Sunday: To the Exiles
If you were given a piece of paper that began, “Dear Sir,” you would realize that you were reading a letter. And you would assume that the letter came from somebody you probably weren’t close to.
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Just as modern letters have a standard way to begin, so do ancient letters. First Peter begins as any ancient letter would. It identifies the author and those to whom it was sent.
Read 1 Peter 1:1. What can we learn from this one verse that helps to give us a bit of context?
Peter clearly identifies himself. His name is the first word in the letter. Yet, he immediately defines himself as “an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Thus, as Paul often did (Gal. 1:1, Rom. 1:1, Eph. 1:1), Peter right away establishes his “credentials,” emphasizing his divine calling. He was an “apostle,” that is “one sent,” and the One who sent him was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Peter identifies a region where his letter was directed: Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. These are all regions in Asia Minor, roughly equivalent to the part of modern Turkey east of the Bosphorus.
Debate exists about whether Peter was writing mostly to Jewish believers or to Gentile believers. The terms Peter used in 1 Peter 1:1 “sojourners/exiles,” “dispersion [diaspora],” (NRSV) are terms that naturally belong to Jews living outside of the Holy Land in the first century. The words chosen and sanctified in 1 Peter 1:2 are suited to both Jews and Christians alike. Describing those outside of the community as “Gentiles” (1 Pet. 2:12, 1 Pet. 4:3) also underlines the Jewish character of those to whom Peter writes.
Some commentators argue, in response, that what Peter says in 1 Peter 1:18 and 4:3 would be more appropriately said to Gentile converts to Christianity than to Jewish ones. After all, would Peter really have written to Jews about the “futile ways inherited from your ancestors” (NRSV)? Or would he have said to Jewish readers, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries” (1 Pet. 4:3, NKJV)?
| What’s more crucial for us, though, isn’t so much who the audience was but, rather, what the message says. |
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In Peter ''s letter, he was trying to lecture the Jews's spiritually from his letter, to acknowled them in what level their spirituality stands with Jesus Christ. Because they are over consumed themselves with the Gentiles instead of being a credential leader for, Christ.
We know relatively little in 1Peter 1:1 as to details that the rest of the letter provides. With out doing some research and background checks, we only know where the letters were to go. Some results of the research will provide when the letters were written, approximately AD 70. Also a number of details will be available at the end if the letter in chapter 5:12, such as the word for Babylon would be Rome, Act12:12,20. Also Silvanus is probably Silas, companion of Paul. Perhaps this may be information of interest to some.
There must be a misprint in the reference to Acts 12:12,20. What text did you mean in support of the use of Babylon for Rome?
The Apostle was speaking to men of very diverse nationalities who had been rent asunder by deep gulfs of mutual suspicion and conflicting interests and warring creeds, and a great mysterious, and, as it would seem to the world then, utterly inexplicable bond of unity had been evolved amongst them, and Greek and barbarian, bond and free, male and female, had come together in amity. The ‘love of the brethren’ was the creation of Christianity.(MacLaren's Expositions) I find this intresting . lets talk about love!
Got me thinking of how powerful letter writing still would be, being that people are only having communication through the internet. When one receives a personal letter today they hold on to it like it is the most important thing they have, at that moment. It is time to start writing once again as a means of sharing ones faith.
Hi Robert, Thanks for a great idea. I am going to ask my Sabbath School class to write letters of encouragement to others in the class (paper mail). I am sure this is something we could all use. I will give each person a name so everyone will get at least one mail. I am really excited about this. I will let you know how it turns out. God bless.
I got thinking on the impact will be on me recieving a paper letter, and realized that such idea could be effective within the "mature" generation who experienced such in the past, but will not be effective at all with the younger generation. If I get a paper letter it will be to me same as recieving a cassette tape; I don't have a cassette player, neither a CD player. All my audio goes streaming and 90% of all my readings is digital. (10% of my reading goes reading road signs, food labels at the store, and things like that) So, let's keep in mind also the younger generation.
Peter is writing to people who are sojourning in places they find strange(parepidémos), meaning they were originally from somewhere else. That they were dispersed tells us this was due to circumstances they did not control, and perhaps against their will, and may have threatened their temporal safety. Why? Nothing here tells us, though the letter's contents might provide some clues. We might safely assume they lost much in this dispersion since there was no way to take all one's possessions with them, and their manner of livelihood was more likely left behind as well. So now poor, and in a strange place, encouragement would be most needed and welcome. God is merciful and able to succor all who look to Him in faith no matter their situation or great need. His grace is sufficient.
I must take this letter as from God to me, concerning my personal need to know, understand and follow His will that I might find the great blessings for all who “walk in the law of the Lord”. What other purpose could there be for this Word in a sinful world where God has demonstrated His willingness to save “whosoever believeth...”? Same Author as the Old Testament, which was "written for our admonition..."
Indeed Robert. These people(Jews) were dispersed due to persecutions. They were believers in our Lord. Now that they are in foreign lands perhaps where idol worship is the order of the day and even sustenance of their livelihood was a challenge. Peter writes to them to encourage them to remain steadfast to their Lord despite what they were going through. He encourages them that what they has befallen then is, but for a short time.
The incorruptible inheritance will be reward to those will endure the suffering.
in as much as the message was to the Jews, it is applicable to us as well. In fact most of what prophets of old wrote, is more applicable to our time than their time.
Let us take this exhortation to be for us as well