High Christology in 1 Peter
Question 4 1 Peter includes an extremely high Christology'. Discuss
1 Peter is not a treatise on the divine nature of Jesus. Its primary concern is addressing the suffering of christians in Asia Minor. Much is made of the encouragement for the reader to identify with Jesus in his suffering and exaltation. However, within this addressing of suffering, 1 Peter also includes an extremely high christology that includes Jesus in the God of Israel's unique divine identity. 1 Peter identifies Jesus with the unique divine name, has Christ speaking God's eternal word, includes Christ in God's eschatological role and assigns him divine sovereignty, with the corresponding sovereignty over God's people. 1 Peter uses passages of scripture that speak of YHWH to describe Jesus Christ.1 In doing so he includes Jesus in God's unique divine identity. This is described by Richard Bauckham as the highest christology of all'2. YHWH was the name by which the God of Israel, who alone was God, was known3.. 1 Peter twice quotes Isaiah 8, a passage explicitly speaking of YHWH, to speak of Jesus. In Isaiah 8 the prophet is given a message about impending judgement and suffering at the hands of the Assyrians. The prophet Isaiah is told by YHWH do not fear what they fear and do not dread it. The LORD almighty (YHWH) is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear.' (Isaiah 8:12-13) and to trust him as a sanctuary, even though YHWH will be the stone that causes people to fall. 1 Peter 3:14b-15 tells the christians facing suffering Do not fear what they fear: do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord' . Here the extremely high christology of identifying Christ with YHWH is useful to 1 Peter's purpose. For the suffering christians addressed in 1 Peter, it is the Christ who is now to be regarded holy and should be viewed as a sanctuary. It is not that the Christ has replaced God, the readers are also told to fear God in 2:17, but
1 Peter is not a treatise on the divine nature of Jesus. Its primary concern is addressing the suffering of christians in Asia Minor. Much is made of the encouragement for the reader to identify with Jesus in his suffering and exaltation. However, within this addressing of suffering, 1 Peter also includes an extremely high christology that includes Jesus in the God of Israel's unique divine identity. 1 Peter identifies Jesus with the unique divine name, has Christ speaking God's eternal word, includes Christ in God's eschatological role and assigns him divine sovereignty, with the corresponding sovereignty over God's people. 1 Peter uses passages of scripture that speak of YHWH to describe Jesus Christ.1 In doing so he includes Jesus in God's unique divine identity. This is described by Richard Bauckham as the highest christology of all'2. YHWH was the name by which the God of Israel, who alone was God, was known3.. 1 Peter twice quotes Isaiah 8, a passage explicitly speaking of YHWH, to speak of Jesus. In Isaiah 8 the prophet is given a message about impending judgement and suffering at the hands of the Assyrians. The prophet Isaiah is told by YHWH do not fear what they fear and do not dread it. The LORD almighty (YHWH) is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear.' (Isaiah 8:12-13) and to trust him as a sanctuary, even though YHWH will be the stone that causes people to fall. 1 Peter 3:14b-15 tells the christians facing suffering Do not fear what they fear: do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord' . Here the extremely high christology of identifying Christ with YHWH is useful to 1 Peter's purpose. For the suffering christians addressed in 1 Peter, it is the Christ who is now to be regarded holy and should be viewed as a sanctuary. It is not that the Christ has replaced God, the readers are also told to fear God in 2:17, but