1 Peter - Introduction

For a brief introduction to the epistle, read notes from Dr. Thomas Constable (Dallas Theological Seminary). Recently I've read a number of very long explanations on whether or not the apostle Peter is the author of this book. I think Dr. Constable puts it into perspective:

This epistle claims that the Apostle Peter wrote it (1:1). Since there is only one Peter who was an apostle, we may be confident of the identity of the writer.1 There is only one Peter that the entire New Testament mentioned. Scholars did not question Peter's authorship until the nineteenth century when destructive biblical criticism became popular.

"The epistle has been well known and consistently acknowledged as Petrine from the second century well into modern times. . . .

"Aside from the four Gospels and the letters of Paul, the external attestation for 1 Peter is as strong, or stronger, than that for any NT book. There is no evidence anywhere of controversy over its authorship or
authority"3