Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Peter 1:2

"according 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." — 1 Peter 1:2 (ASV)

Peter next announces some basic themes of his letter that will later be expanded and developed. He reminds his readers of their Triune faith and of the work of the Triune God. The “foreknowledge [GK 4590] of God” is more than God’s simply knowing what will take place in the future, for it includes God’s special relations with humankind even before creation (cf. 1:20; Amos 3:2; Acts 2:23; Romans 8:29–30; Romans 11:2). The “sanctifying” (GK 40) work of the Spirit is his operation of applying the work of redemption to Christians, purifying them and setting them to tasks of service. The goal of election and redemption is “obedience” (GK 5633) to Jesus Christ, who shed his blood on Calvary (cf. Romans 1:5). The salutation closes with the wish for the multiplication of God’s “grace and peace” to the believers.