In this post I will furnish another case to illustrate why translations matter. I will be focusing on the inspired witness of the letters that the Spirit moved Peter to compose, commonly known as the Petrine Epistles.
These letters explicitly state that they were composed by Peter, and that the blessed Apostle even used an amanuensis (secretary/scribe) for at least one of them:
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as exiles, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen.” 1 Peter 1:1
“Through Silvanus, our faithful brother as I regard him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and bearing witness that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark.” 1 Peter 5:12-13
“Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received the same kind of faith as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:” 2 Peter 1:1
“This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,” 2 Peter 3:1
The 2nd letter also refers to the time when Peter saw Christ transfigured on the Mountain:
“For we did not make known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, following cleverly devised myths, but being eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased’—and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” 2 Peter 1:16-18 – Cf. Matt. 17:1-13; Mark 9:1-9; Luke 9:29-36
Unless noted otherwise, the translation I will be employing is the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) since this version is based on the critical Greek NT text, collated from the earlier papyri and major codices. I call this the Critical Text (CT). It is not based on the Byzantine or Majority Text (MT), or even the Received Text (Textus Receptus [TR]), from which the King James Version was produced. In the conclusion, I will mention the major variant reading which impacts the Christology of one specific verse from Peter’s epistles.
SPIRIT OF YHWH JESUS
To begin with, Peter identifies the Holy Spirit who spoke to and through the prophets in revealing the future sufferings and glorification of the Messiah as the Spirit of Christ:
“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, made careful searches and inquiries, inquiring to know what time or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He was predicting the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been declared to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.” 1 Peter 1:10-12
For a Jew to describe the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of a fellow Jew is truly astonishing seeing that the Holy Spirit who inspired the OT prophets is clearly identified as the Spirit of YHWH God Almighty!
“You gave Your good Spirit to give them insight, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst… However, You bore with them for many years, And testified to them by Your Spirit by the hand of Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear. So You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.” Nehemiah 9:20, 30
“The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘He who rules over men as a righteous one, Who rules in the fear of God,’” 2 Samuel 23:2-3
“Draw near to Me, hear this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. So now Lord Yahweh has sent Me, and His Spirit.”” Isaiah 48:16
“The Spirit of Lord Yahweh is upon me Because Yahweh has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to captives And freedom to prisoners,” Isaiah 61:1
“On the other hand I am filled with power— With the Spirit of Yahweh— And with justice and might To declare to Jacob his transgression, Even to Israel his sin.” Micah 3:8
“And they made their hearts diamond-hard so that they could not hear the law and the words which Yahweh of hosts had sent by His Spirit by the hand of the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from Yahweh of hosts.” Zechariah 7:12
In light of the above, the only way that Peter could say that the Holy Spirit is Christ’s Spirit is if he believed that Jesus is indeed YHWH God Incarnate.
TASTING THE KINDNESS OF YHWH JESUS
The Apostle speaks to the believers who have tasted the kindness of the Lord Jesus in contrast to those that had rejected Him, the living Stone chosen by and precious to God:
“if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord (egeusasthe hoti chrestos ho Kyrios). And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,” 1 Peter 2:3-4
Here, Peter has applied to the risen Jesus the very language of the Psalmist, who invites mankind to taste for themselves how good YHWH truly is:
“O taste and see that Yahweh is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:8
“Taste and see that the Lord is good (geusasthe… hoti chrestos ho Kyrios): blessed is the man who hopes in him.” Psalm 33:9 LXX
Once again, the only way that a Jewish monotheist could ascribe a text about YHWH to the Man Jesus is if that Jewish believer had become convinced of the fact that the risen Christ was no mere Jewish Man. Rather, this simply hammers the point that the blessed Apostle must have believed that Jesus is in actual fact YHWH God who became a human being.
THE JUST GOD WHO SAVES
The foregoing helps us appreciate why Peter in his second epistle could speak of Jesus being the God and Savior of believers:
“Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received the same kind of faith as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (dikaiosyne tou Theou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou):” 2 Peter 1:1
The inspired Apostle is again (are the readers surprised at this point?) alluding to an OT text where YHWH is said to be the only just God and Savior of the world:
“Declare and draw near with your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has made this heard from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, Yahweh? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:21-22
Note what the Greek says:
“If they will declare, let them draw nigh, that they may know together, who has caused these things to be heard from the beginning: then was it told you. I am God (ego ho Theos), and there is not another beside me; a just [God] and a Saviour (dikaios kai Soter); there is none but me.” Isaiah 45:21 LXX
Peter employs the same Greek grammatical construction in several places throughout his inspired letter, which no one seriously doubts are references to the risen Christ:
“for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (tou Kyriou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou) will be abundantly supplied to you.” 2 Peter 1:11
“For if they are overcome, having both escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (tou Kyriou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou) and having again been entangled in them, then the last state has become worse for them than the first.” 2 Peter 2:20 – Cf. 3:2, 18
The language employed in the aforementioned texts echoes the way the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible describes YHWH God:
“Then when she had become majestic, after calling upon the all-seeing God and savior (Theon kai sotera), she took along two of her attendants;” D:2
“Then, when she had become majestic, and after calling upon the all-knowing One and savior God, she took along with her two attendants;” 5:2 (Esther, translated by Karen H. Jobes, in A New English Translation of the Septuagint [NETS], including corrections and emendations made in the second printing (2009) and corrections and emendations [Oxford University Press , 2014], p. 433; emphasis mine)
“[A Psalm] of David, before he was anointed.] The Lord (Kyrios) is my light and my Saviour (soter mou); whom shall I fear? the Lord is the defender of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?… Turn not thy face away from me, turn not thou away from thy servant in anger: be thou my helper, forsake me not; and, O God my Saviour (ho Theos ho soter mou), overlook me not.” Psalm 26:1, 9 LXX
“Behold, the Lord is my God, my savior (ho Theos mou soter mou Kyrios); I will trust in him and will not be afraid, because the Lord is my glory and my praise and he has become my salvation (soterian).” Isaiah 12:2 (Esaias, translated by Moisés Silva, in NETS, p. 834; emphasis mine)
“So Jacob ate and was filled, and the beloved one kicked; he grew fat, he became thick and broad: then he forsook the God that made him, and departed from God his Saviour (Theou soteros autou).” Deuteronomy 32:15 LXX
I again reiterate this point. The only way that Jewish monotheists such as Peter would dare to confess Christ as the Lord, God and Savior of the believers is if they/he had become convinced that Jesus is YHWH God in the flesh.
THE LORD WHO IS ETERNALLY PRAISED
Seeing that the Apostle clearly viewed Jesus as YHWH God who became Man, it should therefore not surprise the readers that he concludes his second epistle with a doxology to the risen Lord, which is an ascription of eternal glory and praise that one is supposed to give to God alone:
“that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior (tou Kyriou kai Soteros) spoken by your apostles… but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (tou Kyriou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou). To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:2, 18
Contrast this with the doxologies that Peter offers to God the Father:
“whoever speaks, as one speaking the oracles of God; whoever serves, as one serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and might forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11
“And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, strengthen, confirm, and ground you. To Him be might forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:10-11
This again highlights the fact that Peter must have viewed Christ as being essentially coequal with the Father, and therefore worthy of the same glory, honor and praise which the Father is supposed to receive from all believers.
REVERENCING YHWH JESUS
The next examples are also remarkable:
“For this is contained in Scripture: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes upon Him will not be put to shame.’ This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief corner stone,’ and, ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this stumbling they were also appointed.” 1 Peter 2:6-8
“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their fear, and do not be troubled (ton de phobon auton me phobethete mede tarachthete), but sanctify Christ as Lord (Kyrion de, ton Christon hagiasate) in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear,” 1 Peter 3:14-15
Peter has taken (surprise!) the very description which Isaiah attributes to YHWH, and applied it to the risen Christ.
Note what the blessed prophet wrote in regards to reverencing YHWH, the Stone and Rock that causes unbelievers to stumble:
“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy; And you are not to fear what they fear, and you shall not tremble. It is Yahweh of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your cause of trembling. Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Isaiah 8:12-14
Now compare the way the Greek versions (known as the Septuagint [LXX]) render the Hebrew of Isaiah:
“Let them not say, [It is] hard, for whatsoever this people says, is hard: but fear not ye their fear, neither be dismayed (ton de phobon autou ou me phobethete oude me tarachthete). Sanctify ye the Lord himself (Kyrion auton hagiasate); and he shall be thy fear. And if thou shalt trust in him, he shall be to thee for a sanctuary; and ye shall not come against [him] as against a stumbling-stone, neither as against the falling of a rock: but the houses of Jacob are in a snare, and the dwellers in Jerusalem in a pit.” Isaiah 8:12-14 LXX
The Greek of both Isaiah and Peter are virtually identical, making the identification of Jesus as YHWH absolutely certain and inescapable… unless, of course, one takes into consideration the fact that there is a variant reading, which affects the meaning of this citation from Peter.
This now brings me to my final point.
A VARIANT THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
As noted, 1 Pete 3:15 is a passage which is affected by a variant reading, one that directly impact the issue of whether Christ is being identified as YHWH.
I will cite a slew of translations from both the Critical Text (CT) stream, and the Majority Text/Received Text (MT/TR), which will help the readers see the difference that exists in the manuscripts (MSS).
CT
“but treat the Messiah as holy, as Lord in your hearts; while remaining always ready to give a reasoned answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you — yet with humility and fear,” CJB
“But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have.” ERV
“Instead, always remember that Christ is your Lord. Let him rule how you live. People may ask you, ‘Why do you trust God to help you?’ You must always be ready to answer them about that.” EASY
“But regard the Lord, the Christ, as holy in your hearts. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you.” EHV
“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” ESV
“Instead, exalt the Messiah as Lord in your lives. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope you have.” ISV
“But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence in God when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect.” NOG
“But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have,” NCV
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” NIV
“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” NLT
“But reverence in your levavot Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach as Adoneinu, prepared always for a hitstaddekut (an apologetic defense) to everyone coming to you with a she’elah (question), ready with a word concerning the tikvah in you,” OJB
“but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;” RSV
“But hallow ye the Lord Christ in your hearts, and evermore be ye ready to [do] satisfaction to each man asking you reason of that faith and hope that is in you, but with mildness and dread,” WYC
MT/TR
“but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” AKJV
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and fear.” MEV
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” NKJV
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,” WEB
As the readers can see, English versions based on the CT all have Christ as the Lord whom believers are to regard and revere as holy. On the other hand, the reading found in the MT/TR have the term God (Theon) as opposed to the word Christ (Christon). Therefore, according to the MT/TR it is the Lord God whom believers are to revere.
The NET has a textual note here explaining the MSS evidence for the two variants:
tc Most later mss, including some significant ones (P 5 81 436 442 1735 2344 2492 M) have θεόν (theon, “God”) instead of Χριστόν (Christon; “Christ”) here. But Χριστόν is widely supported by excellent and early witnesses (P א A B C Ψ 33 1175 1243 1611 1739 1852 latt sy co), and as a less common idiom better explains the rise of the other reading. (NET Bible https://netbible.org/bible/1+Peter+3; emphasis mine)
Hence, whether 1 Peter 3:15 is a place in the Petrine writings where Christ is identified as YHWH God Almighty depends on whether a person believes that the original readings of the inspired autographs are to be found in the CT. If so, then this is another case where Peter identifies his Lord as YHWH God Incarnate.
If, however, the individual believes that the original inspired words are located within the MT/TR then 1 Peter 3:15 must be jettisoned since according to these MSS this verse does not describe the risen Christ as YHWH.
Unless stated otherwise, scriptural references are from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).
FURTHER READING
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