Introductory remarks:
"Peter tells them to turn from evil and lies and be nourished by the truth. They will become stones of a spiritual house, of which is the cornerstone which was rejected by men but brings salvation to those who believe. He was a stone they stumbled over, but Peter says his readers, who were not among God's people, have become a chosen generation, a holy nation, being called into His light. He tells them to obey all laws and live honest lives to give outsiders no chance to accuse them. It is praiseworthy to endure suffering without cause, just as Christ did, who took our punishment to give us life. We should therefore live righteously" (A Survey of 1 Peter - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: The living Stone and the holy nation vv. 1-10: Live as servants of God vv. 11-17: the example of Christ's suffering vv. 18-25.
The Living Stone and the Holy Nation
Verse 1, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings;"
LGT "Putting away therefore all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyings and all evil speakings:"
Putting away therefore: in light of their new birth, God required that they do certain things for themselves. God gave them a new name, a new spiritual life, a new position as members of His royal family, now He wants them to live as His chosen family. All malice: they are to lay aside all hatred for and mean-spirited behavior to one another. All guile: this is being cunning and crafty, and deviousness. All hypocrisies: this is having double standards not being sincere, but being artificial. And envyings: being jealous and greedy. And all evil speakings: depraved and all immoral speaking; also gossiping and slandering one another.
Verse 2, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."
LGT "As newborn babes, the genuine spiritual milk ye long for, in order that by it ye may grow."
As newborn babes: Peter is referring to their spiritual age as just recently receiving the gospel of grace. The genuine spiritual milk ye long for: the Word of God is the spiritual milk, for it contains all that God has given us for our spiritual growth. No one is able to grow spiritually apart from the Word; remember you cannot separate God from the Word, for He is only manifested in His Word. We see from nature the fact that He exists, but the only way we may receive the details about God is in His divine Revelation. In order that ye may grow: this is the only way one may grow spiritually. Peter does not use the distinction of solid food and milk here in this passage; he generalizes all under the word milk. Some of the Greek text has the phrase unto eternal salvation. I have left it out, as well as many others, because Peter is talking to Christians who are already saved, and it seems a bit confusing to speak of the milk, which is the fundamentals of their salvation, but that he desires that they become familiar with the Word of God they posses and they need to grow spiritually. Paul deals with the same issues that the Hebrew Christians were to leave the milk of the Word and press on to the meat of the Word.
Verse 3, "If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
LGT "Since ye have tasted that the Lord [is] good."
The if in this sentence is in the first class condition and means that it is true, that is why I have used the word since, for they have tasted that the Lord is good, for they were saved by His grace through their faith, and now they are ready for more.
Verse 4, "To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious."
LGT "To whom coming, a living stone, by men indeed rejected, but with God chosen, precious:"
To whom coming: the Jews that believed came to Christ for salvation accepting Him as their true Messiah. A living stone: of course this living stone is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. By men rejected, but with God chosen, precious: We read in psalm 118:22, "The stone which the builders disallowed, is become the head-stone of the corner." Again in Isaiah 28:16, "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." The entire church is built on Christ, the chief corner stone, not Peter the little petros rock.
Verse 5, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
LGT "Also yourselves, as living stones, are being built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
Also yourselves, as living stones: All believers become living stones by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, being born of His incorruptible seed. Are being built up, a spiritual house: the temple of the Old Testament was constructed of perishable materials, whereas in the new dispensation of grace every believer is a living stone that make up the church, the body of Christ. A holy priesthood: the O.T. temple had an appointed priesthood with a high priest; in this age of grace, every believer is a holy priesthood. To offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God: the verse that comes to mind is in Paul's letter to the Romans that explains all too well what spiritual sacrifices believers offer to God, and this sacrifice is our own lives: "I appeal to you therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (The English Standard Version). Through Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ made it possible for us to come to the Father and offer ourselves to Him as living stones, to be used by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Verse 6, "Wherefore also it is contained in the scriptures, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded."
LGT "Because it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I place in Sion a corner Stone, chosen precious, and the one who believes on Him in no wise should be put to shame."
Because it is contained in the Scriptures: Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16 with some changes. Jesus Christ is the chief Corner Stone on which the living stones, the body of Christ, the church, are being formed, even today.
Verse 7, "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the stone."
LGT "To you therefore who believe [is] the preciousness: but to [those] unbelieving, [the] Stone, which those building rejected, this became Head of [the] corner."
To you therefore who believe is the preciousness: Christ is precious, beloved, cherished and treasured. No one is more valued than our Lord Jesus Christ. It is an honor beyond description to be a brother or sister by spiritual rebirth to Christ Jesus our Lord. But to those unbelieving, the Stone, which those building rejected: this is a description of the attitude the Sanhedrim had toward Christ, for they eventually crucified him. This became Head of the corner: this of course is Jesus Christ the chief corner Stone of the church, the true spiritual temple, for it was builded on the firm foundation of the Lord.
Verse 8, "And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed."
LGT "And a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence: the one who stumble at the Word being disobedient, to which they were appointed."
In this verse Peter explains that Christ was rejected by the Jews when He came to them as they're promised Messiah. In John 1:11 we read: 'He came unto His own and His own received Him not.' McGee sites a tradition of the building of Solomon's temple that illustrates this verse very well:
"This is a very important passage of Scripture. You will recall that it is a quotation from Psalm 118:22. There is a tradition that takes us back to the time of the building of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem. In 1 Kings 6:7 we read this about the actual construction of the temple: "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building." The stones, you see, were hewn to exact measurement in the quarry; and when they reached the building site, there no sound of a hammer - they were just fitted into place.
Well, the tradition is that at the beginning of the project a very large, fine-looking stone came up from the quarry, but the builders couldn't fit it in any place; so they moved it to one side. Because it was in the way, eventually they just pushed it over the brow of the hill to make room for the other stones that they were receiving and forgot about it. Finally, when all the stones had been fitted into place, they sent down word to the quarry, 'Send up the corner stone.' The building was finished except for the cornerstone. Word came back, 'We sent the cornerstone to you at the beginning.' Then they remembered, 'That's the stone we pushed over the hill!' So with a great deal of effort, they had to haul that stone to the top of the hill, and they found it did fit right into place. If this is accurate, it certainly explains the verse before us."
Verse 9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
LGT "But ye [are] a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, so that the virtues ye might set forth of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."
But ye are a chosen race: Peter is now speaking of the spiritual Jew who has been born again. The old Israel was far from spiritual. Every believer has been chosen based on the shed blood of Jesus Christ. No one has ever chosen God, and they did not find religion; Jesus came to seek and save that which is lost, we did not seek Him. A kingly priesthood: we are all kings and priests, for we do not need someone except the Lord Jesus Christ to intercede for us. "And hath made us kings and priests unto God" (Rev. 1:6). A holy nation: Israel was cast off because of disobedience, and replace with the church, the spiritual body of Christ, and now Christ is its only Head. A people for a possession: we belong to Christ, for we were purchased out of the slave market of sin with His precious blood, to be His peculiar possession. So that the virtues ye might set forth of Him: that the world might see that we are trophies of His marvelous grace. This can only be done as we remain in fellowship with the Father, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us, displaying his wonderful grace, that saved wretches like us. Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light: we could have never come to the Lord except the Holy Spirit drew us. This is how the Lord sought us out of the slave market of sin. The fact of this wonderful grace is, is that He came into the world, and the world received Him not, for He was not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Verse 10, "Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."
LGT "Who once [were] not a people, but now [are] God's people: who had nor received mercy, but now received mercy."
Peter is writing to the Jews scattered out because of their unbelief. He says that even when they considered themselves the people of God, they were not, because when Christ came unto them, they not only rejected Him, but the also crucified Him. Now that these Jews have accepted Christ as their Savior, God has adopted them into His family, and they are now His people; the rest of the Jews in Judaism are lost, but someday they will return unto Him in the last days, and accept Christ as their true Promised Messiah.
Live as Servants of God
Verse 11, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."
LGT "Beloved, I exhort you as strangers, and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly vain desires, which war against the soul:"
Beloved, I exhort you as strangers and sojourners: physically the Jews were scattered throughout the inhabitable earth, they were dispersed under the Babylonian Captivity, and were strangers and sojourners for over four hundred years with out a fatherland. Spiritually, the entire church, both Jews and Gentiles are strangers in a foreign land. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. Abstain from fleshly vain desires, which war against the soul: here again we have a distinction between the soul and the spirit of man. With the soul we have world consciousness with all its lusts and vain desires, and with the spirit, we have God consciousness with the true fellowship through the Holy Spirit and the Word. The flesh of man and these vain desires war against both the spirit and the soul of man; when the soul gives in to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, the spirit of man suffers by being removed from fellowship with the Father, and Christ with the aid of the Holy Spirit must bring the believer back into fellowship through either wooing them back by the Word, or by using divine discipline in time, which includes human suffering and maybe even the last resort of death.
Verses 12, "Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation."
LGT "Having your manner of life right among the nations, in order that wherein they speak against you as evil doers, through [your] good works having witnessed they may glorify God in [the] day of visitation."
Just as in Peter's day, the heathen talk against believers in maligning and degrading terms. Today we see this manifest itself in the presidential candidates among the Republican Party whenever one of them brings up the name of Christ; immediately the liberal press begins their mocking; it is okay to mention the name God, for it is a generic term today for a higher power, or "the force." But all one has to do is name the name of Christ, and all literary hell breaks loose; one day all hell will break loose when Christ returns to receive His own. Peter is saying that these new Christians needed to show forth the praise of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed them out of the slave market of sin, and by their honest dealings they might win some to Christ.
Verses 13, 14, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well."
LGT "Be in subjection to every human institution for the sake of the Lord; whether to [the] king, or to governors as sent by him, for the vengeance [on] evil-doers, and praise to well doers:"
The Roman empire prided itself on law and order, and justice; now Peter is exhorting these new Christians to allow the rulers their right to rule, and that they should, as Christ said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." They were not to riot and demonstrate as these fools do today in Washington DC and other crazy towns. These demonstrations we witness today are simply outlets for the unruly fools to get out and practice their hidden sins openly.
Verse 15, "For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men."
LGT "Because so is the will of God, [by] well-doing to put to silence the ignorance of senseless men."
Because so is the will of God: Peter tells them that obedience and respect for authority is the will of God. By well-doing: by obeying the laws of the land. If a law does not go against the Word of God, all Christians are obligated to obey them. We may not like a law, but if the majority of the citizen's vote for it, and it does not conflict with our Christian conscience guided by the Word of God, we must be obedient. To put to silence the ignorance of senseless men: Barnes explains this phrase very well: "The reference here is to men who brought charges against Christians, by accusing them of being inimical [pigheaded] 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 they were brought by foolish men, perhaps using the word foolish in the sense of evil-disposed, or wicked, as it is often used in the Bible. Yet, though there might be malice at the bottom, the charges were really based on ignorance. They were not thoroughly acquainted with the principles of the Christian religion; and the way to meet those charges was to act in every way as became good citizens, and so as 'to live them down.' One of the best ways of meeting the accusations of our enemies is to lead a life of strict integrity. It is not easy for the wicked to reply to this argument."
Verse 16, "As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God."
LGT "As free and not as having freedom as a cloak of malice, but as bondmen of God."
Peter tells them they have a freedom that the rest of the world does not have. They were not to use their freedom as a license to sin, but they were to live the live a true servants of Christ. Paul brought the same message to the church at Galatia: "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" (Gal. 5:13 NEB).
Verse 17, "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king."
LGT "Show honor to all, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king."
Show honor to all: show respect for all men, that is, treat them as God's creation, based on your relationship with Christ. Love the brotherhood: we are not commanded to love all men, only our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is impossible to love unbelievers with true agape love. Fear God: trusting God with reverence, knowing that He is the supreme being of this minute universe. We honor God, but we also love Him as our Father. Honor the king: you may not honor your political ruler, but you should show respect for his office; and it may be necessary to try and vote him out of office if you are able, but we must obey the laws of the land, except for the laws that are against our God.
An Example of Christ's Suffering
Verse 18,"Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward."
LGT "Servants, being subject with all fear to [your] masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the crooked."
Peter is exhorting these Christian slaves that they were to submit to the authority of their masters, whether they were gentle and good in their treatment of them, or whether they were crooked dishonest and fraudulent, as long as they did not ask them to do something crooked or cruel. Today we would use the term employee for servant, and employer for the word master. The term fear means respect. They were to respect their masters, by being obedient, giving a good testimony of their being Christian.
Verse 19, "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully."
LGT "For this [is] acceptable, if for the sake of conscience toward God anyone endures grief."
Peter is saying that if they were suffering grief for their relationship with God, and they take it patiently, that this is a good and acceptable thing before the Father. "Thus one suffer patiently, not from a conscientious sense of duty, but from an inner consciousness of his relation to God as a son, and to Christ as a joint-heir, which involves his suffering with Him no less than his being glorified with Him" (Vincent).
Verse 20, "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable to God."
LGT "For what glory [is it], if sinning and being buffeted ye endure it? But if doing good and suffering ye endure [it], this [is] acceptable with God."
The word "buffeted" means, struck with the fists. This is what a master would do in Peter's day to some of his servants when they didn't please him. Peter did have in mind the suffering of our Lord when he wrote this, as is evident in the next verse. The principle is that when a person suffers for his own sins, and is buffeted, it is a type of reaping what you sow; but on the contrary, if he was buffeted for righteousness sake, it is well pleasing to the Father.
Verses 21, 22, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."
LGT "For to this you were called, because also Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model, in order that you should follow after in His steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth."
The example Christ left us was His human suffering for righteousness. We could never imitate the spiritual suffering He experienced on the cross, for only a sinless Son of God could have suffered on our behalf. His physical suffering before He went to the cross, He suffered silently with no complaint or vengeance. We are not told to allow ourselves to be bullied, but we are to suffer indignation and insult on account of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father. The last phrase Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth, is a quote from Isaiah53:9. (See also John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 3:5)
Verse 23, "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."
LGT "Who, being railed at, railed not in return, [when] suffering threatened not, but gave [Himself] over to Him who judges righteously."
When they mocked Christ, railing against Him, He did not threaten them, which He could have rightfully done, but He kept quiet, and allowed God to deal with His accusers and the entire silly mob that eventually crucified Him.
Verse 24, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
LGT "Who our sins Himself bore in His body on the tree, in order that, [we] to sins being dead, to righteousness we may live; by whose bruise ye were healed."
Peter is not using this verse as an example for us to live by, for it is impossible that we are able to bear our own sins. Peter is teaching redemption here, and this redemption has made it possible that we are able to live righteous lives by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The healing Peter is talking about here is the healing of our sins forever. Christ paid the price for all sin on the cross, and now we are free to serve Him; no one is able to serve the Lord until they are born again with incorruptible seed that has been purchased for us on the cross by our Savior.
Verse 25, "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
LGT "For ye were as sheep going astray, but are returned now to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."
Peter has in mind Isaiah 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." These Jewish believers have accepted Christ as their Savior, so Peter says they have returned to Christ, who is the guardian of their souls. Peter ends this chapter teaching the importance of Christ's suffering, and the effect it has had on all who believe in every dispensation.
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