Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Peter 2

CHAPTER II. ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER.

This chapter may be divided into three parts:

1. An exhortation to those whom the apostle addressed, to lay aside all malice, and all guile, and to receive the simple and plain instructions of the word of God with the earnestness with which babes desire their appropriate food (1 Peter 2:1–3). Religion reproduces the traits of character of children in those whom it influences, and they ought to regard themselves as new-born babes, and seek that kind of spiritual nourishment which is adapted to their condition as such.

2. The privileges which they had obtained by becoming Christians, while so many others had stumbled at the very truths by which they had been saved (1 Peter 2:4–10).

   • 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; they had been admitted to the privilege of offering true sacrifices, acceptable to God (1 Peter 2:4–5).

   • To them Christ was precious as the chief corner-stone, on which all their hopes rested, and on which the edifice that was to be reared was safe, though that foundation of the Christian hope had been rejected and disallowed by others (1 Peter 2:6–8).

   • They were now a chosen people, a holy nation, appointed to show forth on earth the praises of God, though formerly they were not regarded as the people of God, and were not within the range of the methods by which he was accustomed to show mercy (1 Peter 2:9–10).

3. Various duties growing out of these privileges, and out of the various relations which they sustained in life (1 Peter 2:11–25).

   • The duty of living as strangers and pilgrims; of abstaining from all those fleshly lusts which war against the soul; and of leading lives of entire honesty in relation to the Gentiles, by whom they were surrounded (1 Peter 2:11–12).

   • The duty of submitting to civil rulers (1 Peter 2:13–17).

   • The duty of servants to submit to their masters, though their condition was a hard one in life, and they were called to suffer wrongfully (1 Peter 2:18–20).

   • This duty was enforced on servants, and on all, from the example of Christ, who was more wronged than any others can be, and who yet bore all his sufferings with entire patience, leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21–25).

Wherefore laying aside. On the word rendered laying aside, see Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22, 25; Colossians 3:8.

The allusion is to putting off clothes; and the meaning is, that we are to cast off these things entirely; that is, we are no longer to practice them. The word wherefore (Greek: oun) refers to the reasonings in the first chapter. In view of the considerations stated there, we should renounce all evil.

All malice. All evil (Greek: kakian). The word malice we commonly apply now to a particular kind of evil, denoting extreme enmity of heart, ill-will, a disposition to injure others without cause, from mere personal gratification, or from a spirit of revenge—Webster. The Greek word, however, includes evil of all kinds .

Compare Acts 8:22, where it is rendered wickedness, and 1 Corinthians 5:8; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8; Titus 3:3.

And all guile. Deceit of all kinds (2 Corinthians 12:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:3).

And hypocrisies. (See 1 Timothy 4:2; Matthew 23:28; Galatians 2:13, on the word rendered dissimulation). The word means, feigning to be what we are not; assuming a false appearance of religion; cloaking a wicked purpose under the appearance of piety.

And envies. Hatred of others on account of some excellency which they have, or something which they possess which we do not .

And all evil speaking. Greek, Speaking against others. This word (katalalia) occurs only here and in 2 Corinthians 12:20, where it is rendered backbitings. It would include all unkind or slanderous speaking against others. This is by no means an uncommon fault in the world, and it is one of the designs of religion to guard against it.

Religion teaches us to lay aside whatever guile, insincerity, and false appearances we may have acquired, and to put on the simple honesty and openness of children. We all acquire more or less of guile and insincerity in the course of life. We learn to conceal our sentiments and feelings, and almost unconsciously come to appear different from what we really are.

It is not so with children. In the child, every emotion of the bosom appears as it is. Nature there works, well and beautifully. Every emotion is expressed; every feeling of the heart is developed; and in the cheeks, the open eye, the joyous or sad countenance, we know all that there is in the bosom, as certainly as we know all that there is in the rose by its color and its fragrance.

Now, it is one of the purposes of religion to bring us back to this state, and to strip off all the subterfuges which we may have acquired in life; and he in whom this effect is not accomplished has never been converted. A man that is characteristically deceitful, cunning, and crafty, cannot be a Christian. Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).

As new-born babes. This phrase properly denotes those who were just born, and therefore Christians who had just begun the spiritual life. See the word explained (2 Timothy 3:15).

It is not uncommon in the Scriptures to compare Christians with little children (see Matthew 18:3 for the reasons for this comparison; compare 1 Corinthians 3:2 and Hebrews 5:12-14).

Desire the sincere milk of the word. This means the pure milk of the word. Regarding the meaning of the word sincere, see Ephesians 6:24.

The Greek word here (adolon) properly means that which is without guile or falsehood; thus, unadulterated, pure, genuine. The Greek adjective translated "of the word" (logikon) properly means rational, pertaining to reason or mind; and, in this connection with milk, it means that which is adapted to sustain the soul .

There is no doubt that this alludes to the gospel in its purest and most simple form, as adapted to be the nourishment of the new-born soul. Probably there are two ideas here: first, that the proper nourishment of piety is simple truth; and second, that the truths they were to desire were the more elementary truths of the gospel, such as would be adapted to those who were babes in knowledge.

That you may grow thereby. This means that you may grow just as babes grow on their proper nourishment. Piety in the heart is susceptible to growth and is made to grow by its proper element, just as a plant or a child is. It will grow in proportion to the proper kind of nourishment it receives.

From this verse we may see several things:

1. The reason for the Savior's injunction to Peter, to feed his lambs, (John 21:15; 1 Peter 2:1–2).

   Young Christians strongly resemble children, or babes; they need watchful care, kind attention, and appropriate nourishment, just as much as newborn infants do. Piety largely receives its form from its commencement; the character of the whole Christian life will be determined to a great degree by the views entertained at first and the kind of instruction given to those who are just entering on their Christian course.

2. That it provides evidence of conversion if we have a love for the simple and pure truths of the gospel. This love is evidence that we have spiritual life, just as truly as the desire for appropriate nourishment is evidence that an infant has natural life.

   The newborn soul loves the truth. It is nourished by it and perishes without it. The gospel is just what it wants, and without it, it could not live.

3. That the truths of the gospel best adapted to that state are those which are simple and plain (see Hebrews 5:12 and following). It is not philosophy that is needed then, nor the profound and difficult doctrines of the gospel; rather, it is those elementary truths that lie at the foundation of all religion and can be comprehended by children.

   Religion makes everyone docile and humble as a child; and whatever may be the age at which one is converted, or whatever attainments one may have made in science, he relishes the same truths loved by the youngest and most unlettered child brought into the kingdom of God.

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Or rather, as Doddridge renders it, "Since you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." The apostle did not mean to express any doubt on the subject, but to state that, since they had an experiential knowledge of the grace of God, they should desire to increase more and more in the knowledge and love of Him. Regarding the use of the word taste, see the notes on Hebrews 6:4.

To whom coming. This refers to the Lord Jesus, because the word "Lord" is to be understood in this way in 1 Peter 2:3 .

The idea here is that they had come to Him for salvation, while the great mass of people rejected Him. Others "disallowed" Him and turned away from Him; but these believers had seen that He was the One chosen or appointed by God, and had come to Him to be saved. Salvation is often represented as coming to Christ .

As unto a living stone. The allusion in this passage is to Isaiah 28:16, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. .

There may also be an allusion to Psalm 118:22, The stone which the builders disallowed, is become the head-stone of the corner. The reference is to Christ as the foundation on which the church is reared. He occupied the same place in relation to the church that a foundation stone does to the edifice reared upon it (Romans 9:33; Ephesians 2:20 and following).

The phrase living stone is, however, unusual and is not found, I think, except in this passage. There seems to be an incongruity in it, in attributing life to a stone, yet its meaning is not difficult to understand.

The purpose was not to speak of a temple like that at Jerusalem, made of gold and costly stones, but of a temple made of living materials—of redeemed people—in which God now resides. In speaking of that, it was natural to refer to the foundation on which the whole rested, and to speak of that foundation as corresponding to the whole edifice.

It was all a living temple—a temple composed of living materials—from the foundation to the top. Compare the expression in John 4:10, He would have given thee living water; that is, water that would have imparted life to the soul. In the same way, Christ imparts life to the whole spiritual temple that is reared on Him as a foundation.

Disallowed indeed of men. This means He was rejected by them: first by the Jews, who caused Him to be put to death; and then by all people when He is offered to them as their Savior . This rejection is spoken of in Psalm 118:22, Which the builders refused (Acts 4:11).

But chosen of God. Selected by Him as the suitable foundation on which to rear His church.

And precious. Valuable. The universe had nothing more valuable on which to rear the spiritual temple.

Ye also, as lively stones. Greek: "living stones." The word should have been rendered that way. The word lively with us now has a different meaning from "living," and denotes active, quick, sprightly. The Greek word is the same as that used in the previous verse and rendered "living."

The meaning is that the materials of which the temple referred to here were composed were living materials throughout. The foundation is a living foundation, and all the superstructure is composed of living materials. The purpose of the apostle here is to compare the church to a beautiful temple—such as the temple in Jerusalem—and to show that it is complete in all its parts, as that was.

It has within itself what corresponds with everything that was valuable in that temple. It is a beautiful structure like that; and as in that temple there was a priesthood and real and acceptable sacrifices were offered, so it is in the Christian church. The Jews prided themselves greatly on their temple.

It was a most costly and splendid edifice. It was the place where God was worshipped and where He was supposed to dwell. It had an imposing service, and acceptable worship was rendered there.

As a new dispensation was introduced, the Christian system tended to draw worshippers away from that temple. It taught them that God could be worshipped as acceptably elsewhere as at Jerusalem (John 4:21–23). Christianity did not inculcate the necessity of building splendid temples for the worship of God. Indeed, the temple at Jerusalem was about to be destroyed forever.

Therefore, it was important to show that the Christian church possessed all that was truly beautiful and valuable in the temple at Jerusalem. It needed to be shown that the church had what corresponded to the most precious aspects of the temple, and that a most magnificent and beautiful temple still existed on the earth.

Hence, the sacred writers strive to show that everything that had made the temple at Jerusalem so glorious was found in the church. They also aimed to show that the great design contemplated by the erection of that splendid edifice—namely, the maintenance of the worship of God—was now accomplished in a more glorious manner than even in the services of that house.

For there was a temple, made up of living materials, which was still the peculiar dwelling-place of God on the earth. In that temple there was a holy priesthood—for every Christian was a priest. In that temple there were sacrifices offered, as acceptable to God as in the former—for they were spiritual sacrifices, offered continually.

These thoughts were often dwelt upon by the apostle Paul and are here illustrated by Peter, evidently with the same design: to impart consolation to those who had never been permitted to worship at the temple in Jerusalem, and to comfort those Jews, now converted to Christianity, who saw that that splendid and glorious edifice was about to be destroyed.

The peculiar abode of God on the earth was now removed from that temple to the Christian church. The first aspect in which this is illustrated here is that the temple of God was made up of 'living stones'; that is, the materials were not inanimate stones but endowed with life, and so much more valuable than those employed in the temple at Jerusalem, as the soul is more precious than any materials of stone. There were living beings who composed that temple, constituting a more beautiful structure and a more appropriate dwelling-place for God than any edifice could be made of stone, however costly or valuable.

A spiritual house.

A spiritual temple, not made of perishable materials like that at Jerusalem, not composed of matter as that was, but made up of redeemed souls—a temple more appropriate to be the residence of One who is a pure Spirit. (See Barnes on Ephesians 2:19 and following, and 1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

An holy priesthood. In the temple at Jerusalem, the priesthood appointed to minister there and to offer sacrifices was an essential part of the arrangement. It was important to show that this was not overlooked in the spiritual temple that God was raising.

Accordingly, the apostle says that this was amply provided for, by constituting the whole body of Christians to be in fact a priesthood. Every one is engaged in offering sacrifice to God. The business is not entrusted to a particular class to be known as priests; there is not a particular portion to whom the name is to be peculiarly given; but every Christian is in fact a priest and is engaged in offering an acceptable sacrifice to God. (See Romans 1:6: And hath made us kings and priests unto God.)

The Great High Priest in this service is the Lord Jesus Christ (see the Epistle to the Hebrews, where this is discussed throughout); but besides Him, there is no one who sustains this office, except as it is borne by all Christian members.

There are ministers, elders, pastors, evangelists in the church; but there is no one who is a priest, except in the general sense that all are priests—for the great sacrifice has been offered, and there is no expiation now to be made.

The name priest, therefore, should never be conferred on a minister of the gospel. It is never so given in the New Testament, and there was a reason why it should not be.

The proper idea of a priest is one who offers sacrifice; but the ministers of the New Testament have no sacrifices to offer—the one great and perfect oblation for the sins of the world having been made by the Redeemer on the cross.

To Him, and Him alone, under the New Testament dispensation, should the name priest be given, as it is uniformly in the New Testament, except in the general sense in which it is given to all Christians.

In the Roman Catholic communion, it is consistent to give the name priest to a minister of the gospel, but it is wrong to do it. 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 wholly contrary to the New Testament. It is derogatory to the one perfect oblation which has been once made for the sins of the world, and it confers on a class of men a degree of importance and power to which they have no claim and which is so liable to abuse.

But in a Protestant church, it is neither consistent nor right to give the name 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—that they "offer the sacrifice of prayer and praise."

To offer up spiritual sacrifices. Not bloody offerings, the blood of lambs and bullocks, but those which are the offerings of the heart—the sacrifices of prayer and praise. As there is a priest, there is also involved the notion of a sacrifice; but that which is offered is such as all Christians offer to God, proceeding from the heart, breathed forth from the lips, and in a holy life. It is called sacrifice, not because it makes an expiation for sin, but because it is of the nature of worship. (See Barnes on Hebrews 13:15; Hebrews 10:14).

Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (See Barnes on Romans 12:1).

Through the merits of the great sacrifice made by the Redeemer on the cross. Our prayers and praises are in themselves so imperfect, and proceed from such polluted lips and hearts, that they can be acceptable only through Him as our intercessor before the throne of God. (See Barnes on Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 9:25; Hebrews 10:19 and following).