Texts in Conversation
Jesus in Matthew and 1 Peter teach that good conduct leads observers to respond with praise, presenting ethical living as a public witness. The similarity suggests that 1 Peter used Matthew or a common source.
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Matthew 5:16
New Testament
15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven. 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them.
Date: 70-90 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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1 Peter 2:12
New Testament
11 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, 12 and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. 13 Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme
Date: 60-65 C.E. (If authentic), 80-90 C.E. (If anonymous) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The possibility that I Peter knew and used Matthew has been canvassed again recently. However, in the two passages that are most often referred to, the evidence is hardly overwhelming. 1 Peter 3:14 and 4:14 seem to echo Matthew 5:10, but there are only three Greek words in common. Matthew 5:16 and 1 Peter 2:12 are strikingly similar in content, but they have only four Greek words in common. Did the author of 1 Peter have a copy of Matthew to hand, or did he know some Matthean traditions by heart? A decision is difficult, and there is a third option which is made a little more likely by some considerations advanced in the final section of this paper: the author of 1 Peter may have possessed a notebook with a collection of Matthean verses in it ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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