How does the letter identify its sender and its recipients in 1 Peter 1:1?

It opens from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, an order of provinces that may trace the carrier's circuit.

What does 1 Peter 5:12 say about Silvanus?

It says that the letter has been written briefly through Silvanus, described as a faithful brother, which is the sentence the whole debate about his role turns on.

Why is the Greek phrase used of Silvanus ambiguous?

The preposition dia with the genitive can mean by the hand of, indicating a secretary who did the actual composing, or it can mean carried by, indicating no more than the man who delivered the document.

State Wayne A. Grudem's position on the authorship of 1 Peter.

Grudem holds that the apostle Peter himself wrote the letter and that Silvanus was the trusted brother who carried it to the churches of Asia Minor.

WJEC A-Level Religious Studies 603-0277-X

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New Testament: The Letters (1 Peter)

Authorship, Silvanus and the readership of 1 Peter

3 things to know
A2 Unit 6

Overview

Petrine circle hypothesis, case for a Jewish Christian readership and case for a Gentile Christian readership.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

What is meant by Babylon in 1 Peter 5:13, and how does it bear on dating?

Evaluation

Which arguments does Grudem use to defend apostolic authorship?

Key term

State David G. Horrell's position on the authorship of 1 Peter.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
How does the letter identify its sender and its recipients in 1 Peter 1:1?
Model answer
It opens from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, an order of provinces that may trace the carrier's circuit.
2
What does 1 Peter 5:12 say about Silvanus?
Model answer
It says that the letter has been written briefly through Silvanus, described as a faithful brother, which is the sentence the whole debate about his role turns on.
3
Why is the Greek phrase used of Silvanus ambiguous?
Model answer
The preposition dia with the genitive can mean by the hand of, indicating a secretary who did the actual composing, or it can mean carried by, indicating no more than the man who delivered the document.
4
State Wayne A. Grudem's position on the authorship of 1 Peter.
Model answer
Grudem holds that the apostle Peter himself wrote the letter and that Silvanus was the trusted brother who carried it to the churches of Asia Minor.
5
Which arguments does Grudem use to defend apostolic authorship?
Model answer
He points to the letter's own claim, its early and unanimous acceptance in the church, echoes of Peter's own experience such as the appeal to feed the flock and to having witnessed Christ's sufferings, and the fact that Galilee was bilingual enough for a fisherman to have acquired good Greek over thirty years of preaching.
6
State David G. Horrell's position on the authorship of 1 Peter.
Model answer
Horrell judges the letter most likely not to be by the apostle himself, and attributes it either to Silvanus or to a Petrine group or later Christian circle writing in Peter's name.

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