5:12-14. Closing greetings
Peter acknowledges the
help he has had from Silas, in writing the letter. He exhorts his readers to
stand firm by the grace of God. Greetings are sent by the church in Rome, from
which Peter writes. Mark also sends greetings, and we may take this to be the
John Mark of Acts 12:12, 25, and 13:5, 13, 15:37.
His mother Mary had a house in Jerusalem where Christians met to pray. He was
related to Barnabas, was a Jewish Christian, and went with Paul on some of his
travels (Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4: 11, Philemon
v.24). Christian tradition says that Mark wrote the gospel of
Mark.
The 'kiss of love' was
a form of salutation also referred to by Paul (1
Corinthians 16:20, Romans 16: 16) and was apparently taken over
by the Church from contemporary Judaism (Luke 7:45 and
22:48). Peter's closing greeting is a Christian version of the
common Jewish greeting,
'Peace be with you'. .
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