Who wrote the First Letter of Peter?

       There is a man in the New Testament, whose name, in our modern terminology, was Simon Johnson. When he first met Jesus, at His baptism, he was ‘bar Jonas’ or ‘son of Jonah’ (hence ‘Johnson’). Jesus changed his name to ‘Peter’ that day, and ever since, we’ve known him as the Apostle Peter.

        I’ve been reading his story in the gospels, especially Mark, and in Acts. Now I’ve come to his first letter and I meet critics: ‘This letter was written too late in the first century. Peter was dead by this time.’ ‘This letter is too well written. Peter was only a fisherman.’ ‘Someone forged it in Peter’s name.’

        Well, I believe the critics are wrong. Peter may well have hidden himself in his own letter. His name is the very first word in the letter, and his identity might well show up in other places too. His subject matter is too high and holy. A forger could never have conceived it. Chapter one alone, talks about being sprinkled with Jesus’ blood (1:2), about a living hope (1:3), about an unfailing inheritance in heaven (1:3), about trials that prove our faith (1:7).

        Then he reaches the high point of worship of Jesus, the Living Stone (2:4). Peter knows that he, himself, is about to die by Nero’s orders. But look at the honour he confers on his readers. They will live on after Peter is gone; they will be little ‘living stones’. In fact, as his imitators, he might almost say they will be living ‘Peters’, for peter is a stone and a stone is Peter. His signature was there all the time.

        Bless Peter. Bless the Living Stone. Bless the Lord!

[See also 'The Painting and the Painter', elsewhere in this blog.]