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Chapter 2
1 Peter 2:1-10
Peter continues in chapter two laying out the importance of walking the straight and narrow path, and conducting oneself as a subject of the King should.
1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, Those things which we carry in our old nature that continue to plague us, we must learn in time to set aside, not for the purpose of attaining
eternal life, but for greater and purer service to God in this life, that men mighty outwardly view our inward change.
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: Pure, healthy, nourishing and easy to digest. These are qualities of mother’s milk for the newborn, and as new Christians, these strangers to whom Peter writes
should seek the healthy, nourishing doctrines of grace before taking on the grander teachings and meat of the bible. Crawl, walk, then run would be good advice for these strangers and all new Christians. This milk first advice is in line with Paul’s suggestion in Hebrews 5:12-14.
1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. While all men who have been born again of the Spirit of God, regenerated and made alive in Christ have tasted that the Lord is gracious, not all will quickly
acknowledge such.
1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Comparing Christ to a stone, albeit a living stone, was probably an odd metaphor to the Gentiles. But the Jews were
consumed with the beauty and majesty of Herod’s temple and stones are often peppered through their idioms and speech. (Mar 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!) Peter draws on the analogy to make a point. Paul also used stones to draw lessons. 1 Co 3:12
1Pe 2:5 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. But now, in the New Testament church, we are the stones, lively, each perfectly suited to the
master’s work. In Behold the Mount of Zion, the songwriter expressed the members of the assembly as stones:
Each stone is wisely polish’d;
And fitted to its place’
And all are well cemented
With God’s redeeming grace.
Psa 144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Church members who have undergone the watery grave of baptism enter the holy priesthood. We have been made kings and priests to God. Rev 5:10 And hast made us
unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Our spiritual sacrifices consist of singing, preaching, praying, showing sincere love one for another, study of God’s work, helping our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in any way we can and esteeming others greater than ourselves.
1Pe 2:6 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. If we are stones, built up unto a holy house, there must be a cornerstone.
Christ is the only one who could fill that position. He that believes on the cornerstone of Christ will not be confounded or overtaken by every wind of doctrine. The world’s works religion has no cornerstone. If all could strip away the world’s confusion and see Christ as the author and finisher of our faith, so much error would fall by the wayside.
1Pe 2:7 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, Jesus is precious to us, but to the Jews of Peter’s day, he is the very
Messiah they shunned, the stone the builders rejected (Psa 118:22) and is now made the head of the corner. Not only is he the cornerstone and strong foundation that holds and supports the building, he is the head of the corner, made higher than man, angels, principalities and powers.
1Pe 2:8 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. Peter speaks of some being disobedient, and some, perhaps the Jews, appointed to that disbelief, as
they stumble over the deity of Christ to this day. (1 Co 1:23)
1Pe 2:9 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: We teach that God will have a witness in the
world for every age until the end. This is borne out by Paul in Eph 3:21. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. The witnesses are to reflect their roles as a chosen generation, as priests, as citizens of a holy nation, as peculiar people who shew forth praises unto God, reflecting the marvelous light as a city set upon a hill.
All the elect are called out of darkness into eternal life, but not all become priests, and not all are willing to serve or walk in that light.
1Pe 2:10 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. Gentiles were not a people in the eyes of the Jews, and certainly the Jews didn’t believe the Gentiles at large to
be God’s people. The Jews under the law experienced a portion of mercy, while the law was yearly pushing forth sins in remembrance, but not actually taking them away; the Gentiles did not enjoy the few mercies granted the Jews. Mat 15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
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