1 Peter 1:1

THE FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE OF PETER.

Chronological Notes relative to this Epistle.

-Year of the Constantinopolitan era of the world, or that used by the Byzantine historians, and other eastern writers, 5568.

-Year of the Alexandrian era of the world, 5562.

-Year of the Antiochian era of the world, 5552.

-Year of the world, according to Archbishop Usher, 4064.

-Year of the world, according to Eusebius, in his Chronicon, 4288.

-Year of the minor Jewish era of the world, or that in common use, 3820.

-Year of the Greater Rabbinical era of the world, 4419.

-Year from the Flood, according to Archbishop Usher, and the English Bible, 2408.

-Year of the Cali yuga, or Indian era of the Deluge, 3162.

-Year of the era of Iphitus, or since the first commencement of the Olympic games, 1000.

-Year of the era of Nabonassar, king of Babylon, 809.

-Year of the CCIXth Olympiad, 4.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Fabius Pictor, 807.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Frontinus, 811.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to the Fasti Capitolini, 812.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Varro, which was that most generally used, 813.

-Year of the era of the Seleucidae, 372.

-Year of the Caesarean era of Antioch, 108.

-Year of the Julian era, 105.

-Year of the Spanish era, 98.

-Year from the birth of Jesus Christ, according to Archbishop Usher, 64.

-Year of the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 60.

-Year of Claudius Felix, governor of the Jews, 8.

-Year of Vologesus, king of the Parthians, 11.

-Jesus, high priest of the Jews, 1.

-Year of the Dionysian period, or Easter Cycle, 61.

-Year of the Grecian Cycle of nineteen years, or Common Golden Number, 4; or the second after the first embolismic.

-Year of the Jewish Cycle of nineteen years, 1; or two years before the first embolismic.

-Year of the Solar Cycle, 13.

-Dominical Letter, it being Bissextile, or Leap Year, FE.

-Day of the Jewish Passover, the second of April, which happened in this year on the fourth day after the Jewish Sabbath.

-Easter Sunday, the sixth of April.

-Epact, or age of the moon on the 22d of March, (the day of the earliest Easter Sunday possible,) 3.

-Epact, according to the present mode of computation, or the moon's age on New Year's day, or the Calends of January, 11.

-Monthly Epacts, or age of the moon on the Calends of each month respectively, (beginning with January,) 11, 13, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 19, 21, 21.

-Number of Direction, or the number of days from the twenty-first of March to the Jewish Passover, 12.

-Year of the reign of Caius Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar, the fifth Roman monarch, computing from Octavianus, or Augustus Caesar, properly the first Roman emperor, 7.

-Roman Consuls, the Emperor Nero Augustus, the fourth time, and Cossus Cornelius Lentulus.

CHAPTER I.

Of the persons to whom this epistle was directed, and their

spiritual state, 1, 2.

He describes their privileges, and thanks God for the grace by

which they were preserved faithful in trials and difficulties,

3-5.

The spiritual benefit they were to receive out of their

afflictions, 6, 7.

Their love to Christ, 8.

And the salvation they received through believing, 9.

This salvation was predicted by the prophets, who only saw it

afar off and had only a foretaste of it, 10-12.

They should take encouragement, and be obedient and holy, 13-16.

Thy should pray, and deeply consider the price at which they

were purchased, that their faith and hope might be in God,

17-21.

As their souls had been purified by obeying the truth through

the Spirit, they should love each other with a pure and fervent

love, 22, 23.

The frailty of man, and the unchangeableness of God, 24, 25.

NOTES ON CHAP. I.

Verse 1 Peter 1:1. Peter, an apostle] Simon Peter, called also Kephas: he was a fisherman, son of Jonah, brother of Andrew, and born at Bethsaida; and one of the first disciples of our Lord. See the preface.

The strangers scattered throughout] Jews first, who had believed the Gospel in the different countries here specified; and converted Gentiles also. Though the word strangers may refer to all truly religious people, see Genesis 47:9; Psalms 39:12, in the Septuagint, and Hebrews 11:13, yet the inscription may have a special reference to those who were driven by persecution to seek refuge in those heathen provinces to which the influence of their persecuting brethren did not extend.

Pontus] An ancient kingdom of Asia Minor, originally a part of Cappadocia; bounded on the east by Colchis, on the west by the river Halys, on the north by the Euxine Sea, and on the south by Armenia Minor. This country probably derived its name from the Pontus Euxinus, on which it was partly situated. In the time of the Roman emperors it was divided into three parts: 1. Pontus Cappadocius; 2. Pontus Galaticus; and, 3. Pontus Polemoniacus. The first extended from the Pontus Polemoniacus to Colchis, having Armenia Minor and the upper stream of the Euphrates for its southern boundary. The second extended from the river Halys to the river Thermodon. The third extended from the river Thermodon to the borders of the Pontus Cappadocius.

Six kings of the name of Mithridates reigned in this kingdom, some of whom are famous in history. The last king of this country was David Comnenus, who was taken prisoner, with all his family, by Mohammed II. in the year 1462, and carried to Constantinople; since which time this country (then called the empire of Trebizond, from Trapezas, a city founded by the Grecians, on the uttermost confines of Pontus) has continued under the degrading power of the Turks.

Galatia] The ancient name of a province of Asia Minor, now called Amasia. It was called also Gallograecia, and Gallia Parva. It was bounded on the east by Cappadocia, on the south by Pamphylia, on the north by the Euxine Sea, and on the west by Bithynia. See the preface to the Epistle to the Galatians.

Cappadocia] An ancient kingdom of Asia, comprehending all the country lying between Mount Taurus and the Euxine Sea.

Asia] This word is taken in different senses: It signifies, 1. One of the three general divisions of our continent, and one of the four of the whole earth. It is separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, the Archipelago, the Black Sea, the Palus Maeolis, the rivers Don and Dwina; and from Africa by the Arabic Gulf, or Red Sea: it is everywhere else surrounded by water. It is situated between latitude 2° and 77° N., and between longitude 26° E. and 170° W.; and is about 7,583 miles in length, and 5,200 miles in breadth.

2. Asia Minor, that part of Turkey in Asia, now called Natolia, which comprehends a great number of province situated between the Euxine, Mediterranean, and Archipelago.

3. That province of Asia Minor of which Ephesus was the capital. It appears, says Calmet, that it is in this latter sense that it is used here by St. Peter, because Pontus, Galatia, and Bithynia, are comprised in the provinces of Asia Minor. See Calmet.

Bithynia] An ancient kingdom of Asia, formerly called Mysia, Mygdonia, Bebrycia, and Bithonia. It was bounded on the west by the Bosphorus, Thracius, and part of the Propontis, on the south by the river Rhyndacus, and Mount Olympus, on the north by the Euxine Sea, and on the east by the river Parthenius. This place is in some sort rendered infamous by the conduct of Prusias, one of its kings, who delivered up Hannibal, who had fled to him for protection, into the hands of the Romans. Nicomedes IV. bequeathed it to the Romans; and it is now in the hands of the Turks.