Jensens survey of the old testament adam 582
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background of the exiles to whom Peter
wrote his epistles. There were probably
Gentiles represented in the group as well,
suggested by such verses as 2:10 and 4:3-4
(read these).
C. DATE AND PLACE WRITTEN
First Peter was written probably around
the time of the outbreak of the Neronian
persecution, or A.D. 64.
From 5:13 we may conclude that Peter
wrote this epistle from Babylon. If the
reference is a literal one,7 there are two
possible places of writing: (1) Babylon on
the Euphrates (Mesopotamia), where a
colony of Jewish Christians lived as early as
A.D. 36; or (2) Babylon on the Nile (a city of
Egypt now known as Old Cairo).8
Many Bible scholars favor a symbolic
interpretation of the name Babylon, seeing it
as a reference to Rome. Merrill Tenney sees
Babylon here as “a mystic name for Rome,
by which Christians applied to it all the evil
connotations that had been historically
associated with the Babylon on the
Euphrates, and by which they could vent
their feelings without being detected.”9 If
the purpose of using “Babylon” was to
disguise the actual origin, we can
understand why the name as Peter used it
does not have the appearance of mysterious
symbolism in the context of the verse.
D. IMMEDIATE SETTING
The Christians addressed by Peter in this
epistle were experiencing ery trials of their
faith (1:6-7). Slander by fellow citizens was
one of those trials (2:12). Darker still were
the shadows of state persecution, which
Christians throughout the Roman Empire
feared. Everyone knew about those martyred
by Nero in Rome. Would the res spread to
the Christians in northern Asia Minor? Peter
wrote this letter not to assure the Christians
that persecution would not come, but to
encourage them to stand true and endure
su ering for Christ’s sake and with His
strength, even when the persecution grew
more intense.10
E. PLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Refer to Chart 62, page 244, and note that
the Petrine epistles are classi ed under the
subject of eschatology. The emphasis of the
two books is how to live the Christian life in
view of the second coming of Christ. After
you have surveyed the letters think of how
they are related to other New Testament
books.
IV. SURVEY
A. FIRST READING
Scan 1 Peter in one sitting. The purpose of
this initial quick reading is to get the feel
and atmosphere of the book and to catch its
major purposes. Write down your
rst
impressions of 1 Peter and any key words
and phrases that stand out as of this reading.
B. PARAGRAPHS
1. First, mark in your Bible paragraph
divisions at these verses: 1:1, 3, 10, 13, 22;
2:1, 4, 9, 11, 13, 18; 3:1, 7, 8, 13, 18; 4:1, 7,
12; 5:1, 5, 10, 12.
