Turning Jordan

For some time I’ve pondered over 1 Peter 1.10-12.  It seems to be one of those key passages which helps us understand the relationship between the Prophets (OT) and the apostolic preaching of Jesus Christ (which would eventually become the NT).  The passage has been debated in recent years.  Some use it (as I will below) to show that the human prophets in the OT knew exactly what their prophecies meant.  In other words, the two authors (God and the prophet) meant the same thing in the text.  Others use the passage (IMO, erroneously) to support the idea that God’s intention was somewhat hidden from the prophets, and that they wrote down their prophecies not knowing exactly what to make of them.  It wouldn’t be until the first-century that any sense could really be made with them.  The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is what gives sense to these ancient words.  In support of the former interpretation, I hope to show that this passage shows us that the prophets, though ignorant of parts of the prophecy, were not ignorant of the essential substance of their message.

Here’s the passage as a whole, which I will break down in the coming paragraphs:

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.  It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the theings that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (1 Pet 1.10-12)

The prophets…prophesied about the grace what was to be yours (1.10). Peter understands the prophets as delivering a message of grace.  This was not a veiled message, but was a clear presentation of the grace which appear at some future date.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets…searched and inquired carefully (1.10). What was the “grace which was to be yours”?  It is the “this salvation” spoken of already in Peter’s letter, 1.3-9.  In this passage Peter writes of the great mercy of being born again through the resurrection of Christ, the imperishable inheritance kept for those born again, how God is guarding them through the power of faith so that they will partake in the salvation of the last time, how this life is joyful, though it may grieve us for a time through various trials, and that the love of the unseen Christ will obtain the outcome of faith, the salvation of one’s soul.  This is the salvation that the prophets were careful to research.  This means that their prophecies were not spur of the moment words uttered in ecstatic Spirit-filled experiences.  They took their time and searched for them.

The prophets…inquired carefully…what person or time the Spirit of Messiah in them was indicating (1.10-11). Peter is careful to note the substance of their careful search: 1) the person of the Messiah, and 2) the time of the Messiah.  They didn’t search diligently about how the Messiah would bring about this salvation, or what it means that the Messiah would come.  Though it alluded them when the Messiah would come, or who exactly the Messiah would be (they didn’t know it would be Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary), the goal, purpose, and achievements of the Messiah did not.

The Spirit of Messiah…predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories (1.11). The prophets knew about how the Messiah would suffer and how after that suffering there would be glories.  This is the theological meat of the gospel message, the very message given to us by the prophets.

It was revealed to [the prophets] that they were serving not themselves, but you (1.12). This excerpt specifically says that the prophets did not write their books for their own generations, but for future generations of men.  Their message was for the future, when the Messiah would come.

They were serving…you in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven (1.12). This is the interesting spin.  The prophets were able to serve us only through the preaching of the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of Christ gave them the message, and the Holy Spirit empowers that message when it is preached.  This means that we need to continue preaching the Old Testament message of salvation through the Messiah.  Now, however, we can, like Peter name him; he is Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, whose glory will be revealed in the last time.

Summary. In sum, Peter tells us that the message of the prophets is the same message as the apostles.  They both were given through the authority of God (the former through the Spirit of Christ, and the latter through the Holy Spirit), and they both wrote concerning the salvation which would come through the Messiah.  This means we don’t need the NT to understand the OT, but that the prophets of the OT gave us the gospel which would be articulated more clearly when Jesus would come.  Think of the OT message as announcing that the King was coming and would do certain things when he would get here.  The NT message is that the OT king came, is Jesus of Nazareth, who did exactly what the prophets said he would do, and who is coming back again in the last time to reveal his glory.  Such is the unity of the Scriptures.

Andy