Thread by @shaw_davidm

Time for Wednesdays in 1 Peter (pt 3), this time considering 1 Pet 2:11-17. Not a central part of my PhD, so perhaps not as refined as I'd like, but here we go... /1

On 2:11-12: v. 11 seems to capture again the idea of holiness back in 1Pet 1:15-16. That is, Christian believers are to pursue holiness and in so doing imitate their heavenly Father as opposed to pursuing the sinful desires that characterised their former way of life. /2

Such a way of life is precisely what renders them aliens and sojourners in the place where they once felt perfectly at home (see @MiroslavVolf's 'Soft Difference'). It's also worth noting here that the point of comparison is not the non-Christian neighbour, /3

but the believer's own former way of life. Such a strategy bucks the usual trend in Social Identity processes that ordinarily posit an out-group by which to compare oneself. I.e., Peter seeks to avoid the development of an 'us versus them' mentality in relation to the culture. /4

2:12 is interesting in so far as 'good works' do not necessarily shield Christians from accusations of wrong-doing. In fact, if Travis Williams is right (see Good Works in 1 Peter [Mohr Siebeck]), the 'good works' might be the very reason they find themselves in trouble. /5

Christians, therefore, ought not expect that every good thing they do in their wider community will be received w/ gratitude. Some actions may conjure animosity instead. In short, Christians shouldn't be surprised if they receive, at best, mixed reviews re. their good conduct. /6

2:13 on submission to authorities is controversial for a plethora of reason & probably deserves its own thread. On this verse I've found JND Kelly most helpful when he says that 'the principle of the redeemed Christian life must not be self-assertion or mutual exploitation,... /7

but the voluntary subordination of oneself to others' (see Kelly's THE EPISTLES OF PETER AND JUDE, pp. 108-9). Indeed, this theme of submission (or deference) is woven throughout 1 Peter 2:13-3:12. In this sense, 2:13 sets the scene for all that follows... /8

incl., the emperors and governors that immediately follow, whose role is to uphold the law (2:13b-14). So far as is possible, Christians are expected to live peaceable lives, though inevitably this is not always possible (more on this in coming weeks). /9

2:15 implies that the Christian life should not give the wider public reason to accuse them of doing evil. Rather, Christian conduct should be such that if they are accused of doing evil, the a neutral observer would see the accusation as being flimsy & w/out substance. /10

2:16 'Live as free people . . . Live as God's servants/slaves'. Peter here aligns freedom with being God's servant/slave. This point remains as shocking today as it no doubt did to Peter's original audience. Some OT context is vital here. What follows is from my PhD thesis: /11

'slave/servant of God' was an idea and expression that had Jewish roots and was, furthermore, a positive designation as it indicated a close relationship w/ YHWH. E.g., Abraham, Isaac & Jacob are honoured as servants of the Lord (Ex 32:13; Deut 9:27; cf. Ps 105:6, 42). /12

Additionally, in Isa 41:8, Abraham is also referred to as a friend of YHWH, making him both a servant and friend. Others too could be noted including Moses (Num 11:11; 12:7–8), David (2 Sam 3:18; 1 Chron 17:4; Jer 33:26) and Job
(Job 1:8; 2:3; 42:7–8.) /13

On a communal level, the nation of Israel was also referred to as θεοῦ δοῦλοι (e.g., Deut 32:36; Ps 104:25 LXX). Lev 25:55 LXX is also instructive ('For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt') /14

Here we see that in the context of the Exodus narrative, the sojourning people of Israel are simultaneously referred to as children and servants who are brought forth out of Egypt. All of which recalls imagery laid out in 1 Peter: E.g., /15

'sojourners' (1:1; 2:11–12), 'children' (1:14), a people called out of darkness to be God’s possession (2:9–10), and 'servants/slaves' (2:16). In the Hebrew Bible, there is no
contradiction between being children or servants of God. /16

On the contrary, the two go hand in hand, and Peter makes use of this symbiotic relationship to invert the prevailing Graeco-Roman social standards of his day. He is deliberately taking a negative label, δοῦλοι (servant/slave), and injecting it with fresh, positive meaning. /17

To use a Soc. ID expression, this is an act of social creativity, that is applied to the congregation both individually & corporately. To be a 'servant'--as Peter understands it--is far from humiliating. It is, in fact, honourable. /18

Moreover, Peter’s subsequent use of the 'Suffering Servant' imagery (2:22-25) to follow up his use of θεοῦ δοῦλοι reveals to his audience that servanthood is not only honourable, but also Christ-like. /19

Finally, on 2:17, the big question is what does it mean to fear God and honour the emperor? Some have suggested that Christians can participate in emperor worship, whilst treasuring Christ in their hearts... /20

If this was the case, it is difficult to understand why Christians would need to be encouraged in the face of suffering. More likely, is that the idea of 'fear' is in reference to worshiping God alone. In other words the emperor is to honored as is any human creature, (v.13) /21

but only God is to worshiped. In the context of 1 Peter, the refusal to worship the emperor could well lead to one's death, hence the need for a letter to encourage the church in the face of trials. /22

In sum, the conversion of Anatolians to the Christian faith rendered them resident-aliens in their homeland. As a result, they faced the prospect that their good conduct in Christ would lead to social ostracism and potential suffering. /23

Peter urges his recipients to continue in their good works in the face of trials so that God's character might be revealed through lives characterised by humble service that embody the gospel displayed in Jesus, the 'Suffering Servant'. /END

@threadreaderapp, please unroll :)