Editing First Epistle of Peter (section)

== Authorship ==
{{Main|Authorship of the Petrine epistles}}
The authorship of 1 Peter has traditionally been attributed to the Apostle Peter because it bears his name and identifies him as its author (1:1).  Although the text identifies Peter as its author, the language, dating, style, and structure of this letter have led most scholars to conclude that it is pseudonymous.<ref name="moyise">{{cite book|first=Steve|last=Moyise|title=The Old Testament in the New|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TCSOK_Q4D1sC&pg=PA116|date=9 December 2004|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-0-567-08199-5|page=116}}</ref><ref name="Harris1992">{{cite book|author=Stephen L. Harris|title=Understanding the Bible|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a64SAQAAIAAJ|year=1992|publisher=Mayfield|isbn=978-1-55934-083-0|page=388|quote=Most scholars believe that 1 Peter is pseudonymous (written anonymously in the name of a well-known figure) and was produced during postapostolic times.}}</ref><ref name="Martin 2009">[[Dale Martin (scholar)|Dale Martin]] 2009 (lecture). {{YouTube|XJ9Gt_R5a-k|"24. Apocalyptic and Accommodation"}}. [[Yale University]]. Accessed 22 July 2013. [http://www.cosmolearning.com/video-lectures/apocalyptic-and-accommodation-6817/ Lecture 24 (transcript)]</ref> Many scholars argue that Peter was not the author of the letter because its writer appears to have had a formal education in [[rhetoric]] and [[philosophy]], and an advanced knowledge of the Greek language,<ref name= "ReferenceA">Achtemeier, Paul. ''Peter 1 Hermeneia''. Fortress Press. 1996</ref> none of which would be usual for a [[Galilee|Galilean]] fisherman.

New Testament scholar [[Graham Stanton]] rejects Petrine authorship because 1 Peter was most likely written during the reign of [[Domitian]] in AD 81, which is when he believes widespread Christian persecution began, which is long after the death of Peter.{{Sfn | Stanton | 2003}}{{Page needed |date=April 2022}} More recent scholars such as Travis Williams say that the persecution described does not appear to be describing official Roman persecutions after Peter's death, thus not directly ruling out an early date for the composition of the epistle.{{Sfn | Williams | 2012 |pp = [https://books.google.com/books?id=fmJDV7Ke9b0C&pg=PA28  28–]}} 

Another dating issue is the reference to "Babylon" in chapter 5 verse 13, generally agreed to be a claim the letter was written from Rome. It is believed that the identification of Rome with Babylon, the ancient enemy of the Jews, only came after the [[Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE) |destruction of the Temple in AD 70]].<ref name= "forged" /> Other scholars doubt Petrine authorship because they are convinced that 1 Peter is dependent on the [[Pauline epistles]] and thus was written after [[Paul the Apostle]]'s ministry because it shares many of the same motifs espoused in [[Ephesians]], [[Colossians]], and the [[Pastoral Epistles]].<ref name="Bartlett, David 1998">Bartlett, David, ''New Interpreter's Bible Commentary'', 1 Peter. Abingdon Press. 1998</ref> 

Others argue that it makes little sense to ascribe the work to Peter when it could have been ascribed to Paul.{{Sfn | Williams | 2012 | pp = [https://books.google.com/books?id=fmJDV7Ke9b0C&pg=PA28  28–]}} Alternatively, one theory supporting legitimate Petrine authorship of 1 Peter is the "secretarial hypothesis", which suggests that 1 Peter was dictated by Peter and was written in Greek by his secretary, [[Silas |Silvanus]] (5:12). John Elliot disagrees, suggesting that the notion of Silvanus as secretary or author or drafter of 1 Peter introduces more problems than it solves, and claims that the Greek rendition of 5:12 suggests that Silvanus was not the secretary, but the courier/bearer of 1 Peter.<ref>Elliot, John. ''1 Peter'': Anchor Bible Commentary. Yale University Press. 2001.</ref> Like English translations generally, the more recent NRSV (2021) translation of this verse from the Greek does not exclude understanding Silvanus as secretary: "Through Silvanus, whom I consider a faithful brother, I have written this short letter to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it." Some see Mark as a contributive [[amanuensis]] in the composition and writing of the work.{{Sfn | Williams | 2012 | pp = [https://books.google.com/books?id=fmJDV7Ke9b0C&pg=PA25  25–]}}<ref name= "Moon2009">{{cite book| first = Jongyoon | last = Moon |title= Mark As Contributive Amanuensis of 1 Peter?|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=WPtf9DCl1S4C|year=2009 |publisher= LIT | place = Münster |isbn= 978-3-643-10428-1}}</ref> 

On the one hand, some scholars such as [[Bart D. Ehrman]] are convinced that the language, dating, literary style, and structure of this text makes it implausible to conclude that 1 Peter was written by Peter.<ref name= "forged">{{cite book |last1= Ehrman |first1=Bart D. |author-link1=Bart D. Ehrman |title= Forged |url= https://archive.org/details/forgedwritinginn00ehrm |url-access=registration |year= 2011 |publisher=HarperOne, [[HarperCollins]] |isbn= 978-0-06-201262-3|pages= [https://archive.org/details/forgedwritinginn00ehrm/page/65 65–77]}}</ref>  According to these scholars, it is more likely that 1 Peter is a pseudonymous letter, written later by an unknown Christian in his name. 

On the other hand, some scholars argue that there is enough evidence to conclude that Peter did, in fact, write 1 Peter.  For instance, there are similarities between 1 Peter and Peter's speeches in the Biblical [[Acts of the Apostles|book of Acts]],<ref>Daniel Keating, ''First and Second Peter Jude'' (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011) 18. Norman Hillyer, ''1 and 2 Peter, Jude'', New International Biblical Commentary (Peabody, MA: Henrickson, 1992), 1–3. [[Karen H. Jobes]], ''1 Peter'' (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005), 14–19.</ref> allusions to several historical sayings of Jesus indicative of eyewitness testimony (e.g., compare Luke 12:35 with 1 Peter 1:13, Matthew 5:16 with 1 Peter 2:12, and Matthew 5:10 with 1 Peter 3:14),<ref>{{cite book |last1= Lane |first1=Dennis |last2= Schreiner |first2=Thomas |title= ESV Study Bible |date=2016 |publisher= Crossway |location= Wheaton, IL |page=2401 |chapter= Introduction to 1 Peter}}</ref> and early attestation of Peter's authorship found in [[Second Epistle of Peter|2 Peter]] (AD 60–160)<ref>Bauckham, RJ (1983), ''Word Bible Commentary'', Vol. 50, Jude – 2 Peter, Waco</ref> and the [[Epistles of Clement|letters of Clement]] (AD 70–140),{{Sfn | Williams | 2012 | pp = [https://books.google.com/books?id=fmJDV7Ke9b0C&pg=PA28  28–]}} all supporting genuine Petrine origin. Ultimately, the authorship of 1 Peter remains contested.
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