Stories of Grace, Love, and Peace | 1 Peter 5:12-14
Peter mentions three people whose stories display the impact of grace, love, and peace: (1) Silvanus, (2) Mark, and (3) She Who is at Babylon. This sermon is part 13 of "A Fisherman's Passion", Bryan Craddock's series on 1 Peter 2:11-5:14.
As an iceberg floats through the ocean, only its tip is visible. Much of its mass is hidden out of sight below the surface. That led the crew of the Titanic to underestimate the destructive potential of one of them, as its unseen part tore through the ship’s hull.
People can be like icebergs in that way. There is so much about their story that we do not see. Some people make a good first impression, but closer examination reveals a destructive potential that calls for great caution. But there are also many whose hidden stories, if known, would bring us great spiritual encouragement because they demonstrate the saving power of God.
There are even people in the Bible for whom this is true. We are familiar with the stories of leaders like Peter and Paul. But there are background characters that we may not know as well. With a bit of study, we can sometimes draw out their stories and find great spiritual encouragement.
As Peter finishes his letter, he briefly mentions three people like this. In 1 Peter 5:12-14, he says,
By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
At first glance, these concluding verses may seem relevant only to the original readers and thus insignificant for us today. But Peter speaks of grace, love, and peace, and it seems to me that these themes are central to the stories of the people that he mentions. I cannot say whether that was his intent, but these people certainly stand as examples of those who shared Peter’s passion for Jesus and his gospel. So, they provide a fitting conclusion to our study of his letter. Let’s peer beneath the surface to see the impact that grace, love, and peace had on their lives so that it might shape us as well.
Silvanus & Grace
Psalm 1 gives us a great picture of spiritual vitality and strength. It comes to us from the arid climate of ancient Israel. But it tells us that the man who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates upon it day and night is like a tree planted by streams of water. It yields its fruit in its seasons, and its leaf does not wither.
Perhaps the parents of Silvanus had that picture in mind when they named him. They were Jews, but they must have lived somewhere in the Roman Empire that enabled them to become Roman citizens. We will see that this detail plays into their son’s story.
They gave him a Latin name that sounds like the word for “woods.” This seems fitting because he grew up to have a vibrant, deep-rooted spiritual life. Peter mentions Silvanus in connection with an exhortation to stand firm in grace. Look again at 1 Peter 5:12. Peter says,
By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
There is some debate over how to interpret this statement. It could mean that Silvanus was involved in writing the letter. He might have served as a scribe taking dictation or even as a collaborator. We cannot say for certain, but he almost certainly delivered the letter. Peter addressed it to believers in several regions of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). So, the task would require a significant journey by someone who could provide churches with further explanation, which is probably why Peter affirms Silvanus’s faithful character as he does.
This was not the first time Silvanus carried out such a mission. He is mentioned in three of Paul’s letters, and those references help us see that he is the man called “Silas” in the book of Acts. We are introduced to him in Acts 15 at the Jerusalem Council.
The council came about because some Jewish Christians were advocating a legalistic approach to righteousness. They argued that to be saved, Gentiles must be circumcised and must follow all the rituals and dietary requirements of the Old Testament Law. But the council rejected that view. Peter was present at that meeting. He argued that no one can bear the yoke of the Law. Both Jews and Gentiles are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 15:27-29 records part of a letter that the council sent to the Gentile Christians in Antioch. It says,
We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."
So, Silvanus was a messenger of grace. Acts 15:32 says that he and Judas were prophets who encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. He stood against legalism, and helped believers understand the confidence of salvation by grace through faith in Christ.
Soon after traveling to Antioch, Silvanus accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey, and that experience tested his willingness to suffer for the gospel of grace. Acts 16 records that crowds of people attacked them in Philippi. The local magistrates had them beaten with rods. They were then put in prison and had their feet fastened in stocks. But verse 25 says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
This event probably happened around fifteen years before 1 Peter was written, but clearly Silvanus already understood how to respond well to suffering. He trusted the Lord and found strength in his grace. In this case, the Lord intervened by sending a miraculous earthquake that shook loose the doors and unfastened their bonds. If they had fled, the jailer would have been held responsible, so they remained. Consequently, the jailer and his family came to know the Lord. The city magistrates also ended up releasing them and apologizing to them when they learned that they were both Roman citizens.
According to Acts 17 and 18, Silvanus continued serving with Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth, testifying to God’s saving grace. The next time we hear of him after that is here in 1 Peter, and he has not waivered. He is still bearing fruit, serving alongside other leaders in evangelizing the lost and building up believers. Peter considers him a faithful brother, the perfect representative to encourage people to stand firm in grace.
We should all stand firm like Silvanus. But sometimes we don’t. So, we need to hear the story of a second person.
Mark & Love
Some people are inclined to be impulsive. They boldly leap without looking. They passionately plunge into things and then find themselves in over their heads. They might be fine, but they panic and overreact. They flail around gasping for air and end up feeling humiliated. Others may write them off as hopelessly incapable.
Mark had an impulsive personality, but so did Peter. If anyone knew how to extend love and acceptance to him, it was Peter. Their relationship stands as a powerful example for believers to follow. So, it seems fitting that Peter mentions Mark in connection with a simple encouragement for believers to show love to one another. In 1 Peter 5:13 through the first half of verse 14, Peter says,
She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with the kiss of love.
Was Mark Peter’s biological son? There is good evidence that Peter was married. Matthew 8:14-15 tells us that Jesus healed his mother-in-law. Then in 1 Corinthians 9:5, Paul indicates that the other apostles including Cephas had wives. So, Peter could have had a biological son named Mark, but he seems to be using the term son in a spiritual sense.
This Mark is probably the young man who is first mentioned in Acts 12:12. It tells us that he was also called John. His mother, Mary, had a house in Jerusalem where believers often gathered. Peter went there after he miraculously escaped from prison. It might have even been the place where Jesus and the disciples celebrated the Last Supper. We will return to that thought in a moment.
Acts 12:25 tells us that Mark went to Antioch with Barnabas and Paul. He happened to be Barnabas’s cousin (Col 4:10). So, when they set out on their first missionary journey, he went along and served with them on the island of Cyprus (Ac 13:5). But he must have felt that he was in over his head. Once they landed at Perga in Asia Minor, he decided to leave and sail home to Jerusalem (v. 13).
That decision became a point of contention between Paul and Barnabas as they prepared for a second missionary journey. Acts 15:37-40 tells us,
Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
So, Paul chose Silvanus over Mark, yet they are both present with Peter as he writes his letter. Was that awkward for them? Was Mark tempted to feel bitter and resentful toward Silvanus? Several years had gone by, but seeing someone can reawaken old wounds.
It is also worth noting that the letter is addressed to the regions from which Mark turned away. Would some of the readers have known about that? Is that why Peter mentions Mark? It is much easier to ignore your past failures. So, what did it mean on a personal level for Mark to send greetings to the believers in those areas? Perhaps it was a humble expression of genuine love and concern that demonstrated his spiritual growth.
This background helps us see the significance of Peter’s instruction for believers to greet one another with a kiss of love. It is more than a ritual or a superficial expression. John 13:34-35 tells us that Jesus said,
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
How does Jesus love? He knew all our shortcomings, sins, and failures. But he became human and identified with us anyway. He laid down his life to save us. He draws us into a relationship with him. He teaches us and intercedes for us. When we stumble, he restores us. So, he wants us to relate to one another that way. The kiss of love and greetings mentioned in 1 Peter 5 are just the tip of the iceberg.
God does great things in people’s lives when we show this kind of love, and Mark is a perfect example of this. We know him best for the Gospel that bears his name. As I mentioned, the Last Supper might have taken place at his home. That may be the only explanation for a strange story that he includes in Mark 14:51-52. It tells us that after Jesus was arrested,
And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.
How would Mark know about this, and why would he include it unless he was that impulsive boy who wanted to follow Jesus? Perhaps Peter called him son, because he led him to faith in Christ. Mark aspired to do great things and had some significant failures. But Barnabas and Peter kept investing in him. Paul even changed his evaluation of Mark. In 2 Timothy 4:11, he speaks of his usefulness in ministry.
Mark’s Gospel is probably based upon all that he heard from Peter about the life and ministry of Jesus. Yet it reflects Mark’s personality in that it is the shortest of the four gospels, focusing more on Jesus’ actions than his words. It is the gospel account that impulsive people who are in a hurry need. We are all blessed by it, but it would not exist were it not for the love that was shown to Mark. Love one another as Jesus loved us.
She Who is at Babylon
& Peace
Some patches of ground seem fertile, but no matter how hard you try, you cannot get anything to grow there. Yet sometimes you find flowers sprouting up from unlikely places like a crack in the pavement that seems far too dry, hard, and cramped. Somehow it works.
We find a similar irony at the end of 1 Peter. He includes a greeting from “she who is at Babylon” and concludes with a benediction of peace. Look again at 1 Peter 5:13-14. There he says,
She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Who is this lady? A few people have suggested that she is Peter’s wife. As I explained earlier, it is clear that he was married. Furthermore, when Paul mentions the wives of the apostles in 1 Corinthians 9:5, he seems to indicate that their wives accompanied them on ministry journeys. But this would be a strange and mysterious way for Peter to refer to his wife. Since the Greek word for church is feminine, most people think that he is referring to the group of believers who live in the place that he is writing from.
So, was Peter in the ancient city of Babylon in what we now call Iraq? There was still a Jewish community there from the time of their exile six centuries earlier, so he might have gone there to proclaim the gospel. But the presence of Sylvanus and Mark with him suggest that he is somewhere closer to the Mediterranean Sea. Church tradition tells us that he was in Rome, but if that is the case, why would he call it Babylon?
We may find an answer in the earliest biblical references to the city. It is first mentioned in Genesis 10 in the list of nations that formed after the Flood. God’s command to Noah and his sons was to multiply and fill the earth, but their descendants had a different plan. Genesis 11:4 tells us,
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth."
They were seeking power and control. Rather than spreading out across the land, they stayed in one place, believing that there is strength in numbers. They pooled their resources and used their ingenuity to construct this tower. Perhaps they considered it a way of salvation in case they needed to escape another global flood.
Some say that when it speaks of them making a name for themselves, it refers to developing a reputation for power. But since the Old Testament emphasizes sacredness of the Lord’s name, their statement could mean that they created a false god to worship. Scholars tell us, coincidentally, that in the ancient Babylonian language, the name Babylon means gate of the gods.
In Hebrew, however, Babylon means confusion. Genesis 11 tells us that the Lord graciously intervened by confusing the language that they used and dispersing them over the face of the earth. He created the linguistic and cultural diversity that we see in the world today.
But people have never stopped trying to overcome those divisions in the pursuit of power. We see a string of multinational empires in the Old Testament. They include Egypt, Assyria, Neo-Babylon, and Persia. In the period between the Old and New Testaments, Greece came to power and then Rome. They even use similar tactics to the original Babel, pressuring conquered people to adopt a common language, culture, and religion. In fact, the book of Revelation uses the name Babylon to refer to a powerful end times empire.
So, it would make sense for Peter to see Rome as the Babylon of his day. It was the center of power in the Mediterranean world. That made it a strategic location for spreading the gospel. That may be one reason that Paul wrote his great letter to the Roman Christians. In it, he speaks of his desire to come and encourage them.
Rome was a difficult place for Christians to live. In great population centers, sin and temptation are often magnified. Plus, empires can be hostile toward people who do not conform to their values. As I mentioned previously in our study of 1 Peter, Peter probably wrote the letter right around the time of Nero’s persecution. He needed a scapegoat for the great fire that swept through the city, so he blamed Christians.
You might not expect the gospel to take root in a place like Rome, but it did. Peter refers to “she who is at Babylon” as chosen just like the believers in Asia Minor to whom he is writing. As he argued in chapter 1, nothing can stand in the way of God’s saving work in the lives of those who are elect according to his foreknowledge. He causes them to be born again and will guard them through faith until Christ returns.
This certainty based in the gospel is what enables all of us who are in Christ to have peace. It gives us confidence to be bold for the gospel in the face of suffering. As Peter said in verse 7 of chapter 5, we can cast our anxieties upon God because he cares for us. We can even send greetings to believers who are suffering elsewhere, praying for them to experience his peace in their trials.
Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.
__________
We find powerful stories beneath the surface of these brief concluding words of Peter’s letter. We are challenged to stand firm in the true grace of God with a passion for the gospel as Silvanus did. We are encouraged to extend Christlike love to people like Mark when they fail, because God may still use them to greatly bless the church. We are reminded to find peace in our sovereign God and to pray for others as Peter and the Christians in Rome did.
God is the source of grace, love, and peace. Do you have a relationship with him? If not, I urge you to bow before him today. Believe in Jesus. Trust that he died for your sins and rose again. Confess your sins and receive his saving grace. If you would like to learn more about God’s grace and peace, Ephesians 2 would be a great chapter to read.
If you are a believer, perhaps one of these stories resonated with you. Do you need to make a change? Do you need to follow one of these examples? We might also find deep encouragement in hearing how grace, love, and peace have shaped the lives of our fellow believers. We would probably benefit greatly from getting to know each other’s stories better.
May Jesus build his church for his glory!
Reflect
Which of these stories most encourages you? Why?
What stories could you tell of God’s grace, love, and peace at work in your life?
What are some questions that you could ask to better understand the stories of people you know?