Words of Approval

Jesus’s final discussion with Peter was a reaffirmation of Peter’s commission, not a question of why he denied him. Scholars have distinguished between agape love and fili love, saying the former referred to a committed love, whereas the latter to a friendly love. That, however, is not accurate since John uses fili love to express the Father’s love for the Son (John 5:20), Jesus’s love for Lazarus (11:3, 36), the Father’s love for the disciples (16:27), the disciples’ love for Jesus (16:27), and Jesus’s love for John (20:2). Further, Jesus defined the greatest love (agape) as someone laying down one’s life for a friend, a filos (15:13). Most likely, then, for the disciples, fili love was as significant as agape love. Regardless, Jesus commissioned Peter: “Feed my lambs,” “Shepherd my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” Jesus reaffirmed three times Peter’s call and commission to be the leader of Jesus’s movement, the church.

Peter did the same for his audience as he concluded the letter.

“Through Silvanus, whom I consider my faithful brother, I have written to you briefly asking and testifying where you stand to be the genuine grace of God.” (1 Pet 5:12)

Silvanus joined Paul early in his missionary journey. Paul visited the Thessalonians in his second missionary journey. Soon after that, Paul wrote two letters to the Thessalonians. Silvanus and Timothy were co-writers in those letters (1 Thess 1:1 and 2 Thess 1:1). Paul visited the Corinthians on that same journey. Later, Paul said that Silvanus and Timothy preached the gospel to the Corinthians along with him (2 Cor 1:19). In Acts, however, “Silas” accompanied Paul and Timothy on that journey. Perhaps Silas was a shorter form of Silvanus, and they were the same person.

This letter shows that Silvanus also worked with Peter, who might have been a Hebrew/Aramaic speaker, and Silvanus, his translator (as was John Mark in the composition of the Gospel of Mark). Peter mentioned him to give him acknowledgment (as many authors acknowledged their secretaries, scribes, or amanuensis). But more than that, he considered him a faithful brother whom he trusted to write precisely what Peter meant and spoke. Peter knew it was a short letter, but his goal was achieved in this letter, nevertheless.

Peter had two goals: to ask and testify that they were standing on the genuine grace of God. He began chapters 2 and 5 with the word ask: “Beloved, I ask you” (2:11), and “Elders, I ask you” (5:1). The verb ask (parakaleo) is still used by the Greeks as a polite request, like, “please.” Peter’s intentions weren’t to scold or demand but to politely request that they continue fighting the good fight. In fact, he testified that their ground was solid – they stood on the genuine grace of God.

Receiving a letter from Peter, the founder of the Christian church, would have alarmed his readers. “What would Peter say?” they might have wondered. After reading it and Peter testifying to their faith, they would have been challenged more to persevere amidst suffering. They were, after all, standing in the genuine grace of God.

In ministry and life, affirmations are important. Just as we need them, we should be willing to give them. God’s work in people’s lives might go slower than we want, but that shouldn’t make us scold people. Instead, we should continue to encourage them about where they are. The same is true of us. We shouldn’t be harsh toward us when we fail. God is faithful to make us stand.