Sermon Tone Analysis

*Designation of the Readers in 1 Peter 1:1-2 — D. Edmond Hiebert*

[D.

Edmond Hiebert, Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, California.]

The salutation of 1 Peter conforms to the conventional three-point opening employed in first-century correspondence: writer, readers, greeting.

Each of these three parts might be expanded according to the author’s purpose and the situation confronted.

Peter expands each part and gives each of them a distinctive Christian content.

But his major expansion is in connection with the designation of his readers.

They are his chief concern in writing.

Peter’s lengthy designation of his readers presents certain problems for the interpreter.

The passage is not beset with textual problems but contains some uncertainties concerning the intended connections in the language employed.

The passage is here quoted in the American Standard Version as most adequately reflecting the order of the original: “To the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.”

In the original there is no definite article in this lengthy designation, implying that Peter is concerned with the spiritual character rather than the mere identity of his readers.

In view of the difficult situation which they face, Peter’s “concern is to emphasize, in the most solemn manner, the supernatural vocation of his correspondents, which should be their sheet-anchor in their trials.”1

The entire designation constitutes a unit, but for purposes of study three points will be noted: the readers’ true

BSac 137:545 (Jan 80) p. 65

character (v.

1b ), their geographic location (v.

1c ), and the spiritual supports of the readers (v.

2a ).

The Essential Character of the Readers

“To the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion” (v.

1b ) renders three words in the original (ἐκλεκτοι̂ς παρεπιδήμοις διασπορα̂ς).

The added place names make it obvious that specific groups of believers are in view, yet the absence of any article imparts a qualitative character,2 “to such as are….”

That the terms are intended to have a figurative import seems obvious.

The interpreter at once faces the question whether the first word (ἐκλεκτοι̂ς, “elect”) is to be taken as a separate noun or as an adjective modifying the following noun.

Under the former view a strictly literal rendering would be, “to (such as are) elect ones, sojourners of (the) Dispersion,” while the latter would be, “to (such as are) elect sojourners of (the) Dispersion.”

The former view identifies the readers under two separate and distinct concepts: they are elect individuals and are also sojourners.

The latter view fuses the two thoughts into one two-sided designation: they are “elect sojourners.”

The former view makes it possible to separate the two concepts and even to transfer “elect” to verse 2 , as is done, for example, in the Authorized Version.

In form the word ἐκλεκτός is a verbal adjective, but it may also function as a noun.

When used alone with the article it naturally serves as a noun (Matt 24:22; 2 Tim 2:10; etc.).

but it can also be a noun without an article (Matt 22:14; Rom 8:33; Titus 1:1; etc.).

Peter may here have intended it as a noun, but the grammatical structure does not suggest it.

It is more natural to accept παρεπιδήμοις (“sojourners”) as the governing noun of the expression, modified by an adjective preceding it and another noun, in the genitive, following it.

This is in keeping with Peter’s use of ἐκλεκτός as an adjective in 2:6, 9 , although in both of these instances the adjective follows the noun.

Support for the view that it is a separate noun is doctrinal, based on the three prepositional phrases in verse 2 .

This writer accepts it as preferable to regard ἐκλεκτοι̂ς as an adjective and to render the phrase, “to such as are elect sojourners of the Dispersion.”

Then Peter’s designation fuses a heavenward relationship and an earthly relationship in his characterization of his readers.

This double character of the readers underlies all that follows in the epistle.

BSac 137:545 (Jan 80) p. 66

The verbal adjective “elect” is passive, marking the readers as the objects of the electing action of God who is the unnamed agent.

They were chosen by God to be His own in order that they might be partakers of the heavenly inheritance being reserved for them (1:4 ).

United by faith with Christ, the “cornerstone, elect, precious” (2:6 ), they now constitute “an elect race” (2:9 ).

As “elect sojourners” they now form a separate group, distinct from the world and subject to its hatred and persecution.

In themselves they were ordinary people, possessing no innate superiority to their unsaved neighbors, but the initiative of God has made them what they are.

The doctrine of election is a family truth intended to foster the welfare of believers amid the vicissitudes of life.

Unfortunately this doctrine, which the human mind cannot wholly comprehend, has been the occasion of much controversy among the saints.

The sacred writers did not enter into all the problems that cluster around this doctrine, nor did they attempt to harmonize it with

that other great truth, taught in Scripture and revealed in conscience—the freedom of the human will; their statements of the two apparently conflicting doctrines balance, but do not explain, one another; …they teach us by their silence that the proper attitude of the Christian, when brought face to face with mystery, is rest in the Lord, humble child-like confidence in his love and wisdom.3

The designation “elect sojourners of the Dispersion” also indicates Peter’s keen awareness of their difficult earthly status.

The noun rendered “sojourners” (παρεπιδήμοις) occurs in the New Testament only in 1 Peter 1:1; 2:11 ; and Hebrews 11:13.

The compound term portrays the readers as living alongside a people to whom they do not belong, constituting a superimposed alien element.

They are resident aliens, temporarily living alongside the natives but not a true part of them.

Nor do they expect to be regarded as natives of the place where they now reside.

Hebrews 11:13 uses it of the Old Testament saints, while Peter uses it metaphorically of the present status of believers.

Called to be God’s people, they recognize themselves as temporary residents in this world who are on their way to their heavenly home, to which they eagerly expect to be removed by the summons of their Lord.

This concept of the Christian life is beautifully illustrated in the Epistle to Diognetus, an anonymous work dating from the second century:

BSac 137:545 (Jan 80) p. 67

Christians are not distinguished from the rest of mankind by either country, speech, or customs….

They reside in their respective countries, but only as aliens.

They take part in everything as citizens and put up with everything as foreigners.

Every foreign land is their home, and every home a foreign land….

They find themselves in the flesh, but do not live according to the flesh.

They spend their days on earth, but hold citizenship in heaven.4

The earthly status of the readers is further described by the genitive “of the Dispersion” (διασπορα̂ς).

This term supplements the thought of their alien status.

The compound noun, made up of the preposition διά, basically meaning “through,” and the noun σπορά, “a sowing,” indicates that the readers are scattered minority groups.

“The Dispersion” was a standard Jewish term to denote the Jews living outside of their Palestinian homeland, scattered abroad among the Gentiles (cf.

John 7:35).

In James 1:1 the expression, “to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion” (ASV), seems best understood as denoting Jewish Christians outside of Palestine.5

Those who hold that Peter also was writing to Jewish Christians see confirmation for that view in this term.

But Peter’s use of the term, which is accompanied by neither the definite article nor the mention of “the twelve tribes,” is not parallel to James 1:1.

It is more natural to hold that Peter uses the term in a metaphorical sense to picture his readers as a scattered minority in a non-Christian world.

They were not closely unified groups surrounded by an alien environment but minorities dispersed far and wide in various areas.

But the designation does not mean that those addressed were scattered individuals or unorganized local groups; chapter 5  makes clear that those addressed composed organized churches.

The use of the two terms, “sojourners” and “dispersion,” to describe the earthly status of the readers is not tautology; they describe the readers from two different points of view.

“Sojourners” views them in relation to the land in which they are now living as aliens; the “dispersion” links them to their true homeland from which they are now absent.

Although now living in an alien land, far removed from their homeland, they yet have the assurance of their coming ingathering to their true heavenly home.

The Geographical Location of the Readers

The five nouns, “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,” mark the geographical locations of the readers and

BSac 137:545 (Jan 80) p. 68

indicate that this is an encyclical letter.

The genitives denote the dispersion of the readers as related to these five areas.

How widely they were dispersed in each of these regions is not evident.

That Peter intended his letter for all Christians in these areas is clear from 5:14 , “Peace be unto you all that are in Christ.”

Pontus was the generally rugged region south of the Black Sea extending east from Bithynia into the highlands of Armenia.

In 65 B.C. the area was divided, the western part being united with Bithynia under one administration, while the eastern portion continued under the rule of a Greek dynasty.

Jews from Pontus were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9).

When Christianity was first introduced into this region is not known.

Galatia formerly denoted the district in central Asia Minor ruled by the Celtic Galatians; but in 25 B.C. the area was made a Roman province with parts of Phrygia, Lyconia, and Pisidia added to it, so that the province extended considerably farther to the south than the old ethnic Galatia.

No Jews from Galatia are mentioned as being in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

On his first missionary journey Paul established churches in the southern part of the Roman province (Acts 13:13–14:23 ).

According to the North Galatian theory Paul also established churches in the northern part of the province during the second missionary journey (Acts 16:6).

But the South Galatian theory, which generally holds the field today, rejects the view that Paul conducted a missionary campaign in the northern part of the province.

Under this view no information is available as to who first carried the gospel into the northern parts of the province of Galatia.

Cappadocia was a mountainous inland area in the eastern part of Asia Minor.

In A.D. 17 the area became a Roman province.

Jews from Cappadocia were in Jerusalem during the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9), but apart from this reference no further mention of the area appears in the New Testament.

When and by whom the gospel was first brought into the area is unknown.

Asia here, as in all its twenty-one occurrences in the New Testament, denotes the province and not the continent of Asia, or even Asia Minor.