1 Peter: A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching. Kerux Commentaries. Timothy E. Miller and Bryan Murawski. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Ministry, 2022. 294 pp. Cloth, $32.99.
Miller is an Associate Professor of NT at Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. He handles the exegetical portions of this commentary. Murawski teaches Bible and ministry courses at Cairn University. He covers the discussions of homiletics.
The commentary’s format is user-friendly. After an introduction to each passage, there is a section titled exposition, followed by sections titled theological focus, preaching and teaching strategies, and discussion questions. Miller occasionally provides sidebars in which he discusses a particular subject that is found in the text and elsewhere in the NT (e.g., pp. 143, 144, 154, 156, 164). For example, when discussing 1 Pet 2:2, he has a sidebar about “Milk Analogies in the New Testament” in which he quotes 1 Cor 3:2, Heb 5:12-13, and 1 Pet 2:2 (p. 107). I found these sidebars to be helpful.
This commentary presents a Reformed view of 1 Peter. The word elect in 1 Pet 1:2 is understood to refer to the readers’ being both chosen for everlasting life and being chosen exiles (p. 49).
Peter’s readers are understood to be Gentiles (p. 11). The reference to the readers’ being “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” is understood to be “four honorary titles for the readers, all derived from Old Testament statements about God’s chosen people, Israel” (p. 124). While the expression replacement theology is not used, that certainly seems to be Miller’s point.
Throughout the commentary, Miller suggests that the salvation of which Peter speaks is both already and not yet (p. 66). The future aspect of salvation is not merely a fuller experience of the life we already have, but of being with Christ forever in His kingdom. In other words, Miller understands Peter to be teaching that one must persevere in faith and good works in order to gain entrance into Christ’s kingdom (pp. 86, 218-24, 234, 236, 259, 272).
Miller suggests that there is but one eschatological or final judgment where both believers and unbelievers will be judged in order to determine their eternal destinies (pp. 234, 259). “Elders, like the rest of God’s people, will be rewarded with eternal life for the obedience that springs from the new birth” (p. 272).
There is much helpful information in this commentary, in terms of both exegesis and homiletics. This would be a very useful commentary for the well-grounded pastor, missionary, parachurch worker, or layperson. However, it would likely confuse new or untaught believers, even causing them to lose the assurance of everlasting life. I recommend this commentary to those who are well-grounded in the faith.
Robert N. Wilkin
Associate Editor
Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
