1 Peter 2 - Introduction

He dehorteth them from the breach of love; shewing that Christ is the foundation whereon they are built: he beseecheth them also to abstain from fleshly lust, and to be obedient to magistrates; and teacheth servants how to obey their masters, patiently suffering for well-doing, after the example of Christ.

Anno Domini 65.

IT being of infinite importance that the disciples of Christ, by a holy and virtuous behaviour, should confute the calumnies of their adversaries, who charged them with all manner of crimes, the apostle Peter earnestly exhorted the brethren of Pontus, &c. from the consideration of their character and dignity as thechildren of God, described in the preceding chapter, to lay aside all malice, guile, hypocrisies, envyings, and calumnies, things utterly inconsistent with brotherly love, 1 Peter 2:1.—and as new-born babes, by the unadulterated milk of the word of God, to nourish the divine nature in themselves to maturity, 1 Peter 2:2.—that they might be fit to be built into the temple of God, as living stones, upon the foundation Christ, 1 Peter 2:4.—agreeably to what Isaiah foretold, 1 Peter 2:6.—And to encourage them he observed, to all who believe, the great honour belongs of being built into the temple of God, as constituent parts thereof. Whereas all who refuse to believe in Christ with the heart unto righteousness, are not only dishonourable, but miserable, 1 Peter 2:7.—because they are to be broken in pieces by Christ, the stone against which they stumble, 1 Peter 2:8.—Next, he told both Jews and Gentiles, that by their believing on Christ, being built up into atemple for the worship of God, all the honourable titles formerly appropriated to the Jews, as the visible church and people of God, now belonged to them, 1 Peter 2:9.—so that many of them who had lain in the ruins of the Gentile world, were peculiarly honoured, as gathered into the Christian church, and by the favour of God entitled to all its privileges, 1 Peter 2:10.—And seeing they were now become constituent parts of the temple of God, he earnestly exhorted them to abstain from fleshly lusts, 1 Peter 2:11.—and to have their behaviour comely in the eyes of the Gentiles, who by their holy lives would be sensible of the falsehood of the calumnies uttered against the Christians, 1 Peter 2:12.—In particular, they were in every thing innocent to obey the Heathen magistrates of all denominations, because their office required them to punish the bad and reward the good, 1 Peter 2:13.—Thus to shew themselves good subjects, he told them was the most effectual method of silencing those foolish men, who slandered them as seditious persons, 1 Peter 2:15.—and he thus advises them, as those who were in the noblest sense free, in consequence of their relation to Christ, and interest in his Blood; yet not using their liberty as a covering for the practice of wickedness, but behaving continually as those who were now more than ever the property of God through Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 2:16.—Next, because the Jewish zealots affirmed, that no obedience was due from the people of God, to the emperor, or any other prince who was not of their religion, and who did not govern them according to the law of Moses, the apostle commanded them to pay to all men, the honour which was due to them on account of their rank or office; to love the brotherhood; to fear God; and to honour the emperor, 1 Peter 2:17.

Having thus enjoined the Christians in general to obey the Heathen magistrates in all things consistent with their obedience to Christ, St. Peter proceeded to direct such of them as were servants or slaves to obey their masters in the same manner, with all reverence, whether they were believers or unbelievers, and whether they were gentle in their manners, or froward, 1 Peter 2:18.—assuring them, that it was an acceptable thing to God, if a servant or any other Christian, from a principle of religion, suffered bad usage patiently, 1 Peter 2:19.—and that they were called to patience under unjust sufferings, from the example of Christ, who, though he was a person of such infinite dignity and power, submitted to suffer wrongfully for our sakes, leaving us, when he returned to heaven, an example that we should follow his steps, 1 Peter 2:21.—Farther, that the example of Christ in suffering injurious treatment patiently, might make the deeper impression upon them, he gave them an account of his innocence, sincerity, willingness to forgive injuries, and self-government, 1 Peter 2:22.—and of the end for which he suffered, namely, that we being freed from the dominion, as well as from the guilt of sin, like persons dead to it, might live in all holy obedience, and bring forth fruits of righteousness to God through him, 1 Peter 2:24.—Lastly, by observing, that the sojourners of the dispersion, as well as the other Christians united to them, had been as sheep going astray, but were now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls, he insinuated the obligation which lay on them, to obey and imitate Christ their Shepherd and Overseer in all things, 1 Peter 2:25.