Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Blessed be (euloghtov). No copula in the Greek (estw, let be, or estin, is, or eih, may be). The verbal adjective (from eulogew) occurs in the N.T. only of God, as in the LXX (Luke 1:68). See also II Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3.
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (o qeov kai pathr tou kuriou hmwn Ihsou Xristou). This precise language in II Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3; and part of it in II Corinthians 11:31; Romans 15:6. See John 20:17 for similar language by Jesus.
Great (polu). Much.
Begat us again (anagennhsav hmav). First aorist active articular (o, who) participle of anagennaw, late, and rare word to beget again, in Aleph for Sirach (Prol. 20), in Philo, in Hermetic writings, in N.T. only here and verse I Peter 1:23. "It was probably borrowed by the New Paganism from Christianity" (Bigg). The Stoics used anagennhsiv for palingenesia (Titus 3:5). If anwqen in John 3:3 be taken to mean "again," the same idea of regeneration is there, and if "from above" it is the new birth, anyhow.
Unto a living hope (eiv elpida zwsan). Peter is fond of the word "living" (present active participle of zaw) as in I Peter 1:23; I Peter 2:4-5, I Peter 2:24; I Peter 4:5-6. The Pharisees cherished the hope of the resurrection (Acts 23:6), but the resurrection of Jesus gave it proof and permanence (I Corinthians 15:14, I Corinthians 15:17). It is no longer a dead hope like dead faith (James 2:17, James 2:26). This revival of hope was wrought "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (dia anastasewv). Hope rose up with Christ from the dead, though the disciples (Peter included) were slow at first to believe it.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 Peter 1:3:
Romans 15:6
2 Corinthians 1:3
Colossians 1:3
Titus 3:5
1 Peter 1:2
1 Peter 1:6
1 Peter 1:6
1 Peter 1:10
1 Peter 1:13
1 Peter 1:21
1 Peter 2:4
1 Peter 3:21
2 Peter 1:1
Revelation 1:6
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