From beginning to end, the epistle of 1 Peter is concerned with responding to the conflict in which the Anatolian readers have presently become involved. Nevertheless, throughout the history of Petrine scholarship the nature of this problem has generated significant disagreement. Within the most recent discussion, however, a general consensus has been reached. Virtually all commentators now tend to agree that this conflict is a kind of unofficial, local hostility which arose sporadically out of the disdain from the general populace and which was expressed primarily through discrimination and verbal abuse. Ultimately, though, this position rests on a number of undemonstrated contentions which have never been examined through comprehensive and detailed socio-historical inquiry. The present study is intended to take up the question afresh and to thereby rectify the significant missteps through which the topic has been previously approached. Our purpose is to determine the nature of suffering in 1 Peter by situating the letter against the backdrop of conflict management in first-century CE Asia Minor. To do so, we seek to understand the different means by which conflict was dealt with in Roman Anatolia and how the persecutions of 1 Peter fit into this larger context. Part of this goal is to examine how conflict affected different social groups within the community as a way of determining the various forms of suffering to which specific members may have been prone. Therefore, our efforts consist of an attempt to differentiate the readers’ troubling experiences by providing a detailed “social profile” of the letter’s recipients and to contextualize the conflict situation by locating the problem and its subsequent resolution strategies within the world of first-century CE Asia Minor

Conversations concerning the missional posture of 1 Peter have been dictated largely by the now (in)famous debate between David Balch’s assimilationist position over and against John Elliott’s more sectarian position. More recent work has sought to bridge the gap between Balch and Elliott with a variety of more nuanced positions such as Miroslav Volf’s “Soft Difference”. Most of the discussion revolves around the practicalities of cultural engagement and what it might mean for church members to interact with the world as “Christians” in an increasingly hostile environment. The present thesis takes a step back from the coal face of missional engagement to focus on how that mission is shaped. More particularly, I am concerned with how 1 Peter utilises the language of divine calling (καλέω) that appears in five specific instances (1:13–21; 2:4–10; 2:18–25; 3:8–17; 5:6–14), alongside central events and motifs from the Old Testament, to cultivate a narrative that forges a distinct Christian identity and mission, that has its basis in Israel’s history and the life of Christ. Our concern with narrative and cultural interaction leads us to consider the relevant Petrine texts, through the dual lenses of Social Identity and Narrative Transportation theories which reveal how various groups interact, and how narratives shape actions and beliefs respectively. I argue that through the language of calling, and with the assistance of key OT motifs, 1 Peter seeks to develop a Christian identity that might be best described as “elect sojourners”; that believers are those who are elect of God and yet rejected by the world. This identity manifests itself in a life of “resident-alien-ness”—in the world, yet no longer of the world—that consequently leads to various forms of suffering. Amid such suffering, 1 Peter calls the church to a priestly ministry—representing God to the people, and the people to God—through a life geared towards blessing, even when such a life leads to suffering. This is the life to which the Anatolian believers have been called: a life of holiness as a priestly community, committed to the gracious endurance of suffering, and of blessing those who would oppose them.

Evaluations of the stance of 1 Peter toward the Roman Empire have for the most part concluded that its author adopted a submissive or conformist posture toward imperial authority and influence. Recently, however, David Horrell and Travis Williams have argued that the letter engages in a subtle, calculated (“polite”) form of resistance to Rome that has often gone undetected. Nevertheless, discussion of the matter has remained largely focused on the letter’s stance toward specific Roman institutions, such as the emperor, household structures, and the imperial cults. Taking the conversation beyond these confines, the present work examines 1 Peter’s critique of the Empire from a wider angle, looking instead to the letter’s ideology or worldview. Using James Scott’s work to think about ideological resistance against domination, I consider how the imperial cults of Anatolia and 1 Peter offered distinct constructions of time and space—that is, how they envisioned reality differently. Insofar as these differences led to divergent ways of conceiving the social order, they acquired political valences and generated potential for conflict. 1 Peter, I argue, confronted Rome on a cosmic scale with its alternative construal of time and space. For each of the axes of time and space, I first investigate how it was constructed in cultic veneration of the emperor, and then read 1 Peter comparatively in light of the findings. Although both sides employed similar strategies in conceptualizing time and space, they parted ways on fundamental points. We have evidence that the Petrine author consciously, if cautiously, interrogated the imperial imagination at its most foundational levels, and set forth in its place a theocentric, Christological understanding of the world.

The aim of this study is to prove that neither 1 Peter 3:19 nor 1 Peter 4:6 refers to the Christian doctrine the ‘Descensus Christi ad Inferos’. The meaning of these two verses has long been debated (cf. Dalton 1989:27-28), and is very often seen as a reference to Christ’s descent into Hades (cf. Feinberg 1986:309). This study will be done by means of a parallel study. The first part of this study will involve the doctrine of the ‘Descensus’; looking at its origin and its development. It will be argued in this section that the roots of this doctrine can be found in Jewish-Christianity and not pagan mythology as has been suggested (cf. Bousset 1907:224ff&Beare 1945:145). The discussion of the doctrine is necessary, since we do need to know more about the doctrine to see whether it is the referent in 1 Peter. The second part of the study will then engage in the meaning of 1 Peter 3:19 and 4:6. This section will be very context driven. We will start with an introduction to 1 Peter, discussing all the preliminary questions (i.e. author, date, audience&form). This will be followed by a structural analysis of 1 Peter. Here it will be argued that the letter should be understood in terms of metaphors, with the ‘Diaspora’ as the controlling metaphor (cf. Martin 1992). The verses under discussion, form part of the third metaphor-cluster namely the ‘Sufferers of the Dispersion’, while the name of our subsection is’ The Righteous Sufferer’. By means of the grammatical analysis, and the influence of the pseudepigraphal book 1 Enoch, it will be shown that these verses do not allow themselves to be interpreted as references to the Descent of Christ into Hades. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Ancient Languages / unrestricted

[pt] A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo geral apresentar a relação semântica e teológica entre Fl 2,1-11 e 1Pd 1,3-16. Como objetivos específicos: a) verificar se há uma ética cristã nas referidas perícopes, com a finalidade de correlacionar as atitudes de Jesus com as dos cristãos; b) analisar os termos que têm o mesmo sentido semântico; c) apresentar uma contribuição para as Teologias Bíblica e Sistemático-Pastoral. O referido tema que foi escolhido mediante a constatação de que a teologia presente em 1Pedro, nas questões que envolvem os sofrimentos de Jesus, e a exortação a uma vida cristã pautada pela ética, tendo como parâmetro o exemplo de Cristo, é o mesmo no intitulado hino cristológico de Filipenses. Essa constatação torna a pesquisa pertinente, uma vez que dará o seu contributo exegético-teológico, tanto para a Teologia Bíblica quanto para a Teologia Sistemático-Pastoral. Uma vez que a pesquisa se dá sob o prisma da Teologia Bíblica, o objeto material são as duas perícopes delimitadas em Fl 2,1-11 e 1Pd 1,3-16; e o formal constitui-se pela investigação de referências bibliográficas. De modo que a relevância da pesquisa consiste em apresentar uma discussão entre dois textos, ao interno do cânon do Novo Testamento, a partir da análise exegética, conforme o instrumental do Método Histórico-Crítico, auxiliado pelo Método da Análise Retórica Bíblica Semítica. O uso destes métodos justifica-se pela sua eficácia e pela possibilidade de apresentar um estudo que se paute pelas abordagens diacrônica e sincrônica, respectivamente, evidenciando as particularidades de cada texto analisado. E chega ao final, concluindo que os termos empregados em 1Pedro, não são frutos apenas da tradição comum ou primitiva, mas refletem igualmente um pensar teológico e estruturado com a finalidade de comunicar sinfonicamente o agir de Cristo, correlacionado ao discípulo, comprovando, deste modo, que os termos e a teologia que estão em Filipenses influenciaram a escrita de 1Pedro. / [en] The present research has the general objective of presenting the semantic and theological relationship between Phil 2:1-11 and 1 Pet 1:3-16. The specific objectives are: a) verify whether there is Christian ethics in the aforementioned contexts, with the purpose of correlating the attitudes of Jesus with Christians; b) analyze terms that have the same semantic meaning; c) present a contribution to Biblical and Systematic-Pastoral theologies. The aforementioned theme, which was chosen based on the observation that the theology presented in 1 Peter, in the issues involving the sufferings of Jesus, and the exhortation to a Christian life guided by ethics, having the example of Christ as a parameter, is the same in the title Christological hymn of the Philippians. This finding makes the research pertinent, as it will make its exegetical-theological contribution, both to biblical theology and to systematic-pastoral theology. Since the research takes place from the perspective of Biblical Theology, the material object is the two pericopes delimited in Phil 2:1-11 and 1Pet 1:3-16; and the formal constitution is through the investigation of bibliographic references. Therefore, the relevance of the research consists in presenting a discussion between two texts, within the canon of the New Testament, based on exegetical analysis, according to the instruments of the Historical-Critical Method, assisted by the Semitic Biblical Rhetorical Analysis Method. The use of these methods is justified by their effectiveness and the possibility of presenting a study that is guided by diachronic and synchronic approaches, respectively, highlighting the particularities of each text analyzed. And it comes to the end, concluding that the terms used in 1 Peter are not only the result of common or primitive tradition, but also reflect a theological and structured thought with the purpose of symphonically communicating the action of Christ, correlated to the disciple, thus proving, that the terms and theology found in Philippians influenced the writing of 1 Peter.

German text / Die vorliegende Arbeit setzt sich mit der zentralen Leidensthematik des Ersten Petrusbriefes auseinander. Einer vorläufigen Betrachtung der Entwicklung und des Gebrauchs des zentralen Leidens- Begriffs folgt die ausführliche Untersuchung und Darstellung der Urheber des Leidens und der Ursachen und Gründe für rechtes und falsches Leiden. Es folgt unter Berücksichtigung einiger kulturanthropologischer Einsichten und moderner psychologischer Analysen bezüglich der Wirkung von verbaler Gewalt eine Betrachtung der Arten und Formen des Leidens sowie der Begründungen und Ziele des Leiden. Der zweite Hauptteil untersucht Verhaltensanweisungen, Trost und Anleitung zur Leidensbewältigung, die der Verfasser seinen Empfängern zukommen lässt. Dabei wird zum einen ein Vergleich zwischen den Aussagen des Ersten Petrusbriefs und der antiken Konsolationsliteratur vorgenommen, zum anderen zwischen den vorgeschlagenen Bewältigungsstrategien des Briefes und den Strategien der modernen Sozialpsychologie zum hilfreichen Umgang mit Diskriminierung und Verfolgung. Abschließend werden die zentralen Beobachtungen zusammengefasst. / This dissertation addresses the central theme of suffering in the First Epistle of Peter. After a detailed survey of research, it begins with an examination of the development and use of the terminology for suffering. This is followed by a thorough examination of the origin of suffering and the causes and reasons for right and false suffering. Careful attention to Greek lexicography and grammar is combined with rhetorical criticism. Analysis of both the forms of suffering and the reasons and purposes of suffering is combined with insights from cultural anthropology and modern studies of the effects of verbal violence. The second main part examines the behavioural instructions, comfort and ways of coping with suffering. Furthermore, 1 Peter is compared with the comfort given in various ancient consolation literatures. In addition, the strategies for coping with discrimination and suffering in 1 Peter are compared to insights from modern social psychology. A concluding chapter summarises the results and reflects on their present-day significance. / New Testament / M. Th. (New Testament)

The principal aim of this study is to discern what has shaped the author of 1 Peter to regard Christian suffering as a necessary (1.6) and to-be-expected (4.12) component of faithful allegiance to Jesus Christ. Most research regarding suffering in 1 Peter has limited the scope of inquiry to two particular aspects—its cause and nature, and the strategies that the author of 1 Peter employs in order to enable his addressees to respond in faithfulness. There remains, however, the need for a comprehensive explanation for the source that has generated 1 Peter’s theology of Christian suffering. If Jesus truly is the Christ, God’s chosen redemptive agent who has come to restore God’s people, then how can it be that Christian suffering is a necessary part of discipleship after his coming, death and resurrection? What led the author of 1 Peter to such a startling conclusion, which seems to runs against the grain of the eschatological hopes and expectations of Jewish restoration ideology? This thesis analyzes the appropriation of shepherd and fiery trials imagery, and argues that the author of 1 Peter is dependent upon Zechariah 9-14 for his theology of Christian suffering. Said in another way, the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14, read through the lens of the Gospel, functions as the substructure for 1 Peter’s eschatology and thus its theology of Christian suffering. In support of this hypothesis, this study highlights the fact that Zechariah 9- 14 was available and appropriated in early Christianity, in particular in the Passion Narrative tradition; that the shepherd imagery of 1 Pet 2.25 is best understood within the milieu of the Passion Narrative tradition, and that it alludes to the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14; that the fiery trials imagery found in 1 Peter 1.6-7 and 1 Pet 4.12 is distinct from that which we find in Greco-Roman and OT wisdom sources, and that it shares exclusive parallels with some unique features of the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14; that Zechariah 9-14 offers a more satisfying explanation for the modification of Isa 11.2 in 1 Pet 4.14, the transition from 4.12-19 to 5.1-4, why Peter has oriented his letter with the term διασπορά, and why he has described his addresses as οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ; and finally that 1 Peter contains an implicit foundational narrative that shares distinct parallels with the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14. We can conclude that 1 Peter offers a unique vista into the way in which at least one early Christian witness came to understand and to communicate the fact that Christian suffering was a necessary feature of faithful allegiance to Jesus Christ.

German text / Die vorliegende Arbeit setzt sich mit der zentralen Leidensthematik des Ersten Petrusbriefes auseinander. Einer vorläufigen Betrachtung der Entwicklung und des Gebrauchs des zentralen Leidens- Begriffs folgt die ausführliche Untersuchung und Darstellung der Urheber des Leidens und der Ursachen und Gründe für rechtes und falsches Leiden. Es folgt unter Berücksichtigung einiger kulturanthropologischer Einsichten und moderner psychologischer Analysen bezüglich der Wirkung von verbaler Gewalt eine Betrachtung der Arten und Formen des Leidens sowie der Begründungen und Ziele des Leiden. Der zweite Hauptteil untersucht Verhaltensanweisungen, Trost und Anleitung zur Leidensbewältigung, die der Verfasser seinen Empfängern zukommen lässt. Dabei wird zum einen ein Vergleich zwischen den Aussagen des Ersten Petrusbriefs und der antiken Konsolationsliteratur vorgenommen, zum anderen zwischen den vorgeschlagenen Bewältigungsstrategien des Briefes und den Strategien der modernen Sozialpsychologie zum hilfreichen Umgang mit Diskriminierung und Verfolgung. Abschließend werden die zentralen Beobachtungen zusammengefasst. / This dissertation addresses the central theme of suffering in the First Epistle of Peter. After a detailed survey of research, it begins with an examination of the development and use of the terminology for suffering. This is followed by a thorough examination of the origin of suffering and the causes and reasons for right and false suffering. Careful attention to Greek lexicography and grammar is combined with rhetorical criticism. Analysis of both the forms of suffering and the reasons and purposes of suffering is combined with insights from cultural anthropology and modern studies of the effects of verbal violence. The second main part examines the behavioural instructions, comfort and ways of coping with suffering. Furthermore, 1 Peter is compared with the comfort given in various ancient consolation literatures. In addition, the strategies for coping with discrimination and suffering in 1 Peter are compared to insights from modern social psychology. A concluding chapter summarises the results and reflects on their present-day significance. / New Testament / M. Th. (New Testament)

För nutida läsare av Nya Testamentet kan referenser till ”Kristi blod” upplevas som märkliga och rentav obehagliga – de flesta människor idag associerar ju blod till något negativt. I denna uppsats studeras två passager i Första Petrusbrevet som innehåller just motivet ”Kristi blod” – detta utanför en nattvardskontext. Utifrån den svenska översättningen och sekler av teologiska läror är det lätt att tänka att motivet anspelar på en försoningstanke kring rening och frigörande från synd. Men stämmer det verkligen? Uppsatsförfattaren utforskar både innebörden av ”Kristi blod” i dessa passager samt vilken funktion de har i Första Petrusbrevet som helhet. Analysen görs genom en historisk-kritisk metod inriktad på ordstudium utifrån den grekiska grundtexten, intertextualitet och metaforik. Bland annat kan författaren visa att ”Kristi blod” utgör en del av en argumentation som handlar om att adressaterna ska härda ut i den sociala utsatthet de upplever som kristna. Genom att följa Kristus i hans lidande kommer de även få del i hans förhärligande och uppståndelse. Förutom de kända referenserna i Första Petrusbrevet till bl.a. Jes 53 och Ps 34 kan författaren här även visa på en intertextualitet med Ps 89. Denna ger ytterligare en dimension av temat ”Herrens lidande tjänare” som finns i brevet samt förstärker argumentationen om en Kristus-identifikation för adressaterna. / For modern New Testament readers, references to “the blood of Christ” can be perceived as strange and even unpleasant, since most people today associate blood with something negative. In this bachelor’s thesis, two passages in the 1 Peter are studied, which contain the motif of "the blood of Christ" - this outside a communion context. Based on the Swedish Bible translation and centuries of theological teachings, it is easy to think that the motif alludes to atonement theory and an idea of ​​purification and liberation from sin. But is this really the matter? The author here explores both the meaning of "the blood of Christ" in these passages and what function they have in 1 Peter as a whole. The analysis is made through a historical-critical method focused on word study based on the Greek text, intertextuality and the many metaphors in the letter.  Among other things, the author can show that "the blood of Christ" is part of an argumentation that is about helping the addressees to endure the social vulnerability they experience as Christians in the Greek-Roman society. By following Christ in his suffering, they will also be able to take part in his glorification and resurrection. In addition to the well-known references in 1 Peter to e.g. Isaiah 53 and Psalm 34, the author can also point to an intertextuality with Psalm 89. This deepens the theme of "The Lord's suffering servant" in the letter and strengthens the idea of identification in Christ for the addressees.

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