Epistle, especially from the Sermon on the Mount. Comp. James 1:2 with Matt. 5:10–12; James
1:4 with Matt. 5:48; James 1:17 with Matt. 7:11; James 1:20 with Matt. 5:22; James 1:22 sqq. with
Matt. 7:21 sq.; James 1:23 with Matt. 7:26; James 2:13 with Matt. 6:14 sq.; James 2:14 with Matt.
7:21–23; James 3:2 with Matt. 12:36, 37; James 3:17, 18 with Matt. 5:9; James 4:3 with Matt. 7:7;
James 4:4 with Matt. 6:24; James 5:12 with Matt. 5:34. According to a notice in the
pseudo-Athanasian Synopsis, James "the Bishop of Jerusalem" translated the Gospel of Matthew
from the Aramaic into the Greek. But there are also parallelisms between James and the first Epistle
of Peter, and even between James and the apocryphal books of Ecclesiasticus and the Wisdom of
Solomon. See Plumptre, Com. on James, pp. 32 sq.§ 70. II. Peter and the Gospel of Hope.
(Comp. the Lit. in §§ 25 and 26.)
Peter stands between James and Paul, and forms the transition from the extreme conservatism
of the one to the progressive liberalism of the other. The germ of his doctrinal system is contained
in his great confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.^766 A short creed indeed,
with only one article, but a fundamental and all-comprehensive article, the corner-stone of the
Christian church. His system, therefore, is Christological, and supplements the anthropological
type of James. His addresses in the Acts and his Epistles are full of the fresh impressions which
the personal intercourse with Christ made upon his noble, enthusiastic, and impulsive nature.
Christianity is the fulfilment of all the Messianic prophecies; but it is at the same time itself a
prophecy of the glorious return of the Lord. This future glorious manifestation is so certain that it
is already anticipated here in blessed joy by a lively hope which stimulates to a holy life of
preparation for the end. Hence, Peter eminently deserves to be called "the Apostle of hope."^767
I. Peter began his testimony with the announcement of the historical facts of the resurrection
of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and represents these facts as the divine seal of his
Messiahship, according to the prophets of old, who bear witness to him that through his name every
one that believes shall receive remission of sins. The same Jesus whom God raised from the dead
and exalted to his right hand as Lord and Saviour, will come again to judge his people and to bring
in seasons of refreshing from his presence and the apokatastasis or restitution of all things to their
normal and perfect state, thus completely fulfilling the Messianic prophecies. There is no salvation
out of the Lord Jesus Christ. The condition of this salvation is the acknowledgment of his
Messiahship and the change of mind and conduct from the service of sin to holiness.^768
These views are so simple, primitive, and appropriate that we cannot conceive how Peter
could have preached differently and more effectively in that early stage of Christianity. We need
not wonder at the conversion of three thousand souls in consequence of his, pentecostal sermon.
His knowledge gradually widened and deepened with the expansion of Christianity and the
conversion of Cornelius. A special revelation enlightened him on the question of circumcision and(^766) Matt. 16:16; comp. John 6:68, 69.
(^767) Weiss (p. 172): "Die Hoffnung bildet in der Anschauung des Petrus den eigentlichen Mittelpunkt des Christenlebens. Sie
erscheint bei ihm in der höchsten Energie, wonach die gehoffte Vollendung bereits unmittelbar nahe gerückterscheint."
(^768) See his Pentecostal sermon, Acts 2:14 sqq.; his addresses to the people, 3:12 sqq.; before the Sanhedrin, 4:8 sqq.; 5:29 sqq.;
to Cornelius, 10:34 sqq.
A.D. 1-100.