Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Peter 5:13

"She that is in Babylon, elect together with [you], saluteth you; and [so doth] Mark my son." — 1 Peter 5:13 (ASV)

Who is “she” whom Peter calls “chosen together with you”? Who is the Mark referred to? What and where is Babylon? “She” could be Peter’s wife (Mark 1:30; 1 Corinthians 9:5), and “Mark” his own son. Most, however, think “she” refers to the church (GK 1711, a Greek word that is feminine; cf. 2Jn 1, 13) and “Mark” to John Mark (cf. Acts 12:12, 25; 15:36–39). Strong early tradition links John Mark with Peter and his gospel (see introduction to Mark). “Babylon” could be (1) in Mesopotamia, (2) a town in Egypt, or (3) a cryptic reference to Rome. The last view is best because (1) according to early church tradition Peter was in Rome; (2) there is no evidence for Peter’s having been in Egypt or Mesopotamia; and (3) the reference may be cryptic because of persecution, or it may bean allusion to the “exile” of God’s people (cf. 1:1) on the pattern of the exile of ancient Israel in Babylon.