9 - Conclusion

Summary

This concluding chapter draw together the preceding arguments of the book. Mapping systematic metaphors can reveal an individual or group’s underlying beliefs. This chapter therefore assembled all of the contributing pieces of linguistic evidence for the divine regeneration metaphor in 1 Peter. Once these were assembled and grouped, they were analyzed. First the dataset contained evidence of repetition, such as πατήρ (1:2, 3, 17), ἀναγεννάω (1:3, 23), inheritance words (κληρονομίαν, συγκληρονόμοις, κληρονομήσητε; 1:4; 3:7, 9), and other terms drawn from the nuclear family (1:14; 2:2; 3:6; 4:17; 5:9, 12, 13). These repetitions draw the letter’s recipients’ attention to repeated, structural patterns. Next, some basic metaphor mapping was done. Finally, systematic metaphors were distilled from this evidence. The following systematic metaphors have been identified: CHRISTIAN MEMBERSHIP IS BELONGING TO A SOJOURNING NATION, 2, CHRISTIAN MEMBERSHIP IS BEING BEGOTTEN ANEW AND GROWING UP IN GOD’S FAMILY. 3, GOD’S FAMILY IS AN ETHNIC GROUP