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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 June 2022
In 1 Peter 2:1-3, the author compares believers to newborn babes who are to crave the pure, “wordly” milk in order to grow. This chapter examines the role of breastfeeding in socializing an infant in ancient society. Breastfeeding symbolized an infant’s Jewishness. In 1 Peter, believers’ metaphorical breastfeeding developed their Christian ethnic identity. As a maternal image, this chapter investigates Jewish use of transgender imagery. Though 1 Peter does not call God “mother,” it attributes maternal imagery to God the Father. In Jewish literature, God, and other men, are sometimes depicted with maternal imagery. In the New Testament, Paul describes himself in maternal terms. These traditions illustrate that the Petrine maternal imagery had Jewish and early Christian precedents. Finally, this chapter shows, first, that this Petrine imagery develops the ethnic identity of believers, and, second describes aspects of God’s relationship with believers in terms associated with motherhood. This Petrine imagery is a creative way of communicating theological truths but is still in continuity with Jewish and early Christian traditions.
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