I’ve been amazed by the two conversations the Resurrected Jesus had with his disciples written about in Luke 24. He says the same essential truth both times:
On the Road to Emmaus
Luk 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Later When Jesus Appears to His Disciples
Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
As I read Mike Ratliff’s post, I spent a little time on verse 3 which in the KJV reads:
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
The word begotten us is derived from the previous English Bibles, at least back to Tyndale.
Tyndale Bible
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which thorow his abundant mercy begat|according to his great mercy hath begotten| us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death,|from the dead|
Tyndale s brief introduction to Chapter 1: In the first he declareth the justifying of faith thorow Christ's blood, and comforteth them with the hope of the life to come, and sheweth that we have not deserved it, but that the prophets prophesied it should be given us, and as Christ which redeemed us out of sin and all uncleanness is holy, so he exhorteth to lead an holy conversation: and because we be richly bought and made heirs of a rich inheritance, to take heed that we lose it not again thorow our own negligence.
The Geneva Bible Reads
1 Peter 1:3 1599 Version
1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a {c} lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(c) Everlasting hope.
The 1560 Version also has a cross reference to Paul.
3 *Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath
begotten us again unto a dlively hope by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead,
3 *2 Co r. 1.3, Eph. 1.3
3 d For it is but dead and vain hope which is without Ch rist.
Old John Gill comments on verse there more completely:
1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,…. The epistle begins here with thanksgiving to God, or an ascription of blessing, praise, and glory to him; for this does not mean an invoking or conferring a blessing on him; neither of which can be, for there is not a greater than he to be invoked, nor can anything be added to his blessedness: but God may be blessed by his creatures when they speak well of him, and his wonderful works of creation, providence, and grace; when they ascribe all their mercies, spiritual and temporal, to him; give him the glory of them, and express their thanks for them in heart, lip, and life; and such a blessing of God for a special and spiritual favour, the grace of regeneration, is intended here: by “God” is meant, not God essentially, but personally considered, even God the Father, as is clearly expressed: the words are rendered in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions without the copulative “and”, thus, “blessed be God the Father”; and if that is retained, they, may be rendered thus, “blessed be God, even the Father”; as in 2Co 1:3 and so the latter be exegetical of the former; though both are true of Christ, in different senses; God is the God of Christ, as Christ is man; and he is the Father of Christ, as Christ is God; for, as man, he had no father, nor is he a son by office, but by nature; see Gill on Eph 1:3.
which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again: regeneration is the blessing thanks are given for; and if we are to be thankful to God, and bless his name, because he hath made us creatures, and hath given us a natural being; much more should we praise him for making us new creatures, and giving us a spiritual being. To be “begotten again”, and so to be born again, is opposed unto, and distinguished from our first birth, when we were conceived, and shapen in sin; and designs a birth, spiritual, holy, and heavenly; it is signified by a being quickened, or made alive; so as in a spiritual sense, to see, and hear, and breathe after divine things, and to live a life of faith and holiness; by Christ being formed in the heart; by a partaking of the divine nature, and by being made new men, or new creatures: God, and not man, is the efficient cause of this, which is sometimes ascribed to the Spirit, and sometimes to the Son, and here to the Father; and it is not men’s works, but his own good will and pleasure, his great love and free favour, his rich grace and abundant mercy, are the impulsive, or moving cause of it; and abundance of grace and mercy indeed is displayed in the regeneration and conversion of sinners: what they are regenerated to is,
unto a lively hope; meaning either the grace of hope, which is implanted in regeneration, and not before; for then, and then only, is a good hope through grace given; and it may be said to be “lively”, or “living”, inasmuch as it is fixed, not on dead works, but on a living Christ, on his person, blood, and righteousness; and is not the hope of a dead sinner, of a lifeless hypocrite, and formal professor, that has a name to live, and is dead, but of a living believer, one made truly alive by the spirit of life, from Christ; and is what is sometimes, at least, in lively exercise, and makes the heart of a believer cheerful, brisk, and lively; and is what is lasting and durable, and will never be lost, but will be held fast unto the end: or else the thing hoped for is intended, the hope laid up in heaven; the blessed hope regenerate ones are born unto, and are looking for, even eternal life and happiness; and the Syriac version renders it, “unto hope of life”: that is, or eternal life; and so reads one of Stephens’s copies. Saints are both begotten again to the grace of hope, and to the glory which that grace is waiting for: the means is,
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; which may be connected either with the act of begetting again; for Christ’s resurrection is the virtual cause of regeneration, or regeneration is in virtue of Christ’s resurrection; had he not risen from the dead, none would have been quickened, or made to live, or have been raised to newness of life: his resurrection is the exemplar of regeneration; there is a likeness between them; as his resurrection was a declaration of his sonship, so regeneration is a manifestation of adoption; and as Christ’s resurrection was his first step to glory, so is regeneration to eternal life; and both are wrought by the same almighty power: or the clause may be connected with the foregoing, “unto a lively hope”; for the resurrection of Christ is what is the means of, and lays a solid foundation of hope, both of the saints’ resurrection from the dead, of which Christ is the meritorious cause, pledge, and pattern, and of eternal glory and happiness, since he rose for our justification, with which glorification is inseparably connected.
If you read Mike’s Post he covers the entire chapter.
I also found Tyndale’s Prologue to the entire Book to be useful since we are just beginning the book.
A Prologue to the first Epistle off Saint Peter
This epistle did saint Peter write to the heathen that were converted and exhorteth them to stand fast in the faith, to grow therein and to wax perfect, thorow all manner of suffering and also good works.
In the first he declareth the justifying of faith thorow Christ’s blood, and comforteth them with the hope of the life to come, and sheweth that we have not deserved it, but that the prophets prophesied it should be given us, and as Christ which redeemed us out of sin and all uncleanness is holy, so he exhorteth to lead an holy conversation: and because we be richly bought and made heirs of a rich inheritance, to take heed that we lose it not again thorow our own negligence.
In the second chapter he sheweth that Christ is the foundation and head corner-stone, whereon all are built thorow faith, whether it be Jew or gentile, and how that in Christ they are made priests, to offer themselves to God (as Christ did himself) and to flee the lusts of the flesh that fight against the soul. And first he teacheth them in general to obey the worldly rulers and then in special he teacheth the servants to obey their masters be they good or bad, and to suffer wrong of them as Christ suffered wrong for us.
In the third he teacheth the wives to obey their husbands, yea though they be unbelievers and to apparel themselves godly and as it becometh holiness. And thereto that the husbands suffer and bear the infirmity of their wives and live according to knowledge with them. And then in general he exhorteth them to be soft, courteous, patient and friendly one to another, and to suffer for righteousness after the ensample of Christ.
In the fourth he exhorteth to flee sin and to tame the flesh with soberness, watching and prayer, and to love each other, and to know that all good gifts are of God and every man to help his neighbour with such as he hath received of God, and finally not to wonder, but to rejoice though they must suffer for Christ’s name’s sake, seeing as they be here part takers {partakers} of his afflictions, so shall they be part takers {partakers} of his glory to come.
In the fifth he teacheth the bishops and priests how they should live and feed Christ’s flock: and warneth us of the devil which on every side lieth in wait for us.
As well as the Geneva Bible Introduction
The First Epistle General of Peter
The Argument
He exhorteth the faithful to deny themselves, and to contemn the world, that being delivered from all carnal affections and impediments, they may more speedily attain to the heavenly kingdom of Christ, whereunto we are called by the grace of God revealed to us in his Son, and have already received it by faith, possessed it by hope, and are therein confirmed by holiness of life.
And to the intent this faith should not faint, seeing Christ contemned and rejected almost of the whole world, he declareth that this is nothing else but the accomplishing of the Scriptures which testify that he should be the stumbling stone to the reprobate and the sure foundation of salvationto the faithful: therefore he exhorteth them courageously to go forward, considering what they were, and to what dignity God hath called them.
After, he entreateth particular points, teaching subjects how to obey their governors, and servants their masters, and how marriedfolks ought to behave themselves. And because it is appointed for all that are godly, to suffer persecutions, he sheweth them what goodissue their afflictions shall have, and contrary wise what punishment God reserveth for the wicked.
Last of all he teacheth how the ministers ought to behave themselves, forbidding them to usurp authority over the Church: also that young men ought to be modest, and apt to learn, and so endeth with an exhortation.
There is much covered in 1 Peter, this only scratches the surface. But in our walk of faith we must begin here and it doesn’t depend upon us, but only the Grace and Mercy of God.
As Jesus told Nicodemus:
Notice the highlight on verses 3, 7 and 10.
You Must Be Born Again
Jhn 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
Jhn 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jhn 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jhn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Jhn 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Jhn 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Jhn 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jhn 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Jhn 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
Jhn 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Jhn 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Jhn 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Jhn 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Rainbow Trout 