1 Peter 1:13-2:10 Discussion Notes
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This table is taken from “Faith for Exiles”.
| Jerusalem | Babylon |
| monoreligious | pluralistic |
| homogeneous | diverse |
| slower paced life | frenetic accelerated Life |
| central control | open Source |
| sweet and simple | complex and bittersweet |
| idols: Religious pride / false piety | idols : fitting in/ not missing out |
The two columns describe the world of Jerusalem of these columns seem like today’s world to you ? How do you feel about your answer ?
“Only God is Holy, just as only people are human. God’s holiness is God’s Godness. To speak of anything else as holy is to say that it has something of God’s mark upon it.” – Buechner
Does this help in thinking about Holiness ? What do you understand Holiness as ?
Peter is keen to drive home that God is in control. He keeps pointing out that Jesus’ death and resurrection was planned, not happenstance. If you were a persecuted 1st century Christian living in a world that seems to be going wrong, how would this make you feel ? If you are a 21st century christian reflecting on the changes in the table above, how do you feel ?
Peter also wants to drive home that we are chosen, precious, lasting… What words can you find that Peter uses in this passage that describe our identity ?
V22 talks of purifying – what the message calls cleaning up your lives. What have you cleaned out of your lives because of your love for Jesus ? How has that changed things ?
There’s a play on words in this passage. In Hebrew the word for son (ben) is very like stone (eben). You build a house from stones and a family from sons and daughters. Peter wants to position us right next to Jesus over and over again. As a temple and a family. Is there distance between you and Jesus ? What’s that about ?
What do you think it means for Peter to say God dwells in us as a new temple ?