Before Matthew 16, Peter was actually named Simon, but Jesus changed his name to Peter.
Matthew 16:13-18
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
God revealed Jesus’ true identity to Peter, Peter showed his willingness to be bold and outspoken, and he was willing to lay his whole reputation on the line.
You are Peter (Petros) and on the Rock (Petra) I will build my church. So, the rock that the church is built on is the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, not Peter himself. But, symbolically, because God showed Peter this truth, and because he was willing to stand on that truth, Peter then becomes the leadership rock that it's built on.
At the point when 1st and 2nd Peter were written, Peter was living in Rome, which he calls “Babylon” in these books and Peter is looking at all of the hostility and harassment that his people are going through in Asia Minor which is modern day Turkey. So, he commissioned his coworker named Sylvanus to write a letter for him around 62-64AD to that network of churches in Turkey, that we now call 1st Peter.
The Greeting
1 Peter 1:1-2
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
There is a pervasive theology being preached right now called Calvinism, the core of which is based on a thing called Limited Atonement.
Limited Atonement says that while the death of Jesus is sufficient to pay to price for the world’s sin,
it was God’s intention that that atonement would only work itself out in the people that God elected to save. This doesn't fully line up with scripture.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
It’s obvious throughout scripture that God gives free will to people, so it’s their decision to chose Him or to refuse Him.
The other camp, the Arminians believe in Unlimited Atonement which says that Jesus died for everyone, and it’s our choice as people to decide if we want Jesus or not. Some people take that to mean: Jesus died for us, and thats the end of it, and He’s just sitting up in Heaven watching it all unfold and hoping for the best. That doesn’t line up with the rest of scripture either, does it?
John 10:2-4
2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
Remember when Ananias was called by God to meet Saul on the road to Damascus, and then God spoke directly to Saul who was a lost person? That doesn’t sound like God was hands-off, right?
This verse in 1 Peter shows us that the Gospel is for everyone and you have the free will to decide if you want Jesus or not, AND you’re not alone in that, becuase God desperately loves you enough to draw you in
and send people into your life to help you make that decision.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
1 Peter 1:3-12
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
