As Peter began his letter to
the “strangers scattered” or Christians who were dispersed
after being persecuted in Jerusalem, he introduced himself as “an
apostle” or “sent out one” “of Jesus Christ”. In
the second half of verse one and chapter one of his letter, Peter
mentioned the names of five places where the “strangers” were
dispersed. We read:
Peter, an apostle of
Jesus Christ, to the strangers
scattered throughout
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
The
verse begins, “...throughout Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia,” The first place
Peter mentioned was “throughout Pontus”
which means “the sea” and was “a region of eastern Asia Minor,
bounded by the Euxine Sea, Armenia, Cappadocia, Galatia,
Paphlagonia”. The second place was “Galatia”
which means “land of Galli or Guals” and was “the Roman
province of Galatia my be roughly described as the central region of
the peninsula of Asia Minor, bounded on the north by Bithynia and
Paphlagonia; on the east by Pontus; on the south by Cappadocia and
Lycaonia; on the west by Phrygia”, and the third place was
“Cappadocia” or
“province of good horses” and was “a region in Asia Minor,
bounded under the Roman empire on the north by Pontus, on the east by
Armenia Minor, on the south by Cilicia and Commagene, on the west by
Lycaonia and Galatia”.
The
verse goes on to include, “...Asia, and Bithynia,”
Peter went on to add, “Asia”
which means “orient” and was “Asia proper or proconsular Asia
embracing Mysia, Lydia, Phrygia, and Caria, corresponding closely to
Turkey today” and the final city was “Bithynia”
which means “a violent rushing” and was “a Roman province in
Asia Minor, bounded by the Euxine Sea, the Propontis, Mysia, Phrygia,
Galatia, Paphlagonia”.
When
we think through Peter's words, we may think it strange that he
mentioned all these cities of refuge to which the persecuted church
fled, and yet, why wouldn't he mention them? These were notable
places where the gospel of Jesus Christ was to spread through the
witness of the church. Jesus declared in the book of Acts in chapter
one and verse eight, “and you shall be witnesses unto me
in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the
world”, and this was the
beginning of the fulfillment of Jesus' prophesy. For our study, let
us imagine these “scattered strangers”
receiving this letter from the specially chosen and sent out one,
“Peter”, and as we
read his words to them, let us imagine they are for us as well
wherever we are located.
Next
time Peter will share concerning “the
elect according to the foreknowledge of God”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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