1 Peter 2:1-12

1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,

2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,

5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,”

8 and,“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

I. The repentance or renouncing (of junk food) (2:1–3, 11)

A. What we are to repent of or renounce Therefore, rid yourselves (2:1, 11b) Peter then listed five sins of attitude and speech The sins to be put off, or thrown aside

1. We are to rid ourselves of deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander, and worldliness, wrong attitudes of heart that would hinder our appetite and spiritual growth

a) “Malice” (kakian) is wicked ill-will, wickedness in general

b) Deceit or “Guile” (dolon) is deliberate dishonesty is craftiness, using devious words and actions to get what we want

(1) if we are guilty of malice and guile, we will try to hide it

c) This produces “hypocrisies.”

(1) Hypocrisy (hypokriseis), pretended piety and love outward show

d) Often the cause of ill will is envy (phthonous), resentful discontent

e) One result of envy is evil speaking, slander (katalalias), backbiting lies conversation that tears the other person down

(1) If these attitudes and actions are in our lives, we will lose our appetite for the pure word of God

(2) If we stop feeding on the Word, we stop growing, and we stop enjoying (“tasting”) the grace that we find in the Lord

f) Sometimes children have no appetite because they have been eating the wrong things

II. What we are to eat and receive (2:2–3)

A. We are to crave pure spiritual milk

1. Pure [adolon] is deliberately contrasted with “deceit” [dolon] in v. 1

2. Our food must be the unadulterated Word, not one mixed with human philosophies or doctrines

2 Corinthians 2:17

17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

3. The new believer is a babe in need of milk

a) One of the evidences of spiritual life is a hunger for spiritual food

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.

2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

Hebrews 5:13-14

13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.

14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

4. The word is not only the basis for spiritual birth but also for spiritual growth

5. A taste of God’s goodness should produce an appetite for more (2:3)

a) One of the evidences of spiritual life is a hunger for spiritual food, the word of God

(1) But just as the baby has a great appetite, so we should have a similar desire for God’s Word

(2) We must not remain babes in Christ, move on from milk.

(a) Sometimes we have to chew our food

(b) God will not puree our food for us

(c) We need what we might have to work at in the Word of God

Matthew 4:4

4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”

III. The Relationship to other believers (2:4–12)

A. What Christians are (2:5, 9a, 10–11a)

1. We are living stones (2:5a)

a) As “living stones” believers are to worship God (2:4–8),

b) As Christ is the living Corner Stone (2:4)

c) Believers are living stones (lined up with the corner stone) (2:5)

d) Joined together to form one building

(1) Community; the individual Christian finds his true place only when he is built into that edifice

(2) “The free-lance Christian, who would be a Christian but is too superior to belong to the visible Church upon earth, is simply a contradiction in terms.”

There is a famous story from Sparta

A Spartan king boasted to a visiting monarch about the walls of Sparta.

The visiting monarch looked around and could see no walls.

He said to the Spartan king, “Where are these walls about which you boast so much?”

His host pointed at his bodyguard of magnificent troops.

“These,” he said, “are the walls of Sparta, every man a brick.”

The point is clear.

So long as a brick lies by itself it is useless; it becomes of use only when it is incorporated into a building.

So it is with the individual Christian.

To realize his destiny he must not remain alone, but must be built into the fabric of the Church.

B. The metaphor shifts in the second half of 2:5.

1. We are royal priests (2:5b)

a) As priests We are consecrated “priests” with 2 functions to God through Christ (2:9–10)

(1) Priests, means we have direct access to God

(a) We also have a task to bring others to him

(b) The Latin word for priest is pontifex, which means bridge-builder; the priest is the person who builds a bridge for others to come to God

(i) The Christian has the duty and the privilege of bringing others to that Saviour whom we have found and love

(2) The priest is the person who brings offerings to God

(a) The Christian also must continuously bring his offerings to God

(i) The offerings that were brought OT were animal sacrifices

(b) The Christian makes his work an offering to God

(i) Everything is done for God

(a) Even the meanest task is clad with glory

(ii) The Christian makes his worship an offering to God

(a) The worship of God’s house becomes, not a burden but a joy

(iii) The Christian makes himself an offering to God

(iv) “Present your bodies,” said Paul, “as a living sacrifice to God”

Refer to Romans 12:1

(v) What God desires most of all is the love of our hearts and the service of our lives

(vi) That is the perfect sacrifice which every Christian must make

Ephesians 2:18

18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

Hebrews 4:16

16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Romans 12:1

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Hebrews 13:15-16

15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

b) Israel had a priesthood; Christians are a priesthood. Believer-priests offer:

(1) Themselves

Refer to Rom. 12:1

Refer to Phil. 2:17

Refer to 1 John 3:16

(2) Their substance

Refer to Rom. 12:13

Refer to Gal. 6:6

Refer to Gal. 6:10

Refer to Titus 3:14

(3) Their service

Refer to Heb. 13:16

(4) Their songs of praise

Refer to Heb. 13:15

c) We are a chosen people (2:9a, 10)

d) Peter used several Old Testament terms

Deuteronomy 10:15

15 “Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.

Exodus 19:6

6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

Isaiah 61:6

6 But you will be called the priests of the Lord;

You will be spoken of as ministers of our God.

You will eat the wealth of nations,

And in their riches you will boast.

e) To declare to us what believers have become in Christ

C. What Christ is (2:4, 6–8, 9b, 12)

1. He is the living foundation (2:4a)

a) He is a precious foundation for believers (2:4b, 7a)

b) He is a stumbling block for unbelievers (2:8)

c) He is the cornerstone (2:6, 7b)

d) In 2:6 Peter appealed to

Isaiah 28:16

16 Therefore thus says the Lord God,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone,

A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed.

He who believes in it will not be disturbed.

Psalm 118:22

22 The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief corner stone.

e) This shows that Christ is the primary foundation stone

2. He is the chosen one (2:4c)

Isaiah 8:14

14 “Then He shall become a sanctuary;

But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over,

And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

3. This shows that Christ is a stumbling stone to those who refuse faith in him

Hosea 2:23

23 “I will sow her for Myself in the land.

I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion,

And I will say to those who were not My people,

‘You are My people!’

And they will say, ‘You are my God!’ ”

a) Paul used Hosea 2:23 linked to