SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:13
La Iglesia que est en Babilonia, juntamente elegida con vosotros, os saluda, y Marcos mi hijo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Peter 5:13
Verse 13. The Church that is at Babylon] After considering all that has been said by learned men and critics on this place, I am quite of opinion that the apostle does not mean Babylon in Egypt, nor Jerusalem, nor Rome as figurative Babylon, but the ancient celebrated Babylon in Assyria, which was, as Dr. Benson observes, the metropolis of the eastern dispersion of the Jews; but as I have said so much on this subject in the preface, I beg leave to refer the reader to that place. Instead of Babylon, some MSS. mentioned by Syncellus in his Chronicon have iopph, Joppa; and one has rwmh, Rome, in the margin, probably as the meaning, according to the writer, of the word Babylon.
Elected together with you] suneklekth? Fellow elect, or elected jointly with you. Probably meaning that they, and the believers at Babylon, received the Gospel about the same time. On the election of those to whom St. Peter wrote, see the notes on 1 Peter i. 2.
And-Marcus my son.] This is supposed to be the same person who is mentioned Acts xii. 12, and who is known by the name of John Mark; he was sister's son to Barnabas, Col. iv. 10, his mother's name was Mary, and he is the same who wrote the gospel that goes under his name.
He is called here Peter's son, i.e. according to the faith, Peter having been probably the means of his conversion. This is very likely, as Peter seems to have been intimate at his mother's house. See the account, Acts xii. 6-17.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. The church that is at Babylon , etc.] The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, supply the word church, as we do. Some, by Babylon, understand Rome, which is so called, in a figurative sense, in the book of the Revelations: this is an ancient opinion; so Papias understood it, as Eusebius relates; but that Peter was at Rome, when he wrote this epistle, cannot be proved, nor any reason be given why the proper name of the place should be concealed, and a figurative one expressed. It is best therefore to understand it literally, of Babylon in Assyria, the metropolis of the dispersion of the Jews, and the centre of it, to whom the apostle wrote; and where, as the minister of the circumcision, he may be thought to reside, here being a number of persons converted and formed into a Gospel church state, whereby was fulfilled the prophecy in ( Psalm 87:4) perhaps this church might consist chiefly of Jews, which might be the reason of the apostle's being here, since there were great numbers which continued here, from the time of the captivity, who returned not with Ezra; and these are said by the Jews to be of the purest blood: many of the Jewish doctors lived here; they had three famous universities in this country, and here their Talmud was written, called from hence Babylonian. The church in this place is said to be elected together with you ; that is, were chosen together with them in Christ, before the foundation of the world, to grace here, and glory hereafter; or were equally the elect of God as they were, for as such he writes to them, ( 1 Peter 1:2) and this the apostle said in a judgment of charity of the whole church, and all the members of it, being under a profession of faith in Christ; and nothing appearing to the contrary, but that their faith was unfeigned, and their profession right and sincere. This Church, he says, saluteth you ; wishes all peace, happiness, and prosperity of every kind, and so doth Marcus , my son; either, in a natural sense, his son according to the flesh; since it is certain Peter had a wife, and might have a son, and one of this name: or rather in a spiritual sense, being one that he was either an instrument of converting him, or of instructing him, or was one that was as dear to him as a son; in like manner as the Apostle Paul calls Timothy, and also Titus, his own son. This seems to be Mark the evangelist, who was called John Mark, was Barnabas's sister's son, and his mother's name was Mary; (see Colossians 4:10 Acts 12:12,25). He is said to be the interpreter of Peter, and to have wrote his Gospel from what he heard from him; and who approved of it, and confirmed it, and indeed it is said to be his.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-14 - In conclusion, the apostle prays to God for them, as the God of all grace. Perfect implies their progress towards perfection. Stablis imports the curing of our natural lightness and inconstancy. Strengthe has respect to the growth of graces, especially where weakest an lowest. Settle signifies to fix upon a sure foundation, and may refe to Him who is the Foundation and Strength of believers. Thes expressions show that perseverance and progress in grace are first to be sought after by every Christian. The power of these doctrines on the hearts, and the fruits in the lives, showed who are partakers of the grace of God. The cherishing and increase of Christian love, and of affection one to another, is no matter of empty compliment, but the stamp and badge of Jesus Christ on his followers. Others may have false peace for a time, and wicked men may wish for it to themselve and to one another; but theirs is a vain hope, and will come to nought All solid peace is founded on Christ, and flows from him __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ασπασασθε 782 5663 V-ADM-2P αλληλους 240 C-APM εν 1722 PREP φιληματι 5370 N-DSN αγαπης 26 N-GSF ειρηνη 1515 N-NSF υμιν 5213 P-2DP πασιν 3956 A-DPM τοις 3588 T-DPM εν 1722 PREP χριστω 5547 N-DSM ιησου 2424 N-DSM αμην 281 HEB
Vincent's NT Word Studies
13. The church. The word is not in the Greek, but is supplied with the feminine definite article hJ. There is, however, a difference of opinion as to the meaning of this feminine article. Some suppose a reference to Peter's own wife; others, to some prominent Christian woman in the church. Compare 2 John 1. The majority of interpreters, however, refer it to the church.Babylon. Some understand in a figurative sense, as meaning Rome; others, literally, of Babylon on the Euphrates. In favor of the former view are the drift of ancient opinion and the Roman Catholic interpreters, with Luther and several noted modern expositors, as Ewald and Hoffmann. This, too, is the view of Canon Cook in the "Speaker's Commentary." In favor of the literal interpretation are the weighty names of Alford, Huther, Calvin, Neander, Weiss, and Reuss. Professor Salmond, in his admirable commentary on this epistle, has so forcibly summed up the testimony that we cannot do better than to give his comment entire: "In favor of this allegorical interpretation it is urged that there are other occurrences of Babylon in the New Testament as a mystical name for Rome (Revelation xiv. 8; xviii. 2, 10); that it is in the highest degree unlikely that Peter should have made the Assyrian Babylon his residence or missionary center, especially in view of a statement by Josephus indicating that the Emperor Claudius had expelled the Jews from that city and neighborhood; and that tradition connects Peter with Rome, but not with Babylon. The fact, however, that the word is mystically used in a mystical book like the Apocalypse - a book, too, which is steeped in the spirit and terminology of the Old Testament - is no argument for the mystical use of the word in writings of a different type. The allegorical interpretation becomes still less likely when it is observed that other geographical designations in this epistle (ch. i. 1) have undoubtedly the literal meaning. The tradition itself, too, is uncertain. The statement in Josephus does not bear all that it is made to bear. There is no reason to suppose that, at the time when this epistle was written, the city of Rome was currently known among Christians as Babylon. On the contrary, wherever it is mentioned in the New Testament, with the single exception of Revelation (and even there it is distinguished as 'Babylon, the great'), it gets its usual name, Rome. So far, too, from the Assyrian Babylon being practically in a deserted state at this date, there is very good ground for believing that the Jewish population (not to speak of the heathen) of the city and vicinity was very considerable. For these and other reasons a succession of distinguished interpreters and historians, from Erasmus and Calvin, on to Neander, Weiss, Reuss, Huther, etc., have rightly held by the literal sense." Marcus. Rev., Mark. John Mark, the author of the gospel. See Introduction to Mark, on his relations to Peter.
My son. Probably in a spiritual sense, though some, as Bengel, think that Peter's own son is referred to.
