When the apostle Peter wrote to church Paul had started throughout Paul's own homeland territory, in what is now Turkey, it might have come across as awkward. Maybe even inappropriate.
What does another preacher think he's doing by writing his advice to another preacher's congregation. Or in this case, congregations.
Peter's letter targets troubles in the general church. Christians are facing frauds passing themselves off as church leaders. And they’re facing persecution from people outside their community of faith. That may have included some former relatives and friends who didn't like changes Christianity was making in these new believers.
Risk-taker
Peter always seemed a little out there, ready to stick his neck out. He started defending Jesus when Jewish police arrested him. Peter took a sword and cut off an ear from a servant of the high priest.
He led the disciples of Jesus. Look at the list of names. Bible writers always put him first. And he is the star of the disciples in the Bible stories.
Here, he addresses Christians scattered throughout what is now Turkey. That was Paul’s turf. Paul was born and raised there, and that’s where Paul started planting churches among non-Jews.
There’s no record of Peter ever having gone there. He’s best known for ministering to Jews in what is now Israel and Palestinian Territories.
A guess about why Peter wrote
One guess about why he wrote is that he was on trial in Rome, just before his crucifixion, when he got word that churches throughout Turkey were facing some kind of persecution, which Peter never identified.
Nero may have ordered his execution
Emperor Nero, credited with executing Peter and Paul, launched the first persecution of Christians after accusing them of starting the July AD 64 fire that burned much of Rome. That might explain why Peter, on trial in Rome, wouldn’t specifically identify Nero as the source of the trouble.
But there are other theories too. Jews might have caused the trouble for these churches, as they had done for Turkey’s premiere church planter, Paul.
1 Peter2 Peter
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