Key Text: To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 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 (1 Peter 2:5).
The believers of Peter’s day were the first generation to hear the idea of ‘extension of time’ called “the former times” in which the prophecies and promises were made, and the “latter time” in which the prophecies and promises were fulfilled. This, of course was in reference to the fulfillment of the prophecy in Jesus Christ and the privilege and blessing of belief and hope in God. In verse 2, Peter paints a metaphorical picture of Christians as needing milk to grow. This milk with which we long to be fed is, of course, the Word, milk for the mind, rather than for the mouth. It is the idea of growing to maturity, or becoming what God wants us to be in the world. Peter now changes the figure to a plant growth, where the resulting mature plant or tree is salvation and “now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” v 3.
Peter’s metaphor is thinking now of God’s people as a building and of Jesus Christ as the living stone, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, “Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation” (2:6). For Paul, the church was a “building” and “like living stones you are yourselves being built into a spiritual house so that you may be a holy priesthood” (1 Cor 3). Peter’s metaphor includes Gentile Christian stones selected, trimmed, and built into a structure so that they function as a holy priesthood. The new priesthood will offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and confessing the name of Jesus Christ. To the chosen and valuable corner stone, sometimes referred to as the choice stone, Christ applies this statement: “He that believeth on him shall not be confounded,” (fail to be saved). While believers consider the choice stone to be valuable, to the unbelievers, on the other hand, Christ has become a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.
Peter considers that the privileges and responsibilities of Israel in the Old Testament are now being transferred to the church as the people of God in his own day. Peter sums up his words with three exhortations for both strangers and pilgrims (that is, they are in the world of the Gentiles, but no longer of the world). Peter starts his exhortation with, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you…to abstain from fleshly lust…and to maintain good conduct among the Gentiles” vv 11-12. He pointed out that with the great blessings of being the heirs of God’s salvation, however, there are great responsibilities. Christians are in constant battle against the soul or the spirit (Gal. 5:24) and even though some people might slander believers, believers must remain steadfast as they glorify God in anticipation of the day of judgment, vindication, and salvation. AMEN!
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