Scariest scripture for the West? How did the early Church interpret this?

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FranciscoN2001

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"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance"
 
It basically says that the Gentiles who are offered salvation through Christ are dispersed Israelites
 
FranciscoN2001 said:
It basically says that the Gentiles who are offered salvation through Christ are dispersed Israelites
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No, it says that those people to whom he is writing are “God’s elect”, which doesn’t mean those are the only ones to whom salvation is offered. Maybe if this passage made up the entirety of the NT, we could see where that might be the meaning. But there are more verses in the NT than this one. 😉
 
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Yes, but he brings up all these civilizations and describes them as scattered Israelites
 
ahs said:
No, it says that those people to whom he is writing are “God’s elect”, which doesn’t mean those are the only ones to whom salvation is offered.
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Just so I’m understanding, are you saying that other people besides “God’s elect” can get salvation or that other people besides the dispersed Israelites are among God’s elect? Or something else entirely?
 
I would read scattered exiles as referring to the Fall and Babel.
 
I think Francisco is picking up on the word “exiles” and whether this is implicitly a reference to the Israelites taken into exile by Assyria and who never returned. I’ve also seen an explanation of Romans which suggests Paul had in mind these exiles, and that’s part of the reason for the delay in Christ’s coming, such that those children of the covenant with God would all have a chance to hear and accept the good news, not just those of the tribe of Judah (and, if I remember right, Benjamin).

Still, the covenant has been offered to all, not just the tribes of Israel, so while interesting, it’s not something that need frighten us.
 
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The early councils must have had very long debates over these scriptures. After all, they did review every single scripture in the Bible.
 
Peter addresses the ‘elect’ the believers scattered around what was then the known world-- or at least the world known to Peter.
In no way is this limited to the Israelites, nor is it limited to the specific lands Peter named.
The message is for those who believe and follow Christ.
 
FranciscoN2001 said:
"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance"
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I think you need to stop arguing with the BHI movement until you have taken some time to get a solid foundation under your own feet.

This salutation may be addressing scattered Israelites, but it is just as likely to be addressing Gentile Christian populations interspersed throughout the Roman pagan world, specifically in Asia Minor. Asia Minor by the way was overwhelmingly Gentile. The letter is addressed to the elect, the chosen, those who have been justified and sanctified by grace through faith. To assume it is only to Israelites because it is addressed to God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout Asia Minor is a false reading. First of all, the term exile would be better translated as sojourner (alien, pilgrim, traveler) meaning that these people have been called out from among the pagan practices of the Roman empire into relationship with God through Christ.
 
I do recall a few quotes that really proved a point that the seed of Abraham is in spirit through Christ, and not by blood.

John 8:39
“They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said unto them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.”

Matthew 3:9
“And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
 
You must have had some encounters with the BHI movement, but let’s not forget that the British Israelites and the French Israelites create similar doctrine
 
OP, ain’t you a bit obsessed about the Israelites?
Out of the topics you created since you joined CAF almost half of them include the Israelites.
 
FranciscoN2001 said:
Yes, but he brings up all these civilizations and describes them as scattered Israelites
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No, he doesn’t. He says “exiles, scattered”. The word “Isrealites” isn’t there. And even if he did, it still doesn’t mean that only the Isrealites are “God’s elect”.
 
In its introduction to First Peter, the New American Bible, Revised Edition, says, in part:
Numerous allusions in the letter suggest that the churches addressed were largely of Gentile composition (1 Pt 1:14,18; 2:9-10; 4:3-4)… (source)
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