Place and time of writing the epistle

The place from which St. Peter wrote his first epistle is Babylon (5:13) [1]. Roman Catholics, who assert that the holy Apostle Peter was the Bishop of the city of Rome for 25 years, want to see in this "Babylon" an allegorical name for Rome. Such an allegory is hardly appropriate in a farewell greeting. It is more natural to see this as the real name of the city. There is no need to assume that this was Babylon of Euphrates, of whose visit we have no news of St. Peter's visitation. In Egypt there was a small town on the banks of the Nile, founded by immigrants from Babylon, who also called it Babylon. In the history of the Christian Church, the Church of Babylon in Egypt is known (Thu. Min. June. 4. The Life of St. Zosima). St. Peter was in Egypt, and there in Alexandria he made St. Mark bishop, and therefore it is quite natural that he could write from there and at the same time convey greetings from St. Mark. Assumptions about the time of its writing are based on the fact that Silvanus and Mark were with St. Peter at that time, on behalf of whom the Apostle sends greetings to Asia Minor (1 Peter 5:12) [2]. Both of these persons accompanied the Apostle Paul and were well known to the Christians of Asia Minor. They could probably leave him only after the Apostle Paul was taken into chains and sent to Rome to be judged by Caesar (Acts 26-27). It was natural for Peter, precisely after Paul's imprisonment, to take care of his flock. And since the first epistle was written shortly before the second, which was undoubtedly written before the martyrdom of St. Peter, which followed in 67 A.D., the date of writing the first epistle is determined between 62 and 64 A.D. Greetings to you, chosen church like you, in Babylon, and Mark my son. ^This I have written briefly to you through Silvanus, who I think is your faithful brother, to assure you, comforting you, and bearing witness that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. ^

Contents of the Message

The First Epistle of the Apostle Peter consists of only five chapters.Their content is as follows:The first chapter: Inscription and greeting (1-2). Praise to God for the grace of regeneration (3-5), for the sake of which one should rejoice in sorrows (6-9) and to which the searches of the prophets belonged (10-12). Exhortation to the holiness of life (13-21) and mutual love (22-25).Chapter Two: Instructions on spiritual growth (1-3) and dispensation (4-10), on virtuous living (11-12), on obedience to authority (13-17), on the obedience of servants to masters (18-20). An Example of the Lord's Sufferings (21-25).Chapter Three: Moral Instruction to Wives (1-6), Husbands (7), and All Christians (8-17). Christ Who Suffered, Descended into Hades, Rose and Ascended (18-22).Chapter Four: Instructions to Christians on Various Moral Qualities and Virtues (1-11), and Especially on Innocent Suffering (12-19).Chapter Five: Instructions to Pastors and Flocks (1-9). Apostolic Blessing (10-11). News and greetings (12-14).

Chapter One

Inscription and salutation 1:1-2

"Peter, Apostle of Jesus Christ," thus begins the holy Apostle Peter in his first conciliar epistle. It is impossible not to see that the holy Apostle with a deliberate purpose exposes his apostolic dignity, for the churches to which he wrote were not founded by him and had no personal acquaintance with him. In the first two chapters he reveals the greatness and glory of salvation given to Christians in Jesus Christ, which gives the whole section a dogmatic tinge. In the remaining chapters, exclusively moral instructions predominate.The Christians of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia are called "strangers" by the holy Apostle in a double sense. On the one hand, they live outside their homeland, Palestine; On the other hand, for Christians, life on earth is pilgrimage and wandering, for the Christian's own homeland is another world, the spiritual world.The Apostle calls them "chosen" in the sense that in the New Testament all Christians constitute the new chosen people of God, as the Jews were in the Old Testament (1:1) [1].They were chosen, "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, sanctified by the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ" — all three persons of the Holy Trinity took part in the work of salvation of people: God the Father, according to His foreknowledge, knowing which of men, how he would use the free will granted to him, predestorates people to salvation, the Son of God by His death on the cross accomplished the very work of salvation, and the Holy Spirit through His grace sanctifies the elect, assimilating to them the work of salvation accomplished by Christ (v. 2).

Praise God for the Grace of Regeneration 1:3-5

From the depths of his heart, filled with gratitude to God for the redemption of the world, the Apostle then lifts up praise to God, Who has given people "an incorruptible inheritance" in contrast to the sensual earthly inheritance that the Jews expected from the Messiah (vv. 3-4).

One Must Rejoice in Tribulations 1:6-9

Having further said that the power of God, "through faith," leads them "to salvation," the Apostle inspires that this salvation will be revealed in all its power only in the "last time"; but now it is necessary to grieve "a little", so that the faith tested by the fire of temptations will be more precious than the most refined gold "at the appearance of Jesus Christ", that is, at His second coming (5-7).

Prophetic Searches 1:10–12

The holy Apostle concludes his doxology by pointing out the great importance of the economy of our salvation, to which all the searches and investigations of the prophets belonged, and which is so profound that "angels desire to penetrate" (8-12).

Exhortation to the Holiness of Life and Mutual Love 1:13-25