Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect pilgrims of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification by the Spirit, unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, I wish for grace and peace to be multiplied to you (1 Peter 1:1–2)
Not long after the Church was established, Saul initiated a campaign of persecution against the believers in Jerusalem, beginning with the execution of Stephen, which he himself approved (Acts 8:1). Believing that the Way was a sect promoting false teaching concerning the death and resurrection of the Messiah, Saul was determined to eradicate it. This persecution led to the dispersion of Christians from Jerusalem into the surrounding regions. Peter’s first letter was written to these saints to encourage them as they lived scattered among the Gentiles, where they would face verbal persecution for not conforming to religious customs rooted in false gods or human traditions.
The Way was the name given to the early Church in Jerusalem. Believers met daily in the temple and broke bread from house to house. The term Christian later became associated with the Church of God in Antioch, originally used by the Jews as a warning against those who followed the resurrected Christ. Peter was aware of this designation and refers to it in 1 Peter 4:16.
Prognosis refers to the forecast of a likely course or outcome. Although most commonly used in the medical field, its usage is not confined to that context. The root of the word comes from the Greek term often translated as foreknowledge. It is a compound of words meaning “before” and “knowledge,” conveying the idea of knowing the likely course or result based on prior understanding and experience.
Christ informed His disciples prior to His final ascension that they would be caused to go, as seen in Matthew 28:19: “Having been made to go, make disciples of every nation... .” The imperative in this passage is make, not go. Christ was not instructing them to initiate departure to the nations but to make disciples as they were caused to go—alluding to the fact that they would be scattered.
God knew—based on prior experience with the Jews—that the Church in Jerusalem would be dispersed for speaking the truth.
Peter opens his letter by expressing his desire that grace and peace be multiplied to the saints who had been scattered. However, he does not expect this peace to be realized, for they would be persecuted for living godly lives among the Gentiles, who would consider them strange for not joining in their debauchery.