This is the Bamel Podcast with Marty Solman. I'm his co-host, Brent Billings. Today we see the first of two letters penned by Peter, hearing the heart of a man who had went everywhere with Jesus, including betrayal and restoration.

I feel like we're coming to a letter that I still have a time to learn about. The Apostle Peter writes two epistles that end up in our New Testament canon, and I have always had to step back and catch my breath before I read them. Are you saying there might be more letters that are not in the canon?

No, no, I'm okay. Who knows, but that's not what I am talking about. Not like the lost letter of Corinthians.

Right. Okay. But I've always kind of tried to step back before I read them. When we read first and second Peter, we're reading the late writings of the Apostolic leader of the early church, the guy.

Like we talked about the triumvirate, like Peter James and John. If I were honest, I would say the letters of Peter occupy the same place in my mind where they sit in the New Testament, almost an obscurity toward the back.

Well, I grew up very well acquainted with the works in writing a Paul. The books of Peter were used significantly less often, which is interesting. Like it's Peter.

It's a big deal. If James is the leader of the Jewish church in Jerusalem, and if John is the pastor to Asia, then when I read Peter, I am reading the head of this early Apostolic movement.

But more on that in just a moment. Peter addresses those who are chosen by God to carry out their calling in the region of Pontus, Galatia,

Capitokia, Asia, and Bethinia. How about you read us the opening verses there of first Peter, bro?

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God's elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia,

Capitokia, Asia, and Bethinia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Right, so on the one hand, this is a wide audience that represents the Greco-Asian church spreading readily throughout the Roman Empire.

But as we've discussed before, some of those places aren't exactly on the way, quote unquote, through Asia.

Places like Galatia are far enough off the beaten path that Rome rarely finds a large presence there.

Another place mentioned is even more so. Capitokia.

The region of Capitokia was where people went to escape or to hide, filled with underground cities carved into the soft rock called Tufa.

This was a place for the persecuted.

How did you feel about our time in Capitokia?

That was wild. Pretty crazy place.

I had no idea any of that existed.

Yeah, coming with us to the point for them.

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