1 Peter 5:12

_ _ Silvanus — Silas, the companion of Paul and Timothy: a suitable messenger by whom to confirm, as Peter here does, Paul’s doctrine of “the true grace of God” in the same churches (compare 2 Peter 3:16). We never meet with Silvanus as Paul’s companion after Paul’s last journey to Jerusalem. His connection with Peter was plainly subsequent to that journey.

_ _ as I suppose — Join “faithful unto you [Steiger], as I suppose.” Silvanus may have stood in a close relation to the churches in Asia, perhaps having taken the oversight of them after Paul’s departure, and had afterwards gone to Peter, by whom he is now sent back to them with this Epistle. He did not know, by positive observation, Silvanus’ faithfulness to them; he therefore says, “faithful to you, as I suppose,” from the accounts I hear; not expressing doubt. Alford joins “I have written unto you,” which the Greek order favors. The seeming uncertainty, thus, is not as to Silvanus’ faithfulness, which strongly marked by the Greek article, but as to whether he or some other would prove to be the bearer of the letter, addressed as it was to five provinces, all of which Silvanus might not reach: “By Silvanus, that faithful brother, as expect, I have Written to you” [Birks].

_ _ briefly — Greek, “in few (words),” as compared with the importance of the subject (Hebrews 13:22).

_ _ exhorting — not so much formally teaching doctrines, which could not be done in so “few words.”

_ _ testifying — bearing my testimony in confirmation (so the Greek compound verb implies) of that truth which ye have already heard from Paul and Silas (1 John 2:27).

_ _ that this — of which I have just written, and of which Paul before testified to you (whose testimony, now that he was no longer in those regions, was called in question probably by some; compare 2 Peter 3:15, 2 Peter 3:16). 2 Peter 1:12, “the present truth,” namely, the grace formerly promised by the prophets, and now manifested to you. “Grace” is the keynote of Paul’s doctrine which Peter now confirms (Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 2:8). Their sufferings for the Gospel made them to need some attestation and confirmation of the truth, that they should not fall back from it.

_ _ wherein ye stand — The oldest manuscripts read imperatively, “Stand ye.” Literally, “into which (having been already admitted, 1 Peter 1:8, 1 Peter 1:21; 1 Peter 2:7, 1 Peter 2:8, 1 Peter 2:9) stand (therein).” Peter seems to have in mind Paul’s words (Romans 5:2; 1 Corinthians 15:1). “The grace wherein we stand must be true, and our standing in it true also” [Bengel]. Compare in “He began his Epistle with grace (1 Peter 1:2), he finishes it with grace, he has besprinkled the middle with grace, that in every part he might teach that the Church is not saved but by grace.”