In 5:13 Peter says, “The co-chosen in Babylon and Mark my son greet you.” The Greek word rendered “the co-chosen” and its article are feminine. It may refer to Peter’s wife, who traveled with him (1 Cor. 9:5), or to a prominent sister in the Lord, who had been co-chosen by God not only with the receivers of this Epistle, but also with Peter and all the other believers. Some suppose that it refers to the church.
Through the centuries the great teachers have held two different interpretations of the name Babylon as used in 5:13: one is figurative, referring to Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire; the other literal, referring to Babylon, a large city on the Euphrates. The reasons for the latter are more logical than for the former. First, it seems that Peter had no reason to use a figurative name to hide the city of his whereabouts. Second, all the names he used for the places in the address of his Epistle (1:1) were literal. Third, in the New Testament the name Rome is clearly mentioned (Acts 19:21; 28:14, 16; Rom. 1:7, 15), at least up to the time when Paul’s last Epistle, 2 Timothy, was written (2 Tim. 1:17), probably after 1 Peter. It is when John’s Revelation, a book of figures, was written, about A.D. 90, that the figurative name Babylon the Great was used for the city of Rome (Rev. 17:5; 18:2).
The name Mark in verse 13 refers to John Mark (Acts 12:12, 25), the writer of the Gospel of Mark. As Peter’s spiritual son, he was there in Babylon with him. Later he was taken to Paul by Timothy (2 Tim. 4:11).
In 5:14 Peter concludes, “Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ.” At the beginning of this Epistle Peter says, “Grace to you and peace be multiplied.” At the end he says, “Peace to you all who are in Christ.” Peace results from grace; it issues from the enjoyment of the Triune God. Such enjoyment of God as the multiplying and multiplied grace (1:2), the varied grace (4:10), the all grace (5:10), and the true grace (5:12) as the reality of the contents of the Christian life under the government of God issues and results in a condition of peace with both God and man.
Peter’s writing is not at all superficial. It is deep in truth and very experiential. We see this even in what Peter says regarding peace. Peter’s understanding of peace is deep. However, most Christians today think of peace in a very shallow way.
According to 5:14, Peter’s desire is that peace be with all who are in Christ. Peter stresses the fact that the believers are in Christ (3:16; 5:10). It is of God and through our faith and baptism that we are in Christ (1 Cor. 1:30; John 3:5; Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3). This results in an organic union with the Triune God (Matt. 28:19) and makes us one spirit with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17).