1 Peter 1:18-21 Ransomed From an Empty Life

First Peter 1:18-21
1:18
“For” is eidotes and refers to “live your lives” in verse 17.
“For you know” - Peter is saying “live this way because of what you know”. Our question is
“what do they know?” Peter is going to remind them.

“perishable” can mean “blemished” or “not culturally fit” as it is used in the LXX in Lev. 22:25.

“silver” and “gold” are in the diminutive form which gives the mean “a little bit of gold and a

little bit of silver”. No matter how much money you may have to spend on setting a slave free it is “too little” to set us free from the emptiness of life without God and his will being done.

“ransomed” or “redeemed” is “lytroo” it means to set free by payment of a ransom

OT had the theme of redemption in the Exodus and in slavery.

There where three basic classes of people in the society:
1)Slaves
2)Freemen
3)Freed men
Reasons for having become a slave:
1)War captive
2)Bankruptcy
3)Sell themselves
4)Sold by parents
5)Born a slave

Freedom could eventually come by:
1)Fulfill period of service
2)Payment of ransom price or “lytron”
a.Slave could earn money in spare time
b.Slave could do more than was required
c.Someone else could make the payment

In our spiritual bondage case the price was paid by Jesus. There was nothing we could do, nothing someone else could do and nothing in the realm of “silver and gold” that would work.

“empty” is mataios and it means an ineffectual attempt to do something or an unsuccessful effort to attain something.