1 Peter 2:1

1Pe 2:1-25. Exhortations. To guileless feeding on the word by the sense of their privileges as new-born babes, living stones in the spiritual temple built on Christ the chief corner-stone, and royal priests, in contrast to their former state: also to abstinence from fleshly lusts, and to walk worthily in all relations of life, so that the world without which opposes them may be constrained to glorify God in seeing their good works. Christ, the grand pattern to follow in patience under suffering for well-doing. 1. laying aside--once for all: so the Greek aorist expresses as a garment put off. The exhortation applies to Christians alone, for in none else is the new nature existing which, as "the inward man" (Ep 3:16) can cast off the old as an outward thing, so that the Christian, through the continual renewal of his inward man, can also exhibit himself externally as a new man. But to unbelievers the demand is addressed, that inwardly, in regard to the nous (mind), they must become changed, meta-noeisthai (re-pent) [Steiger]. The "therefore" resumes the exhortation begun in 1Pe 1:22. Seeing that ye are born again of an incorruptible seed, be not again entangled in evil, which "has no substantial being, but is an acting in contrariety to the being formed in us" [Theophylact]. "Malice," &c., are utterly inconsistent with the "love of the brethren," unto which ye have "purified your souls" (1Pe 1:22). The vices here are those which offend against the BROTHERLY LOVE inculcated above. Each succeeding one springs out of that which immediately precedes, so as to form a genealogy of the sins against love. Out of malice springs guile; out of guile, hypocrises (pretending to be what we are not, and not showing what we really are; the opposite of "love unfeigned," and "without dissimulation"); out of hypocrisies, envies of those to whom we think ourselves obliged to play the hypocrite; out of envies, evil-speaking, malicious, envious detraction of others. Guile is the permanent disposition; hypocrisies the acts flowing from it. The guileless knows no envy. Compare 1Pe 2:2, "sincere," Greek, "guileless." "Malice delights in another's hurt; envy pines at another's good; guile imparts duplicity to the heart; hypocrisy (flattery) imparts duplicity to the tongue; evil-speakings wound the character of another" [Augustine].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

CHAPTER II. ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER.

This chapter may be divided into three parts:--

I. 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, 1Pet 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 nutriment which is adapted to their condition as such.

II. 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, 1Pet 2:4-10.

(a.) They had come to the Saviour, 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, 1Pet 2:4,5.

(b.) 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, 1Pet 2:6-8.

(c.) They were now a chosen people, an 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, 1Pet 2:9,10.

III. Various duties growing out of these privileges, and out of the various relations which they sustained in life, 1Pet 2:11-25.

(a.) 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, 1Pet 2:11,12.

(b.) The duty of submitting to civil rulers, 1Pet 2:13-17.

(c.) 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, 1Pet 2:18-20.

(d.) This duty was enforced on servants, and on all, from the example of Christ, who in 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, 1Pet 2:21-25.

Verse 1. Wherefore laying aside. On the word rendered laying aside, see Rom 13:12, Eph 4:22,25, Col 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 practise them. The word wherefore (ουν) refers to the reasonings in the first chapter. In view of the considerations stated there, we should renounce all evil.

All malice. All evil, (κακιαν.) 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. Rom 1:29. Comp. Acts 8:22, where it is rendered wickedness, and 1Cor 5:8, 14:20, Eph 4:31, Col 3:8, Tit 3:3.

And all guile. Deceit of all kinds. Rom 1:29; 2Cor 12:16; 1Thes 2:3.

And hypocrisies. 1Timm 4:2; Mt 23:28; Gal 2:13, on the word rendered dissimulation. The word means, feigning to be what we are not; assuming a false appearance of religion; cloking 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. Rom 1:29.

And all evil speaking. Greek, Speaking against others. This word (καταλαλια) occurs only here and in 2Cor 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 ill 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 work, 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 colour 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," Mt 18:3.

(a) "laying aside all malice" Eph 4:22,31

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Introduction

We should lay aside all evil dispositions, and desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby, 1Pet 2:1-3. And come to God to be made living stones, and be built up into a spiritual temple, 1Pet 2:4, 1Pet 2:5. The prophecy of Christ as chief corner stone, precious to believers, but a stumbling stone to the disobedient, 1Pet 2:6-8. True believers are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, etc., 1Pet 2:9, 1Pet 2:10. They should abstain from fleshly lusts, 1Pet 2:11. Walk uprightly among the Gentiles, 1Pet 2:12. Be obedient to civil authority, according to the will of God, 1Pet 2:13-15. Make a prudent use of their Christian liberty, 1Pet 2:16. Fear God and honor the king, 1Pet 2:17. Servants should be subject to their masters, and serve them faithfully, and suffer indignities patiently, after the example of Christ, 1Pet 2:18-23. Who bore the punishment due to our sins in his own body upon the tree, 1Pet 2:24. They were formerly like sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls, 1Pet 2:25. Verse 1 Wherefore, laying aside - This is in close connection with the preceding chapter, from which it should not have been separated, and the subject is continued to the end of the 10th verse. Laying aside all malice - See the notes on Eph 4:22-31 (note). These tempers and dispositions must have been common among the Jews, as they are frequently spoken against: Christianity can never admit of such; they show the mind, not of Christ, but of the old murderer.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Chapter Outline A temper suitable to the Christian character as born again, is recommended. (1-10) Holy conversation among the Gentiles directed. (11-12) Subjects exhorted to pay all proper obedience to their civil governors. (13-17) Also servants to their masters, and all to be patient, according to the example of the suffering Saviour. (18-25) Verses 1-10 Evil-speaking is a sign of malice and guile in the heart; and hinders our profiting by the word of God. A new life needs suitable food. Infants desire milk, and make the best endeavours for it which they are able to do; such must be a Christian's desires after the word of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ is very merciful to us miserable sinners; and he has a fulness 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, 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 all that can give worth. To be built on Christ means, to believe in him; but in this many deceive themselves, they consider not what it is, nor the necessity of it, to partake of the salvation he has wrought. Though the frame of the world were falling to pieces, that man who is built on this foundation may hear it without fear. He shall not be confounded. The believing soul makes haste to Christ, but it never finds cause to hasten from him. All true Christians are a chosen generation; they make 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; that they should show forth the praises of the Lord by their profession of his truth, and their good conduct. How vast their obligations to Him who has made them his people, and has shown mercy to them! To be without this mercy is a woful state, though a man have all worldly enjoyments. And there is nothing that so kindly works repentance, as right thoughts of the mercy and love of God. Let us not dare to abuse and affront the free grace of God, if we mean to be saved by it; but let all who would be found among those who obtain mercy, walk as his people.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain