Chapter Two

Teachings on the spiritual growth of Christians (1–3). On the spiritual structure of Christian community in general (4–10). On virtuous living (11–12). On obedience to authorities (13–17). On servants’ obedience to masters (18–20).

1 Peter 2:1. Therefore, laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all evil speaking, 1 Peter 2:2. as newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; 1 Peter 2:3. if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Those reborn should rid themselves of all malice (v. 1, see Jas 1:21; Eph 4:22; Col 3:8). For this reason the Apostle in v. 1 “embraces in a few words the whole multitude and variety of evil” (Saint Theophylact) all the passions and vices which are decidedly incompatible with pure Christian brotherly love (1 Pet 1:22). And then the Apostle impresses upon Christians (v. 2) the need to love with all their strength the truly nourishing word of God, as spiritual milk, and in doing so points to their inner experience: “Because you have tasted,” that is, through practice in the holy commandments of the gospel you have realized tangibly how good this teaching is. And the means of knowing through deed is stronger than any word, as what is experienced through practice is more pleasant than any word. So, having experienced the goodness of the Lord, show kindness and mercy to one another as well.” (Saint Theophylact).

1 Peter 2:4. Coming to him, a living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, 1 Peter 2:5. you also, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Transitioning from teachings to individual Christians to discourse on the perfection of Christian community as a whole, the Apostle presents Christian community under the image of a building being constructed, a house. And here the Apostle’s thought naturally first and foremost rests on the cornerstone of the building of Christian community, or the Church—Christ the Savior, the Living Stone (cf. John 6:51). Even the holy preachers of the Old Testament—the holy prophet Isaiah (Isa 28:16) and the holy psalmist (Ps 117:22) foretold the worldwide event—the laying by Jehovah of the cornerstone on Zion, the believer in which would not be ashamed, but unbelievers, the builders, would reject him. This prophecy is interpreted of Christ by the Savior himself (Matt 21:42), the Apostle Peter in his speech before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:11), and the Apostle Paul (Rom 9:33). To the false judgment of unbelieving people about this stone, rejecting it, opposes the only true judgment of God about it as a chosen and precious stone (v. 4). On this stone all Christians should be built into a spiritual house or temple, in which they form “a holy priesthood,” ἱεράτευμα ἅγιον. Just as in the Old Testament the Levitical priesthood was specifically chosen by God to stand before God and offer him sacrifices for themselves and the people (Lev 16:1; Num 9:13; Ezek 40:46), although at the same time both the whole people and individual members of it were to subsequently constitute a spiritual priesthood and kingdom (Exod 19:5-6), so even more in the New Testament there exists a priesthood for the performance of the sacraments, teaching, and governance in the Church; but alongside it, not abolishing it, there exists the universal priesthood, the spiritual priesthood of all Christians, obliged to offer God spiritual sacrifices—prayers and praises to God, self-renunciation, deeds of love and mercy, and other Christian labors (Rom 12:1; Heb 13:15-16; 1 John 3:16; Phil 4:18). The Apostle encourages Christians as if thus: “Bind yourselves more closely together through the unity of love, and join together into the fullness of a spiritual house, not at all concerned about contempt from people, because they have also rejected the cornerstone—Christ. Having achieved unanimity among yourselves and built from yourselves a spiritual house and acquired a holy priesthood, offer spiritual sacrifices.” (Saint Theophylact).

1 Peter 2:6. For it stands in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and the one who believes in him will not be put to shame. 1 Peter 2:7. So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. 1 Peter 2:8. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were appointed to do. The Apostle Peter now strengthens his thought and teaching to Christians on spiritual structure by introducing (without direct quotation) the very Old Testament quotations themselves: Isa 28:16; Ps 117:22-23. Here “Christ is called the cornerstone because he with his embrace unites the two walls constituting the spiritual house, that is, the Gentiles and the Jews, and binds them into one accord, doing away with the useless sacrifices of the one and transforming into piety the demonic superstition of the other.” (Saint Theophylact). In v. 8 the Apostle in the spirit of the Old Testament sayings cited speaks of the fate of those not believing the word of God. “And to this they were destined: this does not mean that they were determined to this by God. For from Him, who desires all people to be saved (1 Tim 2:4), there can be no way the cause of destruction. But since they themselves from within have fashioned themselves into vessels of wrath, adding to this disobedience, they are left in the position they themselves have prepared. For if man, as a rational being, was created free, and freedom cannot be forced, then it would be unjust to accuse the one who gives to man the very portion he himself has prepared through his deeds.” (Saint Theophylact).

1 Peter 2:9. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:10. once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. In contrast to the sorrowful fate of the unbelieving and rejected, the Apostle depicts in bright and strong strokes the high calling and purpose of believing people, for whom Christ is truly a precious cornerstone. These strokes are borrowed by the Apostle from the Old Testament, partly from the law of Moses, Exod 19:5-6; Deut 7:6, and partly from the prophets Hos 1:6, using of Christians the expressions: “chosen people,” “royal priesthood” (cf. Rev 1:6), “holy nation,” “God’s special possession”—all these honorable names of Old Testament Israel have a higher meaning in application to Christians, redeemed by the blood of the Son of God. So exalted and blessed with grace, Christians have a high purpose and goal in life—to declare the praises of Him who called—God. “The Lord himself teaches this, when he says: ‘Let your light shine before men so that they see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matt 5:16). For all creation of God is His, but the special possession of God is only those who have been deemed worthy of this by their virtue.” (Saint Theophylact). The contrast between the former and new condition of the called is denoted in v. 10 by the utterance of the prophet Hosea (cited not directly): you were “once not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (Hos 2:23), “so that this saying might not seem harsh, he brings reproachful words from the prophet Hosea.” (Saint Theophylact).

1 Peter 2:11. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul, 1 Peter 2:12. and conduct yourselves with honor among the Gentiles, so that, in a thing they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of judgment. “Teachers of faith have the custom of appending moral lessons to dogmatic teaching. The blessed Apostle Peter now does the same.” (Saint Theophylact). A series of moral teachings, showing how Christians can in their life according to the principles of Christianity proclaim the praises of God (v. 9), begins with a general rule—to abstain from fleshly desires and conduct a virtuous life, by which Christians could best soften the hostile attitude of the Gentiles toward them, who were inclined to distort and condemn both the teaching and the life of Christians. “When they (the Gentiles) examine our life and find that their opinion of us contradicts reality, they themselves are reformed in their shameful deeds and thus glorify God.” (Saint Theophylact).

1 Peter 2:13. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as supreme authority, 1 Peter 2:14. or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of those who do wrong and the praise of those who do good, 1 Peter 2:15. for this is the will of God, that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish people – After general teaching on virtue the Apostle now gives more specific teachings on how Christians should relate to certain social institutions, where Christians could show their good deeds before the Gentiles. The Apostle probably does this both to refute slanders and calumnies against Christians from the Gentiles (v. 12, 15), and to warn Christians themselves against overstepping their freedom (v. 16). The Apostle impresses upon Christians to be obedient to “every human institution,” κτίσει, that is, to the order or arrangement of social life. “By human institutions are meant rulers established by rulers, and even rulers themselves, in as much as they are chosen or appointed by men.... So he says be obedient to worldly authorities, but be obedient for the Lord’s sake, as the Lord commanded. What did the Lord command: ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s’ (Matt 22:21). Therefore, if they command something contrary to the establishment of God, they should not be obeyed. Thus Christ commanded; the disciple teaches the same. This is so that the Gentiles cannot say that Christianity brings about the overthrow of life (civil), that it is the cause of disorder and rebellion ‘for the Lord’s sake.’ He makes this addition also for the believers. Some of them might have said: did not the Apostle himself promise us the Kingdom of Heaven (1 Pet 1:4), and thus ascribes great dignity to us. Then again he abases us by subjecting us to worldly authorities? So if anyone says this, let him know, he says, that this command is not from me alone, but from the Lord himself.... He adds also the reason: first, such is the will of God; second, our obedience to authorities proves our good conduct and, in addition, shames the unbelievers. For when they slander us as proud, yet see that we are meek, and where appropriate, obedient, they are the more ashamed.” (Saint Theophylact).

1 Peter 2:16. live as free people, not using your freedom as a cover for evil, but as servants of God. 1 Peter 2:17. Honor everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. Warning Christians against looseness under the cover of Christian freedom (v. 16), the Apostle expresses the moral duties of Christians in civil and social life in four brief rules of conduct: “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” (v. 17). “See what precision: to God, he says, give reverence, and to the emperor give honor. If indeed we must have fear before God, who is able to destroy both soul and body (Matt 10:28), then we should not obey emperors when they command us to do something immoral.” (Saint Theophylact).

1 Peter 2:18. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh. 1 Peter 2:19. For it is commendable, if thinking of God, someone endures sorrow while suffering unjustly. 1 Peter 2:20. For what credit is it if you endure when you are beaten for your faults? But if you endure when you are beaten for doing good, this is commendable before God. From general teachings on virtue (v. 17) the Apostle now draws (v. 18) a particular teaching about conscientious, before God, obedience of Christian servants to their masters, and not only to those good and gentle, but also to those harsh. This latter thought is further supported by a general consideration about what pleases God—innocent suffering (v. 19–20).

1 Peter 2:21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. “Far superior is the wisdom of those who, without guilt, endure everything with gratitude. This is a great deed, accomplished by few and bringing special favor from God, since such a person rivals the sufferings of Christ, for Christ suffered not for his own sins, for he did no sin (Isa 53:9), but suffered for us and for our sins.” (Saint Theophylact).

1 Peter 2:22. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. 1 Peter 2:23. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but entrusted himself to him who judges righteously. 1 Peter 2:24. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:25. For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. In depicting the redemptive work of Christ the Savior, manifesting in this work the supreme example of men—patience, magnanimity, and meekness, the Apostle is guided partly by a free rendering of the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the suffering Servant or Servant of Jehovah (Isa 50:6), and partly by New Testament witnesses to the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here there may arise this question: “How does the Apostle Peter say here that the Lord, when slandered, did not slander in return, and when he suffered, did not threaten, when we see that he calls the Jews deaf dogs, the Pharisees—blind (Matt 15:14), says to Judas: ‘It would have been better for this man not to have been born’ (Matt 26:24), and at another time: ‘It will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town’ (Matt 10:15). We answer: The Apostle does not say that the Lord never rebuked or threatened, but that when they slandered him, he did not slander in return, and when he suffered, he did not threaten. For if he did sometimes rebuke, it was not in revenge against those who slandered him, but he rebuked and condemned the obstinate in unbelief.... Therefore the word of the Apostle Peter, persuading toward gentleness by the example of the Lord, is entirely true.” (Saint Theophylact). Characteristic of the language and worldview of the Apostle Peter is that the redemptive crucifixion death of the Savior he here (v. 24), as in his speeches in the Acts (Acts 5:30), calls a hanging or bearing up on “wood,” τὸ ξύλον, which emphasizes the acceptance by Christ of the curse lying upon men, in fulfillment of the words of the prophet Moses (Deut 21:23), lying on men as the result of sin and death (Gal 3:21). The purpose of the Lord’s redemptive death the Apostle points to from two sides: by it people were freed from sins and received grace-giving power to live for righteousness. In v. 25 the Apostle, in accordance with Isa 53 and other biblical passages—Old Testament (Num 27:17; 1 Sam 22:17; Ps 118:176; Ezek 34:5) and New Testament (Luke 15:4; Matt 9:36; John 10:15), depicts the religious and moral condition of pre-Christian mankind as a woeful condition of spiritual wandering of people, deprived of true knowledge and pure morality. Accordingly, the turning of people to Christianity is denoted by the Apostle as a return to the Shepherd and Overseer (τὸ Ποιμένα καὶ ἐπίσκοπον) of our souls (cf. John 10:1). * * * Isa 28 Ps 117 Hos 2 Isa 53 Isa 53:4-6