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Understanding The Bible |
BY THE AUTHOR
Dr. Clarence E. Mason, Jr.
Philadelphia College of Bible
1971
FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST PETER
Date and place of writing: Probably from Babylon on the
Euphrates.
There is no actual historical evidence that Peter ever got to Rome, but
there is a persistent tradition that he did and it is very likely that
he did.
Those who accept the tradition usually assign this letter (and 2 Peter)
to a time near his martyrdom (2 Pet. 1:13-15), sometime between AD
64-68, probably around 67/68. But even if one accepts the tradition of
Peter's Roman martyrdom, there is no internal nor external evidence that
Peter wrote this first letter from Rome at all, or that he wrote it at
that time.
The mention of Babylon in 5:13 has been cited to argue for Rome as the
place from which he was writing, but the mystical use of the word
"Babylon" for Rome was known only much later, after the writing of the
book of Revelation (17:5; 16:19; 18:2), sometime after AD 90, which was
at least 20 years after Peter's death. In that same book, Jerusalem is
mystically called "Sodom and Egypt" (Rev. 11:8), but plainly said to be
so named in a "spiritual" sense (i.e., a symbolic name). There is no
reason to imagine such a usage of the name "Babylon" until after the
circulation of the book of Revelation. The literal city on the Euphrates
would be the more natural and logical usage.
Further, I cannot see why the late date of AD 64-67 is assigned to 1
Peter. Certainly the contents of the book point to a time and condition
of persecution quite different from the imperial persecution Christians
later suffered at Rome under Nero (64-67). These Christians being
addressed were not in Rome but in provinces of Asia Minor (1:1), and
there is no record of imperial persecution there prior to a time later
than AD 64, The persecution Peter's readers were suffering, according to
the book (4:2-4, etc.) was personal and intensely bitter, simply because
of their godly lives.
The contents of the book in respect to suffering are so similar to that
in the book of James that I do not hesitate to assign the book to the
same general time, put shortly thereafter, for reasons given below,
there being no definite evidence to the contrary. Indeed, the
persecution described in 1 Peter sounds very distinctly like that
described in such passages of Acts as 13:50-52; 14:1, 2,4-5,19,22;
17:5,13; etc., especially see 14:22.
The letter was certainly not written before Acts 11:19, because that
verse says that those scattered by the persecution following Stephen's
martyrdom went only as far as Antioch in Syria and Cyprus (see map), not
the places mentioned in 1:1. Further, Peter had not yet gone to Babylon
by Acts 11:19.
Is it not more likely that the explanation would be that Paul would tell
Peter all about the persecution of Christians in Asia Minor when they
met for the Church Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15)? And indeed he did! He
told not only Peter but the whole church (Acts 15:4,12). And would not
this "man with the big heart" be constrained to comfort these believers
(especially his fellow Christian Jews, who had endured so nobly) quite
as much as James and the others (15:22, 30-32)? Indeed, Peter and James
were the two outstanding leaders of the Jewish portion of the church,
and it was fitting that he should do so. They would look for word from
him especially because his leadership in ministry to Christian Jews had
been recognized officially (Gal. 2:7).
It is my theory that Peter followed Judas and Silas to Antioch in Syria
(Acts 15:22, 30-35), else when shall we place Peter's visit there?
Galatians 2:11-14 shows plainly that it was after the council of Acts 15
(Gal. 2:1-10) and presumably before Paul left on his second missionary
journey (Acts 15:35-36, 40), for Paul visited Antioch only once again
(18:22), which was a very unlikely time for the events of Galatians
2:11-14. (Of course, the northern Galatian theory places the events of
Galatians 2 prior to the Church Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15), but I,
for one, do not accept the northern Galatian theory.)
I believe that Peter then went on from Antioch in Syria to Babylon on
the Euphrates (see map), where there was a considerable Jewish colony in
the first century AD. (What would be more logical in the light of
Galatians 2:7?) I think that he wrote this letter shortly after arriving
there. Is it not significant that the first three provinces he mentioned
in 1:1 are those of Asia Minor nearest Babylon (Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia) and the last two are furthest westward from Babylon (Asia
and Bithynia)? This would be the natural order in which to mention them,
from east to west, if he were writing from Babylon, whereas if this
letter were written from Rome, it would be more normal to mention
provinces from west to east. Compare if one were writing from
Pennsylvania to Christians in states to the west. One would more likely
first name the states nearest Pennsylvania (i.e., "to" the Christians in
Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan") before he would say "to those in
Wisconsin and Illinois." How unnatural to list them from east to west if
one were writing from some western city like San Francisco. The same
would apply to Rome. Babylon is the more natural place of writing.
Allowing time for a little while at Jerusalem after the Church Council
before going to Antioch, for travel to Antioch, for a visit there, and
for the journey to Babylon and getting settled, two years at the most
after the Church Council of Acts 15, I suggest the date 51/52.
I welcome further light, but this theory uses and fits in with both the
known facts of the book of Acts and the straightforward statement of
5:13 that he is writing from Babylon, far better than the theory that
the letter was written from Rome about 15 years later. The feminine
phrase "the elect lady" of 5:13 is properly rendered by the Centenary
Version: "Your sister church in Babylon, elect with you, sends you
salutations..."
To whom written:
To the "strarangers" scattered throughout Asia Minor, i.e., primarily
Christiain Jews, but also Christian Gentiles (e.g.. 2:10).
Peter himself:
It would be impossible here even to trace the life of "the apostle to
the circumcision. " It is so full, so momentous. Read some good account
of it, e.g., the short one by James M. Gray in the International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia. For a fuller treatment, see Dr. W. H.
Griffith-Thomas's book. The Apostle Peter.
Two things stand out in our Lord's relation to Peter which should
comfort every one of us: His love and His power. His love wooed him
back, and His power "restored his soul" and made him no longer Sim(e)on
(meaning "hear, " i.e., swayed by every new voice, unstable) but Cephas
(pronounced Kephas) or Peter ("a rock, " i.e., "steadfast, unmovable,'
always abounding in the work of the Lord!").
(NOTE: Peter's LEADERSHIP of the apostles should not be confused with
the idea of supremacy over them, which (1) was never conferred upon him
by our Lord, (2) was never claimed by himself, and (3) was never
conceded by his associates (see Mt. 16:19; 23:8-10; Acts 15:13-14; 2 Cor. 12:11; Jn. 20:23). Indeed, if anyone could be urged as being the
"first pope, " it would be James, rather than Peter. It was James who
presided over church meetings and to whom apostles reported (Acts 12:17;
15:13-19ff.; 21:18; Gal. 1:19; 2:9,12).
Characteristics of the Epistle:
Freedom in structure: Peter's method is described
by Dean Alford:
"The link between one idea and another is found, not in any
progress of unfolding thought or argument, but in the last word
of the foregoing sentence which is taken up and followed out in
the new one" (e.g., 1:5, 6, 7, 8,10, etc.). This adds vividness
and unity to the epistle.
Vigorous movement in style: This is quite in keeping with Peter's personality as revealed in me Gospels and Acts. It corresponds interestingly in style with Mark's Gospel, which is traditionally Peter's memoirs recorded by Mark. There are 119 words in 1 and 2 Peter found in no other N.T. book.
Strongly reminiscent of experiences with Christ:
|
Strongly Reminiscent of Experiences with Christ |
||
| 1 Peter 5:5 | cp. | John 13 "gird yourselves with humility" |
| 1 Peter 1:12 | cp. | John 20 "looking into" e.g., looking into the sepulchre on the resurrection morning including idea of stooping. |
| 1 Peter 5:2 "Feed the flock" | cp. | John 21 "feed my sheep, lambs" |
| 1 Peter 1:17 | cp. | Acts 10:34 "without respect of persons" |
| 1 Peter 2:24 | cp. | How especially applicable to Peter - bitterly repentant, watching "afar off," but watching! |
| 1 Peter 2:8 | cp. | Christ calls Peter in Both |
| 1 Peter 5:8 | cp. | Gethsemane accounts |
| 2 Peter 1:17-18 | cp. | Luke 9:31; Hebrews 11:32 |
| 2 Peter 1:13-14 | cp. | Transfiguration accounts |
Theme of the epistle: SUFFERING and GLORY
Suffering (for and with Christ) and the Glory (which will follow). The
word "suffering" occurs 15 times in different forms, and "glory"
10 times, being closely associated with the word or thought of
suffering.
Key verse: 1:7 (which learn)
SUMMARY OUTLINE OF FIRST PETER
Salutation 1:1-2
Our great salvation 1:3-12
Earnest exhortations 1:13-3:12
To holiness 1:13-25
To priestly service 2:1-12
To submission 2:13-3:12
Willingness to suffer 3:13-4:19
A good conscience 3:13-22
A Christlike mind 4:1-11 C. A high privilege 4:12-19
Acceptable Christian service 5:1-9
Shepherding the sheep 5:1-4
Defeating the devil 5:5-9
Benediction and closing salutation 5:10-14
"Mason's
Notes"
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