| Back to Home Page | Back to
Book Index |
1 Peter Chapter
Two
1 Peter 2
Thus cleansed therefore and born of the word, they were
to put off all fraud, hypocrisy, envy, slander; and, as new-born babes, to seek
for this milk of the understanding, in order to grow thereby (for the word is
the milk of the child, as it was the seed of its life); and we are to receive
it as babes in all simplicity, if in truth we have felt that the Lord is good
and full of grace. It is not Sinai (where the Lord God declared His law from
the midst of the fire, so that they entreated not to hear His voice any more),
to which I am come, or from which the Lord is speaking. If I have tasted and
understood that the Lord acts in grace, that He is love towards me, and that
His word is the expression of that grace, even as it communicates life, I shall
desire to feed on this milk of the understanding, which the believer enjoys in
proportion to his simplicity; that good word which announces to me nothing but
grace, and the God whom I need as all grace, full of grace, acting in grace, as
revealing Himself to me in this character-a character which He can never cease
to maintain towards me, making me a partaker of His holiness.
I now know the Lord Himself: I have tasted that which He is. Moreover
this is still in contrast with the legal condition of the Jew, although it is
the fulfillment of that which the Psalms and the prophets had declared (the
resurrection having plainly revealed in addition a heavenly hope). It was they
themselves who were now the spiritual house, the holy priesthood. They came to
the Living Stone, rejected indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious, and
they were built up on Him as living stones. The apostle delights in this word
" living." It was to him the Father had revealed that Jesus was the Son
of the living God. No one else had then confessed Him as such, and the Lord
told him that on this rock (that is, on the Person of the Son of God in power
of life, manifested in the resurrection, which declared Him to be such) He
would build His assembly. Peter, by his faith, participated in the nature of
this living rock. Here then (chap. 2:5) he extends this character to all
believers, and exhibits the holy house built on the Living Stone, which God
Himself had laid as the chief corner-stone elect and precious. Whosoever
believed in Him should not be confounded. [1] Now, it was not only in the eyes of God that
this stone was precious, but in the eyes of faith which--feeble as the possessors
of it may be-sees as God sees. To unbelievers this stone was a stone of
stumbling and of offence. They stumbled at the word, being disobedient, to
which also they were appointed. It does not say that they were appointed to sin
nor to condemnation, but these unbelieving and disobedient sinners, the Jewish
race-long rebellious, and continually exalting themselves against God-were
destined to find in the Lord of grace Himself a rock of offence; and to stumble
and fall upon that which was to faith the precious stone of salvation. It was
to this particular fall that their unbelief was destined.
Believers, on the contrary, entered into the enjoyment of
the promises made to Israel, and that in the most excellent way. Grace-and the
very faithfulness of God-had brought the fulfillment of the promise in the
Person of Jesus, the minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to
fulfill the promises made to the fathers. And, although the nation had rejected
Him, God would not deprive of the blessings those who-in spite of all this
difficulty to faith and to the heart-had submitted to the obedience of faith
and attached themselves to Him who was the despised of the nation. They could
not have the blessing of Israel with the nation on earth, because the nation had
rejected Him; but they were brought fully into the relationship with God of a
people accepted of Him. The heavenly character which the blessing now assumed
did not destroy their acceptance according to the promise; only they entered
into it according to grace. For the nation, as a nation, had lost it; not only
long ago by disobedience, but now by rejecting Him who came in grace to impart
to them the effect, of the promise.
The apostle, therefore, applies the character of "
holy nation" to the elect remnant, investing them in the main with the
titles bestowed in Exodus 19, on condition of obedience, but here in connection
with the Messiah, their enjoyment of these titles being founded on His
obedience and rights acquired by their faith in Him.
But, the privileges of the believing remnant being
founded on the Messiah, the apostle goes farther, and applies to them the
declarations of Hosea, which relate to Israel and Judah when re-established in
the fullness of blessing in the last days, enjoying those relationships with
God into which grace will bring them at that time.
"Ye are," he says, "a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, a purchased people." These are almost the words of Exodus 19.
He goes on: "Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people
of God; who formerly had not obtained mercy, but have now obtained it."
These are the words of Hosea 2. This sets before us, in the most interesting
way, the principle on which the blessing is founded. In Exodus the people were
to have this blessing if they exactly obeyed the voice of God. But Israel had
not obeyed, had been rebellious and stiffnecked, had gone after strange gods,
and rejected the testimony of the Spirit; yet, after their unfaithfulness, God
Himself has laid in Zion a Stone, a chief corner-stone, and whosoever believed
in Him should not be confounded. It is grace that, when Israel had failed in
every respect, and on the ground of obedience had lost everything, God should
bestow on them by Jesus, through grace, that which was promised them at first
on condition of obedience. In this way all was secured to them.
The question of obedience was settled-on Israel's
disobedience-by grace, and by the obedience of Christ, the foundation laid by
God in Zion. But this principle of grace abounding over sin-by which is shewn
the inability of disobedience to frustrate the purposes of God, for this grace
came after the completion of disobedience-this principle, so glorious and so
comforting to the convinced sinner, is confirmed in a striking way by the
quotation from Hosea. In this passage from the prophet, Israel is presented,
not merely as guilty, but as having already undergone judgment. God had
declared that He would no more have mercy (with regard to His patience toward
the ten tribes); and that Israel was no longer His people (in His judgment on
unfaithful Judah). But afterwards, when the judgment had been executed, He
returns to His irrevocable purposes of grace, and allures Israel as a forsaken
wife, and gives her the valley of Achor-the valley of trouble, in which Achan
was stoned, the first judgment on unfaithful Israel after their entrance into
the promised land-for a door of hope. For judgment is changed into grace, and
God begins all afresh upon a new principle. It was as though Israel had again
come up out of Egypt, but upon an entirely new principle. He betroths her to
Him for ever, in righteousness, in judgment, in grace, in mercy, and all is
blessing. Then He calls her "Ruhama," or, "the object of
mercy," and " Ammi," " my people."
These, then, are the expressions which the apostle uses,
applying them to the remnant who believed in Jesus, the stumbling-stone to the
nation, but the chief corner-stone from God to the believer. Thus the condition
is taken away, and instead of a condition we have blessing after disobedience,
and after judgment the full and assured grace of God, founded (in its
application to believers) on the Person, the obedience, and the work of Christ.
It is affecting to see the expression of this grace in
the term " Achor." It was the first judgment on Israel in the land of
promise for having profaned themselves with the forbidden thing. And there it
is that hope is given: so entirely true is it that grace triumphs over justice.
And it is this which has taken place in the most excellent way in Christ. The
very judgment of God becomes in Him the door of hope, the guilt and the
judgment having alike passed away for ever.
Two parts of the christian life-so far as it is the
manifestation of spiritual power-result from this, in the double priesthood; of
which the one answers to the present position of Christ on high, and the other
anticipatively to the manifestation of His glory on earth-the priesthoods of
Aaron, and of Melchisedec. For He is now within the veil according to the type
of Aaron; hereafter He will be a priest on His throne-it will be the public
manifestation of His glory on earth. Thus the saints exercise " a holy
priesthood " (ver. 5) to offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise and
thanksgiving. Sweet privilege of the Christian, thus brought as near as
possible to God ! He offers-sure of being accepted, for it is by Jesus that he
offers them--his sacrifices to God.
This part of the christian life is the first, the most
excellent, the most vital, the source of the other (which is its expression
here below); the most excellent, because, in its exercise, we are in immediate
connection with the divine object of our affections. These spiritual sacrifices
are the reflex, by the action of the Holy Ghost, of the grace which we enjoy;
that which the heart returns to God, moved by the excellent gifts of which we
are the object, and by the love which has given them. The heart (by the power
of the Holy Ghost) reflects all that has been revealed to it in grace,
worshiping the Author and Giver of all according to the knowledge we have of
Himself through this means; the fruits of the heavenly Canaan in which we
participate presented as an offering to God; the entrance of the soul into the
presence of God to praise and adore Him.
This is the holy priesthood, according to the analogy of
the priesthood of Aaron, and of the temple at Jerusalem which God inhabited as
His house.
The second priesthood of which the apostle speaks is to
shew forth the virtues of Him who has called us out of darkness into His
marvelous light. Its description is taken, as we have seen, from Exodus 19. It
is a chosen generation, a holy nation, a royal priesthood. I only allude to the
Melchisedec priesthood to shew the character of a royal priesthood. Priests,
among the Jews, drew near to God. God had formed the people for Himself: they
were to shew forth all His virtues, His praises. Christ will do this perfectly
in the day of His glory. The Christian is called to do it now in this world. He
is to reproduce Christ in this world. It is the second part of his life.
It will be noticed that the first chapter of this epistle
presents the Christian as animated by hope, but under trial-the precious trial
of faith. The second chapter presents him in his privileges, as of a holy and
royal priesthood, by means of faith.
After this (chap. 2:11), the apostle begins his
exhortations. Whatever may be the privileges of the Christian, in his position
as such, he is always viewed as a pilgrim on the earth; and, as we have seen,
the constant government of God is the object which presents itself to the mind
of the apostle. But he warns them first, with regard to that which is inward,
against those sources from which the corruptions spring, that (in the scene of
this government) would dishonour the name of God and even bring in judgment.
Their conversation was to be honest among the Gentiles.
Christians bore the name of God. The mind of men, hostile to His name, sought
to bring disgrace upon it, by attributing to Christians the evil conduct which
they themselves followed without remorse, while at the same time complaining
(chap. 4:4) that they would not go with them in the same excesses and disorder.
The Christian had only to follow the path of faithfulness to God. In the day
when God would visit men these calumniators, with their will broken and their
pride subdued by the visitation of God, should be brought to confess-by means
of the good works which, in spite of their calumnies, had always reached their
consciences-that God had acted in these Christians, that He had been present
among them.
After this general exhortation, brief but important to
believers, the apostle takes up the relative walk of Christians in a world
where on the one hand God watches over all, yet where He permits His own to suffer,
whether for righteousness' sake or for the name of Christ, but where they ought
never to suffer for having done wrong. The path then of the Christian is marked
out. He is subject for the Lord's sake to human ordinances or institutions. He
gives honour to all men, and to each in his place, so that no one shall have
any reproach to bring against him. He is submissive to his masters, even if
they are bad men, and yields to their ill-treatment. Were he subject only to
the good and gentle, a worldly slave would do as much; but if, having done
well, he suffers and bears it patiently, this is acceptable to God, this is
grace. It was thus that Christ acted, and to this we are called. Christ
suffered in this way, and never replied by reproaches or threats to those who
molested Him, but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously. To Him we
belong. He had suffered for our sins, in order that, having been delivered from
them, we should live to God. These Christians from among the Jews had been as
sheep going astray; [2] they were now brought back to the Shepherd
and Bishop of their souls. But how entirely these exhortations, shew that the
Christian is one who is not of this world, but has his own path through it: yet
this path was the way of peace in it !
Likewise wives were to be subject to their husbands in
all modesty and purity, in order that this testimony to the effect of the word
by its fruits might take the place of the word itself, if their husbands would
not listen to it. They were to rest, in patience and meekness, on the
faithfulness of God, and not be alarmed at seeing the power of the adversaries.
(Compare Phil. 1:28)
Husbands were in like manner to dwell with the wife,
their affections and relationships being governed by christian knowledge, and
not by any human passion; honouring the wife, and walking, with her as being
heirs together of the grace of life.
Finally, all were to walk in the spirit of peace and gentleness,
carrying with them, in their intercourse with others, the blessing of which
they were themselves the heirs, the spirit of which they ought consequently to
bear ever with them. By following that which is good, by having the tongue
governed by the fear of the Lord, by avoiding evil and seeking peace, they
would in quietness enjoy the present life under the eye of God. For the eyes of
the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but
the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who, moreover, would
harm them, if they followed only that which is good?
This, then, is the government of God, the principle on
which He superintends the course of this world. Nevertheless it is not now a
direct and immediate government preventing all wrong. The power of evil still
acts upon the earth; those who are animated by it shew themselves hostile to
the righteous, and act by means of that fear which Satan is able to produce.
But by giving the Lord His place in the soul, this fear which the enemy excites
has no longer a place there. If the heart is conscious of the presence of God,
can that heart tremble at the presence of the enemy? This is the secret of
boldness and peace in confessing Christ. Then the instruments of the enemy seek
to turn us aside, and to overwhelm us by their pretensions; but the
consciousness of God's presence dissipates those pretensions, and destroys all
their power. Resting on the strength of His presence, we are ready to answer
those who ask the reason of our hope, with meekness and holy reverence remote
from all levity. For all this it is necessary to have a good conscience. We may
carry a bad conscience to God, that He may pardon and have mercy on us; but if
we have a bad conscience, we cannot resist the enemy--we are afraid of him. On
the one hand, we fear his malice; on the other, we have lost the consciousness
of the presence and the strength of God. When walking before God, we fear
nothing; the heart is free: we have not to think of self, we think of God; and
the adversaries are ashamed of having falsely accused those whose conduct is
unblamable, and against whom nothing can be brought except the calumny of their
enemies, which calumnies turn to their own shame.
It may be that God may see it good that we should suffer.
If so, it is better that we should suffer for well doing than for evil doing.
The apostle gives a touching motive for this: Christ has suffered for sins once
for all; let that suffice; let us suffer only for righteousness. To suffer for
sin was His task; He accomplished it, and that for ever; put to death, as to
His life in the flesh, but quickened according to the power of the divine
Spirit.
The passage that follows has occasioned difficulties to
the readers of scripture; but it appears to me simple, if we perceive the
object of the Spirit of God. The Jews expected a Messiah corporeally present,
who should deliver the nation, and exalt the Jews to the summit of earthly
glory. But He was not present, we know, in that manner, and the believing Jews had
to endure the scorn and the hatred of the unbelieving, on account of their
trust in a Messiah who was not present, and who had wrought no deliverance for
the people. Believers possessed the salvation of their soul, and they knew
Jesus in heaven; but unbelieving men did not care for that. The apostle
therefore cites the case of Noah's testimony. The believing Jews were few in
number, and Christ was theirs only according to the Spirit. By the power of
that Spirit He had been raised up from the dead. It was by the power of the
same Spirit that He had gone-without being corporeally present-to preach in
Noah. The world was disobedient (like the Jews in the apostle's days), and
eight souls only were saved; even as the believers were now but a little flock.
But the spirits of the disobedient were now in prison, because they did not
obey Christ present among them by His Spirit in Noah. The long-suffering of God
waited then, as now, with the Jewish nation; the result would be the same. It
has been so.
This interpretation is confirmed (in preference to that
which supposes that the Spirit of Christ preached in hades to souls which had
been confined there ever since the flood) by the consideration that in Genesis
it is said, " My Spirit shall not always strive. with men but their days
shall be a hundred and twenty years." That is to say, His Spirit should
strive, in the testimony of Noah, during a hundred and twenty years and no
longer. Now it would be an extraordinary thing that with those persons only
(for he speaks only of them) the Lord should strive in testimony after their
death. Moreover, we may observe that, in considering this expression to mean
the Spirit of Christ in Noah, we only use a well-known phrase of Peter's; for
he it is, as we have seen, who said, " The Spirit of Christ which was in
the prophets."
These spirits then are in prison, because they did not
hearken to the Spirit of Christ in Noah. (Compare 2 Pet. 2:5-9.) To this the
apostle adds, the comparison of baptism to the ark of Noah in the deluge. Noah
was saved through the water; we also; for the water of baptism typifies death,
as the deluge, so to speak, was the death of the world. Now Christ has passed
through death and is risen. We enter into death in baptism; but it is like the
ark, because Christ suffered in death for us, and has come out of it in
resurrection, as Noah came out of the deluge, to begin, as it were, a new life
in a resurrection world. Now Christ, having passed through death, has atoned
for sins; and we, by passing through it in spirit, leave all our sins in it, as
Christ did in reality for us; for He was raised up without the sins which He
expiated on the cross. And they were our sins; and thus, through the
resurrection, we have a good conscience. We pass through death in spirit and in
figure by baptism. The peace-giving force of the thing is the resurrection of
Christ, after He had accomplished expiation; by which resurrection therefore we
have a good conscience.
Now this is what the Jews had to learn. The Christ was
gone up to heaven, all powers and principalities being made subject to Him. He
is at the right hand of God. We have therefore not a Messiah on earth, but a
good conscience and a heavenly Christ.
[1] In
this passage, so to speak (as in this alone), Peter meets the doctrine of the
assembly, and that under the character of a building, not of a body or a bride;
that which Christ built, not what was united to Him. So Paul also presents it
to us in Ephesians 2:20, 21. In this view, though going on on earth, it is
Christ's work and a continuing process; no human instrumentality is referred
to: I will build, says Christ; it grows, says Paul; living stones come, says
Peter. This must not be confounded with the building into which men may build
wood and hay and stubble, as the same thing; though the outward thing which God
set up good, left to man's responsibility, as, ever, was soon corrupted.
Individuals are built up by grace, and it grows into a holy temple. All this
refers to Matthew 16. The responsibility of human service in this respect is
found in 1 Corinthians 3, and the assembly is there given in another point of
view. The body is another thing altogether, the doctrine is taught in Ephesians
1-4.; 1 Corinthians 12., and other passages.
[2] An
allusion, I suppose, to the last verse of Psalm 119.The apostle constantly puts
the christian Jews on the ground of the blessed remnant, only making it a soul
salvation..
── John Darby《Synopsis of 1 Peter》
1 Peter 2
Chapter Contents
A temper suitable to the Christian character as born
again, is recommended. (1-10) Holy conversation among the Gentiles directed.
(11,12) Subjects exhorted to pay all proper obedience to their civil governors.
(13-17) Also servants to their masters, and all to be patient, according to the
example of the suffering Saviour. (18-25)
Commentary on 1 Peter 2:1-10
(Read 1 Peter 2:1-10)
Evil-speaking is a sign of malice and guile in the heart;
and hinders our profiting by the word of God. A new life needs suitable food.
Infants desire milk, and make the best endeavours for it which they are able to
do; such must be a Christian's desires after the word of God. Our Lord Jesus
Christ is very merciful to us miserable sinners; and he has a fulness of grace.
But even the best of God's servants, in this life, have only a taste of the
consolations of God. Christ is called a Stone, to teach his servants that he is
their protection and security, the foundation on which they are built. He is
precious in the excellence of his nature, the dignity of his office, and the
glory of his services. All true believers are a holy priesthood; sacred to God,
serviceable to others, endowed with heavenly gifts and graces. But the most
spiritual sacrifices of the best in prayer and praise are not acceptable,
except through Jesus Christ. Christ is the chief Corner-stone, that unites the
whole number of believers into one everlasting temple, and bears the weight of
the whole fabric. Elected, or chosen, for a foundation that is everlasting.
Precious beyond compare, by all that can give worth. To be built on Christ
means, to believe in him; but in this many deceive themselves, they consider
not what it is, nor the necessity of it, to partake of the salvation he has
wrought. Though the frame of the world were falling to pieces, that man who is
built on this foundation may hear it without fear. He shall not be confounded.
The believing soul makes haste to Christ, but it never finds cause to hasten
from him. All true Christians are a chosen generation; they make one family, a
people distinct from the world: of another spirit, principle, and practice;
which they could never be, if they were not chosen in Christ to be such, and
sanctified by his Spirit. Their first state is a state of gross darkness, but
they are called out of darkness into a state of joy, pleasure, and prosperity;
that they should show forth the praises of the Lord by their profession of his
truth, and their good conduct. How vast their obligations to Him who has made
them his people, and has shown mercy to them! To be without this mercy is a
woful state, though a man have all worldly enjoyments. And there is nothing
that so kindly works repentance, as right thoughts of the mercy and love of
God. Let us not dare to abuse and affront the free grace of God, if we mean to
be saved by it; but let all who would be found among those who obtain mercy,
walk as his people.
Commentary on 1 Peter 2:11,12
(Read 1 Peter 2:11,12)
Even the best of men, the chosen generation, the people
of God, need to be exhorted to keep from the worst sins. And fleshly lusts are
most destructive to man's soul. It is a sore judgment to be given up to them.
There is a day of visitation coming, wherein God may call to repentance by his
word and his grace; then many will glorify God, and the holy lives of his
people will have promoted the happy change.
Commentary on 1 Peter 2:13-17
(Read 1 Peter 2:13-17)
A Christian conversation must be honest; which it cannot
be, if there is not a just and careful discharge of all relative duties: the
apostle here treats of these distinctly. Regard to those duties is the will of
God, consequently, the Christian's duty, and the way to silence the base
slanders of ignorant and foolish men. Christians must endeavour, in all
relations, to behave aright, that they do not make their liberty a cloak or
covering for any wickedness, or for the neglect of duty; but they must remember
that they are servants of God.
Commentary on 1 Peter 2:18-25
(Read 1 Peter 2:18-25)
Servants in those days generally were slaves, and had
heathen masters, who often used them cruelly; yet the apostle directs them to
be subject to the masters placed over them by Providence, with a fear to
dishonour or offend God. And not only to those pleased with reasonable service,
but to the severe, and those angry without cause. The sinful misconduct of one
relation, does not justify sinful behaviour in the other; the servant is bound
to do his duty, though the master may be sinfully froward and perverse. But
masters should be meek and gentle to their servants and inferiors. What glory
or distinction could it be, for professed Christians to be patient when
corrected for their faults? But if when they behaved well they were ill treated
by proud and passionate heathen masters, yet bore it without peevish
complaints, or purposes of revenge, and persevered in their duty, this would be
acceptable to God as a distinguishing effect of his grace, and would be
rewarded by him. Christ's death was designed not only for an example of
patience under sufferings, but he bore our sins; he bore the punishment of
them, and thereby satisfied Divine justice. Hereby he takes them away from us.
The fruits of Christ's sufferings are the death of sin, and a new holy life of
righteousness; for both which we have an example, and powerful motives, and
ability to perform also, from the death and resurrection of Christ. And our
justification; Christ was bruised and crucified as a sacrifice for our sins,
and by his stripes the diseases of our souls are cured. Here is man's sin; he
goes astray; it is his own act. His misery; he goes astray from the pasture,
from the Shepherd, and from the flock, and so exposes himself to dangers
without number. Here is the recovery by conversion; they are now returned as
the effect of Divine grace. This return is, from all their errors and
wanderings, to Christ. Sinners, before their conversion, are always going
astray; their life is a continued error.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 1 Peter》
1 Peter 2
Verse 1
[1]
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies,
and all evil speakings,
Wherefore laying aside — As inconsistent with that pure love.
All dissimulation —
Which is the outward expression of guile in the heart.
Verse 2
[2] As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby:
Desire —
Always, as earnestly as new born babes do, 1 Peter 1:3.
The milk of the word — That word of God which nourishes the soul as milk does the body, and
which is sincere, pure from all guile, so that none are deceived who cleave to
it.
That you may grow thereby — In faith, love, holiness, unto the full stature of Christ.
Verse 3
[3] If
so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Since ye have tasted — Sweetly and experimentally known.
Verse 4
[4] To
whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of
God, and precious,
To whom coming — By
faith.
As unto a living stone — Living from eternity; alive from the dead. There is a wonderful beauty
and energy in these expressions, which describe Christ as a spiritual
foundation, solid, firm, durable; and believers as a building erected upon it,
in preference to that temple which the Jews accounted their highest glory. And
St. Peter speaking of him thus, shows he did not judge himself, but Christ, to
be the rock on which the church was built.
Rejected indeed by men — Even at this day, not only by Jews, Turks, heathens, infidels; but by
all Christians, so called, who live in sin, or who hope to be saved by their
own works.
But chosen of God —
From all eternity, to be the foundation of his church.
And precious — In
himself, in the sight of God, and in the eyes of all believers.
Verse 5
[5] Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ.
Ye — Believers.
As living stones —
Alive to God through him.
Are built up — In
union with each other.
A spiritual house —
Being spiritual yourselves, and an habitation of God through the Spirit.
An holy priesthood —
Consecrated to God, and "holy as he is holy." To offer up - Your
souls and bodies, with all your thoughts, words, and actions, as spiritual
sacrifices to God.
Verse 6
[6]
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief
corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be
confounded.
He that believeth shall not be confounded — In time or in eternity. Isaiah 28:16.
Verse 7
[7] Unto
you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient,
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the
corner,
To them who believe, he is become the head of
the corner — The chief corner stone, on which the whole
building rests. Unbelievers too will at length find him such to their sorrow, Matthew 21:44. Psalms 118:22.
Verse 8
[8] And
a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the
word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Who stumble, whereunto also they were
appointed — They who believe not, stumble, and fall,
and perish for ever; God having appointed from all eternity, "he that
believeth not shall be damned."
Verse 9
[9] But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light:
But ye —
Who believe in Christ Are - In a higher sense than ever the Jews were. A chosen
or elect race, a royal priesthood - "Kings and priests unto God," Revelation 1:6. As princes, ye have power with
God, and victory over sin, the world, and the devil: as priests, ye are
consecrated to God, for offering spiritual sacrifices. Ye Christians are as one
holy nation, under Christ your King.
A purchased people —
Who are his peculiar property.
That ye may show forth — By your whole behaviour, to all mankind.
The virtues —
The excellent glory, the mercy, wisdom, and power of him, Christ, who hath
called you out of the darkness of ignorance, error, sin, and misery.
Verse 10
[10]
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had
not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Who in time past were not a people — Much less the people of God; but scattered individuals of many nations.
The former part of the verse particularly respects the gentiles; the latter,
the Jews.
Verse 11
[11]
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly
lusts, which war against the soul;
Here begins the exhortation drawn from the
second motive.
Sojourners: pilgrims — The first word properly means, those who are in a strange house; the
second, those who are in a strange country. You sojourn in the body; you are
pilgrims in this world. Abstain from desires of anything in this house, or in
this country.
Verse 12
[12]
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak
against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold,
glorify God in the day of visitation.
Honest —
Not barely unblamable, but virtuous in every respect. But our language sinks under
the force, beauty, and copiousness of the original expressions.
That they by your good works which they shall
behold — See with their own eyes.
May glorify God — By
owning his grace in you, and following your example.
In the day of visitation — The time when he shall give them fresh offers of his mercy.
Verse 13
[13]
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be
to the king, as supreme;
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man — To every secular power. Instrumentally these are ordained by men; but
originally all their power is from God.
Verse 14
[14] Or
unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Or to subordinate governors, or magistrates.
Verse 15
[15] For
so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance
of foolish men:
The ignorance — Of
them who blame you, because they do not know you: a strong motive to pity them.
Verse 16
[16] As
free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the
servants of God.
As free —
Yet obeying governors, for God's sake.
Verse 17
[17]
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
Honour all men — As
being made in the image of God, bought by his Son, and designed for his
kingdom.
Honour the king —
Pay him all that regard both in affection and action which the laws of God and
man require.
Verse 18
[18]
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and
gentle, but also to the froward.
Servants —
Literally, household servants. With all fear - Of offending them or God.
Not only to the good — Tender, kind.
And gentle —
Mild, easily forgiving.
Verse 19
[19] For
this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering
wrongfully.
For conscience toward God — From a pure desire of pleasing him.
Grief —
Severe treatment.
Verse 21
[21] For
even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us
an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Hereunto are ye —
Christians.
Called — To
suffer wrongfully.
Leaving you an example — When he went to God.
That ye might follow his steps — Of innocence and patience.
Verses 22-23
[22] Who
did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: [23] Who,
when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not;
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
In all these instances the example of Christ
is peculiarly adapted to the state of servants, who easily slide either into
sin or guile, reviling their fellowservants, or threatening them, the natural
result of anger without power.
He committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously — The only solid ground of patience in
affliction. Isaiah 53:4,6,7,9.
Verse 24
[24] Who
his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to
sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Who himself bore our sins — That is, the punishment due to them. In his afflicted, torn, dying body
on the tree - The cross, whereon chiefly slaves or servants were wont to
suffer.
That we being dead to sin — Wholly delivered both from the guilt and power of it: indeed, without an
atonement first made for the guilt, we could never have been delivered from the
power.
Might live to righteousness — Which is one only. The sins we had committed, and he bore, were
manifold.
Verse 25
[25] For
ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and
Bishop of your souls.
The bishop —
The kind observer, inspector, or overseer of your souls.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 1
Peter》
Chapter 2. Duty of the Living Stone
Leave an
example
Follow His Steps
I. The Growth
of Life
II. Built into
a Spiritual House
III. Principles
of Daily Life
── Chih-Hsin
Chang《An Outline of
The New Testament》
Chapter Two General Review
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
1) To note what is necessary in order to grow spiritually 2) To reflect upon our privilege and duties as God's special people, living as sojourners and pilgrims in a world not our home 3) To review our duty to submit to governmental authorities, and to make application of the instructions to slaves in our lives as employees SUMMARY
Having described how they were born again by the incorruptible Word ofGod, Peter admonishes his readers to put aside sinful attitudes and togrow spiritually with an infant-like longing for the Word (1-3). He then depicts Jesus as a living stone, and Christians as livingstones. The latter are being built up as a spiritual house and holypriesthood in order to offer spiritual sacrifices through Christ. Asforetold in the Scriptures, Jesus is the chief cornerstone that isprecious to those who believe, while a stone of stumbling to those whoare disobedient. Christians are called on to proclaim the praises ofGod as they are now a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holynation, His own special people who have now obtained mercy (4-10). As the people of God, Christians are sojourners and pilgrims in thisworld. Their duties as such involve abstaining from fleshly lusts, andkeeping their conduct honorable among the Gentiles (nations) throughgood works designed to glorify God. They are to honor and submit togovernmental authorities, and honor all people while loving the brethrenand fearing God (11-17). Christian slaves are told to submit to their masters, even when they areharsh and cause them to suffer grief wrongly. Peter reveals that suchsubmission is commendable before God and follows the example of Jesuswhose own suffering delivered us from sin (18-25). OUTLINE
I. A CALL TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1-3)
A. WHAT TO LAY ASIDE (1) 1. All malice, all deceit 2. Hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking B. WHAT TO DESIRE (2-3) 1. The pure milk of the word a. As newborn babes b. That you may grow thereby 2. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious II. OUR PRIVILEGE IN CHRIST (4-10)
A. AS LIVING STONES (4-8) 1. Coming to Christ as to a living stone a. Who was rejected by men b. Who is chosen by God and precious 2. We as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house a. To be a holy priesthood b. To offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ 3. Christ is the precious cornerstone a. As foretold in Isaiah 28:16 1) God would lay in Zion precious 2) He who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame 3) Precious to those who believe b. As foretold in Psalms 118:22 and Isaiah 8:14 1) A stone rejected by the builders, which has become the chief cornerstone 2) A stone of stumbling and rock of offense to those who are disobedient 3) To which they were appointed B. AS PEOPLE OF GOD (9-10) 1. They are now: a. A chosen generation b. A royal priesthood c. A holy nation d. His own special people 2. They are now: a. To proclaim the praises of God, who called them: 1) Out of darkness 2) Into His marvelous light b. The people of God, who once were not the people of God 1) Who had not obtained mercy 2) But now have obtained mercy III. OUR DUTIES IN CHRIST (11-25)
A. AS SOJOURNERS (11-12) 1. To abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul 2. To have conduct honorable among the Gentiles a. That when they speak against you as evildoers b. They may glorify God in the day of visitation c. Because of your good works they observe B. AS CITIZENS (13-17) 1. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake a. To the king as supreme b. To governors as those sent by the king 1) For the punishment of evildoers 2) For the praise of those who do good 2. For this is the will of God, as bondservants of God a. That by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men b. As free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice 3. Therefore: a. Honor all b. Love the brotherhood c. Fear God d. Honor the king C. AS SERVANTS (18-25) 1. Submissive to your masters with all fear a. Not only to the good and gentle b. But also to the harsh 2. For this is commendable before God a. If because of conscience before God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully b. What credit is there when beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? c. If when you do good and suffer, yet take it patiently, that is commendable 3. For we were called to Follow in the steps of Jesus our example a. Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth (Isaiah 53:9) 1) When He was reviled, did not revile in return 2) When He suffered, He did not threaten 3) He committed Himself to Him who judges righteously b. Who bore our sins in His own body on the tree 1) That we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness 2) By whose stripes you were healed 3) You were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
- A call to spiritual growth (1-3) - Our privilege in Christ (4-10) - Our duties in Christ (11-25) 2) What must we lay aside to grow spiritually? (1)
- All malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking 3) How should we long for the Word if we want to grow spiritually? (2)
- As newborn babes desire milk 4) What should motivate us to desire the Word with such longing? (3)
- If we have already tasted that the Lord is gracious 5) What kind of stone is used to describe Jesus? (4)
- A living stone - Rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious 6) What two metaphors are used to describe Christians? (5)
- Living stones, being built up as a spiritual house - A holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through Christ 7) What prophecy foretells the laying of a chief cornerstone in Zion (6)
- Isaiah 28:16 8) What is Jesus to those who believe in Him? To those who do notbelieve? (6-8)
- The chief cornerstone, elect, precious - A stone of stumbling, a rock of offense 9) What is the appointed end of those who do not believe and aredisobedient? (8)
- They stumble 10) How are Christians described by Peter? What is their duty? Why?(9-10)
- A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people - To proclaim the praises of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light - They are now the people of God who have obtained mercy 11) What is our duty as sojourners and pilgrims in this world? Why?(11-12)
- Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul - Conduct ourselves honorably among the Gentiles - That they might glorify God in the day of visitation because of our good works 12) What is our duty toward the governments of men? Why? (13-15)
- Submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake - That by doing good we might silence the ignorance of foolish men 13) How are we use our freedom in Christ? (16)
- Not as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God 14) What four admonitions summarize our duties to others? (17)
- Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king 15) What is the duty of servants to their masters? (18)
- Be submissive with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh 16) What is commendable before God? (19-20)
- To endure grief, suffering wrongfully though doing good, because of conscience toward God 17) To what have we been called? (21)
- To follow in the steps of Christ, who suffered for us and left us an example 18) How did Jesus suffer wrongly and bear it patiently? (22-23)
- He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth - When reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten - He committed Himself to God who judges righteously 20) What good did Jesus accomplish by suffering such abuse? (24-25)
- He bore our sins in His own body on the tree - Making it possible for us to die to sin and live for righteousness (by His strips we were healed) - Like sheep gone astray, we have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls
The Living And Abiding Word (1:22-2:3)
INTRODUCTION
1. As Christians, we are but pilgrims in this world; our lives are but a sojourn toward our true home which is in heaven a. But as we travel through this life, we are not left without a "spiritual roadmap" b. To guide us on our journey, God in His grace has given us His wonderful Word, contained in the pages of what we call the Bible 2. What is sad is the fact... a. That many people go through their lives and never seriously consult this book which can direct them to heaven b. That even many Christians go through life ignorant of much of its content! 3. I am hoping that in the course of this lesson... a. I can awaken any such people to the value of the wonderful Word of God b. And that I can impress upon you the importance and necessity of reading the Word of God on a daily basis [In an effort to do so, I encourage you to open your Bibles to 1 Pe 1:22-2:3, where we read of the nature of God's Word (read).
Within this passage of scripture, we can glean various attributes possessed by the Word of God that make it so wonderful. Consider, then...] I. THE WONDER OF GOD'S WORD
A. IT LIVES AND ABIDES FOREVER... 1. Verses 23-25 stress this point: a. "not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible" b. "which lives abides forever" c. "the Word of the Lord endures forever" 2. Jesus has also spoken of the indestructibility of the Word of God - Mt 24:35 3. History has borne out the fact that despite man's efforts to destroy and do away with it, the Bible continues to endure forever a. The efforts of Diocletian 1) In 303 A .D. he proclaimed an edict requiring Christians and their sacred scriptures to be destroyed 2) But within 25 years, the succeeding emperor ordered that 50 copies be made and distributed at government expense! b. The claims of Voltaire, the French atheist (who died in 1778) 1) He boasted that within 100 hundred years of his lifetime, Christianity would be swept from the earth 2) But only fifty years after his death, his own printing press and house were being used by the Geneva Bible Society to produce stacks of Bibles! 4. How true, then, is the statement of Isaiah as quoted by Peter in 1 Pe 1:24-25 B. IT CAN CAUSE ONE TO BE BORN AGAIN... 1. There is a law of science known as the Law of Biogenesis which states that "life begets life" 2. Because the Word of God is what it is, it is able to produce spiritual life! What is it? a. It is "incorruptible" seed which "lives and abides forever" - 1 Pe 1:23 b. It is "living and powerful" - He 4:12 c. As Jesus said: "...The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." - cf. Jn 6:63 3. When a person receives the Word of God and obeys it, he or she is truly born again! - cf. Ja 1:18 C. IT CAN PURIFY THE SOUL... 1. Notice carefully: "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth..." - 1 Pe 1:22 2. By obeying the truth (the Word of God), our souls are purified - cf. Jn 17:17 3. That is because the truth contains the gospel, which when believed and obeyed, results in the remission of sins by the blood of Christ! D. IT CAN PRODUCE CONTINUAL GROWTH... 1. "...desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby," - 1 Pe 2:2 2. Spiritual growth as a Christian is totally dependent upon the Word of God! [Do you see why the Word of God is too wonderful to neglect? There is no way you can destroy it, and if you desire to be born again and growspiritually, it is impossible without the incorruptible seed of the Word of God! Now if we desire to allow the Word of God produce in our lives its desired effect (spiritual life and spiritual growth), there are at least two things mentioned by Peter which are essential...] II. GROWING BY THE WORD OF GOD
A. FIRST, WE MUST PREPARE THE SOIL OF OUR HEARTS... 1. Just as when we prepare the ground for planting a garden a. We cleanse the ground of all insects and weeds b. So that seeds can grow unhindered 2. Likewise, there are things Peter says we must lay aside... a. MALICE - an evil disposition, malignant spirit, a desire to injure another b. GUILE - that is, craftiness c. HYPOCRISY - deceptive and deceitful actions and attitudes d. ENVY - feelings of unhappiness because another has that which one desires for oneself e. EVIL SPEAKING - slanderous and defamatory statements about others -- For the Word of God to flourish in our lives, we must rid ourselves of these things 3. Note also that these attributes must be rid of, if we are to be able to "love one another fervently" (as commanded in 1 Pe1:22)
B. SECOND, WE MUST HAVE THE PROPER DESIRE FOR THE WORD... 1. Peter illustrates the proper desire... a. We are to be like "newborn babes" who desire milk - 1 Pe 2:2-3
b. Just as babies "long" for milk, we are to "long" for the Word of God 2. Do our present attitudes toward the Word of God indicate such longing? a. Do we demand regular feeding upon the Word of God? b. If we feasted upon food as often as we feasted upon the Word of God, would we survive physically? - cf. Mt 4:4; Ps 119:165; Jer 15:16
3. Failure to have this longing for the Word of God is a main reason for the lack of spiritual growth in many today a. It is why many do not overcome sin in their lives - cf. 1 Jn 2:14 b. It is why many never become the godly men and women you would expect of Christians who have been such for 5,10,15 years or more 4. A question I often raise: a. If we do not read, study and meditate upon the Bible daily... b. If we go year after year, failing to read through the Bible on a regular basis... -- Can it be said that we have the proper desire for the Word of God? CONCLUSION
1. The Word of God is too wonderful for Christians to neglect! Yet I dare to say that there has been a wholesale neglect of the Word of God among Christians in the Lord's church today 2. "If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious", as Peter says, if you have been born again by the Word of God, then I plead with you to make Bible reading an intricate part of your daily life! If you have not even obeyed the gospel, why not do so this very day?For the wonderful Word of which we have been speaking is containedwithin the gospel (cf. 1 Pe 1:25b; Mk 16:15-16). Yes, be born again through obedience to the Word of God (cf. 1 Pe 1:22-23), and begin a life where you can continue to grow, feeding upon
"The Living And Abiding Word!"
Jesus: Cornerstone, Or Stumblingstone? (2:4-10)
INTRODUCTION
1. When the infant Jesus was being presented to the Lord at the temple, an interesting statement was made concerning Him by Simeon: "Behold, this Child in destined for the fall and rising of many