Reading 1 Peter Intertextually With Select Passages From the Old Testament

There are 4 thoughts on “Reading 1 Peter Intertextually With Select Passages From the Old Testament”.

1. I would suggest that people in Judea at that time were all pretty religiously inclined. This was the era, after all, where you could be stoned for breaking the Sabbath… so being steeped in the Law of Moses had a personal, everyday impact. Everyone needed to be a scriptorian.
   While no doubt Paul was better trained, if you will, than Peter; do not forget that Peter learned at the feet of the Author of the scriptures for 3 years. The greatest teacher is the Holy Ghost; and Peter was blessed with it. Indeed, Peter did miracles of which few men have ever been involved in.
   And then his career became that of a mighty religious leader, Apostle and defender of the Faith. Why couldn’t Peter write his epistles? He was not trained as a Rabbi…. but he was trained by God Himself. Advantage: Peter. He spake with the Holy Ghost, who surely has all knowledge and could inspire Peter. Advantage, most definitively, Peter. This is the man who had faith to walk on water, if only briefly. This is the man who Jesus chose to lead His church; surely he had some spiritual power and ability–after all, Paul deferred to him (mostly).
   This idea that the Apostles of Jesus were illiterate common folk so couldn’t author wonderful scriptures seems to discount the ability of God to take a common person and turn them into mighty weapons. See, Saul; David; Gideon; Elijah, etc. Very, very few of God’s servants have been highly polished, trained, intellectual types.
   Maybe it’s because God did do that with Isaiah…. and no one can understand it. God has to have the simple people so the rest of us have a chance to understand the message.

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2. Doesn’t the literary complexity of 1 Peter seem too much for a mere fisherman from Galilee to have written? Doesn’t this tend to show that it was a pseudonymous creation? Sure, Peter could have received an education late in life, but how probable was that in that time? Otherwise, I liked the article.

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   • If God can, metaphorically with a subtle play on the two words, make Saints out of mere stones, he can certainly make Saints out of mere fishermen, and hence also can make a gifted author out of a fine fisherman.

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   • Thank you, Henry, for taking the time to read my article and share feedback. Here is what I say in footnote two in relation to your question: “The question of 1 Peter authorship has not been satisfactorily resolved, I believe. It is not the main intention of this article to attempt to resolve that question. For simplicity sake, I refer to the author of 1 Peter as Peter, without trying to signal a final answer on the question of authorship.” – Taylor

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