Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 64:4 (Dec 2021)
Article: The Matthean Peter: Peter As Archetype And Antitype Of The Sermon On The Mount
Author: Charles Nathan Ridlehoover

JETS 64:4 (December 2021) p. 729

The Matthean Peter:
Peter As Archetype And Antitype
Of The Sermon On The Mount

Charles Nathan Ridlehoover*

* Charles Nathan Ridlehoover holds a PhD in NT from the University of Bristol, Trinity College, and resides in North Carolina. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Abstract: Descriptions of the Matthean Peter often conclude that Peter is either a “supreme Rabbi,” a representative but banal example for future disciples, or even a false disciple and apostate. This essay argues that Peter is the archetype and antitype of a Sermon on the Mount disciple, a claim consistent with but more precise than previous scholarship. The verbal, thematic, and structural cues between Matthew’s Petrine narratives and the Sermon on the Mount paint a depiction of the disciple as embodying all the highs and lows of the Matthean Sermon with a particular emphasis on the Two Ways discourse (Matt 7:13–27). It examines the Matthean depiction of Peter through the use of his name (Matt 4–10) and the distinctive Matthean narratives that discuss his relationship with Jesus (Matt 14:28–31; 15:15–20; 16:13–23; 17:24–27; and 18:21–22).

Key words: Gospel of Matthew, Peter, Sermon on the Mount, Two Ways discourse, narrative criticism, discipleship

Matthew’s Gospel provides an engaging and distinctive description of Jesus’s first disciple—the fisherman turned apostle, Simon Peter. Interest in the figure of Peter has grown significantly since 1962, with two major interpretive options gaining traction.1 Scholars have proposed that the Matthean Peter is either a “supreme Rabbi” or very “typical” disciple.2 In the first case, Peter is cast as a hero of Matthew’s Gospel and Christianity in general. Advocates for the first option include Reinhart Hummel,3 Günther Bornkamm,4 and most recently, Christoph Kähler. Kähler’s comments are representative: “Petrus ist Garant und Tradent der neuen Halacha.”5 Peter is the “rock” on which the church is built and the quintessential medium through which post-resurrection teaching will commence (You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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