ReCIPROCITy AND sUFFeRING IN 1 PeTeR 2,19-20 427 for understanding ca,rij as “reward/credit”. But as it stands, kle,oj does not mean, “credit,” but “fame” or “glory” (see above). The second source from which proponents of this view seek to draw a connection is the language of the lxx. Many understand the statement tou/to ca,rij para. qew/| as a shorthand form of the popular idiom, eu`ri,skein ca,rin evnanti,on (or: evn ovfqalmoi/j) tino,j (“to find favor before [or: in the eyes of] someone”) 13. If so, it would suggest that the term ca,rij was meant to communicate something that is praiseworthy in God’s eyes. such a hypothesis aligns with the fact that this expression was picked up and frequently employed by later Jewish and Christian authors (cf. T. Reub. 4.8; Jos. Asen. 15.14; Pr. Levi 9; Philo, Deus 86; Acts 7,46). Given that the author of 1 Peter was keenly familiar with the Greek scriptures, his use of this phrase would seem quite natural. The problem is that the language of 1 Pet 2,20 is markedly different from the lxx, suggesting that a distinction should be drawn between these two clauses. One important difference is that the Petrine statement lacks the key terminology of this popular idiom. Instead of the verb eu`rh,sei, it is most natural to supply evstin in this instance. For not only does elision occur most often with an equative verb 14, but also there are no other instances where eu`ri,skein has been omitted from this idiom. Along with this, we might also point out that 1 Pet 2,19-20 includes the prepositional phrase para. qew/| rather than evnanti,on qeou/ 15. Without strong contextual indications to explain why these key terms are miss- ing, it would be unwise to read the verse in light of the traditional form. Another reason why a distinction should be drawn is the imper- sonal nature of the Petrine discourse. In every other occurrence of the idiom eu`ri,skein ca,rin evnanti,on (or: evn ovfqalmoi/j) tino,j, the phrase is personal. That is, it states that someone finds favor with God. In this case, however, the sentence merely communicates the fact that some- thing is pleasing to God. The closest parallel to such a proposed usage is found in luke 2,52, which states, vIhsou/j proe,kopten [evn th/|] sofi,a| kai. h`liki,a| kai. ca,riti para. qew/| kai. avnqrw,poij (“Jesus increased in 13 see, e.g., J. MONNIeR, La Première Épître de L’Apôtre Pierre (Macon 1900) 125; J.H.A. HART, The First Epistle General of Peter (expositor 5; london 1910) 61; J.W.C. WAND, The General Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude (WC; london 1934) 80; D.e. HIeBeRT, First Peter (Chicago 21992) 178. 14 see A.T. ROBeRTsON, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (Nashville 41934) 1202. 15 The construction eu`ri,skein ca,rin para. ti,ni is known (e.g., Philo, Leg. 3.77; Deus 74, 104, 109, 111; Abr. 131; luke 1,30; Herm. Sim. 5.2.10). But in these instances, the meaning of ca,rij is still dictated by its connection with eu`ri,skein.