1 Peter 2

1 Peter 2:1-12

The apostle urges them, by a representation of their Christian privileges, to receive the word of God with meekness, to continue in the exercise of faith in Christ, as the great foundation of their eternal hopes, and to maintain such a behaviour as might adorn his gospel, among the unconverted Gentiles. 1 Pet. II.

1—12.

1 PETER II. 1.

I HAVE been reminding you of the everlasting permanency and invariable certainty of the word of God ; let this, therefore, engage you to pay it a becoming regard ; and laying aside all malignity, and all deceit, and hypocrisies and envies, and all evil speakings, which are so contrary to its benevolent design, With all simplicity, as new born infants, who are regenerated by Divine grace, desire that spiritual nourishment, that rational and unmingled milk, if I may so call it ; that so ye may grow thereby to a state of adult Christianity. And this may reasonably be expected of you, since you have so experimentally felt and tasted that the Lord [is] gracious, since you have known the sweetness there is in Christ, and how suitable he is to the necessities and desires of an awakened sinner ; To whom coming [as to] a living stone, who is capable of diffusing spiritual life into those who are united to him, though disallowed indeed and rejected of men, yet chosen of God, [and] inexpressibly precious and valuable ; Ye also as living stones, united to him, and deriving life from him, are built up as a spiritual house, consecrated to his service ; and in another view, ye may be considered as a holy priesthood, destined to offer up the spiritual sacrifices of prayer, praise and obedience, which are all acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, who is the great High Priest over the house of

a New born infants.] This expression little children and new born babes. b Since you have tasted, &c ] This is newly converted, or regenerated. Wolfius the proper rendering of 1278, and not, observes, (Cura Philolog. Vol V. p 105.) according to our translation, if so be. that the Jewish rabbies, were wont to See Blackwall’s Sacred Class. Vol. II. p. style new proselytes to their religion, 203.

Unto them who believe he is precious.

God, whose intercession alone can recommend to the Father such imperfect services as ours. Therefore it is contained in a well known passage of the scripture, (Isaiah xxviii. 16,) Behold I lay in Sion a stone, even a chief corner stone, chosen, precious; and he that confideth in it, shall not be ashamed: which words undoubtedly refer to the Messiah, as the great hope and confidence of his church. To you therefore who believe, [it is] precious: you, who rest your salvation on this corner stone, know by blessed experience its value, as infinitely beyond all that can be compared with it. But as for those who are disobedient, these words of the Psalmist are accomplished with regard to them, and may well be recollected in the present connection, (Psalm cxviii. 22,) The stone which the builders rejected, is become the head of the corner; all their opposition to it is in vain: they can never pretend to prevent the honour to which it is destined in the Divine purpose; And to themselves, it is also, as Isaiah expresses it in the preceding context, a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; they who would attempt, as it were, to remove it out of the way, find it an over match for their strength, and are dashed in pieces by it. They being disobedient to the Divine revelation, stumble at the word of the gospel, which contains this awful testimony, and bring inevitable ruin upon themselves; to which also they were appointed by the righteous sentence of God long before, even as early as in his first purpose and decree he ordained his Son to be the great Foundation of his church. But you, on the contrary, who unfeignedly believe in him, [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, who bear at once

It is precious.] τιμω, Preciousness itself you are a chosen people, &c. See Taylor’s They being disobedient, stumble, &c.] A Key to the Romans, § 71. learned writer, I think, very well observes, What it is doing violence to the text, to read it as one continued sentence, as it is in our translation. The truth is, the apostle runs a double antithesis between believers and unbelievers: ὑμῖν ὡν—συζητοῦν, saith he, To you who believe, it is precious: ἀπὶ— Ἐναι δί, but to them who are disobedient, and unbelievers, a stone of stumbling: οἱ συζητοῦν, they stumble: ὑμῖν δί, but Whitby shews at large that the phrase of God’s chosen is applied to the whole nation of the Jews, good and bad, and not to those among them who might be supposed elected to eternal life. But it seems very unreasonable to limit such phrases as these when applied to Christians just to the idea, which the like phrases had, when applied to the Jews.

VOL. 6.

They should abstain from fleshly usts.

the dignity of kings, and sanctity of priests: a holy nation, set apart in a special manner for the service of God; and a peculiar people. When these titles were given to Israel of old, it was in an inferior sense; and it is in a much nobler signification, that these words may be applied to you. Consider it therefore as the wise intention of Divine Providence, that you should declare and proclaim all abroad, the virtues of him who has called you out of that darkness, in which you originally were, into his marvellous and glorious light; that clear light of the gospel, which opens so many illustrious scenes of Divine wonders. To this, are you, my brethren called, who once [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy; who, many of you, lay in the ruins of the Gentile world, but have now obtained mercy, and are gathered into the church of God, and by his favour entitled to all its privileges. My beloved brethren, let it be your special care to walk worthy of these privileges; and that you may, I beseech [you] as strangers in this world, and sojourners in the body, who are to be here but for a very little space of time, and must soon quit this state of mortality to dwell in another world, that ye abstain from carnal lusts, in the gratification of which, only a very mean and transient pleasure is to be found: for these are appetites which are suited only to that part of our nature, which so soon is to be laid down, and which do indeed make war against the nobler powers of the immortal soul, and have a tendency, not only to injure, but for ever to ruin it, if they

The virtues.] We render it praises; but the word spiae, is well known commonly to have the signification here assigned it.

Marvellous and glorious light.] A most beautiful expression of the wonders the gospel opens on the enlightened eye. But perhaps no interpretation was ever more unnatural and survile to an hypothesis than that which the author of Miscellanea Sacra gives to these words, when he explains their being called out of darkness, by their being first made proselytes of

the gate from their state of heathen idolatry, and then being brought into the marvellous light of the Christian religion Miscell. Sacra. Vol. II. p. 85.

Were not a people.] I think it plain that Hosea ii. 23, (to which there seems here to be a reference) relates to the Israelites after their rejection. But it may with so much propriety be accommodated to the Gentiles, that I thought it much better to give it such a turn, than to suppose it here spoken only of Jewish converts.

ions on our dignity as a peculiar people ;

are suffered to prevail and govern ; Having sect. your conversation honest, fair, and honourable iii. among the Gentiles, particularly in an exemplary discharge of all social and relative duties ; that whereas they speak against you, as evil doers, in separating from the worship of their gods, and joining yourselves with what they presumptuously call the impious sect of Christians, they, being eye witnesses continually of [your] good works, may not only lay aside these blas- phemous reproaches, but exchange them for commendations and praises ; and so may glo- rify God in the day of [their] visitation, during the season in which the gospel is preached among them, whereby they are visited with the offers of pardon and salvation.

IMPROVEMENT.

Let us examine our own hearts seriously and impartially, verse with respect to those branches of the Christian temper, and those views of the Christian life, which are exhibited in this excellent portion of holy writ. Let us, especially, inquire, in what manner, and to what purposes we receive the word of God. Is it with the simplicity of babes, or children ? do we desire it, as they 2 desire the breast ? do we lay aside those evil affections of mind, 1 which would incapacitate us for receiving it in a becoming manner ? And does it conduce to our spiritual nourishment, and 3 growth in grace ? have we indeed tasted that the Lord is gracious ? do we experimentally know, that to the true believer the Redeemer is inestimably precious ? have we indeed come to him, as to a liv- 4 ing stone; and notwithstanding all the neglect and contempt with which he may be treated by many infatuated and miserable men, by wretches who are bent on their own destruction, do we regard, and build on him as our great and only foundation ? and do we feel that spiritual life diffused through our souls, which is the genuine consequence of a real and vital union with him ? If these be our happy circumstances, we shall never be ashamed or confounded : for this is that foundation which God hath laid 6 8 in Zion; and the united efforts of earth and hell to raze or overturn it, will be scattered as chaff and tubble, and by the breath of God be rendered utterly vain and ineffectual.

Are we conscious of our high dignity, as we are a chosen gen- 9 10 eration, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people ? are our hearts suitably affected with a sense of the Divine goodness, in calling us to be a people, who once were not a people; and us beloved, who were not beloved; in leading us from the deplorable

And our being strangers and sojourners on earth.

darkness of ignorance and vice, in which our ancestors were involved, into the marvellous light of this gospel; yea, in dissipating those thick clouds of prejudice and error, which once veiled this sacred light from our eyes, that its enlivening beams might break in upon our souls? And are we now showing forth his praises? are we now offering to him spiritual sacrifices, in humble dependence on Christ, our great High Priest, who continually intercedes for our acceptance with God? Then shall we indeed make our calling and our election sure, and shall ere long appear in his heavenly temple, both as kings and priests unto God, to participate of our Redeemer’s glory, to reign with him, and minister to him for ever.

Let us be careful, in the mean time, to remember, that we are strangers and sojourners on earth, as all our fathers were; and that our days in this transitory life are but as a shadow that declineth; and let us learn to regard the appetites of our animal nature, and the interest of this mortal life, with a noble superiority, reflecting, for how little a space of time they will solicit our attention. And as for fleshly lusts, let us consider them as making war against the soul; arming ourselves with that resolution and fortitude which is necessary to prevent their gaining a victory over us; which would be, at once, our disgrace and our ruin. There is an additional argument to be derived, for a strenuous opposition to them, from our circumstances and situation in the present world; where there are so many enemies to our holy religion, who cannot be more effectually silenced than by our good conversation. Let it be, therefore, our principle care to cut off from them the occasion of speaking against us as evil doers; and by exhibiting a clear and unexceptionable pattern of good works in our daily conversation, let us invite and allure them to improve the day of their visitation, and glorify their Father who is in heaven.

1 Peter 2:13

In order to adorn the gospel, the apostle urges upon them the exercise of a due care as to relative duties; and particularly a subjection to civil governors, and to masters, even where their dispositions or injunctions might be harsh and severe: enforcing all by the consideration of that patience with which our Lord Jesus Christ endured his most grievous sufferings. 1 Pet. II. 13, to the end.

SECT. 1 PETER II. 13. 1 PETER II. 13. IV. HAVING been already urging you to set a good example before those who are without; for the further illustration of that general SUBMIT yourselves to every

ould submit themselves to their governors ;

precept, let me exhort you to be particularly careful to be subject to every human constitution,ᵃ of government, under which you are providentially placed, for the Lord’s sake, and that ye may not bring any reflection upon the religion of Jesus ; whether it be to the king or emperor, as supreme ; Or whether it be to governors, and presidents, as sent and commissioned by him from Rome, in order to the punishment of evil doers,ᵇ but to the praise of them who do well : for this is indeed the true intent of magistracy, and this will be the care of them who rightly understand the nature and honour of their office. For so is the will of God in this respect, that by doing good ye should bridle in the ignorance of foolish men,ᶜ which might be ready to cast reflections upon you. As those who are indeed in the noblest sense free, in consequence of your relation to Christ, and your share in the purchase of his blood, yet not using your liberty as a veil and covering for the practice of wickedness, as the Jews too often do ; but behaving continually as becomes the servants of God, as those who are now more than ever his property, in consequence of your having been bought with such a price. Honour all men ; maintain an esteem for human nature in general, and observe with pleasure whatever is truly honourable in the meanest and most undeserving of mankind. Love the Christian brotherhood with a peculiar and distinguishing affection, suitable to that fraternal relation into which you are brought by your joint adoption into the family of God, and insertion into the body of Christ. Reverence God,ᵈ

itution.] The whole e’s reasoning in this s how very imperti- his to the injunctions religion, that one can- t any rational writer nitioned the argument wn from it. ishment of evil doers.] ors had the power of h conquered provinces chap. i. 1 There is est propriety in the

style, as Dr. Lardner hath observed, t Vol. I. p 167. ᶜ The ignorance of foolish men.] E foolish men here spoken of, Dr. W understands the heathens, who mig ready foolishly to judge of Christia the behaviour of the turbulent Jew: so might represent them as a people urally averse from subjection to k as Josephus says of his own nation. ᵈ Reverence God, &c.] Perhaps no and stronger instances of the L style, are to be found any where th

And obey their masters, though they were

at all times with the sincerest and profoundest humility; and let a sense of the honour and favour he has conferred upon you increase, rather than diminish that reverence. Honour the king whom God hath set over you, and all the subordinate governors who derive their authority from him; paving obedience to all their just commands, and taking heed that there be nothing rebellious or factious in your behaviour, which would turn to the hurt of society, and bring a reflection upon your holy profession. Ye who are domestic servants and slaves, be in subjection to [your own] masters in all things lawful, with all reverence and submission; and remember to pay this regard not only to the good and the gentle, whose moderation, clemency, and benevolence make your yoke easy; but also to the froward and perverse. For this [is] graceful indeed, and deserves applause, if any one for the sake of conscience towards God, and a desire of performing his duty to him, patiently endures grief and sorrow, though he suffer unjustly; For after all, what glory [is it] or what can you possibly value yourselves upon, if when ye have committed an offence, and are buffeted and corrected for it, ye endure [it?] How can you indeed do otherwise? or if you could, how shameful were it in such a case, to rise against the hand of your injured masters? But if, when you have done good, and yet suffer through their tyranny and perverseness, ye endure [it] meekly and patiently, this [is] acceptable and graceful before God; his eye, which always judges of the true beauty of characters aright, is even delighted with such a spectacle, though exhibited in the lowest rank of human life. And I would particularly urge this meek and patient temper upon you; for to this you were called, when you were brought into the profession of the Christian faith; because Christ himself, pure and spotless as he was,

this place It is remarkable that they are required to honour the emperor, though so great a persecutor, and of so abandoned character, as Nero himself

• If when ye have done good, and yet suffer, ye endure [it,] this [is] graceful before God.] The emperor Antoninus quotes it as an ex-

cellent saying of Antisthenes, that it is truly royal to do good, and to be reproached Ant. Med. L. vii § 3.

Because Christ himself, &c.] It is observable, that upon the mention of the name of Christ, the apostle falls into a noble and animated digression of several

itation of Christ, who suffered patiently.

suffered not only buffetings and stripes, but deep and mortal wounds, for you, leaving you⁸ an example and copy, that you might with certainty trace, and with constancy and diligence allow his footsteps, and by observing them as his, be charmed to an imitation, even where it was most difficult and painful. We cannot expect indeed to arrive at a perfect resemblance of it; but let us endeavour to approach as near as possible, even to the amiable character of him, who did no sin, neither was any degree of deceit found in his mouth; Who being reviled, reviled not again, and suffering the most grievous insults and injuries, threatened not the vengeance which he had it in his power to have executed; but committed [himself] to him who judgeth righteously, and who in his own most proper time will make the righteous and innocent triumphant over all their enemies. Yet we know this spotless and Holy Person, was as much distinguished by the grievousness of his sufferings, as by the integrity of his character. For it is He, who himself bore the punishment of our sins in his own body, when he hung in the agonies of crucifixion on the accursed tree; that we being freed from the guilt of our sins,⁹ and the misery to which they exposed us, might live unto righteousness: by whose stripes and bruises ye are healed¹⁰ of evils infinitely greater than the cruelty of the severest masters can bring upon you; according to the well known phrase of the prophet, (Isaiah liii. 4, 5, 6.) For ye were like sheep going astray, exposed to want and danger, and wandering in the way to destruction; but now ye are by Divine grace recovered, and turned again to

verses, to the end of the chapter; afterwards he continues to pursue his exhortation to relative duties.

⁸ Suffered for you, leaving you, &c.] I here prefer the reading of the Alexandrian, and other MSS. as most agreeable to the sense and connection.

⁹ That being freed from sin: πᾶς ἀμαρ- πᾶς ἀπολύτρωσις] That our common translation is agreeable to the frequent signification of the original word, is certain. But so is the version I have chosen, which is approved by Beza, and is preferred and

adopted by that judicious and learned critic Erasmus Schmidius.

¹ By whose stripes, &c.] Mr. Crad supposes the meaning of this is, as if he had said, The blood of Christ, by which your souls are saved, may be a sufficient balm for those wounds and bruises which your cruel masters may inflict upon you; that is, it may so delight your minds as to raise you above an undue regard to an concern about such corporeal sufferings. Apost. Hist. p. 407.

Reflections on our obligation to relative duties.

SEC. him who bears the important and tender character of the great Shepherd and Bishop of your souls, who has graciously received you under his pastoral care, and will maintain that inspection over you which shall be your continued security from returning to those fatal wanderings; and the sense of this may cheer and comfort you under any oppression or injuries to which you may be exposed.

IMPROVEMENT.

As the honour of God is eminently concerned in the regard shewn by his people to their relative duties, let us out of a due respect to that, pay a very careful and diligent attention to them; that the ignorance of foolish men, of those who reproach our good conversation in Christ, may be utterly silenced. Let magistrates especially be reverenced, and in all things lawful, obeyed. And if they desire to secure reverence to their persons and authority, let them remember the end and design of their office, namely, to be a terror to evil doers, and a praise and encouragement to the regular and virtuous. And let us, who rejoice in our liberty, that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, be very careful, that it be not abused as a cloak of licentiousness; but as we would manifest our fear and reverence of God, let us remember to honour the king; yea, to render to every man, and every station and character, the esteem and respect which he justly claims; feeling at the same time, the constraints of a peculiar affection to all those who are united to us, by the endearing character of our brethren in the Lord. Should men who fill superior stations and relations in life, not be so regular, and without exception, in their private and public deportment as they ought, let us perform our duty, not only to the gentle and obliging, but to the perverse and froward; remembering our Lord’s example, which was set before us that we might follow his steps. And let his marvellous love in bearing our sins in his own sacred body on the tree, endear both his example and his precepts to our souls, and constrain us to a holy conformity to him.

Since he who is the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, came on the most gracious and condescending errand of seeking and saving that which was lost, of gathering us into his fold, who were wandering in the way to perdition; let us shew so much gratitude and wisdom, as not to wander any more; but as we

Bishop of your souls] This is an instance of that duplicity of design which is often to be found in the epistles. The apostle urges these things peculiarly upon servants: yet does it in general language, as well knowing that many of them were the concerns of all Christian readers.

Wives should be subject to their husbands :

ity and our very life, let us keep our Shepherd it ourselves to his pastoral inspection, and him, in whatsoever path he shall condescend to