1 Peter

What makes 1 Peter special?

First Peter is written in the form of a letter, a form of communication frequently used in the Greek and Roman world. It begins and ends with formal greetings (1.1,2; 5.12-14). The letter's main message (1.3—5.11) makes use of themes and styles that are found in many other New Testament writings. Like the Gospels, it tells of the importance of Jesus' death and God's raising him back to life. It also repeats Jesus' teachings concerning trust in God, the importance of being humble and being joyful even in times of suffering. Like Acts, it mentions the work of Peter, Silvanus, and Mark. It provides a picture of the early church, which met in private homes. First Peter encourages Christians to follow Christ's example, to live good lives, and tells Christians to expect suffering—themes that are also found in the letters of Paul. The letter uses Christian family images like the ones found in 1 John. And like Hebrews, it describes how people who hate or fear the followers of Jesus may make trouble for Christians and exclude them from the rest of society.

Why was 1 Peter written?

The letter was written to Christians scattered over northern Asia Minor (1.1). The writer wants those who read the letter to realize that they may have to face suffering because of their faith (2.19-21; 3.13-15; 4.1,2,12-19; 5.9-11). But suffering cannot defeat them, because Jesus suffered and died to forgive their sins, and God raised Jesus from death. Christians share the hope of also being raised to new life, a promise that begins when they are baptized. Other important themes presented in 1 Peter are:

What's the story behind the scene?

The letter has traditionally been connected to Jesus' disciple Peter (1.1), and includes greetings from those who worked closely with the apostle Paul: Silvanus and Mark (5.12,13; Acts 15.37-40). However, many who have studied the sophisticated language and the style of writing used in this letter believe it is unlikely that Peter, a Galilean fisherman (Mark 1.16,17; 3.16), could be the letter's author. Instead, they believe, it was most likely written in Peter's name, a common way to honor someone at the time. Also, because the letter mentions present and future suffering so much, it may have been written during a time when the Roman authorities were changing their attitudes toward Christians. Until the reign of Emperor Domitian (a.d. 81-96), the Roman authorities did not persecute Christians, considering them to be part of the Jewish religion, which was protected by the Roman government. One exception to this was the Emperor Nero's persecution of Christians in Rome around a.d. 64. But during the rule of Domitian, the Jewish and Christian movements clearly separated. The Romans began punishing Christians when they refused to offer sacrifices to the emperor, who had been officially declared to be a god. For more, see the mini-article called “Roman Empire,” TIT 3.1.

1 Peter also appears to include parts of creeds or hymns that were used in Christian worship of the time (1.20; 2.21-25; 3.18-22). Looking at these closely can give modern readers a glimpse into the life of the early church.

How is 1 Peter constructed?

Like most letters, 1 Peter begins and ends with greetings. But the bulk of the letter consists of a variety of instructions, teachings, hymns, and sayings that can be grouped in the following general way: