Eternal Perspective (1 Peter 1:10-12)
Up to this point in his letter, the apostle Peter has been focusing on the believer’s present identity and future hope.
He has reminded the exiles of who they are in Christ and what they have been given—an imperishable inheritance, a faith that is being guarded by God’s power, and a living hope secured by the resurrection of Jesus.
All of these truths have been laid out to draw their hearts and minds toward the future, fueling their perseverance and giving them the foundation for gospel-driven living.
But in the passage before us (1 Peter 1:10-12), Peter takes this theme further. He shows the exiles not just what they have been given, but the unparalleled privilege that is theirs in Christ—the privilege of seeing the gospel more clearly than those who came before them and even the angels.
This eternal perspective, shaped by the fullness of the gospel, becomes the lens through which the exiles are called to live.
A Privilege of Revelation: Seeing the Fullness of the Gospel (v. 10-11)
Peter begins this section by reminding the exiles of the unique position they occupy in salvific history. He writes, “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.” (1 Peter 1:10-11).
This statement emphasizes the privilege the exiles have in understanding the fullness of God’s redemptive plan. The prophets of the Old Testament were given glimpses of this salvation, but they did not have the full picture. They searched and inquired about the time and the person to whom the Spirit was pointing, particularly the suffering of Christ and the subsequent glories that would follow. While they received partial revelation, they could not fully comprehend the depth of the gospel message.
For the exiles to whom Peter writes, the salvation plan is no longer veiled. It has been fully revealed in Christ. The mystery of the gospel has been unveiled, not in part, but in its entirety. While the prophets received pieces of the puzzle, the exiles have the completed picture—the person and work of Jesus Christ.
They know not just about the coming Messiah, but they know Him, and they understand the eternal significance of His suffering, death, and resurrection. This is the privilege of living on this side of the cross.
Moreover, Peter points out that although the prophets foretold of these sufferings and glories, the plan of redemption had not yet been fully realized in their time. They longed to understand when and how these events would unfold, but it was not given to them to know. For the exiles, however, the plan has been made clear, and they live in the fulfillment of these promises. They are witnesses of the culmination of God’s redemptive work in Christ, and this revelation is their privilege.
The fullness of scripture, revealed through Christ, is the foundation of the exiles’ understanding. This is a grace-filled perspective that calls them to live with an eternal outlook, knowing that they are part of a much grander narrative that God has been unfolding from the very beginning.
Understanding the gospel fully is not just a privilege; it is the fuel for their living, especially in the midst of suffering.
The Fullness of Grace: More than the Prophets Could Know (v. 10)
Peter continues in verse 10, where he speaks not only of the fullness of scripture revealed, but also of the fullness of grace that the exiles have received.
He writes, “It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but 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.”
This is an incredible truth—the prophets, who proclaimed the grace of God, were ultimately serving future generations, including the exiles, who are the recipients of the gospel’s full revelation.
In contrast to the Old Testament saints, who experienced grace in anticipation, the exiles have experienced grace in its fullness. This grace is not just a message about salvation to come, but the present power of salvation that upholds and sustains them.
The gospel gives them everything they need to live godly lives in a world that is hostile to their faith. The fullness of grace revealed in Christ becomes the foundation for living with an eternal perspective.
The Fullness of Revelation: A Glimpse Into What the Angels Long to See (v. 12)
Peter moves from discussing the exiles’ privileged position in the unfolding history of redemption to an astonishing comparison—“It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you… things into which angels long to look.” (1 Peter 1:12).
Here, Peter highlights a third privilege the exiles have: they experience the gospel in a way that even the angels cannot. The angels, though powerful and holy beings, are not privy to the full revelation of the gospel in the same way that the believers are. They do not experience the grace of God firsthand in the same way that redeemed humanity does.
This statement is remarkable. The angels “long to look” into the gospel, desiring to understand its depths. Why is this? Because the gospel represents the mystery of God’s plan for salvation—a plan that includes not just the exaltation of Christ but the redemption of fallen humanity.
The angels were witnesses to the creation of the world, to the fall of man, and to the redemptive work of Christ, but they have never experienced salvation themselves. The gospel is a mystery that transcends even their understanding.
The apostle Paul further elaborates on this mystery in Ephesians 3:10, where he says that God’s plan of salvation, made known through the church, was something that even the angels had not fully understood.
The church, as the body of believers who experience the grace of God through the gospel, is the centerpiece of God’s redemptive plan—a plan that not only displays His glory but also makes known His wisdom to the heavenly realms.
Each Lord’s Day, as the gospel sounds forth from ordinary lips to ordinary people, heavenly realms angels pause in awe to behold God’s manifold wisdom made known through redeemed sinners.
Living with an Eternal Perspective
The exiles’ understanding of the gospel is not just an intellectual privilege but a call to live with an eternal perspective.
They are privileged to see the gospel in its fullness—something the prophets longed to understand and the angels long to behold. This understanding shapes the way they view their present circumstances, especially in light of the suffering they are enduring. They are not to see their trials as disconnected from the grand narrative of redemption but as part of God’s ongoing work to bring about His purposes in the world.
Their identity is not defined by their present suffering but by their place in God’s redemptive plan—a plan that has been revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Martin Luther’s theology of the cross is at the heart of this eternal perspective. The exiles are not looking for a golden age or an earthly kingdom; they are looking forward to the future glory that will be revealed when Christ returns.
Their present suffering is to be understood in light of the hope of future glory, and their living is to be fueled by the gospel—the fullness of grace that has been revealed to them.
This privilege of having the gospel fully revealed to them is not only an intellectual blessing but a practical one. It gives them the ability to live in the present with an eternal perspective, finding their identity not in the circumstances of the moment but in the unshakable hope of future glory.
It informs their understanding of redemptive history, encouraging them to persevere and live faithfully in light of the reality that they are part of God’s grand plan for the redemption of the world.
Conclusion
The exiles have been given a tremendous privilege—a clear and complete understanding of the gospel that was hidden for ages but now revealed in Christ.
They are part of a larger redemptive narrative that stretches from creation to new creation. This privilege should inform the way they live: not as those who are lost in the struggles of the present but as those who are securely placed in God’s eternal plan.
Understanding the gospel and its implications gives them the strength to persevere through trials and the courage to live with an eternal perspective, knowing that their future hope is secure in Christ.