ESTRATEGIA DE RECOLECCIÓN DE DATOS

The section 4:7-11 draws upon themes initiated earlier in the letter, particularly the exhortation to “love one another earnestly” (th\n ei0j e9autou\j a)ga/phn e0ktenh~ e1xontej) which mirrors 1:22 (a)llh/louj a)gaph/sate e0ktenw~j).110 _{This repeated exhortation is}

developed with a brief delineation of gifts of service and speech (4:10-11) intended to build up the community and glorify God through Christ.111 _{The use of Prov 10:12 in 1 Pet 4:8 is the final}

113_{Van der Louw 2007, 313.}

114_{Cf. Clifford 1999, 114; Waltke 2004, 461.} 115_{Schutter 1989, 125; Green 2007, 144, n. 190.}

116_{Achtemeier 1996, 295; Elliott 2000, 751. Cf. 1 Clem 49:5; 2 Clem 16:4.}

117_{The term a(marti/a in 1 Pet 4:8 replaces filoneikou~ntaj and is likely a revision in light of the Hebrew} text ((#$ape; “transgression”). This does not imply that Peter had recourse to the Hebrew text or made his own translation or revision. The Greek tradition shows a strong tendency to revise this but does so in different ways. Aquila and Theodotion use a)qesi/a (“faithlessness”) whereas the term a)diki/a (“unjust, wicked”) is used in Symmachus and Quinta. The Latin translation in Origen along with the Vulgate use delictum (“transgression”). Clearly, a(marti/a stands among a number of options potentially available to Peter.

118_{Michaels 1988, 247.}

119_{Further supporting the link between 4:7-11 and 2:18-25 is the use of oi0kono/moi as a designation for} believers, which echoes the address to servants (oi0ke/tai).

1 Peter 4:8 Proverbs 10:12

pro\ pa/ntwn th\n ei0j e9atou\j

a)ga/phn e0ktenh~ e1xontej, o3ti a)ga/ph

kalu/ptei plh~qoj a(martiw~n.

mi~soj e0gei/rei nei~koj

pa/ntaj de\ tou\j mh\ filoneikou~ntaj

kalu/ptei fili/a

Prov 10:12b MT: hbfhj)a hs@ekat@; My(i#$fp%;-lk@f l(aw: James 5:20: kalu/yei plh~qoj a(martiw~n

Figure 5.7: 1 Peter 4:8 and Proverbs 10:12

For such a small scriptural allusion, the text quoted in 1 Pet 4:8 presents several issues. The allusion and the source text can be identified through the verb kalu/ptei with a noun meaning “love” as the subject. However, the quotation differs from Prov 10:12 by employing

a)ga/ph rather than fili/a as the subject noun. The object of the verb also differs with Prov 10:12 reading “all who do not enjoy strife” as opposed to 1 Pet 4:8 which has “a multitude of sins.” The compound form in Prov 10:12 shows the translator has played with language by combining the prefix filo/j with the verb neike/w.113 _{Thus, the contrasting parallelism is}

amplified. Hate raises up strife (nei~koj) but love (fili/a) covers all lovers of strife (oi( filioneikou~ntej).114 _{The Petrine version is closer to the Hebrew than the Septuagint in this}

case, raising the possibility of a revised text or consultation of a Hebrew text.115 _Another

possibility is that Peter has quoted the Proverb from memory. However, the concluding words of the letter of James points to a shared tradition that stands behind both epistolary versions.116

The appearance of a(martiw~n in the allusion connects to the use of a(marti/a in the material drawn from Isaiah 53 in 1 Pet 2:22 and 24.117 _{The repetition of a(marti/a in 3:18 and 4:1}

furthers Peter’s reflection on the role of Christ who suffered once for sins in language reminiscent of Isaiah 53.118 _{Just as Christ suffered in the flesh, the elect may also suffer in the}

flesh to cease from sin (4:1). These reflections go far to connect the use of Prov 10:12 to Peter’s use of Isaiah 53. As such, the combined result establishes the exhortation to love one another. Even though Christ died for sins, the problem of sin remains a destructive force for the

community of believers. Thus, the allusion to Prov 10:12 complements Isaiah 53 by drawing the christological truths Peter finds there into the ecclesiological argument that governs the body middle.119

120_{Bigg 1902, 174.}

121_{So Elliott 2000, 759; Feldmeier 2008, 221.} 122_{Michaels 1988, 250–251.}

The connection between the two exhortations to love in 1:22 and 4:8 is matched by a further connection utilizing the lo/goj word group. In 1:22–2:3, Peter argued for the vital role the word of God plays in the nurturing of spiritual growth in the community of believers. Tying together Isa 40:6-8 and Ps 33:9 were the words lo/goj in 1:23 and logiko/j in 2:2 which drew the Isaianic use of r9h~ma into Peter’s argument. Two further uses of lo/goj maintain the importance of the scriptural narrative for believers, albeit from the perspective of a negative argument. In the midst of the scriptural discourse of 2:6-10, Peter links the builders who reject the cornerstone to unbelievers who “disobey the word.” Later, in the wives’ section of the household code, unbelieving husbands are said to “not obey the word.” Thus, Peter has

constructed an insider/outsider dichotomy based on submission to the word of God, in keeping with his reading of Isa 40:8.

With this buildup around the term lo/goj and the cognate logiko/j, Peter’s use of

logi/a in his two-item gifts list evokes the previous argument concerning the vital role of scripture for the community of believers. The phrase “logi/a qeou~”—as what those with speaking gifts ought to communicate—has often been translated as “oracles of God.” Bigg previously contended that the phrase should be understood as denoting scripture.120 _{Few have}

followed him in this, since the balanced pair of gifts and their supporting clauses indicate the divine origin of service and speech.121 _{Rather than strictly denoting scripture, logi/a qeou~ means}

here proclamation that includes, explains and builds upon scripture.122

The division between speaking and serving gifts is instructive in light of the continued dialogue this thesis maintains with the reader-centered approach. This bi-partite gift list indicates a speaking role in the congregations that does not necessarily correspond with a designated church office (although eldership is developed later in 5:1-4). It is possible that Peter is establishing through this bi-partite gifts list the means by which the community is to gather around scripture, particularly the parts of scripture highlighted in his letter.