Download 1 Peter 2 - Grow In The Word

A Chosen Priesthood
1 Peter 2:1 – 10
Craving the Word
Verses 2:1-3
Verses 1-3:
1 “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”
Peter continues with his exhortation to holiness. Having been begotten again
means that we have once and for all broken with our past life and have started
anew in a spiritual life. The tense of the verb (second Aorist) implies a prior
definite, effective action. The idea is that you must put off or put aside old clothes
in order to put on new ones, (Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:810). This must be emphasized, for without this decisive break with the past it
would be useless for Peter to urge his readers to nourish themselves with the
Word. The vices that must be put away are those that pertain to our relation with
our fellow men. The idea is that our treatment of others is the evidence and the
result of our new relation to God, (Matthew 5:23; James 1:19-25; 1 John 4:20).
“all malice” The Greek word translated as malice (kakia kaki,a) carries the idea of
baseness, meanness, all sorts of wickedness, depravity, evil, and delighting in
another’s hurt, (1 Corinthians 5:6-8, 14:20; Ephesians 4:22, 31; Colossians 3:8;
Titus 3:3; James 1:21). The word malice is anger resting in the hearts of fools, a
grudge that grows into anger, retained till it inflames a man to desire evil, to do
mischief, or delight in any mischief that befalls another, a disposition to injure
others without cause, from mere personal gratification, or from a spirit of revenge.
“and all deceit” This Greek word (dolos do,loj) means guile, craft, cunning and
deceitful words, (Psalm 32:2, 34:13; John 1:47; Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 12:16;
1 Thessalonians 2:3). It originally meant to catch something using bait, so it
includes the idea of flattery, falsehood, and delusion, which is a crafty imposing
upon another’s ignorance or weakness, to his damage.
“and hypocrisy” This Greek word (hupokrisis u`po,krisij) is actually plural and
includes all kinds of flattery, hypocrisy and condemnation. In matters of religion,
hypocrisy cloaks a wicked purpose under the appearance of piety. In civil
conversation, hypocrisy is counterfeit friendship, which is much practiced by those
who give high compliments, which they do not believe, or make promises which
they never intend to keep, or pretend friendship when mischief lies in their hearts,
(Job 36:13; Matthew 7:5, 15:16-20, 23:28; Galatians 2:13; 1 Timothy 4:2).
“and envy” Envy (phthonos fqo,noj) is hatred of others on account of some benefit
that they have, their prosperity, success, fame, abilities or something which they
possess which we do not, (1 Samuel 18:8-9; Matthew 27:18; Romans 1:29).
“and all slander” This Greek word (katalalia katalalia,) means backbiting, evil
speaking, making false charges, hurting another by innuendos, and defamation of
another, (Romans 1:30; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8). A
man that is characteristically deceitful, cunning, and crafty, cannot be a Christian.
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2 “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up
to salvation” The point of the comparison is the trusting reliance on God, Christ,
and the Word. We are never mature enough that we do not need God, Christ, and
the Word. The most mature Christian still needs to be warned against giving into
temptation and sin. So, like a Registered Dietician, the apostle directs us to
wholesome and regular food for our souls that will enable us to grow spiritually.
"pure spiritual milk" Peter now describes the Word of God as pure spiritual milk.
Spiritual means linked to a person’s spirit and not to the physical body. A Christian
should desire God’s Word as much as a baby needs milk. Milk makes a baby grow
healthy and strong. A Christian should be eager to read and listen to God’s Word.
This will enable them to become mature in faith. The implication is that we should
long for this spiritual milk and accept no substitute or imitation. Even Christians
often desire the fleshpots of Egypt and grow tired of the simple, wholesome, saving
Word, which is manna for the soul. To cease longing for divine milk is the most
serious sign of spiritual decline, which soon ends in spiritual death just as a starved
baby wanes and dies. True spiritual milk is not adulterated by the false teachings
and ideas of men, who often corrupt the Word of God, (2 Corinthians 2:17). A
strong desire for the Word of God is sure evidence of a person’s having been born
again. Peter does not introduce a contrast between milk and solid food such as
that mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3:2 and Hebrews 5:13-14.
"grow up to salvation” The Christian life of spiritual growth is never finished this
side of heaven. It is, as Martin Luther once remarked, "ein ewiges Werden" ("an
eternal becoming"). "Salvation" here is eternal salvation at the end time. “Grow up
to salvation" does not mean that the readers cease to be newborn babes and grow
up to be men, (Colossians 2:19). Paul speaks of childhood and manhood in this
way by making full-grown manhood the ideal. Peter does not. He makes no
contrast between milk and solid food. He also does not have Christians grow from
babes to adults. We are ever infants, ever long for this divine spiritual milk, and so
continually grow up to salvation, that is, the end of our faith. The tense of the verb
is aorist passive and shows that it is God who makes us grow. Our growth does
not end until we attain the outcome of our faith, namely salvation in heaven.
3 “if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” Peter here refers to Psalm
34:8, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!” He is saying that what is true of
the Lord (Yahweh) is equally true of Jesus the Lord (Kurios). In both verses,
‘tasted’ means to have discovered by experience that God is faithful and good. A
taste excites the appetite for more. Peter asks his readers to recall their
experience with the Lord and counts on the fact that they have found the Lord to
be good and kind, bestowing only what is wholesome and pleasant. This
experience is like an appetizer so Christians would know how kind God really is.
This makes them hungry in their spirit and they want to know God more and more.
There is also a play on words here. ‘Good’ in the Greek is chrestos (crhsto.j);
Christ is Christos (cristo.j). Good here is used in the more general sense of
kindness or usefulness, (Deuteronomy 26:11; 1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 25:8,
107:1). The idea is that the believer has tasted that the Lord is good (meaning
Christ). He (Christ) is the food that nourishes to eternal life, (John 6:48-51).
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Coming to Christ in Worship
Verses 2:4-5
Verses 4-5:
4 “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God
chosen and precious” Peter refers back to Solomon’s temple. When they built the
temple, they first had to prepare the ground. They cleared the area, then made it
flat and level. They built the temple with large stones. The cornerstone was the first
stone that was put in place. The cornerstone is the most important stone in a
building. It is a large, square stone, with perfectly true perpendicular sides. The
builders placed it at one corner of the building. Then they built the walls in a
straight line from the cornerstone. They also built straight up on top of it. The
building was then truly square with walls that were straight and true.
"As you come to Him" This is better translated as "keep coming to Him" and refers
back to "Lord" in verse 3. We habitually come to Jesus for strength, salvation and,
as the main verb for this sentence says, we regularly come to be built up (verse 5).
God's gracious call brings us to Christ and makes us believers. As we continue to
come to Him and remain intimately associated with Him, we are built up.
"a living stone" In verses 6-8, Peter cites the Old Testament passages which
describe Christ as "the living stone", (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:14, 28:16). Stones
are dead. We even say "stone-cold dead." This fact makes the paradox of the
living stone all the greater. Christians do not worship someone who is dead.
These same passages are frequently quoted in the early Church to vindicate a
Messiah who was crucified but whom God raised from the dead, (Mark 12:10; John
5:26, 14:19; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33). "Living stone" is a paradox, a contradiction
in terms but serves to remind us, by way of metaphor that this "stone", namely
Christ, has risen and can therefore give life. The Greek word used for stone (lithos
li,qoj) indicates a stone already chiseled and worked and ready to be put in place.
"rejected by men" First He was rejected by the Jews, then by unbelieving Gentiles.
Peter quotes Psalm 118:22, the same passage which he, like Jesus, once used
against the Sanhedrin, (Matthew 21:42; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11). There is a contrast
between mankind and God. Those who first rejected this stone were the builders of
Jewish legalism, the religious leaders of Israel, the Sanhedrin. All others who still
reject Him repeat that same action, hence Peter says “rejected by men", (John
5:40). Men tested this stone and, in their judgment, this stone did not meet the test
– Jesus was not the Messiah that they were looking for. They rejected the stone
the Father had chosen, and it still remains in this condition, tested and rejected.
"chosen and precious” This is the language of divine election. This Messiah,
crucified and rejected by men, is none-the-less the One whom God chose and
wants all mankind to believe in, (Isaiah 28:16). He chose this stone and prized and
honored it accordingly. There was never a question that this stone would fulfill its
great purpose. Both at Jesus’ baptism and on the Mount of Transfiguration, the
Father showed how precious this stone was –“This is my beloved Son, with whom I
am well pleased”, (Matthew 3:17, 17:5).
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5 “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a
holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ.” The Jews worshipped in the magnificent Solomon’s temple which was
made of stones. Stones are strong and enduring. Peter now says that Christians
are like stones, but we are living stones. We are living because Jesus makes us
alive in our spirit. God, the Holy Spirit, lives in Christians. God does not live in a
physical building, (1 Corinthians 6:19). God does not dwell in a temple made of
stone, but in a spiritual house. God builds His temple with living stones. This
spiritual house is the church. When people become Christians, they become part
of the church. God is holy, so he wants to live in holy people, (John 3:15-16).
"are being built up as a spiritual house" These living stones do not lie about
loosely or without purpose, they constitute a spiritual house for a holy priesthood.
We have been prepared for this by habitually coming to the Lord for strength. Peter
does not go beyond this coming to Him. All of his readers are joined to Christ and
thus have become this house. Believers are the new temple of God. The church
is a spiritual house built by God, and its members are the stones that form it. The
idea of the church as the temple is frequent in the New Testament, (Mark 14:58,
15:29; John 2:19; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19-22;
1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 12:18-24; Revelation 3:12, 11:1). This is as close as
Peter ever comes to talking about the Church as the Body of Christ. The metaphor,
however, is different because his message is that the church is the new Israel, heir
to Israel's history and promises, those whom God has truly chosen. Israel had a
material temple that was a type of the spiritual house that Israel was intended to be
yet had failed to be. The New Testament church is this true spiritual house of God.
"holy priesthood" At any period of its history the Una Sancta is a completed temple
in which God dwells and accepts the sacrifices offered to him. They had come to
the Savior, as the living stone on which the whole spiritual temple was founded,
though others had rejected Him. They had become a holy priesthood and had
been given the privilege of approaching God directly and of offering true sacrifices,
acceptable to God. Peter's readers are a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to
enter into God’s presence in prayer and to offer up as spiritual sacrifices our lives
and our praise, (Hebrews 13:15-16). The word used for priesthood (hierateuma
i`era,teuma) literally means the office of a priest and comes from Exodus 19:6. It
was originally applied to all of Israel, (Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:16). This ties the
New Testament church directly to the Old Testament elect people of God. The
church is now the holy priestly community of God, (Hebrews 4:16).
The whole body of Christians is a holy priesthood. The Jewish priests were the
only people who could go into the temple. They worshipped God and prayed to
him. They sacrificed animals to God so that he would forgive sins. They went to
God on behalf of other people. Now Jesus has died on the cross to forgive all sins
of all times. Now, every Christian is a holy priest. Every one is engaged in offering
prayers and spiritual sacrifices to God. These activities are not entrusted to a
particular class to be known as priests. There is not a particular person to whom
the name is to be peculiarly given. Every Christian is a priest engaged in offering
spiritual sacrifices to God, (Revelation 1:6). Since Jesus has paid the price for all
sins, we can come to God directly through Jesus our great High Priest.
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The distinction between earthly High Priests and common priests no longer exists,
since Jesus is our only High Priest forever, who, after offering up Himself once for
all, has passed into the heavens. So all believers now constitute the priesthood on
earth. No longer are some priests, while the rest are the people for whom such
priests function (offer prayers and sacrifices). All of the bloody animal sacrifices
have been abolished, (Matthew 9:13, 12:7; Hebrews 10:5-8). All believers now
have the same right of direct priestly access to God and all of their sacrifices are
now ‘spiritual.’ Luther brought this great Scriptural truth to light once more and
said Christians should not let any self-constituted priesthood ever insert itself
between believers and God. The term ‘Holy priesthood’ means that we are set
apart, separated unto God for His special purpose. Because of Christ, we are
called ‘holy ones’ (saints).
"to offer spiritual sacrifices" The main task of the Old Testament priests was the
offering up of animal sacrifices, all of which pointed to Christ's great sacrifice to
come. Animal sacrifices are no longer needed since Christ offered His all-sufficient
sacrifice once for all. Now there remains for God's holy priesthood only the spiritual
sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, seeing that all the treasures of God's grace
are now poured out upon us through Christ. The Great High Priest in this service is
the Lord Jesus Christ, but besides Him there is no one who sustains this office.
There are ministers, teachers, elders, pastors, and evangelists in the church, but
there is no one who is a priest, except in the general sense that we all are
priests—for the final sacrifice has been offered, and now there is no further
expiation to be made. The name ‘priest’, therefore, should never be conferred on a
minister of the gospel. It is never used this way in the New Testament, and there is
a reason why it should not be used. The proper idea of a priest is one who offers
up a sacrifice, but the ministers of the New Testament have no sacrifices to offer
up. The one great and perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world has been offered
up by our Redeemer on the cross. To Jesus and Him alone, under the New
Testament dispensation, should the name ‘priest’ be given except in the general
sense in which it is given to all Christians. In Roman Catholicism, it is consistent to
give the name ‘priest’ to a minister of their religion, but it is wrong to do so. It is
consistent, because they claim that a true sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ
is offered in the mass. It is wrong because that doctrine is totally contrary to the
New Testament. It is also derogatory to the one perfect sacrifice which has been
made once for all the sins of the world. This error confers on a class of men a
degree of importance and power to which they have no right, no claim, and which
is liable to abuse. But in a Protestant church, it is neither consistent nor right to
give the name of ‘priest’ to a minister of religion. The only sense in which the term
can now be used in the Christian church is a sense in which it is applicable to all
Christians alike because they all offer the sacrifice of prayer and praise.
Spiritual sacrifices are our response to God’s love, grace and mercy. We are
motivated to offer spiritual sacrifices by the Holy Spirit. For the Christian, every act
of faith, every word of praise, every pure thought, every service rendered, every
obedient act, is a spiritual sacrifice unto God, (Romans 12:1). A believer’s life,
faith, talents and praise are all acceptable sacrifices to our God. We have both the
privilege and the obligation to present God with our spiritual sacrifices.
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"acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" - "Acceptable" is sacrificial language
from the Old Testament. The point here is that the believer - his faith and life - are
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. He is the great high priest who offered
Himself up and therefore makes believers' sacrifices acceptable. The Jews prided
themselves on their temple. It was a costly and splendid edifice. It was the place
where required sacrifices were offered to God, and where He was supposed to
dwell. It had an imposing ritualistic service performed only by the priesthood. The
Jewish religion required a priesthood, and they offered up real and acceptable
sacrifices, so it is in the Christian church. We are God’s elect, His holy nation, and
being built upon the solid foundation of Jesus, we, with believers of all times,
collectively form the Church. The Church is also beautiful and costly because
Christ is the cornerstone upon which it is built. The Church also has a priesthood
which offers acceptable sacrifices to God. Our lives, prayers and praises are in
themselves so imperfect, and proceed from such polluted lips and hearts, that they
are acceptable only through Christ as our intercessor before the throne of God.
Jesus makes the new covenant priest’s sacrifices acceptable to God.
Nevertheless, there are sacrifices which God's holy nation of the new Israel, which
is the church, must now offer according to the will of God. And what are these?
The apostle Paul describes the new covenant sacrifices. Some examples of
pleasing and acceptable sacrifices are: Repentance, (Hosea 14:2); Love, (Mark
12:33); Faith, (Philippians 2:17); Praise, (Hebrews 13:15); Practical ministry,
(Hebrews 13:16); Contributions, (Philippians 4:18); Songs, (Colossians 3:16);
Prayers, (Malachi 1:11); and even Our Lives, (Ephesians 5:2). "The apostle John
also speaks of acceptable sacrifices, (Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4). Spiritual sacrifices
do not easily lend themselves to the type of exploitation so dear to the Jewish
temple priests, and the inevitable result was a bitter hatred of the new faith.
Offering spiritual sacrifices rather than animal sacrifices in the temple was another
stumbling block to the Jews. However, it was not the true spiritual temple which
was a substitute for the Jewish temple, but rather it was the Jewish temple that had
been substituted for the true spiritual temple of God.
These sacrifices are "acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" because they are
offered in His name and for His honor as evidences and fruits of the life He has
begotten in us. "Through Jesus Christ" means that their acceptance is mediated
wholly through Him. We approach God only through Christ, on the strength of His
sacrifice for us. His life and His sacrifice cover up all imperfections that still cling to
our sacrifices. It should be generally known that Masons use this passage from
Peter in their rituals, but significantly they omit this last phrase "through Jesus
Christ" and thus certify to the anti-Christian character of Masons and Shriners.
Peter's words suggest an implied contrast with the Old Testament people of God:
they had a ‘house’ of God, but we ourselves are now the house; their temple was
built of dead stones, we are living stones; they approached God through a
priesthood, we ourselves are the priesthood; they offered up material sacrifices,
ours are spiritual. The Roman Catholic Church still insists that we must approach
God through a specific priesthood, the papal hierarchy; other denominations have
similar ideas about the office of the ministry being an intermediary between the
believers and God. None of these ideas are Biblical.
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Security in Christ
Verses 2:6-8
Verses 6-8: 6 “For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone
chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’”
Peter adds to the list of spiritual privileges by introducing Isaiah 28:16 with the
phrase “for it stands in Scripture”. Verses 6-8 are important Old Testament
Messianic prophecies that deal with Christ as the great stone elect and honored by
God, our blessed relation to this stone, and this stone's effect on those who reject
it, (Romans 9:33). Peter proves from Scripture that Christ is, indeed, the living
stone chosen by the Father Himself (verse 4). These verses prophesied that God
would send Jesus and that the Jewish people would refuse to accept Him. In fact,
most Jewish people did not and still do not accept Jesus as the Christ (Messiah).
"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone" In this reference to Isaiah 28:16, Peter retains
the prophetic present tense and the Hebrew astonishment at what God is doing.
The Greek word translated as behold (horao o`ra,w) means to stare at, perceive,
beware, or pay attention to. He is saying stop what you are doing, pay attention to
this, God is laying a cornerstone for His spiritual house on His holy hill in
Jerusalem. Zion is the hill on which the higher and more ancient part of Jerusalem
was built and where the temple was built, (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1; Psalm 48:2,
51:18, 102:21; Isaiah 2:3, 4:3). Zion is also another name for the entire city of
Jerusalem - the city of David, the ‘holy’ city because the temple – the shrine where
God met His people was there. God wanted all mankind, including the Jews, to
believe in Jesus. He wanted them to be part of the church. In Matthew 21:42-45,
Jesus says that the ‘builders’ were the Jewish leaders, (Psalm 118:22). But the
Jewish people did not generally accept Jesus as the Christ. Because they rejected
Jesus as the Christ, they are not part of His church.
"a cornerstone chosen and precious" This describes a great stone at the corner
from which the rest of the building was measured and framed and upon which the
building rests. Jesus is the cornerstone. He is the head of the church. A physical
cornerstone shows how straight a building should be. In the same way, Jesus
shows what the church should be like. He shows how Christians should behave.
“whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” Another of our priesthood
privileges is that Christians will never know disappointment from Him. Jesus is
precious to God and He is precious to Christians. He is the living cornerstone and
we are being built up as living stones to form a spiritual house, a holy priesthood,
(Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:19-22). Whoever rests their faith and
confidence on Christ shall stand rock solid and safe forever, (Romans 10:11-13;
Jeremiah 17:7-8; John 10:3-4; Hebrews 4:15-16; James 1:12). But many people
who believe in God do not accept Jesus. But only Jesus gives eternal life. People
who choose not to follow Jesus will not be part of His spiritual house. They trip and
fall when they refuse to receive Jesus as their Savior, (Isaiah 8:14; Romans 9:3233). This means they will not receive eternal life, and they will not go to heaven.
They continue to do what is wrong because they do not accept God’s message.
God knew this would happen before he sent Jesus to this world.
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7 “So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone
that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’” Peter now explains the
quotation he used in verse 6. Christ is "precious" to those who believe. To those
who don't He becomes the stone over which they stumble. A further quote from
Psalm 118:22 explains that Christ is the cornerstone and that unbelief makes one
stumble over Him.
“So the honor is for you who believe” Christians are often simply called believers.
Faith is one of the prominent characteristics by which Christians are distinguished
from unbelievers. It sufficiently describes any man, to say that he is a believer in
the Lord Jesus. They are brought into a condition where they can appreciate His
worth. Peter is saying that while the Lord Jesus is rejected by the great mass of
mankind, He is regarded by all Christians as of great value. Despised as the
readers are in the world as merely tolerated foreigners, this entire honor with which
God honors Christ is transferred to them because they believe in Christ. Joined as
living stones to Christ, the living stone, His honor is also theirs. But all of it comes
through Christ alone.
We owe all our hopes of heaven to Him, and in proportion to the value of such a
hope, He is precious to us. We have no hope of salvation but in Him. Take that
away, blot out the name and the work of the Redeemer and there is no way in
which we could be saved. Apart from Christ, we have no prospect of being saved.
Our hope of heaven is valuable to us and supports us in times of trial. It also
comforts us in the hour of death. We honor and value Him greatly because our
hope of heaven is based solely on Him.
“but for those who do not believe” In sharp contrast to these believers, Peter now
talks about those who refuse to believe in Jesus as the Christ, (Luke 1:17; Romans
1:30). They refuse to lay this stone, which God appointed, as the foundation of
their hopes, but prefer some other foundation upon which to build, (Matthew 21:42;
Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33). To them He is made a stone against which they fall, and
ruin themselves. This wondrous stone also means everything to those who refuse
to believe, namely that their rejection of Him is fatal to them. In rejecting the
precious stone which the Father has chosen, they reject the salvation He brings
and this stone thereby destroys them.
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” Even though
Jesus is rejected by the majority of mankind; God has in fact made Him the cornerstone on which the whole spiritual temple rests. However mankind may regard it,
there is, in fact, no other hope of heaven than that which is founded on the Lord
Jesus. If men are not saved by Him, He becomes to them a stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offence. The prophecy of Psalm 118 has in mind the Jewish
Sanhedrin when it speaks of the builders, and for what they wanted to make of
Israel, Jesus was, indeed, wholly unfit. They wanted a political house in which they
could continue their secular domination of Israel and extend their power over the
Gentiles. The Jewish nation followed them in ignorance. Peter applies the
prophecy of the psalm to all who repeat this disbelief and rejection. Note what
Jesus adds to the prophecy in Matthew 21:44 and in Luke 20:18.
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8 “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. They stumble because they disobey
the word, as they were destined to do.” Peter now draws from Isaiah 8:14 to
explain that if this foundation stone is not the means of their salvation, it will be of
their ruin. It is a serious matter whether they believe on Him or not, whether they
accept or reject Him. They cannot reject Him without the most fearful
consequences to their souls, (Isaiah 26:18; Matthew 21:44; Luke 1:34).
“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense” Peter draws parallel pictures of the
consequence of rejecting Christ. First He will become to them a stone of
stumbling. The Greek word translated as stone (lithos li,qoj) means a large stone
or a building stone. To stumble (proskomma pro,skomma) implies hitting your foot
against an obstacle and therefore falling down. Metaphorically Peter is saying that
rejecting Christ is a sin. The second picture portrays Christ as a rock (petra
pe,tra). This Greek word means a large rock, a crag, a great rocky cliff, ledge, or
rocky ground, while the word translated as offense (skandalon skanda,lon) means
a trigger for a trap, a crooked stick on which the bait is fastened, and a snare.
Rejection of Jesus is the cause or occasion of ruin. This language would be strictly
applicable to the Jews, who rejected the Savior because of His humble birth, and
whose rejection of Him led to the destruction of their temple, city, and nation. But it
is also applicable to all who reject Him, for whatever cause. Their rejection of Him
will be followed with ruin to their souls. It is a crime for which God will judge them
as certainly as He did the Jews who disowned Him and crucified Him, for the
offence is essentially the same. What might have been the means of their
salvation, is made the cause of their condemnation.
“They stumble because they disobey the word” How do these people come into
hostile contact with Jesus as a stone of stumbling? By means of "the Word."
When the Gospel message is announced to them, they are disobedient and reject
it. The Greek word translated as disobey (apeitheo avpeiqe,w) primarily means to
not believe, to refuse to believe and obey. They stumble against Christ when they
refuse to obey that Word which brings Christ to them. They refuse to cling to the
Rock of Ages. Eve disbelieved the plain Word of God by disobeying it. The worst
type of disobedience is disbelief. The will of God is that we believe on Him whom
He has sent for our salvation, (John 3:36, 5:24, 6:40; 1 John 5:10). To believe is,
first of all, to obey, (Matthew 13:54-57; Luke 4:20-30, 6:6-11).
"as they were destined to do" This phrase would literally be translated as “for which
they also were placed, appointed” (tithemi ti,qhmi). This is not talking about double
predestination. God did not predestine them to damnation. Rather Peter is saying
that the action of rejecting Jesus as the Christ has a consequence of eternal
damnation, (Mark 16:16). God will certainly not remove this great stone and rock,
His Son, our Savior, to please wicked men; that would mean abandoning all men
to damnation. So when, after God's grace is brought to men to save them by faith,
they reject this grace and God's Savior they are to be crushed and destroyed. This
Christ is "set for the fall of many, a sign which shall be spoken against" in
disobedient unbelief, (Luke 2:34). Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but
whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only Son of God, (John 3:18).
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A Chosen People
Verses 2:9-10
Verses 9-10:
9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his
own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out
of darkness into his marvelous light.” Peter continues to underscore the
contrasting eternal destinies of believers and unbelievers. Unlike unbelievers who,
because of their rejection of Christ, are destined for eternal destruction, believers
are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and are destined for eternal
life in heaven.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood” In the Old Testament, God chose
or elected the Jews to be His special people, (Deuteronomy 14:2; Isaiah 43:10, 20,
44:1, 2). In Exodus 19:5-6, God says that all the Jews who obeyed His laws would
be His ‘royal priests’. As God chose Abraham and his descendents, so believers
are now ‘a chosen race.’ Israel was chosen on the condition that it would abide in
God's covenant, but when it hardened itself in unbelief, God rejected this race and
expelled them out of Canaan. In Christians, His grace prevails, and so they are ‘a
chosen race’ among all the peoples of the world. With the terms ‘race, priesthood,
nation, people,’ Peter considers his readers as one body, as belonging to the One
Holy Church (Una Sancta) on earth, (John 12:37-48; Romans 10:16-21, 11:7-10;
Hebrews 3:16-19). Natural descent and all other differences are obliterated,
swallowed up by the spiritual condition and status of the readers. It is crucial for
Christians to understand that their salvation is based on the sovereign, electing
purposes of God. Scripture explicitly and implicitly makes that unmistakable, (John
15:16; Acts 13:48; Romans 9:13-16, 11:5; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Ephesians 1:3;
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:9, 2:10; Revelation 13:8, 17:8, 20:15).
Election is the great privilege from which all other spiritual privileges derive.
“a holy nation, a people for his own possession” Just as the descendants of
Abraham were ‘holy nation’ (set apart from other nations for a special purpose),
Peter declares that believers are separated to Christ as a ‘holy nation’. They are
God's people because He has purchased them by the blood of His Son. ‘People’
picks up another Old Testament concept. The Greek word Peter uses for ‘people’
(laos lao,j) is the word that Israel used to distinguish itself from all other nations
(ethnos e;qnoj). The history of Israel is now the history of Christ's church.
“that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you” One of the
privileges of the redeemed is to announce to the world the greatness of our God,
His goodness, His wondrous deeds, and all of those things which make it proper to
praise Him. We are also to remember His wondrous deeds by holy living.
"you out of darkness into his marvelous light." ‘Darkness’ describes the time when
people do not know God. It also refers to Satan and his works. People who come
into God’s ‘marvelous light’ understand about God, because they know Jesus.
Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world’, (John 8:12). The change from unbelief to
belief is often pictured in terms of darkness and light in the New Testament,
(Matthew 4:16; Luke 1:79; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:4;
Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:12; 1 John 1:6).
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10 “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not
received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” Peter compares what people
were like before and after they believed Jesus. The words of this verse come from
Hosea 2:23, (Deuteronomy 32:21; Romans 9:22-26). The prophet Hosea had two
children. God called Hosea’s daughter ‘Lo-Ruhamah’, which means ‘no mercy’.
God called Hosea’s son ‘Lo-Ammi’, which means ‘not my people’, (Hosea 1:6-9).
According to that passage, there was coming a time when the Jews would no
longer receive God's compassion. This was directly fulfilled in the judgment that
came on the Northern Kingdom at the hands of the Assyrians (722 B.C.) and the
Southern Kingdom at the hands of the Babylonians (586 B.C.). But when people
believe in Jesus, they receive God’s mercy. They become ‘His people’, the people
who belong to Him. In the Old Testament, God promised many good things to His
chosen people - Israel. In verses 4-10, Peter says that God has now given these
good things to the church.
“Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people” We see what God
has done for the readers: ‘once not a people’ (ou laos ov,u lao,j), not a people in
any sense, nothing but sheep without a shepherd; ‘now God's people,’ (laos Theu
lao,j qe,ou) the extreme opposite. All who are far from God and Christ are
spiritually a non-people. Only those who believe in Christ are spiritually alive,
God's people. He is their King, Savior, Protector, Provider, and Benefactor.
“once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” The
Gentiles, who appeared to be outside of God’s Old Covenant, had once seemed
beyond the mercy of God but now they have become the people of God due to
Israel's rejection of the Christ, (Romans 9-11). During the past, they were left in
their sad condition for a long time. Peter again uses the thought of ‘mercy’, not that
of ‘grace’, because he thinks of the wretched consequences which sin produces.
Scripture discusses two kinds of divine grace or mercy. First there is God’s general
mercy, (Psalm 145:9; Lamentations 3:22), which is evident in His providence to all
creation, (Psalm. 36:7, 65:9-13; Matthew 5:44-45; Acts 14:14-17, 17:23-28;
Romans 1:20). Common mercy displays God's patient pity and forbearing
compassion toward sinners, (Psalm. 86:15, 103:8; 2 Peter 3:9; Luke 13:6-9)
because while He had every right, in view of their sin, to destroy them all. Instead,
at the present time, He mercifully chooses not to unleash all the disastrous
consequences that humanity's sinfulness deserves, (Genesis 9:8-11; Romans
3:25). But eventually God's general grace and mercy will expire and people will
feel the full consequences of their sin, (Genesis 6:3; Isaiah 27:11; Jeremiah 44:22;
Matthew 24:4-22; Revelation 6:7-8).
Second, there is the divine, saving mercy displayed toward the elect, which is the
mercy Peter refers to. They receive not only God's common mercy in this life, but
also His saving mercy for the life to come, (Daniel 7:18; John 14:2; 2 Timothy 4:8;
Revelation 2:7, 7:16-17, 21:1-7). The elect, although no more inherently deserving
than anyone else, receive God's forgiveness for their sins and His deliverance from
eternal condemnation—all according to His sovereign and loving purposes, (Psalm
65:4; Romans 8:28-30, 9:15-16; Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy1:9; Titus 1:2; James
2:5). God is indeed the ‘Father of Mercies’, (Romans 9:23; 2 Corinthians 1:3).
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The Responsibilities of the People of God
1 Peter 2:11 – 4:11
The Mission of God’s People in the World
Abstain from Sinful Desires
Verses 2:11-12
Verses 11-12: 11 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the
flesh, which wage war against your soul.” First Peter 2:11 marks a turn in the
direction of the letter. The concern to this point has been to describe the Identity of
the People of God as living lives of holiness in relationship to God and in loving
relationship with each other in the fellowship of believers. At this point, the focus of
1 Peter turns and describes the responsibilities of the People of God in an outward
direction to the world. Peter shows us our duty to live as strangers and pilgrims; to
abstain from all fleshly lusts which war against the soul; and to lead lives of
honesty in relation to the pagan Gentiles, by whom they were surrounded.
“Beloved I urge you as sojourners and exiles” Peter begins his exhortation by
addressing his readers as ‘beloved‘ (agapetos avgapeto.j), which implies that they,
as recipients of God's immeasurable love, have a duty to obey the One who loves
them. On that basis he can urge (parakaleo parakalew.), admonish or encourage
them to reciprocate God's love by living for Him, (Romans 12:1). So he urges
them to keep away from all fleshly lusts for the sake of their own souls and conduct
themselves in their pagan surroundings as being ‘set apart’.
Peter further identified his audience as aliens and strangers, which reminded them
that they were not truly members of this world's society. Paul wrote, "For our
citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ", (Philippians 3:20). The Greek word translated as aliens (paroikos
pa,roikoj) literally means alongside the house or outsider. The word came to
mean any person who lives in a country not his own and is therefore a foreigner.
The term fits Christians who do not belong to this world's system but live alongside
those who do. Peter also used the term strangers (parepidemos parepi,demoj),
which is a synonym for aliens. It refers to a visitor or a pilgrim who travels through
a country and perhaps makes a brief stay there. "For here we do not have a
lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come", (Hebrews 13:14).
“to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul”
Proper Christian behavior and attitudes toward the world cannot occur when we
forget that we are aliens and exiles in this world. Therefore Christians need to
abstain from worldly, fleshly lusts, (Romans 8:5-9,12-13; 13:14; Galatians 5:13,1625). We are part of a colony from heaven, we have not come from heaven. We
have been won over to the colonizing effort by the pioneer Christ. Thus it is
essential that we abstain from fleshly desires. Fleshly desires include far more than
just physical temptations. Galatians 5:19-21 shows that every sin of heart, mind,
and body that makes this world the standard of right and reality is of the flesh.
These desires wage war against the soul. By these words, Peter reminds us that
the colonizing effort is a life and death struggle, (James 1:13-15).
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Verse 12: 12 “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak
against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the
day of visitation.” Peter's readers have become outsiders and foreigners to their
pagan neighbors because they have deserted the pagan gods for the true God.
They, as well as we, have become a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people for His own possession, to proclaim the excellencies of Him who
called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. In one important respect,
today's culture is similar to that of Peter’s time—unbelievers from all quarters
constantly attack and criticize Christianity. Such opponents of the gospel are often
vocal in their criticism and many have succeeded in capturing the major political,
economic, social, and educational institutions of our society. The world has
opposed Christianity ever since Jesus' day and believers should not expect things
to be different today. We are still sojourners and exiles in this sin filled world.
“Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable” Peter was eager for God's
people to demonstrate distinctive, obedient behavior in order to convince critics of
their faith. Even in the face of pressure and persecution, a Christian’s calling is to
live a life of goodness that is so transparent that the accusers of the world cannot
resist noticing. He dares to hope that in the face of such goodness the pagan
world will glorify God on the day of visitation. The purpose of such noble conduct
is to glorify God and to be a witness to the unbelievers who slander Christians.
“so that when they speak against you as evildoers” Like ancient Noah, the very
purity of their behavior "condemned the world" (Hebrews 11:7), and that was
reason enough for the world's hatred. One would think that a religion which
encourages its followers to live in self-discipline and honor would have been
welcomed with open arms. But at the time when Peter wrote, hostility against
Christians was being intensified since Nero and the capital of the Roman Empire
were beginning no longer to regard Christianity as a sect of Judaism, which was
tolerated and privileged, but as an illegal religion. The provinces followed the
attitude of Rome and Nero. In any case, when a number of people in a pagan city
depart from the majority and adopt a religion that condemns the old religion as
radically as the Christian faith condemns paganism, this minority will certainly find
themselves singled out and identified as rebels and subversives, (James 4:11).
“they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” When
they conduct themselves among their pagan neighbors in a morally excellent way,
when these pagans witness these excellent works, they will in some cases be so
interested as to be drawn to Christianity, become converted, and will thus actually
glorify God when this day of grace arrives. The good works of true believers have a
strong missionary power. Deeds that are done by consistent conduct speak louder
than words. Deeds that re-enforce doctrine, the gospel in both Word and life, draw
men to God through Jesus Christ. Worldly Christians hinder home missionary
work. Visitation, here, as in Luke 19:10, takes place when God looks upon a
person with grace and mercy. Peter is restating the word of Jesus spoken in
Matthew 5:16: "that they may see your excellent works and may glorify your
Father, the One in the heavens”, (Jeremiah 29:10; Luke 1:68-78, 7:16, 19:44)
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Submission to Rulers
Verses 2:13-17
Verses 13-17:
13 “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the
emperor as supreme” Peter now calls on his readers to submit to the authority of
every human institution. His references to the king (probably meaning the
emperor) and to governors (presumably local authorities) show that he is thinking
specifically of political authorities. The relationship of Christians to the state has
been a problem since the beginning of Christianity. Peter's readers were ruled by
a pagan government, and the question was asked how far and on what principle
should God's people obey pagan rulers. The question became acute when
Christians were spoken against as being evil and were treated as such by the
government when some of them were accused and indicted before the authorities.
The Bible clearly says that all government, whatever its structure may be, is of
divine origin, (Proverbs 8:15; Daniel 2:21; Jeremiah 27:5-6; Romans 13:1-4). It is
the will of God that there should be government among men. Anarchy is contrary
to His will. Peter is not speaking here of the source of the ‘authority’ in government
but of its form, which is ‘a human creation,’ that has a king as the supreme
authority and governors who are sent by him and govern in his name. No
particular form of government is advocated by the New Testament. Peter deals
with the political form as it existed in the Roman Empire. Nero, the Caesar, and his
governors are all included under ‘whether it be to an emperor as supreme.’
By means of civil government, God intends to make it possible for men to live
together in outward peace and security. Governments, therefore, are to protect the
lives, the property, the honor and reputation of the people, to safeguard them in the
pursuit of their occupations and in the enjoyment of their liberties, and to preserve
order and discipline in the nation. The government may also engage in activities
that will promote and secure the general welfare of the people, such as the
education of its citizens, the conservation of national resources, the improvement
of unfair conditions and suffering, combating social, economic, and physical
dangers, and improving living conditions in general. When the State faithfully and
effectively tends to its business, it is a minister of God for the good of the Church.
Its members may then lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty,
and worship God according to the dictates of their conscience, (Romans 13:3-4;
1 Timothy 2:2).
There are however personal and private matters over which the government
should have no jurisdiction, primarily man's religion and man's relation to God.
Being a temporal power, civil government does not concern itself about the
spiritual welfare of its citizens, and has no right to dictate to them whom they must
worship and what they must believe, (Matthew 22:21). The care of souls is not
committed to the civil government. Civil government deals with men not in the
spiritual, but in the secular sphere and is generally guided in its work not by
Scripture, but by reason. Therefore, a strict separation of Church and State is to
the benefit of both. While the government may allow what God forbids, and forbid
what God allows, it may not command what God forbids and forbid what God
commands. If it does, then we must obey God rather than men, (Acts 5: 29).
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14 “or to governors as sent by Him to punish those who do evil and to praise those
who do good.” Peter designates every kind of magistrate, as though he had said
that there is no kind of government to which we ought not to submit. He confirms
this by saying that government officials are God’s servants rather than the king’s.
There is then a common reason, which encourages the authority of all magistrates,
that they rule by the command of God, and are sent by Him. It hence follows that
anyone who disobeys a lawful government resists God and does not obediently
submit to a power ordained by Him. Peter speaks of the rulers in their normal
functions as Paul does in Romans 13:1-7. Peter addresses the issue of tyrannical
rulers in Acts 4:19 and 5:29. The way in which Peter speaks of the functions of
rulers indicates that his readers were in no immediate danger, and that no danger
from the government was threatening in the near future.
Now Peter assumes two things, which belong, as Plato says, to all government,
that is, reward to the good and punishment to the wicked. Even in ancient times,
governments not only punished evil-doers, but also rewarded the doers of good.
But though it often happens that honors are not rightly distributed, nor rewards
given to the deserving, yet it is an honor not to be despised, that the good are at
least under the care and protection of magistrates, that they are not exposed to the
violence and injuries of the ungodly, that they live more quietly under laws and
better retain their reputation, than if every one, unrestrained, lived as he pleased.
In short, it is a blessing of God that the wicked are not allowed to do whatsoever
they like. Even tyrannical governments govern only by the grace of God.
“to punish those who do evil” All governments have the authority to punish evil.
The Roman governors had the power of life and death in conquered provinces.
Ulpian, the celebrated Roman lawyer, who flourished two hundred years after
Christ, describes the power of the governors of the Roman provinces: "It is the
duty of a good and vigilant president to see to it that his province be peaceable and
quiet. And that he ought to make diligent search after sacrilegious persons,
robbers, man-stealers, and thieves, and to punish every one according to their
guilt." Again, "The presidents of provinces have the highest authority, next to the
emperor." Peter has described the office of the Roman governors in language
nearly resembling that of Ulpian.
“to praise those who do good.” Praise here stands opposed to punishment, and
means commendation, applause, reward. That is, it is a part of their business to
reward in a suitable manner those who are upright and virtuous as citizens. This
would be by protecting their persons and property; by defending their rights, and,
perhaps, by admitting those to share the honors and rewards of office who showed
that they were worthy to be trusted. It is as important a part of the functions of the
government to protect the innocent, as it is to punish the wicked.
Christians need admonition regarding government when government is likely to
turn against them. They are then to be admonished that their course of conduct is
not to be rebellion but submission. To extend this submission to the point of
denying the faith on a ruler's demand is obviously wrong as shown in Acts 4:19
and 5:29. The submission is to be the normal one, always for the sake of the Lord
to whom even our leaders are held accountable.
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15 “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the
ignorance of foolish people.” Peter does not say ‘Submit because submission is
God's will.’ That fact has already been stated by an appeal to a gospel motive ‘for
the Lord's sake.’ What Peter stresses here is one particular reason to submit for
the Lord's sake. That by doing good you keep silencing the ignorance of foolish
men especially those who speak against Christians as evildoers.
“that by doing good” Peter is calling us to a life of uprightness and benevolence,
(Titus 2:8). As Christians, our faith will shine brightly to our pagan neighbors by
doing good works, by living lives with integrity and impeccable moral purity, by
living soberly and righteously, and by having honest interactions with them. This
means that we should live lives that are obedient to the law of God and, when not
contrary to God’s law, live according to the laws of civil authorities, and by being
subject to every civil magistrate and ordinance of man. God wants us to do good
despite our condition or the lack of knowledge of foolish men. We do this because
it is pleasing to God. In addition, it is God’s will that, by our doing good, we muzzle
the ignorance of foolish men who seek to find something evil in our deeds but in
their ignorance do not see that evil is lacking.
“you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people” The reference here is to
men who brought charges against Christians by accusing them of being hostile to
the government, or insubordinate, or guilty of crimes. Such charges, it is well
known, were often brought against them by their enemies in the early ages of
Christianity. Peter says that it is God’s will to silence their accusers. The Greek
word translated as silence (phimoo fimo,w) originally meant to muzzle or gag a
beast to prevent it from eating or biting, and metaphorically to make speechless or
to silence. The original meaning fits, for these ignorant people want to bite us like
dogs. But Constantly doing good works acts like a constant muzzling. ‘Ignorance’
(agnosia avgnwsi,a) means senseless, without reason and indicates a willful, hostile
rejection of the truth. Peter is implying that they should have more sense, (Luke
11:40, 12:20, 23:34; Acts 3:17; 1 Timothy 1:13). Peter also says the accusations
were brought by ‘foolish men’, perhaps using the word foolish (aphron avfrw,n) in
the sense of senseless, evil-disposed, or wicked, as it is often used in the Bible.
Yet though malice might be the intent, the charges were actually based on
ignorance. They were not truly aware of the principles of the Christian religion.
16 “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but
living as servants of God.” Christian freedom must show itself, not in license, but
in willing obedience to the legal authorities. We are free to obey the government
because we are already God’s servants, (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:22-23). Our will is
no longer our own but it is obedient the will of our master, God. This slavery to God
is the truest and most complete human freedom. All other so-called freedom is
only self-delusion. If Christians refuse to submit to the legal authorities, this would
further antagonize and arouse their enemies. It is evident that there are many
today who have done exactly that, even claiming that it is not necessary or
essential for them to even obey God. We subject ourselves to government for the
Lord's sake as being perfectly free and in no way as slaves to men, (Acts 4:19;
5:29). Galatians 5:1, 13-25 shows that Paul faced the same problem.
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17 “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” It is
perhaps best to understand this verse in two parts. First, the all encompassing
command to keep on honoring all men. Second, Peter then describes more
specifically how the first command can be fulfilled, namely, by a continual love for
the brotherhood, an on-going fear of God, and, in all that is consistent with the fear
of God, keep honoring those placed in authority over you, (Matthew 5:14-16).
“Honor everyone.” Peter specifies how we are to honor everyone and to silence
the mouths of ignorant men. God has created every person is His image, (Genesis
1:26, 9:6; James 3:9; Psalm 100:3) and therefore everyone is due some degree of
respect. In the first century, most people viewed slaves as nonpersons with no
rights. But Peter, like Paul, says that they were not to treat anyone that way,
(Colossians 4:1; Philippians 2:3). Christians are not to discriminate against any
class of people because of race, nationality, or economic status, (Romans 2:11;
Ephesians 6:8-9; James 2:1-9). That does not mean to ignore different levels of
authority and social structure or that they engage in a mindless tolerance for
everyone's conduct, but it does mean that we are to show proper respect for
everyone as individuals made in the image of God.
“Love the brotherhood” We are to show the world that we are one body of believers
by continually showing a love to our fellow believers that we cannot show to the
pagan world. We have nothing in common with the unbelievers and therefore
cannot show the same kind and depth of love for them that we have for our fellow
believers. The apostle John also wrote of this principle a number of times: “A new
commandment I [Christ] give to you, that you love one another, even as I have
loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another”, (John 3:23, 4:7,21,13:34-35, 15:12).
“Fear God.” The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all spiritual wisdom, (Proverbs
6:7). The Greek word translated as ‘fear’ (phobeo fobe,w) means to show fear,
reverence, and to stand in awe. Believers are to keep showing God reverence,
(Deuteronomy 13:4; Psalm 111:10; Hebrews 12:9, 28; Revelation 15:4), by trusting
Him in all circumstances (Psalm 36:7; Proverbs 3:5; 14:26; 16:20; Isaiah 26:4), no
matter how difficult they are (Psalm 34:22; Proverbs 29:25; Nahum 1:7;
2 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Timothy 1:12). Christians worship Him as the Sovereign One,
(Matthew 6:33-34; Romans 8:28; 11:33) who orchestrates everything according to
His perfect Will, (1 Samuel 2:7-8; Psalm 145:9; Proverbs 19:21). Fearing God is
honoring Him and showing Him reverence by avoiding all sin and disobedience.
“Honor the emperor.” Believers are to honor the king or whatever government they
live under because God has established it for them. This application again echoes
Paul's teaching in Romans 13:7, "Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax
is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor." As
God's agent for carrying out the purposes of government, the monarch, mayor,
premier, or prime minister is worthy of the respect God mandates. The eye of the
world is upon us. The judgment of the world in regard to Christianity is based on
their observation of the manner in which we live our lives. If our witness fails there,
the world judges that Christianity fails altogether. However devout we may be in
private, if it is not seen by the world it does not witness to them.
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Submission to your Masters
Verses 2:18-20
Verses 18-20:
18 “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and
gentle but also to the unjust.” A servant works for someone else. The master
rewards the servant for their work with either wages or, in Roman times, with life,
food, clothing, shelter. God did not institute slavery, man did that, but Christian
slaves were to be submissive to their human master. The workforce in the Roman
world consisted primarily of slaves. Slaves were considered property, not persons.
They had almost no rights under the law. Some were treated as members of the
family while others were treated harshly and unjustly. By the first century, the
institution of slavery was changing. Public sentiment decried harsh treatment of
slaves. Theologically, Christianity says that all are equal in God’s sight and is
therefore opposed to the institution of slavery. But for Peter to openly oppose the
political and economical institution of slavery would have intensified the
persecutions already coming upon the church.
“Servants” Peter does not call them slaves (doulos dou/loj) as Paul does, instead
he calls them servants or house-slaves (oiketaes oivke,thj) who belong to the
house (oikos oi;koj) or family. While there were many indentured slaves
throughout the Roman Empire, there was also a class of household, domestic
servants. Some of these household servants were hired and received wages while
others were owned by their master. When Christianity was preached to them,
many slaves and servants were converted. The subject of slavery is a sensitive
subject, both as to the nature of slavery in the empire and as to the attitude of
Christianity toward slavery, (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-4:1).
“be subject to your masters with all respect” Peter uses the same Greek word
(hupotasso u`pota,ssw) for ‘be subject’ to your masters that he used in verse 13
‘be subject’ to your government. It was originally a military term meaning "to
arrange troop divisions in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In
non-military use, it was a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming
responsibility, and carrying a burden. The Greek word translated as ‘master’
(despotaes despo,thj) means a person with supreme authority, master, or despot.
In a household setting, this word would mean the head of the house or the head of
the family. Subjection or submission to masters is the duty of Christian servants
and slaves. Christians do not submit out of fear or human compulsion like the
pagan servants, rather Christians submit because it is the will of God for us to be
obedient to those in authority over us.
“not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust” It was comparatively easy
to live under good and gentle masters, yet Christian slaves were asked to be just
as ready to serve and obey ‘the unjust as well as the good.’ The Greek word
translated as ‘unjust’ (skolios skolio,j) means perverse, crooked, unfair, wicked,
and surly. Peter refers to masters who were unjust because, without the grace of
God, it is indeed difficult for servants or for anyone to submit to another who treats
them in a harsh or perverse manner. We naturally want to respond in kind.
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19 “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while
suffering unjustly.” As servants responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ, it became
imperative for church leaders to address the issues of servant-master
relationships. The motivation for slaves to be subject in the workplace to even
perverse masters is that it is pleasing to God for Christians to do their work in a
humble and submissive way to their superiors as unto the Lord, (1 Samuel 15:22;
Ephesians 6:5-6; Colossians 3:22; James 1:25).
“this is a gracious thing” The Greek word here translated as ‘gracious’ (charis
ca,rij) means grace, joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, gratitude and acceptance.
Peter is saying that submission to superiors ‘is pleasurable and acceptable to
God’. That is, this will give God joy. It does not mean that it was worthy of thanks,
or that God would thank them for doing it, (Luke 17:9,10) but that such conduct
would meet with His approval and give Him pleasure to see our obedience to Him.
“when, mindful of God” This comes from a Greek phrase which means awareness
of one’s relationship to God. That is, the slave trusts that God, in His providence,
has placed them in these particular circumstances, and that it is their duty to God
to bear every trial with a submissive spirit. If this is done, the slave will be a
witness of true faith to the pagan world. Peter is not saying that patient suffering is
in itself pleasing to God, which is not the case, but rather that being aware of God’s
providence and sovereignty, we remain obedient to Him in the midst our
circumstances.
“one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly” This is a reference to the cruel and
even inhumane, sadistic treatment the slaves of that era often received from their
masters. They had no legal rights whatever. They could be beaten, maimed,
burned with fire, or tortured in any manner that a wicked imagination might
suggest. Arbitrary pagan masters often abused a slave who had become a
Christian. All such sorrows, which were inflicted to make the poor, helpless slaves
suffer, were in reality, a realization of grace or favor from God if the Christian slave,
bore up under them because they were conscious of God who sees all and would
bless and uphold them. Great was the suffering of the slaves who constituted the
workforce of the ancient pagan world. What an achievement for Christianity that
such a scourge was finally banished, (Philippians 1:29; Revelation 2:10).
20 “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if
when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight
of God.” As a Christian, the slave who is being beaten and mistreated in many
ways for no just cause, is faced with the choice of being patient and enduring this
suffering in obedience to Christ or returning evil for evil and probably losing their
life. The choice lies between sinning against his master or his Christian
conscience, receiving punishment or losing God's favor. The choice should not be
difficult to make even though the circumstances could be difficult to bear.. His
master will not show him favor but only abuse. God will show favor to any slave
remains obedient to their Christian conscience. A slave forfeits God’s divine favor
if they disobey their master and thus sin against God.
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Christ’s Example of Submission
Verses 2:21-25
Verses 21-25:
21 “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving
you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” Peter provided special
counsel to those who are servants of slave owners. Slaves are to be subject to
their masters and submit to them with all respect. The incentive for showing this
kind of submission, even in the presence of provocation, is the moving example of
Christ's obedience. As Christ suffered for all, so also as His followers, Christians
may be called to suffer wrongfully for doing right.
“For to this you have been called” As Christians, we are called not merely to suffer,
or to do good to others, but to do good and, if need be, to suffer because of it and
while doing it. This especially applies to servants and slaves who were maltreated
by their masters, often only because they had become Christian and in spite of the
good, conscientious service which they rendered. To these poor slaves, Peter
points to the example of Jesus, whom they are called to follow in His steps.
While Peter points to Jesus' example for these servants and slaves in their
distressful condition in order to keep them true to their faith, this example has value
for all of Peter’s readers and also for all of us today. All of us could be called to
suffer and be abused while we, as followers of Christ, conscientiously do good to
others. By holding up the example of Jesus, Peter by no means makes Him merely
an example. From start to finish, Peter presents Jesus, our example, as our
Savior, who, by becoming our example, also enables us to follow His example by
forgiving our sins and giving us new life.
"because Christ also suffered for you" This is to be understood in the sense of ‘on
behalf of’ or ‘instead of’ you. Jesus suffered for us. He suffered in our stead, to
fulfill the law, satisfy the justice of God, and make reconciliation for sin. Jesus did
not view God as his own personal judge in this trial and crucifixion. His Father had
sent Him on a suicide mission - to be crucified as an innocent victim for the sake of
and in the place of all those who sin against God. “Looking to Jesus, the founder
and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”,
(Hebrews 12:2). Even so, our suffering, for a time, will be forgotten when we enter
the joy and peace in Heaven.
“leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” Jesus did nothing
wrong, yet He suffered. The Greek word from which example comes is found
nowhere else in the New Testament. The meaning of it is very similar to Greek
words translated as ‘figure’ in Acts 7:44 and ‘pattern’ in Hebrews 8:5. The Greek
word (hupogrammos u`pogrammo,j) literally means to write under. It was writing or
a drawing that is placed under another sheet and traced or copied onto the upper
sheet by the pupil. It describes the way that a person learned to write. He copied
the teacher’s writing. Christians learn how to behave when they copy what Jesus
did. This is a valuable witness of a heavenly pattern, not merely for the building of
the church and the ordering of its worship, but also for the behavior and life-style of
the Christian as well.
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22 “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.” Peter affirms the
absolute sinlessness of our Lord. The Gospel records substantiate what Peter
says. Jesus stands forth as the sinless One, (Luke 23:41; John 8:46; 2 Corinthians
5:21; Hebrews 4:15.). In all his clashes with his cunning enemies, no trace of
evasion, guile, deceit, trickery is found, nothing but the pure, holy truth; with that
alone he discomfited them. The phrase ‘neither was deceit found in His mouth’
refers to His whole life and especially to his trial before the Sanhedrin when all the
false witnesses failed to fasten anything adverse upon him and when, with his life
at stake, he made oath to the truth that he was the Messiah, the Son of God.
This is another example of an Old Testament prophecy that Jesus fulfilled. Peter's
use of Isaiah 53:9 is very appropriate because maltreated servants and slaves
would be tempted to use "guile" to deceive their masters in order to escape being
beaten. These servants and slaves, like all of us, must always look at Christ who
was without sin and guile. Jesus, despite the perfection of his life, suffered. For us
and for these maltreated slaves, Peter is saying that even if they could be sinless,
there would still be occasions of suffering. Like James, Peter states that sin of any
kind will show itself means of the tongue, (Hebrews 7:26; James 3:2).
23 “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not
threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” This is a
further deployment upon the sinless character of the Savior. Peter has in mind the
scenes of the great passion in which the provocation for Jesus to retaliate was
extreme. We think especially of the mockery and the abuse of the Sanhedrin, of
the scourging and the mockery of the soldiers, and of the mockery and the reviling
under the cross. This is how Jesus behaved, (Matthew 27:13-14). The application
of this example of Jesus to maltreated slaves is self evident: let them commit
themselves to Him who judges righteously and keep their hearts and their lips from
muttering reviling and threatening replies, (Luke 6:20-23).
24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and
live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” This shows
fulfillment of another prophecy about Jesus from Isaiah 53:5-6. It is a one sentence
explanation of salvation. Not only are we born sinful but we also commit sins. Sin
is everything that people have done wrong against God or other people. Romans
6:23 says that the punishment for sin is death. People deserve to die because they
have sinned. Jesus himself never sinned. Jesus carried the sins of every person
on Himself when He died on the cross. Jesus accepted the punishment for all sins.
The holy and sinless Jesus died instead of sinful humanity. He paid the price to
redeem us from sin, death and the devil and gave us new life in Himself. When the
Holy Spirit has brought faith into a person’s heart and they confess that they have
sinned, Jesus forgives them. He makes them new. Their spirit was dead, but now it
is alive. They will live forever. In what way did Christ bear our sins? He bore the
guilt and consequence of our sin, which is death itself. He suffered separation,
though briefly, from the presence of God. He was numbered with transgressors.
They made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man. He endured a lifetime of
exposure to the outrageous opposition of evil and unscrupulous men.
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“that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” Jesus died on the cross in
order that we, having ceased to exist for the purpose of sinning, may live for (true)
righteousness. The Greek (apogenomenos avpogenomeno.j) translated as ‘die’ to
sin is inexact. If Peter was referring to death, like Paul, he would have used the
verb (apothnesko avpoqnh,skw) which literally means to die, to be physically dead.
Instead he uses a word that means ‘to cease to exist, to be removed from, and to
depart from’ which is stronger and more to the point. Peter is saying that in Christ,
we have ‘ceased to exist' for the purpose of sinning and are now living for
righteousness. Believers live for Christ rather than for their sinful desires. With our
sin paid for by Jesus, sin no longer incurs a debt to our account. And so believers
are now ‘dead’ with respect to the eternal consequences of sin. Justification, the
forgiveness of sins, which was contingent upon God's wrath being appeased, has
been accomplished by Jesus on the cross. Consequently those who have been
justified can now live for righteousness having ‘ceased to exist’ for sin.
“By his wounds you have been healed” What kind of holy medicine is this, in which
the physician pays the price and the sufferer receives the healing! Jesus, of
course, was chastised literally, His precious body was marked with the stripes that
redeemed us. What does the Bible say about healing? Isaiah 53:5, which is
quoted in 1 Peter 2:24, is a key verse on healing, but it is often misunderstood and
misapplied. The Greek word translated as ‘wounds’ is also translated as ‘stripes’ in
other translations. The actual Greek word (molops mwlw,y) means a bruise, stripe,
or a wound that trickles with blood. As slaves, many of them had been whipped.
They had received stripes on occasions where they may have deserved it and
where they did not deserve to be beaten. Jesus was also beaten. He received
stripes for sins which He did not commit. He suffered for our sins. The word
translated ‘healed’ (iaomai iva,omai) literally means to cure, to heal, to make whole
and can mean either spiritual or physical healing. However, the contexts of Isaiah
53 and 1 Peter make it clear that it is speaking of spiritual healing. The verse is
talking about sin and righteousness, not sickness and disease. Therefore, being
‘healed’ in both these verses is speaking of being forgiven and saved, not
physically healed. Peter's thought concerns the wounds that sins inflict on us.
These were healed by means of Christ's wounds. The healing stripes of Christ
save us from eternal death, (Luke 12:48). A Christian slave may then be enabled
through Christ to bear the blows which his master inflicts on him.
The Bible does not specifically link physical healing with spiritual healing.
Sometimes people are physically healed when they place their faith in Christ, but
this is not necessarily the case. Sometimes it is God’s will to heal, sometimes it is
not. The apostle John gives us the proper perspective: “This is the confidence we
have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears
us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have
what we asked of Him”, (1 John 5:14-15). God still performs miracles. God still
heals people. Sickness, disease, pain, and death are still realities in this world.
Until the Lord returns, everyone who is alive today will die, and the vast majority of
them (Christians included) will die as the result of a physical problem (disease,
sickness, injury). It is not always God’s will to heal us physically or spare the
suffering that often accompanies death.
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25 “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and
Overseer of your souls.” Peter continues to draw on prophecies concerning the
Messiah. Here he refers to Isaiah 53:6. All humanity was like a flock of sheep
without a shepherd. We had wandered in sin away from our true sheepfold and
were following our own sinful desires. We were without a shepherd (protector) or
overseer (guide) and were exposed to every kind of danger and sin. Humanity
was in a most pitiful situation. The recipients of this epistle were no different
before they became Christians. But now they are no longer lost in the sea of sin.
Now they have a Shepherd and Overseer of their souls. Now these servants and
slaves, who are being addressed by Peter, like all other believers, are under Christ
who is their ‘Shepherd’. He will protect and save them from sin, death, and the
devil. As Overseer of your souls, all believers and servants in particular, as much
exposed to injuries as they were, were still under the protective care and guidance
of Christ. Wandering sheep have no one to look after them and are thus doomed
to perish, but our Good Shepherd, Christ, looks after His sheep. Peter has in mind
only the general figure of sheep who once went astray and had no one to guard
them and then came to Christ who cares for their needs. The thought that the
slaves who are compelled to suffer at the hands of their masters have Jesus as
their Shepherd and Overseer is one of great comfort to them. His gentle hand
keeps them, and he is not unmindful of their hard condition.
There is no symbol upon which the early church seems to have dwelt with more
delight than that of Christ as the Good Shepherd, bringing home to the fold the lost
sheep. It was engraved on gems; it furnished the legends of seals; it gives today
an almost fabulous value to fragments of broken glass; it was painted upon the
chalice of the Holy Communion; and it was carved upon the tombs of the martyrs
in the catacombs! There can really, therefore, be no other way of understanding
these two magnificent titles than as being ascribed here to the blessed Savior.
This is great news for Christian slaves in the Roman Empire. Caesar may claim to
be their earthly ruler and king. He may claim to look after the needs and cares of
all citizens of the empire but most slaves were not citizens of Rome. All slaves
have an earthly master. Their master is supposed to take care of them and feed
and clothe them. But many slaves have malicious masters who ill treat them and
work them to death. When they were ‘straying like sheep’ in the pagan world,
these were their only shepherds and overseers. At best, these earthly shepherds
looked after their physical needs. The pagan world did not know God or worship
Him. They neither knew His Law nor did they behave morally. They worshipped
gods made by human hands. But like the prodigal son, having repented and
having been reconciled to God, Christians have been healed from such behavior.
Now they are no longer lost and straying sheep, they have returned to the Good
Shepherd and Overseer of their souls, they have the assurance that God knows
who they are and what they are doing. He knows what is happening to them and
in His providential care will look after them. But even more than that, they now
have the assurance that their sins have been forgiven, they have been restored to
fellowship with the Creator of the universe, and they are assured to spend eternity
with Him. There will be no suffering, no beating, and no evil task masters to
please. Instead, our loving Heavenly Father will commune with us at the banquet
table prepared for all of God’s saints, the table that Jesus has prepared.
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