But Could Peter Write Anything?

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1 and 2 Peter, other letters allegedly by him, a Gospel, three apocalypses. But Really? Could Peter even write? Today we take it for granted that an important and influential person can write. Not so for the ancient world. Would a fisherman from rural Galilee have been able to write well enough to compose whole texts? Elegantly phrased, not in his language? Could he have learned to write in later life? If in fact Peter couldn't write, then who composed the works attributed to him?

Megan asks Bart:

Who is Peter? What does the NT say about him?

Do we know anything about his background prior to Jesus?

Archaeologists have associated Capernaum with the archaeological site of Tell Hum - does the site suggest that its inhabitants would have been educated people?

Would anyone in the village have had any education?

What about after Jesus’ death? Is it reasonable to think that he may have acquired a literary education later in life?

What writings have been attributed to him?

Does the language or style used give us clues as to what kinds of people could have written them?

Does the author seem familiar with the Hebrew scriptures that Peter would have known?

Is there anything about any of these texts that suggests the apostle Peter is a likely author?

Is there another reason for thinking Peter didn’t write these?

How did ancient people try to differentiate between forgeries like these, and legitimate writings?