1 Peter 1:1

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Peter - Greek of Cephas, man of rock.

An apostle of Jesus Christ. 'He who preaches otherwise than as a messenger of Christ, is not to be heard: if he preach as such, then it is all one as if Christ spake in thy presence' (Luther).

To the strangers scattered, [ parepideemois (G3927) disaporas (G1290)] - 'sojourners of the dispersion:' only in John 7:35 and James 1:1; Septuagint; Psalms 147:2, "the outcasts of Israel:" the designation particular to the Jews dispersed throughout the world ever since the Babylonian captivity. These he, as apostle of the circumcision, primarily addresses, but not in the temporal sense only: their temporal condition is a shadow of their spiritual calling to be strangers and pilgrims on each, looking for the heavenly Jerusalem as their home (Hebrews 11:8). So the Gentile Christians are included secondarily, as having the same high calling. 1 Peter 1:14; 1 Peter 2:10; 1 Peter 4:3, plainly refer to Christian Gentiles (cf. 1 Peter 1:17). Christians, if they rightly consider their calling, must never settle here, but feel themselves travelers. As the Jews in their dispersion diffused through the nations the knowledge of the one God, preparatory to Christ's first advent, so Christians, by their dispersion among the unconverted, diffuse the knowledge of Christ, preparatory to His second advent. "The children of God scattered abroad" constitute one whole in Christ, who "gathers them together in one," now partially and in spirit, hereafter perfectly and visibly. "Elect" (Greek order) comes before "strangers:" elect, in relation to heaven; strangers, in relation to earth.

The election is that of individuals to eternal life by God's sovereign grace, as the sequel shows. While each is certified of his own election by the Spirit, he receives no assurance concerning others; nor are we to be too inquisitive (John 21:21). Peter numbers them among the elect, as they carried the appearance of being regenerated. He calls the whole Church by the designation belonging only to the better portion (Calvin). The election to hearing, and that to eternal life, are distinct. Realization of our election is a strong motive to holiness. The minister invites all; in the elect alone the preaching takes effect. Since the chief fruit of exhortations redounds to them, Peter at the outset addresses them. Steiger translate, To 'the elect pilgrims who form the dispersion in Pontus,' etc. The order of the provinces is that in which they would be viewed by one writing from the East from Babylon (1 Peter 5:13); from northeast southwards to Galatia, southeast to Cappadocia, then Asia, and back to Bithynia, west of Pontus. Contrast the order, Acts 2:9. He now was ministering to those same peoples as he preached to on Pentecost: "Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia and Judea" - i:e., the Jews now subject to the Parthians, whose capital was Babylon, where he laboured in person; "dwellers in Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia," the Asiatic dispersion derived from Babylon, whom he ministers to by letter.