GOD'S PURPOSE FOR HIS BEGOTTEN AGAIN AND REDEEMED PEOPLE (1 PETER 2:1). In view of the glorious future that is theirs as previously revealed, and the responsibility that is theirs, which will now be revealed to them, they are to prepare themselves by putting away anything that defiles them, and by e... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil talk, in the same way as newborn babes do, long for the unadulterated milk of the word, that by it you may grow unto salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' Having been begotten by God... [ Continue Reading ]
‘To whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious,' For if they have truly tasted that the Lord is gracious they will come to Him as the One Who is the ‘living' cornerstone described in the Scriptures, rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious, the One Who i... [ Continue Reading ]
‘You also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.' And as a result of this contact with this ‘Living Stone', His people also have been made into ‘living stones' by Him (and have thus become... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he who believes on him will not be put to shame.' Peter then cites Isaiah 28:16 as ‘Scripture', that is as the written word of God. (Peter often drops the article when others would include it). He... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For you therefore who believe is the preciousness (or ‘the honour'), but for such as disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner,” This could indicate that to those who believe the preciousness of this cornerstone is accepted without question. It is... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And, “A stone of stumbling, and a rock to fall over,” for they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.' But to disbelievers, rather than being the chief cornerstone, Jesus has become a something that gets in the way, a stumblingstone, and an inconvenience. As they... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light,' In contrast with these unbelievers those who truly believe are His ‘chosen men and women', and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.' He reminds all in the churches, both Jewish Christians and ex-Gentiles, of what their forebears had been before Christ came. In different ways they had been a ‘no-people' as fa... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and temporary residents, to abstain (or more literally ‘to continue to hold yourself back') from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul,' We will remember that Peter began his letter (1 Peter 1:1) by describing God's people as sojourners in the world, (those... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE TO ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY DESIRES AND LET THE LIGHT OF THEIR GOOD WORKS SHINE BEFORE MEN (1 PETER 2:11). Their first aim must be to ensure that the world does not become a hindrance to them. They must not let human affairs take control over them. Rather, holding earthly things lightly, they... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR OBEDIENCE AND HEAVENLY CONNECTION IS TO BE REVEALED BY THEIR LIVES AND BY THEIR DUE SUBMISSION TO LAWFUL AUTHORITY IN THE SAME WAY AS CHRIST SUBMITTED HIMSELF THROUGH SUFFERING AND THEREBY WROUGHT SALVATION FOR HIS PEOPLE (1 PETER 2:11 TO 1 PETER 3:12). Peter now tells them how, as sojourners... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king, as supreme; or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.' Christians are to set their objectives (the aorist imperative suggests a once for all decision) in such a way... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE TO BE OBEDIENT TO THE AUTHORITIES (1 PETER 2:13). He emphasises here that being sojourners does not mean that Christians are rebels or that they deny their responsibilities towards authority. Nor does being ‘free' mean that they think that they can now do as they like. For after all in the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For so is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men,' And one good reason for behaving in this way is because by doing what is seen to be right evil tongues will be silenced. This indeed is God's will. And the point is that God's will is that no one... [ Continue Reading ]
‘As free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.' By this they will be recognising that, while as God's own children (1 Peter 1:3) they are free, they are not to use that freedom as an excuse for doing what is palpably wrong, or doing what might make the a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.' Thus the Christian's freedom should mean that he shows due respect and consideration to all people. He ‘honours all men'. This is to be a general attitude of life fixed once and for all (aorist imperative). And he is especially to c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Household servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.' The fact that instructions were given to household servants/slaves would have been startling to the ancient world. The general view was that it was masters who should be ins... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endures griefs, suffering wrongfully.' But if a man has to endure griefs and suffer wrongfully because he is being conscientious towards God, then that also is something that is well pleasing (gracious behaviour) to God. It will earn His g... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For what glory is it, if, when you sin, and are buffeted for it, you take it patiently? But if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.' A contrast is then made between two different attitudes. On the one hand if they were cuffed or beaten because t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For to this were you called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,' Indeed such unmerited persecution and suffering was a part of their calling as Christians, for it was apart of their calling to participate in His sufferings. Christ had suf... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not; but committed himself to him who judges righteously,' Let them in fact consider this, that although He was the sinless One, in whose mouth nothing of fault could be... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed.' And here we learn why Jesus made no claims of innocence. It was because He was there as the bearer of sin. He knew that what He was receiving was the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For you were going astray like sheep, but are now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.' Reference to Isaiah 53 continues in the words ‘you were going astray like sheep', for which compare Isaiah 53:6. And the point here is that as a result of all our iniquity being laid on Him (see... [ Continue Reading ]