Peter I.

Click here for the previous book, Epistle of James.

CHAPTER 1

Modern scholars doubt Peter wrote this.  They find it unlikely that Peter would write a letter to Gentiles during Paul’s time of activity, and there isn’t much of a window for Peter to send the letter out otherwise.  It’s also written by someone educated in Greek, which is unlikely for a Jewish fisherman, though it could be a scribe.  However, it also quotes the Greek version of the Old Testament and shows signs of being written after Roman persecution has begun. 

The notion that the letter came from Peter came from the late second century, so it evolved after Peter’s death. 

In terms of the letter itself, I didn’t get much from this one.  He supports baptism, calls for reverence, and mutual love.  He mentions Jesus Christ plenty of times, but there isn’t much sense that the letter-writer used to hang out with him.  Jesus doesn’t come off like a flesh and blood figure – just the God we pray to.

CHAPTER 2

Peter tells us of the importance of ethics, and then discusses how to be a Christian in a hostile world.  It is things like this that make people think the letter was written in the later first century AD, after persecutions are underway.  Peter (or whoever wrote this) points at the example of Jesus Christ.  He was persecuted – killed even – but handled it with grace and class.  

For the 27^th time or so, the Bible tells us that if you’re a slave, but a good slave.  I guess the Christians figured they were taking enough grief for their religious beliefs without trying to engineer a social revolution. 

CHAPTER 3

Aside from telling slaves to be good slaves, wives should be submissive to their husbands.  I wonder if the guy that wrote this letter is also the guy that wrote some of those Paul letters that Paul didn’t really write. You get a similar theme of social order.

CHAPTER 4

He calls for people to engage in charity and treat people well.  Oh, and he warns that persecution is coming: “Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you.”   Yeah, he might know because it’s already on.

CHAPTER 5

The last chapter is a weird one, because it’s some generic advice to presbyters, who are the officially appointed leaders of the community.  That sounds like something that would’ve developed later on.  They had leaders in Jerusalem, but Peter is writing to people in Paul’s territory.  It’s not clear they had leaders.  Letters like Corinthians indicate that they didn’t.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Meh.  It’s just another of them short letters that doesn’t leave much of a mark.  

Click here for Peter II.