1 Peter Chapter 1, Verse 1
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1: πετρος αποστολος ιησου χριστου εκλεκτοις παρεπιδημοις διασπορας ποντου γαλατιας καππαδοκιας ασιας και βιθυνιας
1: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered
throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
1: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers dispersed
through Pontus, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, elect,
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. On the word apostle, see "Rom 1:1"; see "1Cor 9:1, seq.
To the strangers. In the Greek, the word "elect" (1 Pet 1:2) occurs here: eklektoiv parepidhmoiv, "to the elect strangers." He here addresses them as elect; in the following verse he shows them in what way they were elected. See the Notes there. The word rendered strangers occurs only in three places in the New Testament; Heb 11:13 1 Pet 2:11, where it is rendered pilgrims, and in the place before us. see "Heb 11:13".
The word means, literally, a by-resident, a sojourner among a people not one's own. -- Robinson. There has been much diversity of opinion as to the persons here referred to: some supposing that the epistle was written to those who had been Jews, who were now converted, and who were known by the common appellation among their countrymen as "the scattered abroad," or the "dispersion ;" that is, those who were strangers or sojourners away from their native land; others, that the reference is to those who were called, among the Jews, "proselytes of the gate," or those who were admitted to certain external privileges among the Jews, (see "Mt 23:15";) and others, that the allusion is to Christians as such, without reference to their origin, and who are spoken of as strangers and pilgrims. That the apostle did not write merely to those who had been Jews, is clear from 1 Pet 4:3, 1 Pet 4:4, (comp. Intro. & 1;) and it seems probable that he means here Christians as such, without reference to their origin, who were scattered through the various provinces of Asia Minor. Yet it seems also probable that he did not use the term as denoting that they were "strangers and pilgrims on the earth," or with reference to the fact that the earth was not their home, as the word is used in Heb 11:13; but that he used the term as a Jew would naturally use it, accustomed, as he was, to employ it as denoting his own countrymen dwelling in distant lands, he would regard them still as the people of God, though dispersed abroad; as those who were away from what was properly the home of their fathers. So Peter addresses these Christians as the people of God, now scattered abroad; as similar in their condition to the Jews who had been dispersed among the Gentiles. Comp. the Intro., & 1. It is not necessarily implied that these persons were strangers to Peter, or that he had never seen them; though this was not improbably the fact in regard to most of them.
Scattered. Greek, of the dispersion, (diasporav;) a term which a Jew would be likely to use who spoke of his countrymen dwelling among the heathen. see "Jn 7:35 Jam 1:1, where the same Greek word is found. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. Here, however, it is applied to Christians as dispersed or scattered abroad,
Throughout Pontus, etc. These were provinces of Asia Minor. Their position may be seen in the map prefixed to the Acts of the Apostles. On the situation of Pontus, see "Acts 2:9".
Galatia. On the situation of this province, and its history, see Intro. to the Notes on Galatians, & 1.
Asia. Meaning a province of Asia Minor, of which Ephesus was the capital. see "Acts 2:9".
And Bithynia. see "Acts 16:7".
