1 Peter 1:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We are God's creation, but through sin we became servants of the devil. Then the Savior redeems us, who had given ourselves to the devil, by His Blood. That is, "you were bought with a price" (1 Cor 7:23). We were redeemed by precious Blood. Consider an honorable and good master of a household. He does not judge an unworthy servant, who has committed many offenses, worthy of his good house and common life. He hands him over to another, so that he may teach him. Then, when he sees him punished by a harsh master and saying, "I will go to my former master, for then it was better for me than now," he restores him to honor. He buys him back, so that he may become a special, περιούσιος, people, λαός. So also God restores us. How, then, are we His possession and not His possession?

Having spoken of Christ's death, the Apostle added a word about the Resurrection. He fears that the newly converted might bend back toward unbelief because the sufferings of Christ appear humiliating. He adds that the mystery of Christ is not new, for this also disturbs the foolish. It was hidden from the beginning, before the creation of the world, until its proper time. Yet it was also revealed to the prophets, who searched into it, as he said a little earlier. And now he says that what was foreordained before the creation of the world has now been revealed, or has been accomplished. For whom was it accomplished? For you. For you, he says, God raised Him from the dead. But for what purpose was this for you?

Having remembered the death of Christ, he did not pass over the Resurrection in silence, but immediately reminded them of it as well. If you hear that the Father raises the Son, do not be troubled, as though He could not raise Himself. Hear Christ's words: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (Jn 2:19). Again, hear Luke's saying about Him: "He showed Himself alive" (Acts 1:3). And again, hear Christ's words: "I have power to lay it down," that is, My soul, "and I have power to take it again" (Jn 10:18). This is precisely what the Apostle says, so that we may learn that the properties of the Father and the Son are common.

You believe in God, Who raised Him, that is, Christ, from the dead. This means the raising of Jesus Christ by God according to His humanity (compare Acts 2:24; Acts 5:30; 1 Cor 15:15, and others). "If you hear," says Chrysostom, "that the Father raised the Son, do not be troubled, as though the Son could not raise Himself. Hear how Christ says: 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (Jn 2:19). Again Luke says of Him: 'He showed Himself alive' (Acts 1:3). And again Christ says: 'I have power to lay down My soul, and I have power to take it again'" (Jn 10:18). "That your faith and hope may be in God." God raises Jesus Christ and gives Him glory in order to establish those who believe in Christ in hope toward God.

The means of this salvation is faith in God through Him, that is, faith in the whole fullness of the mysteries of redemption. All the revelations of God are, as it were, concentrated upon this redemption. It is full and perfect faith, which was impossible before Christ appeared in the world and before the preaching of the Gospel. The central point of this faith is the Resurrection of Christ and His glorification after the offering of the universal sacrifice (Rom 10:9). The phrase "Who raised Him" was also used by the Apostle Peter in his speeches after Christ's Ascension (cf. Acts 2:24, 32; Acts 3:15). "Having spoken of Christ's death, the Apostle added a word about the Resurrection.

Redemption by the blood of Christ (1 Pet 1:18-22). "You were redeemed not with corruptible silver or gold from the vain life handed down to you from your fathers," both by inheritance of birth and by worldly customs, "but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a spotless and pure lamb, foreordained" for slaughter "before the creation of the world. But manifested in the last times for you." On the basis of this redemption, the apostle persuades Christians to preserve, as a holy thing and a treasure, Christian faith and hope in God, obedience to the truth, that is, to the Gospel teaching, and to love one another from a pure heart like brothers of one blood.

Cf. Lev 19:2. Urging Christians to devotion to the will of God, the Apostle presents a new series of motives. Christians must estrange themselves from sinful, fleshly life and act in holiness in all things. The first of these motives was already indicated in the Old Testament. It lies in the holiness of God, Who called Christians to His own portion and made them His children. Above all, they must be strengthened by wholehearted following of Him and complete obedience to His holy will (cf. Lev 19:2). The second motive is that God is not only our heavenly Father, but also an impartial and true Judge. He will not spare us because of our election or adoption, as happens in this world. He will judge according to works, since works express a man's inward disposition (cf. Jas 2:26).

Even before the creation of the world, even before sin appeared in the world, Christ was foreordained as a sacrifice for sins, as a spotless lamb. Humanity long awaited His appearance in the world. At last He appeared in the latter years, after 5508 years, at the end of the Old Testament divine economy of salvation. In this there is a new and most powerful motive for holiness for those who have lived to see these latter years. In this respect they have a great advantage over those of the Old Testament. The latter knew Christ only through promises concerning Him, through prophecies and prefigurations. They believed in the Christ Who was to come. But now these promises, prophecies, and prefigurations have been fulfilled. He Who was their object has already appeared for your sake.