THOUGH THE LETTER IS ASCRIBED TO PETER (1:1), THE ACTUAL WRITING WAS DONE BY SLVANUS (5:12), FORMERLY ONE OF PAUL'S TRAVELLING COMPANIONS, 1 THESS THESSALONIANS 1:1; 2 CORINTHIANS 1 :19 POSSIBLY. PETER DICTATED THE SUBSTANCE OF THE LETTER TO SILVANUS, BUT LEFT THE FINAL WORDING TO HIM.
THE LETTER APPARENTLY WAS WRITTEN IN ROME ABOUT 63-64 A.D., SHORTLY BEFORE PETER'S MARTYRDOM DURING THE NERONIC PERSECUTION. IT IS ADDRESSED TO "THE EXILES OF THE DISPERSION IN PONTUS, GALATIA, CAPPADOCIA, ASIA AND BITHYNIA," 1:1. THE REFERENCE IS TO GENTILE CHRISTIANS IN THE FIVE PROVINCES OF ASIA MINOR, 1:14; 2:9,10; 4:3,4. THE TERM "DISPERSION," ORIGINALLY USED OF JEWS SCATTERED AROUND THE MEDITERRANIAN WORLD, IS HERE USED FIGURATIVELY TO REFER TO THOSE NEW MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD WHO WERE SCATTERED AROUND THE WORLD LIKE STRANGERS, BUT WHOSE
TRUE HOME IS HEAVEN. PETER WRITES TO STRENGTHEN HIS READERS IN THE NEW LIKE THEY ENTERED IN AT BAPTISM. THEY WERE SUFFERING SOME KIND OF PERSECUTION (3:16,17), THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY ONE ORGANIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE LETTER MAKES NO REFERENCE OF ANY DEMAND FOR EMPEROR WORSHIP, CONFISCATION OF PROPERTY, IMPRISONMENT, OR MARTY'S DEATH. (IT EXHORTS THE RECIPIENTS TO OBEY THE EMPEROR AND THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES, 2:13-17). MOST LIKELY THE READERS WERE SUFFERING AT THE HANDS OF PAGAN NEIGHBORS WHO WERE ABUSING THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO CHRIST. THE LETTER CONTAINS HINTS THAT MORE SEVERE PERSECUTION LAY JUST AROUND THE CORNER, 4: 12-19. WHAT MIGHT IT HAVE BEEN? PETER WROTE AT THE TIME WHEN RUMORS WERE ABROAD THAT NERO WAS PLANNING TO INSTIGATE ANTI- CHRISTIAN MEASURES. EVENTUALLY THESE MEASURES DEVELOPED INTO A "FIERY TRIAL." BECAUSE MOVEMENTS BEGAN IN ROME SOON SPREAD, PETER HAD REASON TO PREDICT THAT THE SUFFERING OF HIS EASTERN COLLEAGUES WOULD SOON INTENSIFY.
IN 5:13 PETER WRITES, " SHE WHO IS AT BABYLON, WHO IS LIKEWISE CHOSEN, SENDS YOU GREETINGS" BABYLON HAD DEVASTATED ANCIENT ISRAEL, BUT WAS HERSELF EVENTUALLY DESTROYED. CHRISTIANITY APPLIED THE NAME "BABYLON" TO ROME. PETER'S SENTENCE, THEN, WAS A GREETING FROM THE CHURCH AT ROME TO THE CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR-- BUT IT WAS MORE. IT HINTED THAT THOUGH THE HOSTILE WORLD ( BABYLON--ROME) WAS MAKING LIFE DIFFICULT FOR--THE AWAY--
FROM--HOME PEOPLE OF GOD, GOD WOULD DESTROY IT.
"NOTE:" PETER WROTE HIS FIRST LETTER TO GENTILE CHRISTIANS IN ASIA MINOR. THEIR PAGAN NEIGHBORS WERE RIDICULING THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH, AND THE THREAT OF A MORE ORGANIZED ROMAN PERSECUTION HOVERED ON THE HORIZON. PETER URGED HIS READERS TO STAND FIRM IN THEIR FAITH. NO MATTERS WHAT DIFFICULTIES CAME THEIR WAY, THEY WERE TO COPY CHRIST IN EVERY SITUATION. THE WORD TRANSLATED AS "EXAMPLE" (2:21). IS 'HYPOGRAMMOS," A WORD USED TO DESCRIBE THE LINE OF PERFECT WRITING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE CHALK-BOARD WHICH A STUDENT COPIES TO IMPROVE WRITING SKILLS. UNTIL THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY, FEW QUESTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT PETRINE AUTHORSHIP. SINCE THAT TIME, MANY HAVE QUESTIONED IT AND SUGGESTED THAT THE LETTER IS A PSEUDONYMOUS WORK. THOSE WHO ASCRIBE IT TO PETER POINT TO ITS REFERENCES TO JESUS SUFFERING (2:21-23; 3:18; 4:1). ITS RECOLLECTIONS OF JESUS SAYINGS (1:6-12). AND ITS RELATIONSHIPS TO PETER'S SPEECHES IN ACTS, 1:16:22; 2:14-36); 3: 12-26; 4: 8:12; ONLY THROUGH JESUS. WHENEVER PETER MENTIONS WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US IN CHRIST., HE CONTINUES WITH A STATEMENT ABOUT THE OBLIGATION GOD'S ACTION PUTS ON US. WE HAVE BEEN RANSOMED, NOT WITH SILVER OR GOLD, BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST. , THE LAMB WHO WITHOUT BLEMISH OR SPOT. THEREFORE WE MUST BE OBEDIENT CHILDREN, 1:13-21: 14, 20.WE HAVE TASTED THE KINDNESS OF THE LORD. WE MUST PUT AWAY ALL EVIL THINGS. 2:1-3. WE MUST LIVE AS HOLY PEOPLE, 2:9,1O. WE MUST LEAVE THE SINS OF THE PAST BEHIND 4:1-6. THE END IS NEAR. THEREFORE WE MUST DEMONSTRATE A LOVE WHICH BEFIT THOSE WHO ARE STEWARDS OF GOD'S GRACE.
4;7-11
1 PETER 1:3-4:11 CONTAINS SOME OF THE CLEAREST STATEMENTS ABOUT BAPTISM.
SOME BELIEVE THIS SECTION HAS BEEN ADAPTED FROM AN EARLY BAPTISMAL LITURGY.
PRAISE GOD THAT IN MERCY HE HAS GIVEN US NEW LIFE AND OPE. HIS GIFT IS BASED ON RESURRECTION OF JESUS. IT PROMISES NOT MERELY AN IMPERMANENT
EARTHLY LAND, BUT AN ETERNAL INHERITANCE IN HEAVEN. GOD GUARDS THOSE OF US WHO, THROUGH FAITH, ARE TO RECEIVE IT, AND WILL REVEAL IT TO US ON THE LAST DAY, (9 1:3-5). SUFFERING AND DEATH PRECEDED CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
SIMILARLY, TRIALS GO HAND IN HAND WITH THE WALK THE NEW LIFE OF FAITH BRINGS. WE WHO ARE TO RECEIVE THE FULLNESS OF SALVATION AT THE PAROUSIA MUST EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE SUFFERING IN THIS LIFE. (1:6-9). THE SPIRIT IN CHRIST WAS ACTIVE IN THE PROPHETS TO PREDICT THE SALVATION TO COME AND THE APOSTLES TO PROCLAIM IT. (1:10:12). YOU ONCE WALKED IN IGNORANCE OF GOD, AND THIS PRODUCED GODLESS BEHAVIOR. NOW YOUR NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IN HOLINESS (14:17) A HIGH PRICE WAS PAID FOR YOUR SALVATION-- THE BLOOD OF CHRIST (18-21). NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE TRUTH IN CHRIST, LOVE ONE ANOTHER (22). YOUR "REBIRTH'" INTO THE NEW LIFE IS NOT THE RESULT OF NATURAL PROCESSES, NOR THE PRODUCT OF HUMAN SEED. THE CHANGE CAME ABOUT THROUGH THE "SEED" WHICH PRODUCED IT ( THE WORD OF GOD, (23-25).
THAT WHICH IS CONTRARY TO CHRIST, LIVE UP YO YOUR HIGH CALLING AND LONG FOR THE SPIRIT'S FOOD WHICH WILL ABLE YOU TO GROW IN CHRIST (2:1-30). CHRIST IS THE NEW CORNERSTONE OF GOD'S NEW TEMPLE. HE INCORPORATES THEM INTO "LIVING STONES " WHO ARE TO REFLECT THE SERVANT LIFE OF THE SERVANT. (2:1-8
OLD ISRAEL WAS ONCE CONSIDERED THE CHOSEN ELECT. YOU WHO FORMED THE NEW ISRAEL CAN NOW LAY CLAIM TO THOSE TITLES. " YOU ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. " HOLY NATION" SET AP IF YOU HAVE TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF CHRIST, REJOICE! WHAT YOU MAY HAVE TO SUFFER, EQUIP YOURSELVES WITH HUMILITY AND A STRONG FAITH TO DEAL WITH SATAN WHO SEEKS TO DESTROY YOU.
MY SPIRITUAL SON MARK, GREET YOU, GREET ONE ANOTHER. PEACE TO ALL WHO ARE IN CHRIST (512-14).
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