Peter Passing the Baton: How Luke Tries to Legitimize Paul

 Peter Passing the Baton: How Luke Tries to Legitimize Paul


When we read Acts carefully, a pattern emerges: the first half centers on Peter and Jerusalem, the second half on Paul and the Gentile mission. Seen closely, Luke isn’t just telling history—he is shaping a narrative to legitimize Paul. By mirroring Peter’s actions, Luke effectively passes the baton, making Paul appear as Peter’s natural successor in spreading the gospel beyond Israel.


In Acts 1–12, Peter dominates. He preaches at Pentecost, heals the lame, raises Tabitha, and faces Jewish authorities. Everything emphasizes a Jewish-centered mission and continuity with Israel: the temple, the Torah, the synagogues. Then Luke begins to shift. Paul enters, and suddenly the same patterns—miracles, healings, raising the dead, preaching in synagogues—are mirrored in Paul’s ministry among Gentiles. Lystra recalls the lame man at the temple; Eutychus recalls Tabitha; Paul’s handkerchiefs echo Peter’s “shadow” miracles. Luke’s narrative design is clear: Paul acts like Peter, but in a Gentile context, signaling that he carries the authority of the Jerusalem apostles.


Yet the narrative is carefully curated. Miracles are attributed to God, not Paul himself. Conflicts, especially with the Jerusalem church, are minimized or omitted. Luke’s goal is not historical transparency; it’s legitimizing Paul in the eyes of the wider church by showing continuity with the trusted Petrine mission. Peter is effectively the gatekeeper who passes the torch, even as Paul operates in new territory.


This literary legitimation extends to texts like 2 Peter, which calls Paul a “beloved brother.” Anti-Pauline readers notice several red flags. 2 Peter is widely considered the last New Testament book to be accepted into the canon. The Church Fathers themselves debated its authenticity, and modern scholarship sees it as heavily literary dependent on Jude, borrowing language, style, and structure. Its acknowledgment of Paul may be polite recognition of his influence, but it is far from a blanket theological endorsement. Instead, the book underscores the need for discernment when reading Paul’s letters.


Conclusion 


Taken together, Luke’s mirroring in Acts and the cautious recognition in 2 Peter suggest a deliberate strategy: to frame Paul as the legitimate successor to Peter without fully resolving historical or theological disputes. Peter passes the baton, Paul runs with it, and Luke’s narrative smooths over tensions. For readers critical of Paul, these texts reveal an agenda: legitimization through literary technique, rather than unqualified apostolic endorsement.

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