FRIDAY
Today we come to the end of the letter. Let’s read Peter’s closing.
1 Peter 5:12-14 12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Silvanus, mentioned here, is likely the Latin name for Silas, Paul’s companion who is regularly mentioned throughout the book of Acts. Silas was a Roman citizen, so he could travel more freely throughout the empire. He probably transcribed this letter for Peter, which explains the more complex Greek than a Galilean fisherman would be capable of. He also likely carried the letter and read it to the believers dispersed throughout Asia Minor, adding any context they needed as to Peter’s meaning.
Mark, here, is likely John Mark, also noted in Acts. He was probably Peter’s close associate, who also wrote the gospel of Mark. That gospel was from the testimony of Peter. Mark wasn’t Peter’s literal son, but Peter is assumed to be his mentor in Christ and therefore he calls him his son.
Again, his purpose in writing was to declare to them the true grace of God in the gospel and exhort them to stand firm in it amidst the social pressures to disavow Jesus or abandon his way.
The reference to Babylon is almost universally thought to be a veiled description of Rome. Peter was likely pastoring a church in Rome at this time. The “she,” then, is probably referring to the church that Peter is pastoring. “Babylon” carries primarily the sense of the Jewish exile from the Old Testament. Just as his audience is in exile in Asia Minor, Peter is in exile in Rome, even if his exile isn’t forced. All Christians should view their relationship to their society as an exile and sojourn. Our primary residence is in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of man, then, is not our home.
We need to begin viewing America more as Babylon and less as Jerusalem. Jerusalem from the Old Testament was God’s holy city where his presence dwelt in the temple. The people of God lived there under the authority of God. Babylon was a pagan city that epitomized evil—both sinful living and demonic power at work behind the governing bodies. Satan uses the values of every culture, even if they are good values, to lure Christians away from obedience to the ways of Jesus. Our American culture is no different. For too long, we have mistakenly viewed America as synonymous with the kingdom of God. It is not and it never was. Instead of clamoring after political power, then, we should be far more concerned with living faithfully to the way of Jesus amidst an unfavorable culture. In thinking of our culture as a Jerusalem culture we have grown soft in our faith and have failed to see the devil’s prowling and roaring. Therefore, many Christians have been devoured by our culture, making substitutes to Jesus as the Lord of their lives and replacing him with their political party, their family, their job or their self.
Again, a resilient faith recognizes and resists the pressures of the culture influencing Christians to conform to the ways of Babylon. It stands firm in the true gospel of God’s grace.