Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

1. Peter, the author of two epistles, is often viewed as the painfully human disciple of Jesus. But as attested by the book of Acts and two epistles by Peter, he was the preeminent spiritual leader of the NT church. Whenever the writers of the gospels mentioned the list of disciples, Peter’s name always came first (Mt 10:2-4; Mk 3:16-19; Lk 6:13-16; Ac 1:13).

2. Peter was originally from Bethsaida (Jn 11:44) but later relocated to Capernaum (Mk 1:21, 29). His name by birth was “Simon” (“hearing”), but was surnamed “Peter” (Petros-“rock” equivalent to “Cephas” in Aramaic) by Christ on their first meeting (Jn 1:41-42). This most likely was a similar reference to the future leadership of Peter to whom was given the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 16:18-19; Ga 2:9), along with the other apostles. ” Though the Roman Catholics use Mt 16:18 to support that Peter was the first Pope, Peter was not the first Pope nor did Christ build His church upon Peter. Christ built His church on the “rock” (petra - cliff), not Peter (Petros - rock which falls from the cliff (petra). What then was the “rock” (petra)? It was Peter’s statement in vs. 16 that stated that Jesus was the “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This is the doctrinal foundation of the church.

3. We know he was married because Jesus healed his mother-in-law (Lk 4:38-39) and Peter’s wife apparently accompanied him on his missionary travels (1Co 9:5).

4. Peter’s call came in the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry along with his brother Andrew (Mt 4:18; Mk 1:16). By trade they were fishermen, but immediately they followed Jesus after He said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt 4:19).

5. Peter was one of three who witnessed Christ’s Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-9 cf. 2Pe 1:16-17). He also received a special exhortation from the resurrected Lord to “shepherd [His] sheep” (Jn 21:15-17). Peter was commissioned as an apostle and witness of the resurrected Christ (Ac 1:8, 22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39, 41), which also gave him the credentials to be a writer of inspired Scripture (2Pe 1:20-21 cf. 2Pe 3:2, 16).

6. On the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, Peter was the great spokesmen who fearlessly preached the gospel (Ac 2:14-40; 3:12-26; 4:5-12; 10:28-47). Peter also was one of the leading voices at the Jerusalem Council (Ac 15:7-12), but afterwards nothing more was mentioned of him in the book of Acts.

7. Tradition records that Peter was martyred (A.D. 68) upside down at his own request for he was “unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord.”

B. Critics of Peter’s Authorship

1. Some critics have rejected Peter’s authorship of the two epistles. They argued that that author’s verbiage was strikingly similar to Paul’s.

2. Though Peter was acquainted with some of Paul’s writings (2Pe 3:16), the language used was not so different from the common phrases used in that day. Also, since Peter was the first preacher of the church, it could equally be suggested that it was Paul’s verbiage that was similar to Peter’s. In addition, they both would have taught the apostles’ kerygma (doctrine of teaching), for they were both apostles. Peter’s epistles are quite consistent with his sermon themes in Acts (1Pe 1:10-12 cf. Ac 3:18; 1Pe 1:17 cf. Ac 10:34; 1Pe 1:20 cf. Ac 2:23; 1Pe 1:21 cf. Acts 2:32; 1Pe 2:4, 7 cf. Ac 4:11; 1Pe 3:22 cf. Ac 2:33; 1Pe 4:5 cf. Ac 10:42; also the use of xulon - cross, lit. “wood” in 1Pe 2:24 and Ac 5:30; 10:39 cf. Paul’ use of stauros - cross in 1Co 1:17; Ga 5:11; Ep 2:16; Php 2:8; Col 1:20).

3. Critics also suggest that the author did not include more personal reminiscences of the Lord, for which the real Peter would have done. Yet other critics maintain contrariwise that the author included too many reminiscences to be genuine (1Pe 5:1-2 cf. Jn 21:16; 2Pe 1:16-18; 3:2). Since the critics cannot agree on this point, their argument loses strength.

4. A major argument by the critics is that Peter, as an “uneducated and untrained [man]” (Ac 4:13), could not have written the smooth polished Greek contained in the epistle.

5. However, Greek, as well as Aramaic and Hebrew, were commonly spoken throughout Palestine. Being in Galilee, a strongly Hellenistic culture, Peter would have been familiar with Greek. Being a businessman in Galilee, Peter would have needed to be fluent in Koine (“common”) Greek. Peter (“Simon”) as well as Andrew and Philip had Greek names. Matthew and James were also Galileans, but they wrote in excellent Greek according to their NT epistles. Peter wrote his epistle some 30 years after traveling and ministering through Greek-speaking communities. He could have polished up on his Greek in that amount of time. Finally, the phrase “uneducated and untrained” (Ac 4:13) was used by the Sanhedrin who were trained scholars in the Law. They did not consider laymen to be educated and trained. However, that does not mean that Peter did not know how to write in Greek and use theological concepts and that were preeminently discussed by the apostles.

6. In conclusion, “Despite the cavils [petty objections] of the critics, the evidence strongly supports the letter’s own claim to have been written by “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ” (1:1).” (MacArthur in loc.)

Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516