First Peter - Lorin

active in ministry, and even according to Col 4:10, Philem 24, and 2 Tim 4:11 has been reconciled to Paul.
Perhaps Peter saw himself in this young man and was drawn to him in order to help him utilize his ministry
gifts. That the two worked closely together in the closing years of Peter’s earthly life is an almost universal
assumption in early Christianity. By including Mark in these greetings, Peter may well be implying that Mark
as well as Silas played a role in the composition and delivery of the letter. Whatever the situation may have
been, one thing is clear: a mistake in ministry early on did not destroy ministry for John Mark. God’s grace
reclaimed him for the cause of the gospel.
Peter’s admonition in the greetings section is both typical and unusual: ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι
ἀγάπης. 59 Cultural tradition dictates appropriate actions for greeting others beyond a verbal expression, which
most commonly was χαίρειν (cf. 2 John 10-11). For those who have traveled and lived in different parts of our
modern world, this reality is very clear. In the ancient world, the kiss on the cheek was the greeting beyond
saying hello. Paul refers to the kiss as a holy kiss (ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ; cf. Rom. 16:16;
1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26). Neither of these expressions (holy kiss; kiss of love) specify a different
way of kissing. Instead, they define the intent behind the greeting as being Christian in nature.
The encouragement to greet one another with a kiss that expressed sincere Christian love most likely
also signals the assumption that this letter would be read in assembled worship settings among the various
churches it was sent to. 60 Paul makes this explicit in 1 Thess. 5:27. 61 These letters from the highly respected
leaders of Peter and Paul would be welcomed expressions of instruction and encouragement. These churches
in ancient Anatolia, and those especially in the western province of Asia, enjoyed not only this letter of Peter,
but Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon from Paul. Such a beginning collection of writings addressed directly
to them would have been quickly copied before being passed on to the next congregation, and then greatly
treasured by the different congregations. It would not be many years before these documents took on a level
of authority as sacred writings, along side that of the Hebrew Bible in the Greek Septuagint form.
This failure was considered significant enough that Paul absolutely refused to take Mark on the second missionary journey. The
division over John Mark between Paul and Barnabas was so severe that they parted ways and went separate directions in ministry.
Compare Acts 15:36-41:
36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed
the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul decided
not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. 39 The disagreement
became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas
and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the
churches.
36 Μετὰ δέ τινας ἡμέρας εἶπεν πρὸς Βαρναβᾶν Παῦλος· Ἐπιστρέψαντες δὴ ἐπισκεψώμεθα τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς κατὰ πόλιν
πᾶσαν ἐν αἷς κατηγγείλαμεν τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου, πῶς ἔχουσιν. 37 Βαρναβᾶς δὲ ἐβούλετο συμπαραλαβεῖν καὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην
τὸν καλούμενον Μᾶρκον· 38 Παῦλος δὲ ἠξίου, τὸν ἀποστάντα ἀπʼ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Παμφυλίας καὶ μὴ συνελθόντα αὐτοῖς εἰς τὸ
ἔργον, μὴ συμπαραλαμβάνειν τοῦτον. 39 ἐγένετο δὲ παροξυσμὸς ὥστε ἀποχωρισθῆναι αὐτοὺς ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων, τόν τε Βαρναβᾶν
παραλαβόντα τὸν Μᾶρκον ἐκπλεῦσαι εἰς Κύπρον, 40 Παῦλος δὲ ἐπιλεξάμενος Σιλᾶν ἐξῆλθεν παραδοθεὶς τῇ χάριτι τοῦ κυρίου
ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, 41 διήρχετο δὲ τὴν Συρίαν καὶ τὴν Κιλικίαν ἐπιστηρίζων τὰς ἐκκλησίας.
59 “In Greco-Roman culture, the kiss (philēma) was an expression of affection (philia) among family members and close friends
(philoi; see Adinolfi 1988, 183–86). The etiquette of the kiss varied in expression (lips to lips; lips to hand; lips to feet; cheek to
cheek; kiss as embrace or hug) and according to social situation. It could serve as a gesture of greeting; of farewell; of respect, honor,
and deference; of familial or fraternal affection; of sexual ardor; of reconciliation; or of friendship and solidarity. 818 As the letters of
Paul also show, the Christian community adopted the kiss as a regular physical manifestion of their affection for one another, not as
a perfunctory ritual but as a genuine expression of love within the brotherhood. Paul, however, preferred the expression ‘holy kiss’
(philēma hagion, Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thess 5:26). 819 For both authors, however, this kiss was an expression of
the familial affection typical of the Christian community, whose members regarded one another as sisters and brothers in the faith.”
[John H. Elliott, 1 Peter: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary (New Haven; London: Yale University Press,
2008), 890.]
60 “The author’s encouragement of this greeting may suggest the presumption that the letter would be read during a worship
assembly. Reference to the kiss in combination with the reading of letters, probably during the worship assembly, is found already
in 1 Cor 16:19–20 and 1 Thess 5:26–27; cf. also Acts 20:37. Later evidence clearly attests the sharing of the kiss in the setting of
the Eucharistic liturgy. 821 ” [John H. Elliott, 1 Peter: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary (New Haven; London:
Yale University Press, 2008), 891.]
61 I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them.
Ἐνορκίζω ὑμᾶς τὸν κύριον ἀναγνωσθῆναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς.
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