In 1: 3-5, some fundamental Christian ideas are brought together. Peter exhorts his readers to be thankful to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this sentence, the belief of the Church is expressed that the God in whom the Christian believes is the same God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave him up for us, who raised him from death and who exalted him to be with him in glory. The Christian does not pray to a remote, unknown God but to the God who has revealed himself to mankind in Jesus Christ. Christians may call God 'Father' because of their union with Christ. Peter gives the title 'Lord' to Jesus Christ (compare with I Corinthians 12:3).

Peter then tells his readers why they are to be thankful to God the Father, because of his great mercy. God has offered spiritual rebirth and new life to mankind through Jesus Christ. Peter's thought comes very close to that of John 3:3 and 5-6, 'No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again ... No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. A person is born physically of human parents but he is born spiritually of the Spirit'. Spiritual rebirth is by the will and act of God (John 1:13 and James 1:18). The spiritual rebirth of the Christian is a rebirth to a right relationship with God and to right living in the world. Spiritual rebirth brings the Christian into the Kingdom of God, with assurance of eternal life.

Peter continues by assuring his readers of the living hope, i.e. the hope of eternal life, which they have. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the assurance for the Christian of eternal life (compare the teaching of Paul in I Corinthians 15). The foundation of the faith of the early Church is in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Resurrection demonstrated that the power of evil, sin and death had been broken and that these powers need no longer enslave mankind. Through what was achieved by the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, liberation from the powers of evil, sin and death is offered in this life to those who are united spiritually with Christ; beyond the world there is the rich blessing of life in heaven (l :4) in the presence of 'the God of all grace who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ' (5: 10). Later in the letter Peter compares the joy of heaven to 'the glorious crown which will never lose its brightness' (5 :4). The full glory and wonder of salvation from evil, sin and death is not experienced in the world but will be revealed when Jesus Christ returns at the awaited end of the present age. Faith that this full revelation will come is the response which the people of God should have (l :5). What is expressed in 1: 3-5 and in the whole passage which follows, can be linked with baptism as the step through which the believer becomes one of the new people of God. This teaching would be especially relevant to new converts at the beginning of their Christian life.

In 1:6-7, the readers are told to continue being thankful for the living hope which they have in Jesus Christ, even though they are experiencing testing and trials. When they meet trials they should regard these as testing of their faith (compare James 1:2-3 and 12 and 1 Corinthians 3: 13-15). Those whose faith endures will receive praise, glory and honour on the Day when Jesus Christ returns.

In 1:8 the words of Jesus in John 20:29 are reflected-'How happy are those who believe without seeing me!' In faith, the people of God who did not see Jesus during his earthly ministry (as did Peter) are full of great joy because they have already begun to experience the glorious salvation which Jesus Christ has made possible for them.

In 1: 1 0-13 Peter explains how the Old Testament prophets predicted the living hope, the great salvation, of which Christians are assured. The first Christians found unmistakable references to Jesus Christ and the salvation which he would bring, in the Old Testament Scriptures (Acts 2:15-36). As Paul had understood the Spirit of Christ to have been with the Israelites in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10 :23) so Peter understands the Spirit of Christ to have been with the prophets of Israel, guiding them to predict not only the glory of the messianic age but the sufferings of Jesus. Many passages in the Old Testament can be understood to speak of the awaited Messiah as the great King who will come (Isaiah 9 :6-7 and Psalm 2, for example) and under whose rule there will be peace, righteousness and justice in the world (for example, Isaiah 11 : 1-9, Isaiah 35). The unique passages which speak of the servant of God who suffers for the sake of others (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) and the cry of agony in Psalm 22, were not associated with the Messiah until their fulfillment was seen in Jesus Christ. The coming of the Good News of mankind's salvation was therefore predicted long ago by the Israelite prophets who spoke in the power of the Holy Spirit. From the beginning the Gentiles were included in God's plan of salvation (Genesis 12:3). Both Peter and Paul identify the Spirit of Christ, whose power they knew in their lives and in the life of the early Church, with the Holy Spirit of God who had inspired the prophets of the Old Testament. God's Holy Spirit had never ceased to work in the world since its creation.

The last sentence of 1: 12 reflects the thought of Luke 10 :23-24- 'How fortunate you are to see the things you see! I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear but they did not.' Peter wants his readers' to be assured that they have the great blessing of the living hope which even the greatest of the prophets could only predict but not enjoy (Luke 7 :26-28).