Satan, a Roaring Lion (I Peter 5:8)

Who described Satan as a roaring lion? Peter (I Peter 5:8)

I Peter encourages steadfastness and perseverance in the face of persecution (I Peter 1:1–2:10). In its closing advice, the letter warns to guard against the devil (I Peter 5:8). The letter draws on Old testament imagery and compares Satan to a lion (Psalms 22:13; Amos 3:8). The lion was a symbol of power, the king of the beasts (Proverbs 30:30) and an instrument of death (Daniel 6:16-28).

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (I Peter 5:8-9 NASB)

I Peter 5:8-9 has been part of the Compline (or Night Prayer), the final church service (or Office) of the day among Catholics, for centuries.

Thomas R. Schreiner (b. 1954) explains:

The devil roars like a lion to induce fear in the people of God. In other words, persecution is the roar by which he tries to intimidate believers in hopes that they will capitulate at the prospect of suffering. If believers deny their faith, then the devil has devoured them, bringing them back into his fold...The roaring of the devil is the crazed anger of a defeated enemy, and if they do not fear his ferocious bark, they will never be consumed by his bite. (Schreiner, The New American Commentary, Volume 37 - I and II Peter, Jude, 242)

If Satan were an animal, what animal would the devil be? Why? (Yes I just asked that.) In what ways is the devil like a lion?

Wayne A. Grudem (b. 1948) writes, “The metaphor is apt, for a prowling lion attacks suddenly, viciously, and often when its unsuspecting victim is engaged in routine activities (Grudem, 1 Peter (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries), 196).”

Lions do not hunt indiscriminately but rather use a highly calculated method. They choose the coolest hours to hunt which is linked to energy conservation since their hearts are relatively small. Lions usually seek prey under a cover of night and the moonless part of the night is preferred. Lions hunt less during the day due to the heat and the probability of being spotted by their prey. When they do hunt during the day, their best opportunity for making a kill is when they encounter a lone animal who is caught by surprise. They methodically stalk the prey moving closer inch by inch and strike when the animal lowers its head to graze.

Once a lion has selected its prey, it will sprint to it and attempt to grab hold of it. As lions are not endurance runners, they usually need to be within 20 yards of their quarries. Killing is generally done in two stages, first, bringing the animal down, then completing the kill. Many animals who are seemingly successful in escaping a lion’s advances die later from lacerations. Most deaths at the paws of lions occur through suffocation as a single lion will often crush its victim’s windpipe. After a success, unlike most other cats, lions prefer to eat crouching or lying down. A lion will then gorge itself, if possible, on any given kill.

Interestingly, the prey seldom struggles after it is brought down, perhaps due to the shock of being caught. Although it may seem that lions attempt to “humanely” dispatch their prey, they actually selfishly prefer quick kills so that they will be able to dine sooner.

In comparing the devil to a ravenous lion, I Peter paints the image of a calculating predator. In response to this threat, the epistle repeats its previous commands to be self controlled or “sober” (I Peter 1:13, 4:7, 5:8) and adds that the Christian need always be alert.

In what ways are you guarding against Satan?

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” - Ephesians 6:11 NASB

Born Again In The U.S.A.

Who said, “You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable through the living and abiding word of God?” Peter (I Peter 1:23)

In Christian circles, “born again” delineates a spiritual rebirth, as opposed to the universal experience of physical birth. Being born again is synonymous with salvation. Though the phrase “born again” is featured prominently in the evangelical lexicon, it is not stressed in the Bible where the term appears only three times (John 3:3; I Peter 1:3, 23).

The designation gained popularity in evangelical circles in 1976 with the publication of the book Born Again . In the memoir, Chuck Colson (b. 1931) describes his conversion from Watergate conspirator and convicted felon to Christian disciple. The book helped solidify “born again” as a cultural construct in the United States.

Do you identify yourself with the term “born again”? Birth is a painful process. If you are a born again Christian, was there any pain associated with your rebirth?

The phrase “born again” originates with Jesus. Christ affirms “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3, NASB).” Jesus uses the nomenclature “born again” with a Pharisee named Nicodemus (John 3:1). Pharisees were a powerful and educated Jewish sect and it is significant that Jesus uses this terminology with this audience. Jesus challenges the traditional Jewish notion that salvation was rooted in being the seed of Abraham (Genesis 22:18; Psalm 105:6; Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:16), a physical lineage. Instead, Jesus declared that redemption occurs through being born again, a spiritual inheritance.

I Peter expounds on the concept of being born again and assures that the second birth is an improvement over the first as it is imperishable (I Peter 1:23). The Greek for “imperishable” is aphthartos meaning “uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable”. I Peter uses the word three times (I Peter 1:4, 23; 3:4), more than any other book in the New Testament . The epistle stresses the eternal nature of Christian blessing as it is written to a community suffering persecution in the present (I Peter 2:12, 3:9, 16, 4:4, 1, 5:9).

Do you find comfort in having been reborn of imperishable seed? Do you ever take salvation for granted as I Peter’s original audience likely did?

Why were humans not born with imperishable seed in their initial physical birth? Why were we designed in need of rebirth?

“He not busy being born is busy dying.” - Bob Dylan (b. 1941), “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)”

Writing Through Silvanus

Who was Peter’s secretary? Silvanus (I Peter 5:12)

Many have concluded that Silvanus served as Peter’s secretary during the composition of I Peter. Silvanus is thought to be interchangeable with Paul’s companion Silas as Paul’s letters refer to a Silvanus (II Corinthians 1:19; I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 1:1) and Silas and Silvanus are the Greek and Latin forms of same name respectively. In fact, some translations (MSG, NIV, NLT) of I Peter 5:12 simply forego the name Silas in favor of Silvanus.

Secretary may not an entirely accurate job title in this case. The text reads “through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly...” (I Peter 5:12, NASB). Many scholars have concluded that writing “through” Silvanus signifies that he was the served as courier as Silas had done previously (Acts 15:23). Some argue that given the vast regions to which the epistle was addressed (I Peter 1:1), this interpretation is improbable.

It is equally likely that Silvanus served as Peter’s scribe, known as an amanuensis. Paul also incorporated an amanuensis (Romans 16:22). A modern equivalent might be the stenographer. Supporters of this view argue that Silvanus, as amanuensis, likely had great influence on the structure and configuration of the writing as Peter presumably had very little education as a fisherman (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11).

How much leeway did an amanuensis have? How much of himself did he pour into the manuscript? Does it matter who performed the actual penning of the Biblical letters? Why? Why not?

Writing “through” Silvanus is ambiguous. Perhaps it should be. The process by which the Holy Writ was written is mystery. The real issue is not who formulated the documents but rather who inspired them.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” - II Timothy 3:16, NASB)