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1 Peter 1:1-2
New Catholic Bible
1 Peter 1:1-2
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 1
Salutation[a]
To the Faithful in the Dispersion. 1 Peter,[b] an apostle of Jesus Christ, to all the exiles of the Dispersion who are now living in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 chosen[c] in the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: may grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Peter 1:1 Christians regarded themselves as the true Israel and made use of the term Dispersion, which designated the Jews who had been dispersed and awaited the reunion of their people (see Jas 1:1). By divine choice, they are the New Covenant, evoked by the mention of the Blood of Christ (see Ex 24:3-8; Heb 9:12-14). Related to the three divine Persons, the Church is born of the Trinity. This is an extremely dense salutation.
- 1 Peter 1:1 Peter: see notes on Mt 16:18; 16:19; Jn 1:42. Apostle: see notes on Mk 6:30; Rom 1:1; Heb 3:1-6. Exiles: literally, “strangers” or “pilgrims,” because the homeland and inheritance of the children of God are in heaven (see 1 Chr 29:15; Ps 39:13; Heb 13:14). Living in Pontus . . . Bithynia: Jewish and Gentile Christians living in Asia Minor.
- 1 Peter 1:2 Chosen: see note on Eph 1:3—3:21. Father . . . Spirit . . . Jesus Christ: all three persons of the Trinity are involved in the redemption of the Elect. To be sprinkled with his blood: in the Old Testament, the blood of a sacrificial animal was sprinkled on the altar and the benefit of the sacrifice descended on the offerer. The sprinkled blood of Christ brings us these benefits: (1) justification (see Rom 5:19); (2) sealing with God’s Covenant promise represented for us in the Eucharist (see Lk 22:20); (3) cleansing of all sin (see 1 Jn 1:7); and (4) empowerment to become citizens of the Kingdom of heaven (see Heb 10:19).
