“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect
exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,”
(1 Peter 1:1, ESV)
Yesterday we looked at 1 Peter 1:1 in the New American
Standard translation of the Bible. Today we are looking at the English Standard
Version. It is not that they say different things, but that the translators
chose to use different words. In fact, in the ESV they chose to translate one
particular word with a capital letter in order to indicate it as a particular
event in history and not a statement of where the believers might be located.
The word is “the Dispersion” as opposed to “scattered,” and the Greek word
which was translated in these two ways is “diasporia.”
The idea here is that rather than a gradual spreading of the
faith as people heard the good news of salvation in Christ, there was a forced
movement of those believers as they fled persecution because of that same
faith. In the simplest form my mind is drawn back to the early days of Robin
and me being married and living in an apartment in Reseda, California. No matter
how hard we tried to fight the problem, we were regularly infested with
roaches. They just wouldn’t go away. The property owner might spray our
apartment and kill a great number, but they would just come back again from the
apartment next door. The only way we had of ridding ourselves of them
ultimately as to move away from where they were. That is one side of the picture.
But there is another, more dramatic side, as well. Whenever we would come into
the kitchen (or any room) at night and turn on the light we would instantly see
them fleeing in all directions into whatever safe from being seen hiding place
they could find. The light signaled a danger, and they fled its presence. I
must admit that this is one thing that I really enjoy not having to experience
any more. There is a simple principle here, and that is persecution leads to the
responses of either fight or flight, and fight in some instances is the best
answer.
For a significant period of time the people of God—the Jews—did
not have a home. They had disobeyed God’s ordinances and God brought judgment
upon them, and the most common form of this judgment was allowing them to be
invaded and/or taken captive by other nations who represented outside forces of
evil. Even though the people would again come together and have a nation as was
true in the time of Christ, we also know from Scripture that many Jews either
did not or were not able to return. We see this in passages such as John 7:35
and James 1:1 where we read,
“The Jews therefore said to one another, “Where does this
man intend to go that we shall not find Him? He is not intending to go to the
Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He?” (John 7:35, NASB)
“James, a
bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are
dispersed abroad, greetings.” (James 1:1, NASB)
These two passages clearly refer to Jew who were outside of
their homeland. In both of these passages we read “the Dispersion” which is
found as “ho diaspora” in the Greek. Notice that the word “ho” precedes the
word “diaspora.” “Ho” is a definite article which is commonly translated as “the”
indicating a specific event as opposed to a general pattern. This seems to
indicate that John is referring to a historical event that moved the Jews from
where they once lived, and in this case it is a series of event which over time
moved the Jews away, not to return. There were many who were living abroad or
outside their homeland.
Moving back to 1 Peter we find that the article “ho” is not
present, and reading through the letter, we find that these people who are
scattered are not specifically they Jews, but those who have believed in Jesus
Christ and were saved being both Jew and Gentile. The point of question here is
whether these believers were scattered broadly because the word had spread to
their land or they were scattered because they had fled persecution. The best
answer is probably both.
Beginning at Pentecost we know that large numbers of Jews
had traveled to Jerusalem for this annual celebration, and when the Spirit came
we read that all of those present heard the words in their own tongue. “Now
there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under
heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were
bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language. And
they were amazed and marveled, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking
Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we
were born?“ Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia,
Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the
districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and
proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the
mighty deeds of God.”” (Acts 2:5–11, NASB)
We then go on to read that after Peter spoke to them that they
were cut to their hearts, resulting in what we read in verse 41. “So then,
those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day
about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41, NASB) Eventually many who were saved would
return home, and the word would spread. But beyond that we also know that the
apostles, including Paul and others were sent out specifically to spread this Good
News and to help these new believers grow. The book of Acts and the various
letters of Paul give us much of this record.
These events speak to that positive form of spreading. But
we also know from Scripture and from history that there was another form of
spreading of these early believers, and that was persecution. Early on this was
largely among the Jews as the Jewish leadership was seeking to drag believers
out of their homes and bring them to trial. Saul (Paul) was one of those
engaged in this practice until Jesus stopped him in his tracks and opened his
eyes to the truth. But over time this animosity increased as these believers
also became the enemy of the Roman government leading to them even being blamed
for the burning of Rome and many suffering as martyrs as a result.
The reality of the issue is that regardless of the reason
that believers have become scattered, the incredible truth is that with them
the news of salvation in Jesus Christ has spread as well. Every single person
who has or who ever will trust in Jesus Christ for salvation is chosen by God
and knit together as one into His eternal family. We are one body in Christ. We
are His church, His glorious bride, and He chose us. Knowing this we have the
incredible privilege and responsibility to spread this great truth about this
most incredible relationship with all who will hear regardless of where God may
have us scattered or placed.
Jesus, Himself, said, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them,
saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
(Matthew 28:18–20, NASB) Then in Acts He added, “but you shall receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the
earth.”” (Acts 1:8, NASB)
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