The internal evidence is equally complete. The au- thor calls himself the apostle Peter (i, 1 ), and the whole character of the epistle shows that it proceeds from a writer who possessed great authority among those whom he addresses. The writer describes himself as " an el-
PETEU (FIRST EPISTLE OF) 16 PETER (FIRST EPISTLE OF)
der." and ': a witness of Christ's sufferings" (v. 1). The vehemence and energy of the style are altogether appro- priate i" the warmth and zeal of Peter's character, and every succeeding critic, who has entered into its spirit, has fell impressed with the truth of the observation of , "thai this epistle is lull of apostolical dignity
ami authority, and worthy of the prince of tin- apostles."
[n later times the genuineness of the epistle has been impugned, as by Cludius in his Uransichten des Chris- tentkums, p. 296 (Altona, 1808). He imagined the au- thor to ha\ e been a Jewish Christian of Asia Minor, and his general objection was thai the similarity in doctrine and style to Paul was too great to warrant the belie! of independent authorship. His objections were exposed and answered by Augusti (in a program, Jena, 1808) and by Bertholdt (Einkit. vol. vi, § 667). Eichhorn, however, took up the theory of Cludius so tar as to maintain that as to material Peter is the author, but that Mark is the actual writer. I )e Wette also throws out similar objections, hinting that the author may have been a follower of Paul who had been brought into close attendance upon Peter. The question has been thoroughly discussed by Hug, Ewald, Bertholdt, id oih.r critics. The most striking resem- blances are perhaps 1 Pet. i. 3 with Eph. i. 3 ; ii. 18 with Eph. vi. ■<: iii. 1 with Eph. v. 22; and v. 5 with Eph. v. 21 : hul allusions nearly as distinct are found to the other Pauline epistles (comp. especially l Pet. ii, 13 with 1 Tim. ii. •_' I: 1 Pet i. 1 with Eph.i, 1 7 ; i. 11 with Bom. xii. 2; ii, 1 with Col. iii. * and Rom. xii, 1; ii, (i 10 with Rom.ix, 32; ii. 13 with Pom. xiii. 1-4; ii, 16 with Gal v, 13; iii. '.' with Rom. xii, 17; iv, 9 with Phil. ii. 11: iv, 1" with Rom. xii. 6, etc.; v, 1 with Rom. viii, 18; v. 8 with 1 Thess.v, 6; v. 14 with 1 Cor. xvi. -_'o i. While, however, there is a similarity between the thoughts and style of Peter and Paul, there is at the same lime a marked individuality, and there are also many special characteristics in this first epistle.
First, .'is proof of ils genuineness, there is a peculiar and natural similarity between this epistle and the speeches of Peter as given in the Acts of the Apostles. Not lo mention similarity in mould of doctrine and ar- ray of fact-, there i> resemblance in style. Thus Acts v. 30, \. 39, 1 I'd. ii. 24, in the allusion to the cruci- fixion and the use of %v\ov, the tree or cross; Acts ii, ."--'. iii. 15, 1 Pet v, 1, in tin' peculiar use of ftapTvg; Aeis iii. 18, \. 13, 1 Pet i. 10, in the special connection of tic old prophets with Christ and his work; Acts x, •1'.'. 1 Pet iv, 5, in the striking phrase "judge quick and dead;" Acts iii. Id. 1 Pet. i. 21, in the clauses t) irianc i; 6i avrov ruir <Y ai>TOV 7rirrrorr; and in tin mode of quotation (Acts iv. •_'; 1 Pet ii. 7i. Certain favorite term- occur also — avaorpotpr), and ayaStoiroiuv with ils cognates and opposites. There are over fifty words pe- culiar to Peter in this brief document, nearly all of them compounds, as if in his profound anxiety in express his thoughts a- he fell them, he had employed the lirst, anil to him at ill'' moment the fittest terms which occurred.
He lias Midi phrases a- JA-ic .'iiniu. i. I'. ; ffVVti5t]Ol£ itov, ii. L9; .'i't.,/m Stavoiag, i. Id: 0/Xn/ia dyaTrnc, v, II. flu' nouns ("i'c'i/i, i, 11. and dptrai, ii, 9, occur in the plural. He uses iir before a personal accusative ii" Less than four times in tic firsl chapter. The article is often separated from ils noun, iii, 2, 3, 1'.'; iv. 2,5,8, 1 J. Peter bas also a greater proneness than Paul t" rept ti- tion to reproduce the same idea in somewhat similar terms — as ii he had felt ii needless to search for a mere change of words when a similar thought was waiting for immediate utterance (comp. i. 6 9 with iv, 12, Id: ii, 12 with iii, Id. iv. I: iv. 7 with v. 8). There are also in the epistle distinct and original thoughts special
exhibitions of the great facts and truths of the Gospel w be 1 1 the apostle looked at from his own point of view, and applied as he deemed best to a practical purpose.
Thus the \ is'u of Christ "to the spirits in prison" l iii.
!'.i); i he typical connection of the Deluge with baptism ;
the desire of the old prophets to .study and know the
times and the blessings of the Gospel — are not only re- trine in form, hut .are solitary statements in Scripture. Thus, too, the apostle brings out into peculiar relief re- generation by the -Word of God," the "royal priest- hood" of believers, and the qualities of the future -in- heritance," < tc.