First Peter - Lorin

c) benedictio (#85).
II. Message
Given the well defined contents of this passage, the exegesis of the various units will follow the literary
forms that are contained in the letter Conclusio. Then, we will do a brief synopsis of the contents of the letter
following the outline as our final look at this letter in this series of studies.
a. Sender Verification, v. 12
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.
Διὰ Σιλουανοῦ ὑμῖν τοῦ πιστοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, ὡς λογίζομαι, διʼ ὀλίγων ἔγραψα, παρακαλῶν καὶ ἐπιμαρτυρῶν ταύτην
εἶναι ἀληθῆ χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ· εἰς ἣν στῆτε.
Notes:
Διὰ Σιλουανοῦ ὑμῖν τοῦ πιστοῦ ἀδελφοῦ...ἔγραψα. Peter indicates that he has written (ἔγραψα) this letter
through Silvanus (Διὰ Σιλουανοῦ) to his readers (ὑμῖν).
Each of these segments is important.
Who was Silvanus? 32 This spelling of his name,
along with an alternative Σιλβανός (2 Cor. 1:19 only), is
either a Latin form written out using Greek letters, or an
original Greek name. In either case, Σιλᾶς or Σίλας 33 (Silas)
-- both spellings are found in only in Acts in the New
Testament -- represents a shortened Greek adaptation
32 “Σιλουανός, οῦ, ὁ (Diod S 11, 27, 1, a Σ. as contemporary with the battle of Salamis [480 B.C.]; OGI 533, 50 [time of
Augustus] and later ins and pap; Jos., Ant. 20:14; in rabbinic lit. יִנָוְליִס CIJ I, 596) Silvanus; surely the same man who appears in
Ac as Σίλας (q.v.). Either he had two names (like Paul), one Semit. and one Lat. (Zahn), or Σιλουανός is the Lat. form of the same
name that is Grecized in Σίλας (B-D-F §125, 2; Mlt-H. 109f; 146). 2 Cor 1:19 (v.l. Σιλβανός, which is also found Diod S 11, 41, 1);
1 Th 1:1; 2 Th 1:1 (s. also the subscr. of 2 Th); 1 Pt 5:12 (this pass. has given rise to the conclusion that Silvanus was somehow or
other [as translator? in Sb 8246, 38 Germanus speaks before the court διʼ ʼ Ανουβίωνος ἑρμηνεύοντος] connected w. the writing of
1 Pt; e.g., Zahn [Einleitung II3 10f], GWohlenberg [NKZ 24, 1913, 742–62], WBornemann [Der erste Petrusbrief—eine Taufrede
des Silvanus?: ZNW 19, 1920, 143ff], Harnack [Mission I4 1923, 85], LRadermacher [Der 1 Pt u. Silvanus: ZNW 25, 1926, 287ff];
ESelwyn, 1 Pt ’46, 9–17 but s. WKümmel [Introd. NT, tr. HKee, ’75, 416–25]).—M-M.” [William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker and
Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 2000), 923.]
33 “Σιλᾶς, α or Σίλας, ᾶ (still other spellings are attested for the NT; s. B-D-F §53, 2; 125, 2), ὁ (several times in Joseph. as a
Semitic name; OGI 604, 4; IGR III 817, 1. Evidently=אָליִאְׁש,
the Aram. form [in Palmyrene inscriptions] of לּואָׁש
Saul) Silas. This
name, which occurs only in Ac, is borne by a respected member of the church at Jerusalem who was prophetically gifted 15:22, 27;
he was sent to Antioch and stayed there vss. 32, 33 [34] v.l.; later he accompanied Paul on his so-called second missionary journey
15:40–18:5 (mentioned nine times). Despite CWeizsäcker, Das apost. Zeitalter2 1892, 247 et al., incl. LRadermacher, ZNW 25,
1926, 295, it is hardly to be doubted that this Silas is the same pers. as the Σιλουανός who is mentioned in Paul and 1 Pt. See the
next entry and s. AStegmann, Silvanus als Missionär u. ‘Hagiograph’ 1917. S. also s.v. Ἰωάν(ν)ης 6.—TRE III 609. M-M.” [William
Arndt, Frederick W. Danker and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,
3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 923.]
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