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    which were the only scenes of the Apostle Paul ' s labours in this portion of the world before the issuing of the apostolic decree ; ( Acts xiii . 13—xiv . 25 ;) and yet we know that Paul afterwards visited some of the states of Asia Minor which Peter mentions in the inscription to his Epistle . ( Acts xvi . 6—8 . ) It is not unreasonable , then , to infer that the First Epistle of Peter was written in the interval between Paul ' s first and second journey into the states of Asia Minor ; and that the object of its author in not inscribing it to the Christian converts resident in Lycaonia , and the states south of Mount Taurus , was , lest as the apostle of the Circumcision , he should be suspected

    of trespassing upon the province of Paul , the apostle of the Gentiles . * No inference , indeed , can be more natural , or more accordant with the known state of the Christian church , and the terms upon which these two apostles agreed to conduct their respective labours for the conversion of the Jewish and Gentile world . ( Gal . ii . 7—9 . )

    Although Peter had not visited the converts residing in Pontus , Galatia , Cappadocia , Asia , and Bithynia , before this Epistle was written , and probably never did visit them , yet these countries must have contained many believers in Christ , who had been eye-witnesses of this Apostle ' s labours during their visits to Judaea ; and it is by no means improbable that Silas , the companion of Paul ' s journey , ( Acts xv . 40 , ) was furnished with copies of this Epistle for distribution among the Jewish converts residing in those

    states through which it was the Apostle ' s intention to pass . When Paul left Antioch , in Syria , he appears to have had no design of extending his journey as far as Europe ; for when he had passed through Syria and Cilicia , ( Acts xv . 41 , ) and Lycaonia , f ( xvi . 1 , ) and Phrygia aad Galatia , ( ver . 6 , ) and was come to Mysia , which lay at the North-Western extremity of Asia Minor , his intention seems to have been to return to Antioch by way of Bithynia , ( ver . 7 , ) and the other states bordering upon the Euxine Sea ; but the Spirit would not suffer him to carry this intention into effect . " A

    vision appeared to him in the night : there stood a man of Macedonia , and entreated him , saying , « Come over into Macedonia and help us . ' " ( Ver . 9 . ) This vision induced Paul to abandon his design of visiting Bithynia , Pontus , and Cappadocia , during that journey , and led him to extend his course aft far as Greece . If , however , the Epistle was written at a time when Paul intended visiting these states , Peter ' s insertion of them at the head of his Epistle is sufficiently accounted for , and is just what might have been expected under such circumstances . But Silvanus was the bearer of this Epistle , and Mark was present with

    the author at the time of its composition . The next question , therefore , which demands our attention is this : —Were Mark and Silvanus ever in the company of Peter at a time when Silvanus was about to undertake a journey through the states of Asia Minor ? and the following facts appear to me to afford a satisfactory answer to this question : After the Council of Jerusalem Peter went down to Antioch * ( Gal . ii . 11 . ) A deputation was sent by this council to the church at Antioch , consisting of Paul , Barnabas , Judas , and Silas ; ( Acts xv . 22 ;) and when the object of this deputation was accomplished , Silas remained at Antioch with Paul and Barnabas ( ver . 34 , 35 )* At this time also Mark was at Antioch , ( ver . 37 , ) and Paul was just on the eve of his second journey with Barnabas :

    * Of Paul ' s extreme jealousy with regard to foreign interference in the case of his own converts , no stronger proofs could be given , or need be required , than those which the Epistle to the Galatiana furnishes . t Derb » and Lystra were both situated \ u Lycaonia .

    Untitled Article

    Remarks on the First Epistle of Petet . 23

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1829, page 23, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2568/page/23/