The cross in 1 Peter

Peter’s first letter was written to offer encouragement and guidance to Christians who were suffering persecution because of their faith. Because of this, it has a good deal to say about the sufferings of Christ and how his example should inspire, motivate and encourage us. For this reason he seems to prefer “sufferings” to “death” in speaking of Christ as perhaps having a more general application to our own lives. It is for this reason also that references to the cross tend to crop up incidentally in the letter and he does not set out to deliberately discuss a theology of the cross as does Paul and the writer of Hebrews. However, whenever he speaks of Christ’s innocence and patience in suffering, he moves on in every instance to Christ the sacrificial lamb, Christ the bearer of sin, Christ who died, the righteous for the unrighteous. He describes himself as “a witness of Christ’s sufferings” (5:1). The Greek word for “witness”, martus, from which comes our word “martyr”, is no doubt used here in its full meaning of not only one who is a spectator of something, but also of one who bears testimony to it.

Another point worth noting is that Peter was steeped in the Old Testament, and this comes through in the direct quotes, ideas and the phraseology that he uses. By the use of a phrase such as “sprinkled with his blood” (1:2) and in speaking of Christ as a “lamb without blemish or defect” (1:19—see Numbers 28:3, etc.), he demonstrates his belief in the death of Christ as the fulfilment of the symbolism inherent in the Old Testament animal sacrifices. In speaking of being sprinkled with his blood after his reference to obedience in 1:2, he no doubt has in mind the confirming of the covenant by Moses in Exodus 24:7, 8. In his use of Psalm 118:22, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (2:7), he sees the rejection of Christ by the Jewish elders as the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy. Jesus himself had quoted this verse in the same context (Matthew 21:42) and no doubt Peter was present with him on this occasion. In particular, he saw Christ’s sufferings as the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 53. Chapter 2, verses 22-25 contain one direct quote and several phrases from this chapter of Isaiah. His statement that “’He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross” (literally “tree”), echoing Isaiah 53:11, could not express more clearly what he believed to be the true significance of the cross. The very order of the Greek words in this sentence puts emphasis on the fact that it was not his own, but our sins that were borne on Calvary. (The same point is clear from 3:18, “the righteous for the unrighteous”). The Greek word for “tree” here, xulon, which is used as a poetic term for the cross, no doubt with reference to the curse of Deuteronomy 21:23, is literally “timber” or dead wood.

Paul singled out the death of Christ and his resurrection as the heart of the gospel message and the fulfilment of the Old Testament Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). In a similar way, Peter mentions “the suffering of Christ and the glories that would follow” as the focus of Old Testament prophecy (1:10, 11). The “Spirit of Christ” or “the Holy Spirit” was the one who both inspired the prophets and who now inspired those who proclaimed this message (vv. 11, 12).

As both Paul and John do, Peter speaks of the cross as providing the greatest motivation for godly living. It is because we have a Father who “judges each person’s work impartially” and because we were redeemed at such cost from our “empty way of life” “with the precious blood of Christ”, that we are to live “in reverent fear” (1:17, 18). Christ “bore our sins…so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (2:24). “It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (3:17, 18). The verb “bring” here is the same word Paul uses as a noun to describe our access to God made possible by the cross and a reality by the Spirit (Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18; 3:12).

In his instruction to slaves, Peter speaks of Christ’s behaviour in the face of unjust suffering as an example for us to follow (2:18-23). This is an emphasis found also in Paul and the writer of Hebrews. Peter adds that we may be “called” to this suffering (2:21) and that it may be “God’s will” (3:17; 4:19). If we are so called to suffer, then we “participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (4:13).

It is worth noting that whenever the New Testament speaks of Christ’s behaviour as an example for us to follow, it always relates it to the cross. John Howard Yoder goes as far as to say, “Only at one point, only on one subject—but then consistently, universally—is Jesus our example: in his cross.” (1 John 2:6 is perhaps one exception to this).

Peter makes another comment worthy of note. After declaring that we were “redeemed with the precious blood of Christ” he continues with the statement that “He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1:20). It seems that in the counsels of the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, back in eternity, it was planned that God would enlarge his family. In the creation of humans in his own likeness, and in giving humans the freedom and dignity of choosing either a relationship with their loving Creator, or of going their own selfish way, it was planned that the Son should suffer in order to ensure that the choice could be freely made. If this assumption is correct, then it seems as if Paul’s statement in Ephesians 1:4, that “he chose us in him before the creation of the world”, seems to indicate that he knew beforehand who would make that choice. There are mysteries here that no doubt we will sort out in eternity. Someone has said that Christ crucified is an eternal fact realised at a certain date, but touching all time with equal closeness.

Scholars differ as to whether 2 Peter was written by the apostle of Jesus or not. There is no direct mention of the cross here. It is plain that the writer had it in mind, however, when he declared that if we are not growing in our faith and character we “have forgotten that [we] have been cleansed from [our] past sins” (1:9), and also when he speaks of those who “secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves” (2:1).