First Epistle of Peter. 445 



application of the epithet "hving" is not only obscure here but 

 also has the appearance of a mixing of metaphors, and that the 

 transition is abrupt from " new born " babes longing for the reasonable 

 milk to " living stones " in a " spiritual house." These considerations 

 are important in determining the order of priority. In favor of Paul's 

 independence, Zahn offers the following : " Paul develops the figure 

 briefly at the end of the discussion ; Peter makes a varied and detailed 

 use of the same, in connection with various O. T. expressions, and also 

 sayings of Jesus. The building suggests the Lord of the building, who 

 has chosen this particular stone for a cornerstone, and Himself has put 

 it in place, after it had been rejected as worthless by the fooHsh master 

 builders. From the thought of the living character of the person 

 of Christ, who is represented as the corner-stone, is argued the living 

 character of the stones built upon this foundation, as well as the 

 freedom of their attachment to Him. The comparison of the 

 building with the temple suggests the thought of the priesthood 

 and the offerings. The corner-stone is also the curb-stone, over 

 which passers-by stumble. It would seem almost as if in I Pt. 

 2 ; 4— 8 one were hearing the voice of a preacher making various 

 appUcations of the figure suggested by his text, Eph. 2 ; 20-22 " 

 (Int. II, p. 187.) Alluding to I Pt. 2 ; 4-6 Monnier says : " La meme 

 image se retrouve dans Eph. 2 ; 20, 21, dont ce passage depend." 

 (Com. p. 90—91.) Cf. Ignatius and Hermas for further development. 

 There seems to be a clear case of the independence of Paul at this 

 point, but whether I Peter depends upon Ephesians, or Romans, 

 or both is not so clear. Our study of Romans (Ex. 2—4) led us to 

 beheve it to be the original starting point for our author. The above 

 discussion, it is believed, shows that he was also acquainted with 

 Ephesians. " II ne copie pas, il s'inspire. Son attitude est celle 

 d'un disciple." (Monnier's Com. p. 264.) 



I Pt. 3 ; 19 Eph. 4 ; 9 



ToTc £v (puXax^ xv£y[j.aai,v xopsu- xaTs(3Y] T^pwirov dc 'iroc xx-oi-rspa 



Apparently Paul thought only of the descent of Christ from heaven 

 to the present world ; the abode of the power of death. Yet some 

 think there is here an allusion to the idea as developed in I Peter. 

 The doctrine of the " Harrowing of Hell " in its pre-Christian form 

 probably goes back to Isa. 26 ; 12—19, which C hey ne dates cir. 104 

 B. C. (cf. also Ezek. 37.) It is based on the mythological conception 

 of Yahweh smiting the dragon of darkness and delivering his people 



