Remember when the opposition began? At first, they were subtle—your friends decided that going to church was “stupid.” The later years, you found that your Christian lifestyle contrasted sharply with that of most of your peers, and often they would make fun of your purity and stand for Christ. As you grew in age and experience, you discovered that the attacks increased, especially when you spoke up against wrongdoing, took time to help those in need, and shared your faith. Your strong witness by life and word cost you friends and threatened your job.
Regardless of your personal persecution, you probably have not come close to what first-century believers experienced. A quick perusal of Acts will reveal stonings, beatings, imprisonments, murderous plots, and executions—all for spreading the truth about Christ. Some of the most severe of the persecutions came at the hands of Nero. This Roman emperor became obsessed with eliminating Christians and their faith. The Roman historian Tacitus said, “Besides being put to death, [Christians] were made to serve as objects of amusement; they were clad in the hides of beasts and torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight failed” (Annals 15.44). The price for following Christ was high.
First Peter was written to persecuted Christians, to those living in Rome and throughout the Roman province of Asia. This letter encourages believers to remain strong; it explains how to live during difficult times; it offers hope to all who suffer for the faith. First Peter speaks to believers in all ages—those in the first century and in our century. God tells us how to respond to our tough times, especially when we are persecuted for what we believe. Read 1 Peter and discover courage, strength, and hope.
Verse 1: Peter: apostle of Christ, one of the original twelve disciples, outspoken leader, and courageous preacher.
We first meet Peter when his brother, Andrew, brings him to Jesus (John 1:40–42). The sons of John (John 1:42; 21:15–17) and probably from Bethsaida in Galilee (John 1:44), Peter and his brother were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16) and partners of James and John (Luke 5:10). Peter and Andrew first followed John the Baptist. When John pointed out Jesus as the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29), Andrew accepted his teacher’s testimony and immediately left to get his brother, Simon, to introduce him to the Messiah. Jesus addressed Andrew’s brother as “Simon” and then changed his name to “Peter,” meaning “rock” or “stone” (John 1:42).
Peter addressed his letter to the churches located throughout Bithynia, Pontus, Asia, Galatia, and Cappadocia. Paul had evangelized many of these areas; other areas had churches that were begun by the Jews who were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, heard Peter’s powerful sermon, became Christians, and returned home with the gospel (see Acts 2:9–11).
This initial encounter seems to have had little effect on Peter because he returned to Capernaum to continue his vocation as a fisherman, perhaps awaiting further instructions. Subsequently, Jesus twice called Peter to follow him. The call first occurred on the Sea of Galilee, where the four business partners were fishing together. They left their nets to “fish for people” (Matthew 4:18–22). The second, confirming call occurred when Jesus selected the Twelve (Mark 3:13–19).
Almost immediately, Peter assumed the unofficial role of leader of the disciples. He regularly served as their spokesman and is named first in all the lists (see, for example, Matthew 14:28; 15:15; 18:21; 26:35, 40; Mark 8:29; 9:5; 10:28; John 6:68). More than likely, Peter’s leadership arose from his character and personality. Totally devoted to his Lord, Peter enthusiastically spoke out and took the lead.
Belonging to the inner circle of disciples and being a powerful force in the early church, Peter is mentioned in the New Testament more often than all of the other eleven put together. Peter was present when Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead. He also was privileged to be one of just four to hear Jesus’ discourse on the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the world (Mark 13:3ff). He and only two others (James and John) were at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1) and were very close to Jesus in Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). Peter and one other disciple (John) were sent to prepare for the Last Supper (Luke 22:8). Peter also was present when Christ gave the great commission (Matthew 28:16–20) and when he ascended into heaven (Luke 24:44–53).
Although Jesus had renamed him “rock,” at first Peter was anything but rock solid. Impulsive, he often spoke without thinking (see, for example, his rebuke of Christ in Matthew 16:22 and his comments after the Transfiguration in Matthew 17:4), and he jumped to defend Jesus with a sword (John 18:10). Despite his best intentions, Peter tended to respond quite poorly under pressure, falling asleep in the garden during Jesus’ most difficult hour (Matthew 26:40–41) and vehemently denying the Lord when accused of being his follower (Matthew 26:69–74).
Peter’s life provides strong testimony to the reality of the Resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit. Consider the great contrast between his earlier pattern as leader of the disciples and his later actions as leader of the early church. Peter preached boldly and powerfully, at Pentecost (Acts 2) and beyond. Jailed and then warned by the Jewish religious leaders not to preach about Jesus, Peter did so anyway (Acts 4:13–20). Later, Peter was jailed again, this time by civil authorities. Herod already had executed James, and Peter would be next. But God miraculously released Peter, who continued to minister in Jesus’ name (Acts 12:1–19).Other significant events in the life and ministry of Peter include: leading the disciples through the process of choosing a successor to Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:15–26), condemning Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1–11), denouncing Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:18–23), healing Aeneas and restoring Tabitha to life (Acts 9:34–40), baptizing the first Gentile Christians (Cornelius and his household, Acts 10), and participating significantly in the Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1–11).
At first, Peter ministered exclusively among the Jews (Acts 1:1–5:41). But that began to change when persecution against Christians intensified in Jerusalem. At this time, many Christians scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, but they preached the gospel as they went, and many Samaritans responded (Acts 8:4–8). Soon thereafter, Peter and John were sent to verify that, in fact, the conversions were real (Acts 8:14–25), and Peter’s ministry began to expand. Not long afterward, on a journey throughout the country, teaching believers, healing the sick, and telling the Good News about God’s salvation, Peter received a vision from God (Acts 9:32–10:16). Through this vision, Peter realized that Gentiles were no longer to be considered “unclean” and should be told about Christ. Thus, when invited by Roman servants to come to the home of Cornelius, the centurion, Peter agreed and traveled to Caesarea. There, in the home of this Roman soldier, Peter preached and then witnessed the power of God transform these uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 10:22–48). Later, when Peter explained his actions, the apostles and others praised God (Acts 11:18). Peter learned from personal experience that God’s message was for all the world. Later, Peter seems to have become an intermediary between the two main factions of the early church: Jewish Christianity, centered in Jerusalem, and the ministry to the Gentiles, championed by Paul (see Acts 15:6–11).
As described above, after the Ascension, Peter’s early ministry was focused in Jerusalem. But then he seems to have traveled beyond, perhaps even to Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (1:1), the areas mentioned as destinations for this epistle. Eventually, Peter traveled to Rome, where he ministered among the beleaguered believers. This must have occurred after Paul’s first imprisonment (A.D. 59–62), for Paul’s prison epistles make no mention of Peter. This letter probably was written around A.D. 64, just before the terrible persecution of Christians by Emperor Nero (A.D. 65–67). Strong tradition holds that Peter was executed in Rome by Nero in A.D. 67, crucified upside down, feeling that he was unworthy to die as Jesus had. Jesus’ words to Peter in John 21:18–19 seem to imply a death by crucifixion, but no historical proof has been found to confirm this tradition.
By God’s mercy, Peter became a fearless and outspoken servant of his risen Lord, eventually dying for his faith. God changed this man, and he can change you, too, into a rock-solid witness for Christ!
That Peter wrote this book bearing his name is attested to by its content. Reminiscences of personal acquaintance with Christ fill this letter (for example, compare 5:5 with John 13:3–5). The content of this epistle also seems to parallel Peter’s speeches recorded in Acts. Compare, for example, 1:17 with Acts 10:34; 1:21 with Acts 2:32–36 and Acts 10:40; and 2:7–8 with Acts 4:10–11.
Written from Rome in about A.D. 64.
According to the unanimous testimony of the early church, Peter ministered in Rome until his martyrdom. Peter wrote this letter from Rome, around A.D. 64, just before the intense persecution of the church under Nero. Rome was the capital city of the vast and mighty Roman Empire, which stretched from Britain to Arabia. With a population of approximately one million, Rome was the diplomatic and trade center of the world and the largest city.
At first, Christianity was tolerated in Rome as a sect of Judaism. But in the last few years of Emperor Nero’s reign (he ruled from A.D. 54 until his death in 68), he authorized capturing, torturing, and killing Christians. In A.D. 64, a large part of Rome was destroyed by fire, probably started at Nero’s order. The emperor publicly accused the Christians in the city, giving him an excuse for terrible atrocities, including throwing believers to wild dogs in the Colosseum, as a spectator sport. During these terrible persecutions, believers were forced to choose between the emperor and Christ; those who chose Christ often died for their faith. Both Paul and Peter are believed to have been victims of Nero’s reign of terror.
Certainly Peter would have seen the mounting persecution, leading him, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to warn believers of “many trials” (1:6), beatings “for doing right” (2:20), suffering “for doing what is right” (3:14, 17), participating “with Christ in his suffering” (4:13), and suffering “according to God’s will” (4:19). With all these warnings, Peter includes words of encouragement and hope (1:7–9; 4:12–19; 5:10–11) and instructions for how to live (1:13–21; 2:1–3, 11–25; 3:1–17; 4:1–11; 5:1–9).
Verse 1
The opening sentence of 1 Peter identifies the audience as “God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners” in other lands. This phrase and the numerous Old Testament quotes have led many to believe that Peter was writing to Jewish Christians. This probably is not the case, however. Most likely, Peter was writing to Christians of all nationalities.
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (1:1) refer to formerly independent territories in northern Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Since 130 B.C., all of these territories had been under Roman control. The population was a mix of many races and cultures, including the native peoples, cultured Greeks, Orientals, and Jews. At the end of the first century A.D., the total population of these five huge provinces was approximately 8.5 million, one million of whom were Jews and eighty thousand, Christians. Luke explains in Acts that Paul did not minister in these northern provinces on any of his missionary journeys. On one occasion, he was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to travel there and directed, instead, to Troas and then to Macedonia (Acts 16:6–12). How this area was evangelized is unknown; perhaps it was through Peter, who may have traveled there with his wife (see 1 Corinthians 9:5) after the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:1–29), or perhaps through the scattering of the believers.
Peter’s letter overflows with feelings of triumph in adversity, looking forward to God’s glorious future. Even as they were suffering, believers could have the confident assurance of God’s work in their lives and of their ultimate salvation.
Peter provides a powerful example of an encourager. He was not writing from a secure location, removed from the hardships of Roman life. Peter lived at the center of the persecution; yet, as he had for decades, he continued to preach courageously about his risen Lord until he, too, became a victim of Nero’s murderous schemes. Despite personal hardships, Peter, like Paul, wrote to encourage others, to build them up in their faith, and to give them direction and guidance. In your struggles, do you look inward or outward? Do you tend to feel sorry for yourself or to encourage others?
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Source: Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 1095–1098.
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