Introduction to 1 Peter
Kenny Hodges
October 3, 2016

Introduction to 1 Peter

Peter in the Book of Acts

The book of Acts flows based on the commission in 1:8:

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

(see chart in pdf notes)

Peter is mentioned 57 times in Acts. 56 occurrences are in the first twelve chapters. After the finaloccurrence in Chapter 15 Peter is not mentioned again in the Book of Acts.

Paul is mentioned 159 times in acts. Most of these occur after his conversion in Acts 9. Beginning in Acts 15 Paul is mentioned another 146 times. God uses Peter to build the church but the baton is passed to Paul when the gospel begins to go to “all the world”.

Jerusalem:

  • Peter assumes the position of authority (1:15-26).

  • Peter preaches on the Day of Pentecost (2:14-26).

  • Peter preaches after the healing of the lame man (chapter 3).

  • Peter preaches to the rulers, elders, scribes, and high priest (4:8-22).

  • Peter exercises the first church discipline (5:1-11).

  • Peter and the apostles perform many signs and wonders and many believe (5:12-16).

  • Peter and the apostles are miraculously delivered from jail (5:17-24).

  • Peter and the apostles preach Christ to the high priest and council (5:25-33).

Judea and Samaria:

  • Peter and John go to Samaria and pray that the Holy Spirit may fall on the Samaritans (8:14-17).

  • Peter confronts Simon the magician (8:18-24).

  • Peter raises Tabitha from the dead (9:32-42).

  • Peter sees the vision of the great sheet coming down from heaven full of “unclean things” three times (10:9-22).

  • Peter goes to Caesarea and preaches to Cornelius and his relatives and friends. As a result, the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles (10:23-48).

Peter in the epistles:

  • Paul mentions him four times in I Corinthians by his name Cephas.

  • Paul mentions him six times in Galatians, four by the name Cephas, twice by the name Peter. “…You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which is translated Peter).” John 1:42

Who is this man Peter?

-Peter understood his failure.

-Peter understood God’s power.

-Peter understood God’s purpose.

-Peter understood God’s plan.