1 Peter 5:12-14 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Today I conclude this series of devotions on 1 Peter that I started about three weeks ago. Often times the words at the start and end of the epistles are skipped over quickly. I think we assume those sections are just hellos and goodbyes and not much else. Not so fast…

Several times in these devotions I have compared what Peter wrote with the epistles of Paul. They knew each other, and had mutual acquaintances. Peter mentions he wrote this letter “with the help of Silas.” That probably means that Silas was his scribe and helped Peter express his thoughts properly in written Greek. But it is noteworthy that this is the same individual who accompanied Paul on his second and third missionary journeys in the book of Acts.

Peter also sends greetings from “my son Mark.” There is an obvious close relationship here. This is the same Mark who was cousin to Barnabas, both of whom accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey. Although Paul says Mark “deserted” them and refused to take him on the next trip, there was apparently a reconciliation later as Paul speaks well of him in his letter to the Colossians.  Mark is also the writer of the Gospel that bears his name, and many believe that much of what he knew and wrote was based on the preaching of Peter.

What about “she who is in Babylon?”  Babylon was the place of exile for God’s people at the end of the monarchies in Israel and Judah. Peter may be using the term symbolically to speak of persecution. “She” would be the church, the followers of Jesus who were currently enduring hardships.

Peter mentions greeting others with a kiss. Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 16. A kiss was a common form of greeting others in Jewish culture, not a passionate kiss, but a show of friendship. That is why it would not have been unusual for Judas to greet Jesus with a kiss. Sadly, he used a kiss for betrayal rather than as a sign of peace and harmony and good will.

The concluding statement expresses the desire that all who follow Christ would be united and at peace. This thought runs through the entire letter. And it reminds us that we have peace with God because of what Jesus did for us through his life and death and resurrection.