A Living Stone & A Holy People
Notes
Transcript
“Therefore” (1)
“Therefore” (1)
Chapter 2 begins by building on Peter’s description of the new life of true believers:
Because true believers have been born again through responding in obedience to the truth: having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth (1:22) AND
Because true believers have been reborn through the ministry of God’s word: since you have been born again.... through the living and abiding word of God (1:23)
True believers are to love one another: love one another earnestly from a pure heart (1:22)
Verse 25, which quotes Isa. 40:6-8, restates the message from v. 23 that the word of God endures forever. Just as comfort was offered to Israel as they faced exile in Babylon by reminding them that God fulfills His promises, so too Peter’s audience, who was enduring persecution, had certain hope that all that is in the world is short-lived, but the promises of God’s word would remain forever.
Verse 25 references the promise that God will restore His people from exile (see 1:1) and fulfill His covenant to His people (see Gen. 12:1-3; 22:17) ultimately fulfilled as the gospel is proclaimed: and this word is the good news that was preached to you.
In light of these new realities for the people of God, they are exhorted to live in a particular was so that they can obey the command to love one another earnestly.
“Long” (1-3)
“Long” (1-3)
The command is to long for the pure spiritual milk, and all that surrounds this command describe what obeying this command looks like.
pure spiritual milk:
pure: functions as a contrast to the deceit that believers are to put away (1) and refers to that which is unadulterated and uncontaminated.
spiritual: can also be translated reasonable or rationale (see Rom. 12:1).
milk: A reference to the word of God because:
reasonable is a fitting modifier to God’s word. God’s word is the means by which God begets believers (1:23)
it is a metaphor that refers to the very substance of life, comprising that which all Christians need to mature.
malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander are all incompatible with the main idea from 1:22-25 (love one another) and with the command to long for the pure spiritual milk.
malice: perversion of moral principles (using what is good for evil purposes)
deceit & hypocrisy: both related to deception
envy: contrary to love for others - instead of desiring the best for others it hopes for their downfall and prioritizes the advancement of self over and above others.
slander: spreading false accounts about others and disparaging others.
put away (1)
means to take off or remove
The New Testament’s usage of this word makes clear that in order for people to obey the command to long for the word of God, we must remove the sin and all that hinders us from growing in Christ. (see Rom. 13:12; Eph 4:22, 25; Col 3:8; Heb 12:1; James 1:21)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Removing all that can obstruct our progress in the faith is a life-long practice.
Like newborn infants
recalls the notion that Christians are begotten by God (1:3, 23)
Peter’s purpose is to make clear that all believers need the word of God to grow and should therefore crave it. This metaphor conveys that all believers are dependent upon God for their lives.
The word milk is also used in 1 Cor. 3:1-3 & Heb 5:11-14 which both focus on the problem of spiritual immaturity among believers. Mature believers are able to handle the meatier, more robust truths of God’s word and immature believers must begin with the more digestible milk of the Scriptures. Peter however, is making the point that all believers should crave the milk of God’s word because without it we cannot grow.
that by it you may grow up into salvation
The purpose of craving the word is to grow. People are both saved and sanctified through the ministry of the Word (1:23 & 2:2)
Salvation here includes the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God, but also encompasses eschatological salvation (a phrase used by Thomas Schreiner in his commentary).
In 1:5 and 1:9, the term salvation references the consummation of salvation. That God’s people are no longer objects of God’s wrath and will therefore be spared His judgement on the last day is included in Peter’s reference to growing up into salvation.
Peter’s point is that spiritual growth is necessary for eschatological salvation. The evidence that one has been begotten by the Father through the word is that believers continue to long for that word and become increasingly mature.
Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 101.
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good
The Contingency
This is intended to be understood as a conditional statement and not a fulfilled condition. (The NIV’s translation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good, fails to reflect what Peter wrote).
Peter was encouraging healthy contemplation here. Peter was confident that his audience’s answer to this would be in the affirmative, but he wanted to maintain the contingency for their reflection.
Psalm 34:8.
Peter cites this Psalm again in 3:10-12
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
The theme of this Psalm centers on the the confidence that the righteous can have in their suffering because they can be sure that God will deliver them from all their troubles.
Like those in the Psalm, Peters’s audience suffered and he desired that they would be comforted and strengthened by their assurance of God’s deliverance.
Experiencing the kindness of God
Longing to grow spiritually leads to tasting the kindness of God, and tasting God’s kindness leads to longing to grow spiritually.
The Living Stone & Living Stones (4-8)
The Living Stone & Living Stones (4-8)
the living Stone (4,7)
Verses 6-8 contain Old Testament references that confirm Jesus is the living Stone.
Peter references Psalm 118, which describes the stone as rejected by the builders but also becoming the cornerstone.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
Peter also appealed to this same verse to refer to Christ’s death and resurrection. The religious leaders despised Jesus by crucifying Him but God made Him the cornerstone by raising Him from the dead.
let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
Peter continues to echo Psalm 118 to make the point that as the cornerstone of the building was rejected by the builders (v. 7, so also Jesus was rejected by human beings. And just as Peter made the point in Acts 4 that the rejection of Jesus as the cornerstone was fulfilled in His death and His vindication was shown through His resurrection, the same emphasis is present here as well.
The life of Christ functions as a pattern for believers today. Christians are despised by many, but they are also chosen by God and are destined vindication.
living stones being built up as a spiritual house (5)
Believers are living stones because of their faith in the resurrected Christ.
Because believers have come to Christ, they have new life in Christ. (v. 4) Believers are therefore living stones, which is a unique reference found only here in 1 Peter. Elsewhere, Christians are referred to as God’s temple or house (see 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Eph. 2:19-22; Heb. 3:6). The term house alludes to the temple which is commonly called a house in the Old Testament.
He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
The picture here is of a house in which believers constitute the building stones. The house is spiritual because it is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
The purpose of the spiritual house is to function as a holy priesthood
to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (5)
The roots of this designation are from the Old Testament
Exodus 19:1–6 (ESV)
On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
God rescued His people out of bondage from Egypt so that the entire nation would serve Him as a kingdom of priests.
Keep in mind that the priestly institution itself was needed only because of the sin of the people. Their sin needed to be dealt with, and an intermediary was needed between God and His people. It was not until after the perfect sacrifice was offered that the mediatorial role of the priest would become unnecessary. This is what the author of Hebrews makes clear:
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
That we are a holy priesthood means that we have been devoted to God for His holy purposes
As we care for one another and bear each other’s burdens, we become priests to one another. And this is a community built on the gospel, we do not need someone with a title and salary to function as priest among us.
That the sacrifices are spiritual is because they are sacrifices offered by virtue of the work of the Holy Spirit.
The sacrifices that the church makes today are her declarations of the mighty deeds of God (see v. 9). But for these sacrifices to be pleasing to God, they must be made through Jesus Christ.
For it stands in Scripture (6)
Peter provides further explanation regarding the living Stone and His relationship to those who embrace Him by faith and to those who reject Him.
Again, Peter refers to the Old Testament for his explanation
therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
The context of Isaiah 28 is a message of judgement against Ephraim for their disobedience and unbelief.
Peter’s point reflects Isaiah’s emphasis that those who trust in the Lord will escape judgement, but those who fail to trust in God will perish.
In light of how Peter uses Isaiah 28, we can conclude that Christ, the tested, precious Cornerstone is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.
Those who believes in the cornerstone will not be put to shame. In other words, those who place their faith in Jesus will not ultimately experience embarrassment or judgement but will honored by God.
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe… (7)
A reference to final vindication as noted in the previous verse
Just as Jesus was disregarded by the builders only to become to Cornerstone through His resurrection (see Acts 4:11), God’s people, who are the living stones that comprise the house of God will be honored by God.
Peter references Psalm 118:22 again to make this point. The original context of this Psalm describes the return of the king to the temple to give thanks after his victory over his enemies. The stone rejected in this Psalm would have been the Davidic king and the builders were the foreign nations that rejected the rule of the anointed king of Israel.
Peter applies this Psalm in such a way that makes those who reject the anointed King as the religious leaders of Israel. They believed that they were building God’s building, but they rejected the Cornerstone.
The bottom line is that God has vindicated and honored Jesus (v. 4, 6), despite the fact that people have rejected Him. Those who disbelieve Him will face God’s judgement and those who embrace Him by faith will be vindicated.
A stone of stumbling, a rock of offense (8)
References Isaiah 8.
And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Isaiah’s context describe Israel and Judah as called upon to fear and trust the Lord rather than fear other nations. This seems fitting for Peter’s audience since the churches in Asia Minor were tempted to fear those who mistreated and persecuted them.
The reason people stumble over the Cornerstone is because they disobey the word (a contrast with 1:22). Disobeying the word and disbelieving the word (v. 7) are connected. What this parallel makes clear is that people stumble over the Cornerstone because of their rebellion. This rebellion is intentional and willful and a rejection of the lordship of Christ.
as they were destined to do (8)
There is a pronoun that refers back to the entire thought that precedes this statement: they stumble because they disobey the word.
Fundamental to the word of God is the doctrine of God’s sovereignty. He is sovereign over everything and everyone. God is in control over calamity and peace.
Consider the following texts:
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
Is a trumpet blown in a city,
and the people are not afraid?
Does disaster come to a city,
unless the Lord has done it?
I form light and create darkness;
I make well-being and create calamity;
I am the Lord, who does all these things.
The most vile act ever committed was ordained by God
this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
And people are responsible - again consider Acts 2:23.
Out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light (9-10)
Out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light (9-10)
see sermon preached on 3/26/23