Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Peter 5:12

"By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account [him], I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand ye fast therein." — 1 Peter 5:12 (ASV)

By Silvanus, a faithful brother to you, as I suppose.—There is not any reason for doubting that this is the same as the Silas of the Acts and the Silvanus of 2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; and 2 Thessalonians 1:1. It is not a common name, and nothing would suggest the doubt, except the acceptance a priori of the Tübingen theory, that the feud between St. Peter and St. Paul was so deadly as to preclude the possibility of the first giving his patronage to a friend of the second. We have already seen repeatedly how false that theory is.

That the bearer of this Letter was a personage of great consideration may be seen from the fact that St. Peter speaks of him as well known throughout the entire Hebrew population of Asia Minor.

In the original, the testimony is still more marked than in our version, as it has the definite article: “the, or that, faithful brother to you.” Silas, being of the circumcision himself (Acts 15:22), St. Peter can without any risk, writing to the Jews, call him “brother.” And since there was probably some disaffection towards him among the Jewish Christians for the way in which he had sided with St. Paul, St. Peter, the Apostle of the circumcision, adds it as his own personal conviction that Silas was no false brother to the Hebrew Christians, by saying, “as I reckon.”

The words “as I suppose” (or, rather, as I reckon) do not imply any uncertainty on St. Peter’s part, nor even that St. Peter’s knowledge of Silas was less intimate than that of the persons to whom he writes. It means, rather, the most complete confidence in Silas, which the writer is not at all ashamed to declare—“that faithful brother to you, in my estimation, if my conviction is worth anything.”

This only shows that St. Peter had not altered his opinion either of Silas or of the relative positions of Jew and Gentile in the Church since that great council in which he took so prominent a part, when Silas was selected, no doubt because of his uniting liberal views with steadfast allegiance to the Law, to bear the apostolic mandates to the Gentile metropolis of Antioch.

The same qualifications that fitted him for that work would now again serve him in good stead to bear to the Jews of Asia Minor St. Peter’s countersignature to the doctrine of St. Paul. At the same time, the expression “that faithful brother to you” indicates that St. Silas had himself been working in Asia Minor. Of his history, nothing is recorded after his labors with St. Paul at Corinth (Acts 18:5; 2 Corinthians 1:19); but putting together the fact that he is not included in the list of St. Paul’s companions in Acts 20:4, with what is implied by this present passage, we might naturally infer that he was left at Ephesus and devoted himself to the evangelization of the Asiatic provinces.

Briefly.—So Hebrews 13:22. The writer hints that if this Letter is not enough to achieve its purpose, it is not because there is any lack of substance or weakness of conviction. (See also John 20:25.)

Exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.—These words give St. Peter’s own account of the object and contents of the Epistle. The “exhortation” involves all that was mentioned in the Note on 1 Peter 5:1.

The word for “testifying” has a little more force than appears in our version; it is “bearing witness to it.” The fact had been alleged by others; St. Peter comes in as evidence of its truth. Literally, it would run: “that this is true grace (or, a true grace) of God”; i.e., that the position which they now occupy, through the preaching of the gospel, is indeed one into which the favor of God had brought them: it was no fictitious grace, no robbing of them under pretense of bringing them glad tidings.

When he says “this,” he seems to mean “this of which I have spoken,” “this which has formed the subject of my Letter.” And the best text pursues: “in which you stand,” or “upon which take up your stand.” Thus, the very sentence itself would contain the two elements of the Letter—“exhorting” as well as “testifying.” Nothing is to drive them or entice them from the ground that the Pauline preachers have marked out for them.

On verses 12-14:

CONCLUDING GREETING.—You will trust the bearer of this Letter, and abide steadfastly in the faith that he has taught you. The exiled Israel in this wicked capital feels for you. Love and peace be among you.