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Peter gives us reminiscences in his Epistles of significant events and sayings that occurred during the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The comparisons are between Peter in his writings and Peter when he was the Lord’s companion.  The comparisons aid in the interpretation of Peter’s writings.  They serve to emphasize the veracity of what he wrote and the inspiration of the Scriptures as a whole as comparisons are made between Peter’s Epistles and Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Jesus promised the apostles, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).  These sacred memories are part of the vital testimony of men who were eyewitnesses of the events and sayings of Jesus during His earthly ministry.  The remembrance is rooted in historical reality!  Consequently, the body of information given in the writings of these men is true.
Whom having not seen ye love.  I Pet. 1:8
The phrase found in I Pet. 1:8 certainly sounds like it was written by someone who had personally seen the Lord while addressing those who had not seen Him.  “Ye” is plural.  The ones that Peter is writing to have not seen the Lord.  Their love and faith in the Lord is not diminished by their having not seen Him in the flesh.  Peter continues, “In whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable.”  Isn’t this a most evident recollection of the words of Jesus to Thomas?  “Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).  Peter heard those very words spoken to Thomas by Jesus.  That scene never faded from Peter’s memory.  No doubt, it was in his mind as he wrote these very words in I Peter. An undesigned coincidence.
A lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus From the dead.  I Pet. 1:3
Peter’s memory of the resurrection of Jesus involved:  (1) He was an eyewitness of the resurrection of Jesus (Luke 24:34; I Cor. 15:5); (2) He possessed a vivid memory of this significant event; (3) Peter saw the empty tomb being the first to enter it after Jesus and risen from the dead (John 20:6); (4) Peter felt all of the despair which came before the resurrection in the events leading up to the crucifixion itself, and the days immediately following Jesus’ death; And, (5) Peter felt all of the power of the assurance of hope that came with the knowledge that Jesus was alive after being dead.  This new and living hope is what he is writing about in I Pet. 1:3.  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  Again, Peter writes, “who by him (Christ-DS) do believe in God, that raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory, that our faith and hope might be in God” (I Pet. 1:21).  Nowhere in the writings of any of the New Testament apostles and prophets is the expression of hope in connection with the resurrection of Christ so vivid.
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God.  I Pet. 3:21,22
Not only was Peter an eyewitness of the resurrection of Jesus, but he also witnessed His ascension into heaven (Acts 1:10,11).  He writes, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also ow save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”  The ascension of Jesus into heaven is His coronation.  Dan. 7:13-14.  Peter and Daniel both speak of His dominion.  This is the rule of Christ from heaven.  Peter’s statement agrees with the prophet Daniel and it also agrees with the historical facts thus establishing the veracity of his own words.
Fear God.  I Pet. 2:17
“Honour all men.  Love the brotherhood. Fear God.  Honour the king” (I Pet. 2:17).  Jesus used similar language when Peter was present.  The occasion was when Jesus called His apostles and gave them their commission.  In Matt. 10:2, Peter is named among them.  Then, in Matthew 10:28 Jesus said, “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy should and body in hell.”  The force of this precept regarding the fear of God and its momentous importance is perhaps seen when we contrast it to the fear of man.  Peter knew the fear of man.  This type of fear led him to deny Jesus three times!  Afterwards, he wept with bitter tears.  A sacred memory was born.  We must not separate Peter’s words from his personal life involving his fall, repentance, and reconciliation to Jesus.  Solomon declares that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments (Eccl. 12:12-13).  Peter’s words once again harmonize with Old Testament prophets and the historical events surrounding the life of Christ.  Both factors undergird the truth of Peter’s own words.
Honor the king.  I Pet. 2:17
Peter was present with the Lord when Jesus gave the answer to the question, “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”  (Matt. 22:17-22).  Jesus said, “Show me the tribute money: and they brought unto Him a penny–the silver denarius of the day–with the head of Tiberius on it.  “And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then He said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.  When they heard these words, they marveled, and left Him, and went their way.”  Peter emphasizes in his writings that Christians should obey government leaders. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well” (I Pet. 2:13-14).
Cast All your care upon him.  I Pet. 5:7
In I Pet. 5:7, Peter captures the beauty of extreme care that God provides for His people.  “Cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you.”  We remember the eager, anxious, and impetuous nature of Peter who wrote these words.  Are these words not a remembrance of the Sermon on the Mount?  In Matt. 6:32-34, Jesus said, “Your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things; but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.”  Jesus refutes materialism by emphasizing spiritual reliance upon God.  We must choose where we will put our trust.  Will we trust in uncertain riches or in the living God?  The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah answers this question.  “Thus said the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departed from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit” (Jer. 17:5-8). A “heath” is an uncultivated, wilderness area.  The contrast between the two individuals, the one who trusts in man and the one who trusts in God is stark.  The one who trusts in man is impoverished.  The one who trusts in God is prosperous.  While the contrast/analogy is physical in nature, the meaning has spiritual implications.  The soul of man cannot prosper apart from God.
In Part II, we will continue this study.