2.2. MÉTODOS
2.2.1. Estandarización molecular de la PCR para detección Dengue, Zika,
Schutter develops three significant points in support of his assessment of 1 Pet 1:10-12 as the hermeneutical key of 1 Peter. First, this passage is situated at the end of the introductory section (1:3-12) and at the beginning of the main body of the letter.55 Second, he identifies
several groups of terms “relating to interpretative activities and mechanisms.”56 Prominent
among these terms is the technical language paralleled at Qumran (he sees e0kzhte/w, and [e0c]erauna/w as equivalent to #qb and #rd in 1QS 5.11 which is drawn from Zeph 1:6).57
Third, he points out the significance of the motif of sufferings and glories repeated throughout the letter which is first expressed in this passage.58
From these points and a thorough exegesis of the passage, Schutter concludes that 1 Peter evinces “a peculiarly Jewish hermeneutical tradition which became a major force in the early Church.” Beyond this, he points to the suffering/glory motif as “a means for examining OT references outside of the body-opening for points of contact with the author’s
hermeneutic.”59 This, then, forms the basis of one of the two parts of his methodology. He
begins by looking for “a modified text-type.”60 Variants are brought alongside “numerous
additional features which were documented for a pesher-like approach to scriptural
exposition.”61 The second move of his procedure is the correlation of scriptural references with
the suffering/glory motif.62 These methodological steps confirm, for Schutter, the presence of a
pesher-like interpretation of scripture in 1 Peter. However, if 1:10-12 does not utilize technical terminology for interpretive activity, can the suffering/glory motif be used to identify instances of pesher-like interpretation as Schutter sets forth. To be sure, the hermeneutical traditions inherited from Second Temple practices (such as gězērâ šāwâ and ’al tiqrē’) are active in 1 Peter. However, 1 Pet 1:10-12 is not bent on articulating a Jewish hermeneutic but a Christian hermeneutic. Furthermore, Moyise counters Schutter’s claims about the suffering/glory motif, stating that “none of the cited passages articulate a ‘suffering followed by glory’ theme, either for a future figure or for God’s people.”63 Such a claim is not only fatal to Schutter’s larger project, it
forces us to reconsider the function of the motif and its relationship to the uses of scripture in 1 Peter.
What role, then, does this motif play? Moyise suggests, “It would thus appear that ‘sufferings’ followed by ‘glories’ is a general indication of what the author of 1 Peter thought the prophets spoke about, but not a hermeneutical key for interpreting each and every verse.”64
65Note how the same form of the participle (pa/swn) is used for the servants in 2:19 and for Christ in 2:23 which emphasizes the connection shared between Christ and the household servants.
66The phrase doing good (a)gaqopoie/w and cognates) is one of the unifying themes in the body middle (2:11–4:11) and closing (4:12–5:11).
in the thought of 1 Peter. Including 1:11, the combined motif occurs four times (4:13; 5:1, 10). However, there are other significant passages in which one of the terms or cognates
(do/ca/doca/zw and pa/qhma/pa/sxw) appear. These also must be considered in order to understand how the motif is transformed in 1 Peter.
The motif in 1:11 received some attention above. Two points must be reiterated. The motif represents the content of the prophetic preaching found in scripture concerning the work of Christ. According to Peter, the prophets predicted that Christ would suffer and after that would be glorified. Secondly, this prophetic message concerns Christ at this point in the letter. Several scholars want to place a corporate understanding of the motif here, making the phrase less about the individual sufferings of Christ and his subsequent glories and more about the sufferings experienced by the church on behalf of Christ and their subsequent glories. However, this corporate understanding is not expressed in the context. As will be shown, this motif is transformed from the individual iteration in 1:11 to a corporate iteration in the last half of the letter. This transformation depends upon the participatory ecclesiology to be developed in Peter’s argument. The church participates in and through Christ, so that what begins as simple christology is shown to be multivalent; incorporating profound ecclesiological aspects.
The next occurrence of the combined motif is 1 Pet 4:13—“But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings (paqh/masin), that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory (th~j do/chj au0tou~) is revealed.” Here, as in the previous occurrence of the combined motif, the sufferings belong to Christ. Yet, the audience is said to share (koinwne/w) these sufferings. Unlike in 1:11, it is clear that a corporate aspect has been incorporated into Christ’s sufferings. It should be noted, however, that glory is not a shared aspect but belongs to Christ at his
revelation. One half of the combined motif has been transformed from a solely christological understanding to a corporate or ecclesiological understanding.
Between these two occurrences of the combined motif, the terminology of suffering and glory has undergone development. The cognate term pa/sxw pervades the servant section of the household code (2:18-25) in which Isaiah 53 is drawn upon through several allusions. In this section, household servants are commended for enduring while suffering unjustly while doing good (2:19, 20). The morally righteous suffering servants are recipients of divine grace (xa/rij). The example of Christ is presented in 2:21-25 in terms of the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. Christ also suffered (e1paqen, 2:21), and he was a sufferer who was likewise morally righteous (2:22-23) even while suffering (2:23).65
The relationship between righteous sufferers and the suffering Christ is expanded in 1 Pet 3:13–4:1. In 3:14, Peter more directly addresses his audience when he writes, “But even if you should suffer (pa/sxoite) for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.” A requirement that Peter expresses for those who would be followers of Christ is that they uphold a standard of moral righteousness.66 This idea is reiterated at 3:17, “For it is better to suffer (pa/sxein) for
67The manuscript tradition for 3:18 is fairly unstable. Most of the best manuscripts for 1 Peter read
a)pe/qanen (P72, 02, 04, passim) here rather than e1paqen (03, 025, 81, passim). The UBS committee argued for the reading e1paqen based on internal evidence and the editors of ECM have retained this reading. This issue has a few implications. The lack of clarity regarding the original text entails a measure of caution when interpreting this text. Furthermore, since several of the major uncials carries the reading a)pe/qanen, many readers of 1 Peter throughout the history of interpretation have not read the text here in the way I propose. These issues, however, do not undermine my reading of this passage since similar ideas are presented at 4:1.
68See below, pp. 151–158 for more detailed argumentation. 69See below, p. 162.
followers of Christ is once again related to the suffering of Christ in 3:18: “For Christ also suffered (e1paqen) once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous.”67 The connection between
the suffering of Christ and the suffering of Christ’s followers is again developed in 4:1, “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh (paqo/ntoj sarki/), arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh (o9 paqw\n sarki/) has ceased from sin.” The followers of Christ who suffer for doing what is good are united with Christ in thought and deed (they have suffered “in the flesh”—sarki/) so that they share in holiness with him.
The term glory (do/ca) receives less attention in the span between 1:11 and 4:13. In 1:21, God raises Christ from the dead and gives him glory. This may be contrasted with the term glory appearing in the quotation of Isa 40:6-8 in 1 Pet 1:24-25. Here, all humanity has glory “like the flower of grass” which withers and falls off. So, Christ is shown to be given glory superior to the fleeting glory of humanity. Two additional occurrences of the cognate verb are found at 2:12 and 4:11. In 2:12 the “Gentiles” speak against the elect. However, because of the good conduct of the elect, these revilers “may see your good deeds and glorify God (doca/swsin to\n qeo/n) on the day of visitation.” In 4:10-12, the elect are to carry on their work—whether in speech or service—with the result that “in everything God may be glorified (doca/zhtai o9 qeo/j) through Jesus Christ.” Both of these passages envision God being glorified universally in the eschaton. Here, the “glories” are not shared with followers of Christ but belong to God alone. God is glorified by humanity through Jesus Christ, but at this stage of the letter believers are not included in the concept of glory.
Suffering and glory receive their most intense articulation in the letter in 4:12-19.68 The
combined motif in 4:13 is followed in 4:14 with a repetition of the term do/ca. Drawing from the language of Isa 11:2, where the spirit of God rests upon the branch of Jesse, Peter adds the term
do/ca to this allusion to indicate now for the first time in the letter that the elect participate in divine glory. The inclusion of the term do/ca in the Isaianic quotation points to Peter’s
understanding of the narrative of restoration of divine presence. God’s glory now rests upon his people. The ideal of suffering as a morally righteous follower of Christ is again expressed in 4:15- 16. Instead of suffering as evildoers, they should suffer as Christians in order that God may be glorified (doca/zw) in the name of Christ.
The final two instances of the combined motif occur in 1 Peter 5. Peter designates himself in 5:1, “a witness of the sufferings of Christ (tw~n tou~ Xristou~ paqhma/twn), as well as a partaker in the glory (do/ca) about to be revealed.” Taking up the language of 4:13, where the elect are designated as sharers (koinwnei~te) in Christ’s sufferings, Peter designates himself using the imagery applied both to Christ and his audience; linking Peter with his audience in significant ways.69 Peter applies the combined motif of sufferings and glory to himself. Having
70Watts 1985, 10, 17–19; Sweeney 1988, 104–108; 1996, 63–65; Childs 2001, 12–23; Friesen 2009, 29–31. 71Oswalt 1986, 43; Childs 2001, 84–85.
72Uhlig 2009, 71. Bauckham identifies an intertextual link between Isa 6:1 and 52:13. The Hebrew version is linked by the verbs Mw%r and (#f&nF whereas the Greek is linked by the verb u9yo/w and do/ca/doca/zw (1998,
demonstrated to his audience that they participate in Christ through the combined motif, he now reveals his own participation in the motif. In 5:9-10, the combined motif appears for the last time in the letter. The sufferings experienced by the addressees are globalized. Followers of Christ experience similar sufferings elsewhere in the world. The motif not only connects the sufferings of the elect with those of Christ, but also to the author of this epistle (5:1) and to the brotherhood of Christians worldwide (5:9). Peter concludes by drawing a distinction between the elements of sufferings and glory. By means of their identity in Christ, the elect are called to eternal glory (h( ai0w/nia do/ca). This expansive glory is contrasted with sufferings which last a little while (o0li/gon). Suffering has been the element of the motif most emphasized throughout the letter and has received the most development in the letter. It is only at the end of the letter that glory is applied directly to the audience (4:14; 5:4, 10). Glory is emphasized as the ultimate inheritance of the suffering servants of Christ.
The language of suffering and glory spans the letter and unites a variety of sections. From this it can be concluded that the suffering/glory motif bears significance for our
understanding of the letter. However, the significance assigned to it in our overview of the letter differs from that which Schutter assigned to it. Although scripture is incorporated into the motif at points (e.g., 2:18-25; 4:12-19), this is not the controlling metaphor that unifies the quotations and allusions used in 1 Peter. Instead, the motif of suffering and glory—both as individual concepts and as a combined motif—serves to link the church to a scriptural narrative of the restoration of divine presence through participation in Christ. This brings us back to 1 Pet 1:10- 12. The prophetic witness is capsulized in the two concepts of Christ’s sufferings and his subsequent glories. This is the narrative of Christ to which the scriptures attest, according to Peter. The church, too, participates in this narrative—suffering followed by glory—through participation in Christ. The next section of this chapter will explore ways in which Isaiah contributes to this scriptural background.