The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place In The Biblical Story

by Craig G. Bartholomew

Bruce Winter, Seek the Welfare of the City: Christians as Benefactors and Citizens (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994). Winter has an extensive discussion of Peter’s treatment of this theme. He sees parallels between the book of 1 Peter and the command of Jeremiah to an exiled people. Jeremiah says, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which [the Lord has] carried you into exile” (29:7). Peter urges the church to do good, seek peace, and bless the unbelieving world (1 Pet. 3:9–11) where they live as exiles (1:1; 2:11; plausibly exiled from Rome). They are to resist the evil in the culture of their day. But at the same time they are to “live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (2:12). Winter follows this by explaining the task of believers in various social realms in the public life of the Roman Empire. They were to be holy in all they did (1:15).