1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Introduction
- Tony Merida calls those 1 Peter was writing to “grieved saints gladdened by the gospel”.
- Martin Luther believed 1 Peter contained all a believer needed to know to be a faithful follower of Christ.
Author (v. 1a)
- v. 1a — Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ….
- Peter is an example of great faithFULness.
- He is the only non-Jesus human to walk on liquid water (Matthew 14:29).
- He recognized Jesus for who He truly was (Matthew 16:16-18).
- Peter is an example of great faithLESSness.
- He took his eyes off and nearly drowned after standing on liquid water (Matthew 14:30).
- He tried to rebuke and correct Jesus after a prophecy by Jesus regarding His soon-to-come death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 16:22-23).
- And, of course, Peter denied Jesus three times while He was being beaten, mocked, and tortured.
- Peter’s life is a beautiful example of redemption and repentance.
- Jesus restored Peter three times after His resurrection (John 21:15-19).
- Peter repented after being confronted regarding sin by the apostle Paul (Galatians 2:11-14).
- 1 Peter, at least in part, is an answer to what Jesus prayed about for Peter’s life, faith, and ministry (Luke 22:31-32).
- Peter is an example of great faithFULness.
Audience (v. 1b)
- v. 1b — To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia….
- “elect exiles”
- This is almost an oxymoron. To be an exile means to have been rejected, but to be elect means to have been selected.
- This phrase could be understood as resident aliens and is reminiscent of Philippians 3:20 — our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Savior!
- “of the Dispersion”
- Some Jews were already dispersed throughout the Greco-Roman world (John 7:35).
- During the reign of Emperor Claudius (41-54AD), Christians were expelled from Rome and the areas that these elect exiles lived were where some of those outcasts settled.
- Jerusalem Christians were dispersed after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1-4).
- “elect exiles”
According to… (v. 2)
- v. 2a — …according to the foreknowledge of God the Father….
- Scripture References: Exodus 33:17, Jeremiah 1:5, Ephesians 1:7-12, Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 7:23
- v. 2b — …in the sanctification of the Spirit….
- Scripture References: 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Galatians 5:5, Galatians 5:16
- v. 2c — …for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood….
- Scripture References: Ephesians 2:10, Colossians 1:19-20
Conclusion
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Pe 1:1–2.
Just Keith Harris 