{"id":4722,"date":"2024-11-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/reading-plan\/november-13\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T10:28:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T15:28:29","slug":"november-13","status":"publish","type":"reading-plan","link":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/reading-plan\/november-13\/","title":{"rendered":"November 13"},"content":{"rendered":"

Insight from 1 Peter 1:<\/span><\/p>\n

Quite a lot happens in the first two verses of this letter! First, Peter introduces himself (\u201cPeter\u201d). He is the writer of this book. It is significant to see how Peter\u2019s theology (his understanding of God and of Christ and of the kingdom of God) has changed from the time of his calling by Christ (the time described in the Gospels) until the time of the writing of 1 Peter. Peter writes this letter as a mature follower of Christ. Second, Peter tells his readers why he is qualified to write the letter and why they must pay attention to it and obey what he has written (\u201can apostle of Jesus Christ\u201d). Third, Peter names and describes his readers (\u201cTo those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia\u201d). Fourth, Peter describes the connection between his readers and the members of the Trinity (\u201caccording to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood\u201d). Fifth, Peter blesses his readers (\u201cMay grace and peace be multiplied to you\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n

It is important for the preacher or teacher to carefully consider why Peter refers to his readers as \u201celect exiles of the Dispersion\u201d. These words say a great deal about Peter\u2019s understanding of biblical theology (the story being told in God\u2019s word beginning in Genesis). In this verse, Peter uses words that, at least at one point in history, applied to Israel. But Peter connects these words to the church! Peter will do this throughout this letter (see, for instance, 1 Peter 2:5, 9\u201310). This says a great deal about Peter\u2019s understanding of the church.<\/span><\/p>\n

The word elect is connected to the idea of people being chosen. Peter uses this word because he wants his readers to know that they have been chosen by God (see also Romans 8:31\u201334a). The fact that God purposely chose the believer should lead to joy and confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

The word exiles is connected to people living away from their homeland. Peter uses this word because the believers to whom he is writing are not living in their true home. Rather, they are living in a foreign land. Why are they away from their homeland? According to Peter, they are away from their homeland because they are part of \u201cthe Dispersion\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

The word Dispersion is connected to the idea of people being taken from one place and forced to live in another place. This has happened many times in history. But Peter is not using this term to refer to any dispersion of people. He has a very specific dispersion in mind\u2014this is why the ESV adds the article \u201cthe\u201d before the word \u201cDispersion\u201d. The editors of the ESV also help the readers see this by capitalizing the word \u201cDispersion\u201d. This same Dispersion is also referred to in John 7:35 and James 1:1.<\/span><\/p>\n

The term Dispersion is taken from an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint. It refers to the scattering of Israel that was to take place if Israel disobeyed Yahweh and worshiped other gods. While the word dispersion doesn\u2019t appear frequently in the Old Testament (at least in the Hebrew), the idea of the Dispersion is described in many passages. It is a major theme (see, for instance, Deuteronomy 4:25\u201328). Because of sin, God\u2019s people would, like Adam and Eve, be driven from their land. They would be forced to live, like Adam and Eve, away from their true spiritual home.<\/span><\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not the end of the story! God also promised to bring his people back from the Dispersion. This, too, is a dominant theme. This return from the Dispersion is promised in many places. See, for instance, Deuteronomy 4:29\u201331 and Ezekiel 36:24\u201327.<\/span><\/p>\n

The word Dispersion is not positive. It points to sin. If Israel had obeyed, there would have been no Dispersion. However, Peter is not thinking about the sinfulness of his readers when he uses the word Dispersion in 1 Peter 1:1. He is not thinking, when he uses the word, about a sinful people who are far from an angry God. Rather, when Peter uses the word Dispersion he is thinking about a chosen people who are living in a strange place because they have not yet received all that has been promised to them by God. These believers in the Lord Jesus (called \u201celect exiles\u201d here) are living in a time period when all of God\u2019s promises haven\u2019t been fulfilled. They \u201calready\u201d have been forgiven and have received many blessings from God. But some of God\u2019s promises have \u201cnot yet\u201d been fulfilled. They are still part of the Dispersion spoken of in the Old Testament.<\/span><\/p>\n

The saints, even though they are cleansed, live in the foreign lands of the Dispersion (see 1 Peter 1:17). They are still outside of their true homeland. That is why Peter calls them \u201cexiles\u201d. They are living as strangers in a strange land. This has always been the mark of the saints (see Hebrews 11:13\u201316).<\/span><\/p>\n

How do the elect exiles of the Dispersion\u2014people whom God has called (from before time began!), people who have been cleansed and forgiven, people who are, right now, considered sons and daughters of God\u2014live in this strange \u201cnot yet\u201d time period? How do they live in the foreign lands in which they have been called to live? That is the subject of Peter\u2019s letter to the churches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_crdt_document":""},"class_list":["post-4722","reading-plan","type-reading-plan","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan\/4722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reading-plan"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}