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From Behind the Veil: The Epistles of John
Deep Exegesis:The Mystery of Reading Scripture
1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
Peter closes his first letter with exhortations to two generations within his churches. He exhorts the elders who lead the church to shepherd the flock not as lords but as examples, following the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. To the younger people, he says “submit yourselves to your elders.”
For Peter and for all the apostles, there is an order to the church. As the family, so the church: There are leaders and there are followers.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 6:56 am
1 Peter 4:3-4: For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they malign you.
As Pastor Sumpter has pointed out, Peter is engaged in a kind of sociological analysis, distinguishing between two societies, their habits, and their values. One he labels “Gentiles,” and these are dominated by evil desires, by greed for more and lust for domination, by drunkenness and idolatry. They are, as Peter says, the “dead” who are going to be judged when Jesus arrives.
But Peter tells of another society.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 8:01 am
Later in the service this morning, we will ordain two new deacons, Rick Schumaker and Brendan O’Donnell. Both have gone through a period of apprenticeship with our two deacons, and both have been elected by the congregation.
But the ordination is no mere formality. Ordination is not just a symbol of something that has already happened, but an effective action of Jesus Christ.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 7:00 am
Peter’s readers had a lot to fear, but Peter tells them not to fear. More precisely, as Pastor Sumpter will point out in his sermon, Peter tells his readers not to “fear their fear,” not to fear as their opponents fear.
In the passage that Peter quotes, Isaiah warns Israel not to get caught up in the frenzy of anxiety envelops them. The Bible talks about conspiracies. Absalom plots against David, Zimri against Elah, Jehoiada against Atahalia. But Isaiah warns the people, Don’t call a plot what everyone else calls a plot. Do not fear what they fear.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 7:38 am
The Bible devotes a surprising amount of attention to vessels – plates, forks, bowls, pots, pans, and snuffers. One long and repetitive chapter of Numbers describes a 12-day procession during which leaders from each tribe bring forward animals, grain, and incense for the tabernacle service, along with a silver dish, a silver bowl, and a gold man.
When Solomon builds the temple, we again get a list of “vessels”: basins, shovels, bowls, pails, tongs, cups, snuffers, spoons, firepans, all of pure gold. And when Nebuchadnezzar destroys the temple, we learn that these vessels were all packed up into exile with the people of Judah.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 7:29 am
Peter describes women as “weaker vessels” (1 Pet 3:7). That sounds like an insult. Is it?
First, vessels in Scripture are almost always temple vessels, implements of temple worship. Hebrew 9:21 is one of the NT passages that uses the word in this specific sense. Other uses in the NT are derived from it. In the OT, vessels represent Israel devoted to the worship of Yahweh; when Israel goes into exile, so do the “vessels” and the vessels also return with them. And so you have Paul talking about “vessels” prepared for wrath and glory (Rom 9). The “large house” that contains vessels of varying degrees of value (2 Tim 2:20) is the temple of the church, which contains a variety of different sorts of people. There’s a good bit about vessels in Leviticus, and they represent people; we’re “containers.” Some of us are rustic earthen containers, some are shiny gold ones; some are shiny containers with dead mice on the inside, while some are clay but hide a treasure. ”Treasure in earthen vessels” is the way Paul describes the apostles who bear the glory of the gospel (2 Cor 4:6).
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 3:05 pm
“Abstain from fleshly lusts,” Peter says in this morning’s sermon text, “which war against the soul.”
It sounds as if Peter is saying that our bodies are evil, but that’s not what he means.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 6:35 am
“How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb?”
Nicodemus’ way of putting the question sounds childish; but it’s a common question. My life is a mess, and what’s done cannot be undone. Then along comes Jesus mocking me with talk of a fresh start, incredible promises of being “born again.” Whatever. Can a man enter again into his mother’s womb?
Jesus says we not only can but must be born again, and Peter adds that we are begotten “to a living hope.” For Peter, as for the rest of Scripture, hope is light and life; when we are hopeless, we’re walking in the gloom of death.
That’s because God Himself is our hope: “You are my hope, O Lord God,” David writes, “You are my confidence from my youth.” When the living Hope withdraws, His people die; when Yahweh the Hope of Israel returns, they are born again.
Hope in our unseen Lord, and hope for the inheritance He promises, fills us with life, with joy inexpressible and full of glory. When God gives us this hope, He begets us again through the resurrection of Jesus.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 6:46 am
An SBL paper yesterday suggested that Zechariah 9-14 forms the narrative substructure for 1 Peter. Both passages speak in terms of a new exodus, both talk about the death of a shepherd, both describe the fiery trials of the people of God as an inherent part of the exodus.
Why is there a fiery trial associated with the exodus event?
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Wives, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
Let us pray.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Saturday, October 7, 2006 at 7:28 pm
Another student, Peter Rae, came up with a chiastic outline of 1 Peter:
A. Greeting, 1:1-2
B. Rejoicing in trial, 1:3-25
C. Abstain from flesh, 2:1-12
D. Submit to those in authority, 2:13-3:17
C’. Christ the example, 3:18-4:11
B’. Rejoicing in trial, 4:11-5:11
A’. Farewell, 5:12-14
The intriguing this about this structure is the way that it highlights submission to authority. This appears to fit with Peter’s emphasis elsewhere in 1 Peter, and even more fully in 2 Peter, on the nearness of judgment and the growing intensity of persecution. A speculative reconstruction would run along these lines: With persecutions increasing, Peter’s readers were tempted to take things into their own hands and rebel outright. Peter writes to warn them off the temptation to Zealotry. In his second letter, Peter then has to assure the same readers that their patience in the face of persecution is not in vain. The Lord will come and will judge, however slow it might seem to us.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Monday, May 9, 2005 at 7:01 pm
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