1 Peter

Author: Peter
Type of Book: General Epistle
Date of Writing: AD 65-67
Theme: Eternal hope in suffering

Peter wrote this epistle and addressed it to Jewish believers in the region of Asia Minor, which is present-day Turkey. It was written after the writings of Paul, probably around AD 65-67.

There is some question as to where Peter wrote this letter. He offers greetings from the church in Babylon (1 Peter 5:13), but we aren't sure what he meant by Babylon. Some suggest this is literal Babylon, which was in present-day Iraq. Most scholars say that Peter was actually in Rome at this time and used Babylon as a code word for Rome. Tradition says that Peter was martyred in Rome, so if he did write this from Rome it was probably near the end of his life.

The theme of 1 Peter is suffering. The Christians were undergoing increasing intense suffering and needed both instruction and encouragement. They needed to understand that suffering is a normal part of the Christian life and that it was a way to relate to the suffering of Jesus, which Peter had personally witnessed. They also needed to know how important it is to remain loyal and submissive to the Lord, as Peter had learned the hard way when he denied the Lord. And they needed to focus on the hope in Jesus and the glory of an eternity in heaven. It is our eternal hope that ultimately puts present suffering into perspective.

Some have questioned whether or not Peter could have written this book, saying that an uneducated fisherman could have never written something this profound. But this ignores the change that Peter underwent following the resurrection of Jesus and the day of Pentecost. The time spent with Jesus, the experience of being forgiven and restored by Him, and the filling of the Spirit all made Peter a different person. This tough fisherman now used words like "precious". He was a man forever transformed by his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

-from Pastor Chuck Smith from The Word for Today Bible