Journal: Tyndale Bulletin
Volume: TYNBUL 42:1 (NA 1991)
Article: A Heavenly Home For The Homeless Aliens And Strangers In 1 Peter
Author: Moses Chin

TynBul 42:1 (1991) p. 96

A Heavenly Home For The Homeless
Aliens And Strangers In 1 Peter

Moses Chin

Ever since J.H. Elliott’s ‘exegetical step-child’ was rehabilitated in 1976 more attention has been given to him.1 The search is still on however, to find ‘a home for the homeless’ step-child. Published in 1981, Elliott’s A Home for the Homeless2 was welcomed as a major contribution to the study of 1 Peter. Indeed it was. For the first time a full scale treatment of the epistle was made from the sociological-exegetical perspective,3 although this was not new to NT scholarship. What is new in Elliott’s case is the attempt to postulate the ‘situation and strategy’4 of the epistle by the examination of the correlation of the two terms: πάροικοι and οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ. He attempts to ‘“reach beyond old conclusions, set categories, and conventional methods” with the aim of transcending old impasses to understanding and thus breaking new ground’.5

Elliott’s work is based largely on B. Wilson’s sociological observations of the ‘sectarian phenomena’6 and thus resulted in an

TynBul 42:1 (1991) p. 97

emphasis on a ‘conflict theory’ in interpreting the epistle.7 The recipients were ‘resident aliens’, πάροικοι, and ‘visiting strangers’, παρεπίδημοι, whom Elliott postulates, were in conflict with society at large. Because of their social status they were deprived of any real home. Becoming Christians had only accentuated the difficulties. God-honouring citizens found themselves in a pagan State, Christian slaves had to serve hostile masters and believing wives continued to live with unbelieving husbands. Such conflicts however proved to have a positive effect on them in that they forced the Christians to be aware of their distinctive group identity and necessitated the maintenance of their group boundaries and cohesion. Such displaced people found ultimate comfort in the ‘household of God’, οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ, the Church.

Any attempt to help us understand better the primary document ought to be welcomed. The question still remains however, whether the evidence warrants the proposed sugg...