In verse 11 Peter says that the prophets searched not only into what time but also into what manner of time. Although it is easy to understand the meaning of “what time,” it is difficult to know what Peter means by “what manner of time.” This is an unusual expression. Does time have a manner? We may be bothered by this expression and wonder what Peter means by “what manner of time.”
In seeking to understand this, we may substitute “kind” for “manner” and speak of “what kind of time.” In conversation we sometimes refer to a certain kind of time, or ask a person what kind of time he had in doing a certain thing. You may ask someone, “What kind of time did you have with your father today? Did you have a good time with him? Did you enjoy a happy time?” Furthermore, the kind of time or manner of time may denote a particular season. For example, the winter season is a time of cold weather, whereas the summer season is a time of hot weather. These are illustrations that may help us understand Peter’s expression “what manner of time.”
Regarding the coming of Christ and His sufferings, the prophets not only searched into what time this would be, but also searched into what manner of time, what kind of time, it would be. A number of verses in the prophecy of the Old Testament indicate that the anointed One of God, the Messiah, Christ, would suffer for the salvation of God’s people and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. According to these prophecies, it was necessary for God’s anointed One, the One appointed to fulfill God’s commission, to suffer. The ancient prophets knew this, and they spent considerable time to find out when the Messiah would suffer. This means that they were seeking to know what time He would suffer. Furthermore, they were also searching into what manner of time this would be. Would it be in a time comparable to the winter season or one comparable to the summer? For this reason, in 1:11 Peter speaks concerning what manner of time.
We have seen that it is characteristic of Peter to use particular and even peculiar expressions in his writings. He speaks not only of the blood, but of the precious blood; not only of seed, but of incorruptible seed; not only of what time, but of what manner of time. Peter’s word in verse 11 is not drawn out of the air. On the contrary, what he says is based upon what he found in the Old Testament. Peter surely has a ground, a basis, for whatever he says. His word regarding what manner of time is based on the Old Testament.
Peter treasured the Old Testament, and we in the Lord’s recovery today certainly treasure the Bible. One striking characteristic of the Lord’s recovery is that we treasure the Word of God and spend a great deal of time reading it and studying it. Many of us have been dealing with the Bible diligently and seriously for years, especially during the years we have been in the recovery. Therefore, let me address a question especially to those who have been serious in their reading of the Bible: What verse in the Old Testament tells us the manner of time of Christ’s suffering and of His glorification? It is easy to find a verse that speaks of what time. For instance, Daniel 9:26 says, “After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off.” The words “cut off” point to Christ’s crucifixion. Daniel 9:25 mentions “seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” Here we have a total of sixty-nine weeks, or four hundred eighty-three years. According to these verses, four hundred eighty-three years after the command to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, the Messiah, Christ, would be cut off, crucified. By this we can know what time Christ would suffer. The time was at the expiration of the sixty-ninth week.
Although we have these verses related to what time Christ would suffer, it is very difficult to find a verse that tells us the manner of time. As I was writing the notes for the Recovery Version of 1 Peter, I was severely pressed by this word “manner” in verse 11. It was like a huge stone grinding me. It took a long time and a lot of labor for me to understand this verse. (We shall come to the verses on the manner of time in the next message.) Verses 10 through 12 are not shallow. Rather, they are deep and difficult to understand. Thus, we should never look down on Peter as a writer or think that he was shallow.