First Epistle of Peter. 



491 



Order of Parallels. 



The many suggestive parallels between these two Epistles would 

 form a conclusive argument for literary dependence, were we not 

 certain that they both rest upon the Epistles of Paul. It is diffe- 

 cult to determine whether one author is drawing from Paul independ- 

 ently or at the suggestion of the other. Nor is it easy to tell whether 

 one is drawing directly from the other or whether they are expressing 

 thought due to a common background. Through this labyrinth 

 of possibilities we can only hope to discover a somewhat circuitous 

 trail. From the marked text on page 101 f . it would appear that these 

 authors sometimes follow paths over which Paul had never traveled. 

 Since these paths are quite clearly defined in some instances of 

 resemblance here one may readily infer that there is some literary 

 connection between I Peter and Hebrews. 



Furthermore there are places where we were led to believe that 

 one author pointed out the Pauhne path to the other. In view of 

 the many striking parallels one is tempted to assert that these Epistles 

 show a direct literary connection. Though the case seems very 

 certain, the complication of possibilities lessens the degree of cer- 

 tainty until it would seem advisable to claim no more than that one 

 author very probably knew the work of the other. 



Tbans. Conn. Acad., Vol. XVII. 33 January, 1913. 



