Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of I Peter Chapter 1
Metaphysically Interpreting I Peter 1:1-2
1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 1:2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Peter 1:3-12
1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1:4unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 1:5who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1:6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials, 1:7that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ: 1:8whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 1:9receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1:10Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 1:11searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. 1:12To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angel desire to look into.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Peter 1:13-25
1:13Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1:14as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance: 1:15but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; 1:16because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy. 1:17And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear:
1:18knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; 1:19but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ: 1:20who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of times for your sake, 1:21who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
1:22Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: 1:23having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. 1:24For,
All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth,
and the flower falleth:
1:25But the word of the Lord abideth for ever.And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you.
March 26, 1939: I Peter 1:17-23
What obligation, do we assume when we call on God as Father? Since God is the impersonal principle by which each man's works are judged, when we call on God as Father, we acknowledge that our origin is in Him. By this acknowledgment we obligate ourselves to prove the same principle of impersonality within ourselves, or to prove our divine nature.
What fear, if any, is legitimate for us to entertain? We should surrender to no fear. However, in taking thought for our progress in understanding we may consider the fear of falling short in our realization legitimate, since it spurs us on to renewed efforts to realize the Christ.
What is the metaphysical meaning of “the blood of Christ”? Blood represents life, and Christ is the Word of God.The life of that Word must be a form of energy far transcending any life current that inheres in blood. This energy was “foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world,” and is the redeeming power of the world.
How are our faith and hope affected by knowledge of the Christ expressed in Jesus? Both faith and hope spring up spontaneously in our heart on contemplation of Christ Jesus.
Interpret the command “Love one another.” The greatest power that man wields is the power of love, a faculty of both mind and heart. Until he learns the lesson of disinterested service to his fellow men (unfeigned love of the brethren), he cannot express the Christ love in its strength and purity.
What is the “word of God which liveth and abideth”? The word of God is the creative power that begets the pure thought of Spirit. Man's rebirth from sense to spiritual consciousness is due to his use of this word.
November 9, 1947: I Peter 1:13-23
What must a person do in order to express the Christ in his daily life? He must develop single-mindedness, must think creatively or constructively (gird up the loins of his mind), must be earnest in his work (be sober) and must keep his thoughts on what he wishes to accomplish.
How do we know that we can become one with the Divine, as Jesus was? Because the Christ is revealed to us as an indwelling presence, in whom there is a union of love, wisdom, power, faith, and prescience that can cause the divine to be manifested in us, as we faithfully express it.
How can we think of Divine Mind or God as our Father, when He is no respecter or persons and judges us according to our works? While it is true that God, Divine mind, the principle of life, law, is no respecter of persons, we turn to Him as to a father, because through His Son Jesus Christ we are assured that in His love and wisdom He looks beyond our imperfections and sees us as His sons.
How do we manifest our sonship to God? By our Godlike thought and behaviour.
What is represented by the blood of Christ? Perfect life, or the unlimited expression of the Christ Life.
Where do we experience saving grace and power? Within ourselves.
What do we learn of our nature from the fact that we entertain faith and hope? That it is divine in essence, since faith and hope are spiritual qualities.
What makes it safe for man to express the mighty power of divine love? Unfailing obedience on his part to the ideal of disinterested service. No one is qualified to express divine love, until unselfishness becomes the mainspring of his character.
What does impersonal love accomplish? It heals human ills and unites men in a bond of mutual understanding. Impersonal love is expressed by all great benefactors of mankind.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 12-21-2013
