The Church at Babylon 1 Peter 5:13

As Peter began to conclude his letter to the “scattered” Christians, he shared concerning “Silvanus” who was “a faithful brother” unto them, and he wrote “briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God” as he referred to him. In chapter five and verse thirteen of his letter, Peter shared the “salute” of “the church at Babylon” as well as one named “Marcus” where we read:

The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you;

and so does Marcus my son.

The verse begins, “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you;” Peter began with the words, “The church that is at” or “gathering and group of Christians believers” “Babylon” which means “confusion” and was “allegorically of Rome as the most corrupt seat of idolatry and the enemy of Christianity, “elected together with” or “chosen by God to eternal life, together with” “you” which refers to the “scattered” Christians, “salutes you” or “greets, bids welcome, wishes well and receives joyfully” the people to whom Peter wrote.

The verse goes on to say, “and so does Marcus my son.” Peter added, “and so does Marcus” or “Mark” whose name means “a defense” and was “an evangelist and the author of the Gospel of Mark. Marcus was his Latin surname and his Jewish name was John. He was a cousin of Barnabas and a companion of Paul in some of his missionary journeys” “my son” which means “his son in a spiritual sense”. “Marcus” or “Mark” was the nephew of Barnabas and ministered the gospel alongside Paul the apostle. He left Paul and his fellow ministers on Paul's first missionary journey which later caused great dissension between Paul and Barnabas as they were readying for their second journey. “Marcus” was later asked for by Paul whom he called “profitable”.

When we consider these words of Peter, we admire the church and the person Peter mentioned in this portion of his letter. Peter more than likely wrote this letter from “the church at Babylon”, and so it was natural that he mention them in his final words. “Marcus” was like a son to Peter, and because he was so special to him, he mentioned him in these words as well. Being in a relationship with “churches” and “people” within the gospel of Jesus Christ is a great blessing, and when we think about Peter including these people in his last words to the “scattered” Christians, we too should be inspired to have “churches” and “people” within our lives that we may also commend.

Next time Peter finishes his letter and tells the Christians to “greet one another with a kiss of charity”, 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.