12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. ~ 1 Peter 5:12-14
Today, we come to the closing verses in the book of 1 Peter. This epistle, full of principles on how to maintain our hope in a world of suffering, was written by a man who fought the battles himself. Peter had no idea at the time that he was walking with the Lord Jesus that he was being prepared to write such a practical guide that would aid millions. This is the nature of our walk with the Lord. More of Him and less of me.
Peter was an eyewitness to the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was there all during His ministry; he saw firsthand the transfiguration, stumbled at the crucifixion, and was restored at the resurrection. He beheld the ascension and participated in the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Peter sat with the elders of the early church and continued his witness of the work of Jesus Christ throughout his life. This letter, along with the other 65 books of the Bible, testifies to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the focus of Scripture and we are to keep our attention directed upon Him alone.
In v.12 of today's passage we read, "With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it."
Silas who was Paul's companion during his missionary trips has now become Peter's companion. And, due to the fact that Peter did not have a formal education, Silas was helpful to Peter for writing his epistles. Here is discovered a tapestry that all of our lives have, proof that the Lord is in the middle of everything that happens in, to, through and around us.
It is the grace of God that declares the believer in Christ forgiven and acceptable before God. Nothing is earned or maintained with reference to our acceptance before God. Our perfect posture before God was procured by the Lord Jesus Himself. His grace rescued us from our spiritual blindness. It releases us from our bondage to this fallen world. God's grace gives us the faith to be utterly assured of what we cannot see. It frees us from refusing to believe in anything we cannot experience with our physical senses. God's grace connects us to the invisible One in an eternal love relationship that fills us with joy we have never known before and gives us rest of heart that we would have thought impossible.
Peter encourages us to stand firm in this unmerited favor of God. Since there is nothing more powerful in this world than the grace of God, we must not move beyond its influence. In fact, we must be diligent to wallow in it. It is only the grace of God that acknowledges the ugliness of our sin and chooses to do the unthinkable to solve it. God, the Father, did this by sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die in our place on the cross of Calvary.
It is the grace of God that declares the believer in Christ forgiven and acceptable before God. Nothing is earned or maintained with reference to our acceptance before God. Our perfect posture before God was procured by the Lord Jesus Himself. His grace rescued us from our spiritual blindness. It releases us from our bondage to this fallen world. God's grace gives us the faith to be utterly assured of what we cannot see. It frees us from refusing to believe in anything we cannot experience with our physical senses. God's grace connects us to the invisible One in an eternal love relationship that fills us with joy we have never known before and gives us rest of heart that we would have thought impossible.
Peter encourages us to stand firm in this unmerited favor of God. Since there is nothing more powerful in this world than the grace of God, we must not move beyond its influence. In fact, we must be diligent to wallow in it. It is only the grace of God that acknowledges the ugliness of our sin and chooses to do the unthinkable to solve it. God, the Father, did this by sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die in our place on the cross of Calvary.
In v.13 of today's passage we read, "She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark."
Peter used the name Babylon metaphorically for Rome. As we have pointed out before, the Apostle Peter wrote this epistle from Rome at the end of his life. Most commentators believe that in the book of the Revelation the Apostle John used Babylon as a code name for the Rome of John’s day. Like Babylon of old, Rome had gained a worldwide reputation for luxury, corruption, and power. Peter used Babylon instead of Rome in order to disguise his whereabout because he was in danger of being discovered and apprehended by the Romans.
Then Peter mentions Mark who was the young man who had abandoned Paul on his first missionary journey. This is yet again another picture of grace in action. In mentioning Mark, Peter closes this, his first epistle with not only the reason why we have a relationship with God, but also how we relate to one another after we have entered into a personal relationship with God. Whereas the Apostle Paul had given up on Mark, Barnabas nursed Mark back to the place of usefulness to God. It was the active nature of God's grace in the life of Barnabas and eventually the others that got Mark back to a posture of victory.
In v.14 of today's passage we read, "Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ."
In this the final verse of this epistle Peter closes it out with the same sentiment that Paul used four times in his epistles: "Greet one another with a kiss of love." This was, and still is, the custom in many parts of the world. The kiss was intended as a greeting, just as western nations today shake hands or possibly hug, depending on familiarity. In the Far East, a deep and respectful bow is given in substitute of this.
The first kiss in the Bible is found in Genesis 27:26 when Isaac blessed his son Jacob before he departed to Padan Aram. From that point, the kiss is seen among the covenant people of God and among those who aren’t yet in the covenant, thus demonstrating the cultural nature of the greeting. When Jacob met Rachel, without knowing her in any familiar way yet, he kissed her.
The premier example of this greeting is found in Luke 7 where the Lord Jesus said to the religious leaders, "You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil."
After this note of fraternal affection, Peter next says, "Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus." To a Jew, the word "peace" is deeper than what we may think of it today. In biblical days it involved an entire state of contentment and calm. Thus, Peter’s words are a petition for wholeness and blessing, leading to what one might call a "fully satisfied soul." He then finishes with, "Amen," which means "so be it." And for all who read his letter of five chapters and 105 verses, may it be so that God's peace rules our lives. Amen!
