torment of sinners, but still a place, as its name shows, shy for the human spirit, unpleasant, undesirable. This was the place before the coming of Christ for all people who died in the Old Testament, although, apparently, there were still different degrees, depending on the wickedness or righteousness of the dead. The Lord descended into this "dungeon" to preach about the salvation of mankind accomplished by Him. This was the call of all those who died before Christ and were in sheol souls to enter the Kingdom of Christ, and those who repented and believed without a doubt were released from the place of their imprisonment and entered into the heaven opened by the Resurrection of Christ - the place of the bliss of the righteous. According to church tradition, this sermon of Christ Himself in hell was preceded there by a sermon on Christ St. John the Baptist (see his troparia). “Disobedient” - means that the sermon of Christ the Savior was addressed to the most stubborn sinners, an example of which the apostle sets contemporaries of Noah, who died from the flood. From verse 6 of chapter 4 it can be concluded that those who were saved were preached by Christ in hell: "for this it was preached to the dead that they, judged by man in flesh, should live according to God in spirit." By this, the apostle also emphasizes that the preaching of Christ was addressed to all people without exception, not excluding the Gentiles, and, moreover, the most sinful of them (vv. 19-20). From the thought of the flood and those who were saved in the ark in verse 20, the apostle proceeds to the sacrament of baptism, represented by flood water. In verse 21, the apostle defines the essence of baptism. It is not “carnal impurity washing,” similar, for example, to the numerous and diverse ablutions of the Jews, which, purifying only the body, did not in any way touch the spiritual impurities: it is “a promise to God of a good conscience.” These words do not mean, of course, that a good conscience, or cleansing from spiritual filth, is not given in baptism, for it is further said that "baptism saves by the resurrection of Christ" (v. 21). The apostle here indicates only the need for the baptized to decide to start a new life in good conscience.
The fourth chapter is all about moral instruction. These moral instructions are based on the thought of the sufferings of Christ: "because Christ suffered for the flesh for us, you will also arm yourself with the same thought: for the one who suffers from the flesh ceases to sin" (v. 1). This whole chapter is permeated with the thought of patiently enduring persecution of faith and of the need to overcome the evil attitude of the enemies of faith by virtuous life. “The sufferer of the flesh ceases to sin” - bodily suffering, whether from the voluntary feat of self-mortification or from violent oppression from the outside, weakens the strength and effect of human sinfulness. At the same time, the same idea is expressed here as in chapter 6 of the Epistle of St. of the Apostle Paul to the Romans: that a person who has become crucified with Christ and dies with Him dies for sin, he should consider himself dead for sin, and alive for God. The apostle urges Christians not to be embarrassed by the fact that the Gentiles slander them for the fundamental change in their life that has occurred in them, recalling that they will also be judged by God for their profligacy (vv. 2-6). “The end is near” - in the sense that Christians should always be ready for the coming of Christ. From this the apostle deduces the need for a moral life for Christians and gives a series of instructions, putting love at the forefront, because “love covers many sins” (v. 8), as St. Apostle James. Chapter 4 ends with an admonition to the martyrs: "fiery temptation ... do not be alienated" (v. 12). Christians should fearlessly practice their faith, not fearing slander and suffering, but glorifying God for their fate (vv. 13-19).
The fifth chapter contains instructions to the shepherds and the flocks, the apostolic blessing and closing salutations. The apostle admonishes the shepherds to shepherd the flock of God, overseeing him not coercively, but willingly, not for vile greed, but out of zeal, and not dominating the inheritance of God, but giving an example of the flock. He hopes that Pasomakh will obey their shepherds and surrender humbly to the guidance of the strong hand of God, and yet themselves be sober and awake, for the adversary the devil walks, looking for someone to devour. The three main features of true shepherd are indicated here by st. Peter: 1) “Shepherd the flock of God, overseeing him not coercively, but willingly and piouslyly” - it says that the shepherd himself must be filled with love for his great work, should feel an inner calling to him, so as not to be a mercenary instead of a true shepherd (5: 2); 2) "not for vile greed, but out of zeal" - this is the second feature of good shepherding, which can be called disinterestedness. This does not mean that the pastor should not use anything from his flock (see 1 Cor. 9: 7, 13, 14), but only that the pastor does not dare to personalize his personal benefits and material profit at the forefront of his pastoral activity ; 3) "not dominating ... but setting an example" - a pastor cannot have power over his flocks, but his authority should not be of the nature of worldly domination with violence, oppression and oppression, which would reflect elements of pride; a true shepherd himself should set a good example for his flock - then he will easily, without coercion, gain the necessary authority and spiritual authority over them (5: 3). For such a good shepherding of St. the apostle promises a “unfading crown” from the Shepherd-chief Christ (5: 4). “Also the younger ones,” that is, all not elders, not elders, but younger in position in church society, that is, flocks, “obey the shepherds,” “nevertheless, obeying each other, clothe yourself with humble wisdom, because God resists the proud, but gives humility to the humble "-" obey one another "means that each in his position must obey his elders, bosses over him and thereby show humility, which alone attracts the grace of God on a person (5: 5-7). The apostle calls for sobriety and spiritual wakefulness, indicating that the enemy of human salvation, the devil "walks like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" - like a hungry lion, the devil, forever spiritually hungry and always annoyed against those whom he cannot devour, is intimidating they are like a lion with their roars, their anger, and seeks to inflict any harm on them. First of all, it must be confronted with “firm faith,” for faith unites with Christ, the Victor of the Devil (5: 8-9). Concludes his first epistle of St. Peter, with God’s good wishes - to be firm, unshakable in faith, sends greetings from the church in Babylon and from “his son Mark”, and by teaching “peace in Christ Jesus” (5: 10-14).
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