Matthew Henry Commentary 1 Peter 2

Evil-speaking is a sign of malice and guile in the heart, and it hinders our benefiting from the word of God. A new life needs suitable food. Infants desire milk and make the best efforts for it that they are able to; such must be a Christian's desires for the word of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ is very merciful to us miserable sinners, and he has a fullness of grace.

But even the best of God's servants, in this life, have only a taste of the consolations of God. Christ is called a Stone to teach his servants that he is their protection and security, the foundation on which they are built. He is precious in the excellence of his nature, the dignity of his office, and the glory of his services. All true believers are a holy priesthood: sacred to God, serviceable to others, and endowed with heavenly gifts and graces.

But the most spiritual sacrifices of the best, in prayer and praise, are not acceptable except through Jesus Christ.

Christ is the chief Corner-stone that unites the whole number of believers into one everlasting temple and bears the weight of the whole fabric. Elected, or chosen, for a foundation that is everlasting. Precious beyond compare, by any measure of worth.

To be built on Christ means to believe in him; but in this many deceive themselves. They do not consider what it is, nor the necessity of it, to partake of the salvation he has accomplished.

Though the frame of the world were falling to pieces, the one who is built on this foundation may hear it without fear. He will not be confounded.

The believing soul hastens to Christ, but it never finds cause to hasten from him.

All true Christians are a chosen generation. They form one family, a people distinct from the world—of another spirit, principle, and practice—which they could never be if they were not chosen in Christ to be such and sanctified by his Spirit.

Their first state is a state of gross darkness, but they are called out of darkness into a state of joy, pleasure, and prosperity, so that they should proclaim the praises of the Lord by their profession of his truth and their good conduct.

How vast are their obligations to Him who has made them his people and has shown mercy to them! To be without this mercy is a woeful state, even if someone has all worldly enjoyments.

And there is nothing that produces repentance so graciously as right thoughts about the mercy and love of God. Let us not dare to abuse and affront the free grace of God if we intend to be saved by it; but let all who wish to be found among those who obtain mercy walk as his people.

Even the best of people, the chosen generation, the people of God, need to be exhorted to keep from the worst sins. And fleshly lusts are most destructive to the human soul. It is a severe judgment to be given up to them. There is a day of visitation coming, when God may call to repentance by his word and his grace; then many will glorify God, and the holy lives of his people will have promoted the happy change.

A Christian's conduct must be honest. However, it cannot be honest if there is not a just and careful fulfillment of all relational duties. The apostle addresses these duties distinctly here. Observance of these duties is the will of God and, consequently, the Christian's duty, and the way to silence the vile slanders of ignorant and foolish people. Christians must strive, in all their relationships, to behave rightly, so that they do not make their liberty a cloak or covering for any wickedness, or for the neglect of duty; but they must remember that they are servants of God.

Servants in those days were generally slaves and had heathen masters, who often treated them cruelly; yet the apostle directs them to be subject to the masters placed over them by Providence, with a fear of dishonoring or offending God. They were to be subject not only to masters pleased with reasonable service, but also to the severe, and to those angry without cause. The sinful misconduct of one party does not justify sinful behavior in the other; the servant is bound to do his duty, even if the master may be sinfully contrary and perverse.

But masters should be meek and gentle to their servants and inferiors. What glory or distinction could it be for professed Christians to be patient when corrected for their faults? But if, when they behaved well, they were badly treated by proud and passionate heathen masters, yet bore it without peevish complaints, or purposes of revenge, and persevered in their duty, this would be acceptable to God as a distinguishing effect of his grace and would be rewarded by him.

Christ's death was designed not only to be an example of patience under sufferings, but also for him to bear our sins; he bore their punishment and thereby satisfied divine justice. In this way, he takes our sins away from us. The fruits of Christ's sufferings are the death of sin and a new, holy life of righteousness. From his death and resurrection, we receive for both of these an example, powerful motives, and also the ability to live this new life. Moreover, Christ was bruised and crucified as a sacrifice for our sins, achieving our justification; and by his stripes the diseases of our souls are cured.

Here is man's sin: he goes astray; it is his own act. Here is his misery: he goes astray from the pasture, from the Shepherd, and from the flock, and so exposes himself to countless dangers. Here is the recovery by conversion: they have now returned as the effect of divine grace. This return is from all their errors and wanderings, to Christ. Sinners, before their conversion, are always going astray; their life is a continued error.