We are now beginning the book of 1 Peter. Today and tomorrow we will cover the introductory information.
Who Wrote this Letter?
Because of his unique prominence, there was no shortage in the early church of documents falsely claiming to be written by Peter. However, there is considerable evidence, both external and internal, that testifies to the Apostle Peter’s authorship of this letter.
The external evidence
Evidence that Peter wrote this Letter occurs early and is virtually universal. Eusebius says that it had been confessed by all and received without controversy; and that the ancients, without any concern as to its authenticity, had made use of it in their writings. This letter exerted a wide influence on early Christian writings. The letters of Polycarp, Clement, and Irenaeus show that the early church unquestionably accepted the authenticity of 1 Peter.
The internal evidence
1 Peter 1:1 clearly identifies the author as “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.” His given name was Simon, but Jesus, on meeting him, said he would be called Cephas (John 1:42). The Greek translation of the Aramaic word Cephas is “petros,” and the word in both languages means “stone” or “rock.” It is interesting to note that he is the only man in the New Testament called Peter.
Until relatively recent times the authenticity of the letter’s claim to apostolic authorship went unchallenged. Then some modern scholars noted that Peter was considered by Jewish religious leaders as “unschooled” and “ordinary” (Acts 4:13). The superb literary style and sophisticated use of vocabulary in 1 Peter seem to indicate that its author must have been a master of the Greek language. Those who deny Peter’s authorship say that such an artistic piece of Greek literature could not possibly have flowed from the pen of a Galilean fisherman. However, we must consider this: the fact that Peter was "unschooled " does not mean that he was illiterate, but only that he was without formal, rabbinical training in the Scriptures. In addition, though Aramaic may have been Peter's primary language, Greek was a widely spoken second language in the Jewish homeland.
Beyond these evidences of Peter's ability in Greek, Peter also explained (1Peter 5:12) that he wrote this letter "by Silvanus," also known as Silas. Silvanus was likely the messenger designated to take this letter to its intended readers. But more is implied by this statement, in that Peter is acknowledging that Silvanus served as his secretary, or amanuensis. Dictation was common in the ancient Roman world (compare the relationship of Paul and Tertius in Romans_16:22), and secretaries often could aid with syntax and grammar. So Peter, under the superintendence of the Spirit of God, dictated the letter to Silvanus, while Silvanus, who also was a prophet (Acts 15:32), may have aided in some of the composition of the more classical Greek. But whether or not Silas aided Peter with the grammatical Greek nuances, the letter’s content still remains Peter’s personal message, stamped with his personal authority.
The parallels between this letter and Peter’s sermons recorded in Acts are significant (compare 1Peter 1:20 with Acts 2:23 and compare 1Peter 4:5 with Acts 10:42). One of the more striking examples is the similarity between 1Peter 2:7, 8 and Acts 4:10, 11. In each passage Psalms 118:22 is quoted and applied to Christ. It is interesting that Peter was present when Christ Himself used Psalms 118:22 to refer to His rejection by the Jewish leaders (Matthew 21:42).
Another allusion to Jesus’ ministry that strongly supports Peter’s authorship is the command to elders in 1Peter 5:2 to “be shepherds.” The only other place in the New Testament where this word is used as a command is in John 21:16, where Jesus gave Peter the same charge. In several other passages the author referred to being an eyewitness of Christ’s earthly ministry (1Peter 1:8; 1Peter 2:23; 1Peter 5:1).
Conclusion
The letter’s content and the witness of church history support beyond any reasonable doubt the simple affirmation made in 1Peter 1:1. The letter indeed comes from “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.”
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved