1 Peter (Written)

Friday, 18 October 2019

… you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5

Peter just compared the Lord to a living stone in the previous verse. He now uses the same metaphor concerning believers in Christ by saying, “you also, as living stones.” The comparison is to show that just as Christ is, so we are now as well. As Christ was chosen by God, so God has chosen us. This is to be contrasted with those who have rejected Him. He stated this in the previous verse, and he will continue to show it in the coming verses.

As living stones, Peter next says that believers “are being built up a spiritual house.” The Greek can be formed in one of two ways. The first is passive as translated here (you are being built up). It could also be active and imperative – “you also, as living stones, be built up.” This would go along with what he said in the previous verse. Believers are to come to Christ, and they are to be built up. If this is correct, it is more understandable when being applied to the Jews (his addressees) as a collective group of believers. In other words, “You all need to build yourselves up into a spiritual house.”

What seems more likely, based on the words of Paul elsewhere, is that the passive is being referred to. Christ is not only the Cornerstone, but He is also the Builder. This would then fit with Paul’s use of the same metaphor in Ephesians 2 –

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Paul is clear that Jew and Gentile are being built into the same temple, the spiritual house of God. Therefore, Peter’s words should probably also be taken in this way. The “spiritual house” is that house which is contrasted to the earthly temple made of stone, and which is temporary and can be ransacked and destroyed (as the Jews know all too well, having had their temple destroyed by Babylon and by Rome). Rather, the temple of which we are a part is constructed of living stones which Paul elsewhere speaks of as being “eternal in the heavens” (see 2 Corinthians 5:1).

As our bodies will be eternal, so will the temple, which is comprised of our bodies, be eternal. Peter then continues with, “a holy priesthood.” The idea here is that in a temple, there are priests. Those who form the temple also perform the priestly functions. Teachers of a false gospel will point to this verse and say that the idea of conducting these priestly duties only belongs to Jews, but that Paul never speaks of Gentiles in this manner. This is false. Paul speaks of exactly this in Romans 15:16 –

“…to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

What Paul is saying is that sharing the gospel is a priestly duty. Paul was not of the tribe of Levi, and yet he was given the priestly duty of the New Covenant, sharing the gospel. As this is a privilege of any – Jew or Gentile – it shows that the priesthood is that of any believer who performs this service. And the purpose of this is “to offer up spiritual sacrifices.”

The idea here comes from the Old Covenant where sacrifices were literally brought up to the altar to be presented. They were brought from a lower to a high place. They were then lifted or waved before the Lord by the attending priest, being offered up to Him. The picture that one should consider is that of Christ bearing His cross up to Calvary. He is the Living Stone, and we are to emulate Him bearing ourselves up as spiritual sacrifices and living stones, conducting the priestly duties of sharing the gospel, and of bringing these offerings which are acceptable “to God through Jesus Christ.”

The implication is that despite being set apart, and despite being acceptable to offer up sacrifices to God, they are truly only acceptable because they are presented to God through Jesus. He is the One who covers the sins of His people. He is the One in whom they dwell, and it is only through Him that our imperfect offerings can be acceptable to God. One can see in Peter’s words that everything comes back to Christ. Without Him, nothing the believer does is acceptable to God.

Life application: Concerning the spiritual house which both Peter and Paul refer to, no competent architect would ever start a project without knowing exactly how much material was needed to complete the task. When building a home, they will account for how much piping, electric wire, roof shingle, framing wood, etc. is needed. This can and will be calculated exactly so that budgets of time and money are met.

Likewise, God – who is infinitely wise – knows exactly what is needed to build His temple. In a pre-shadowing of this heavenly temple, He gave exact details for the earthy tabernacle (and later the temple) for the people of Israel. Here is an example of this care –

“Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat; ¹² and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things;” 1 Chronicles 28:11, 12

These plans included all of the materials, but David also set apart detailed numbers of priests, Levites, and others who would do the work – during and after the construction of the temple. Just as these were taken care of by the Holy Spirit, so is the eternal temple being carefully constructed by God.

When the materials are ready, the temple will be finished. God alone knows when the last “living stone” will be chosen, but when that day comes, this House of God will be complete? Have you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior? Every day that goes by is one day closer to that glorious moment. Until then, let us practice our sacrifice of worship –

Praising You today, O God – Yes! Praising You today.
We come into Your presence, Lord, so hear us when we pray!
Glory to You, O God on High, may our song ever be…
Glory to the Lamb of God, Our Precious Savior is He

Lord God, thank You for the promise of an eternal future in Your presence. And thank You that we need do nothing to earn it, but that the price has been paid already. All we need to do is accept what You have done through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. May we demonstrate wisdom and simply accept that which You freely offer. Thank You for Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 1 Peter 2:4

In the previous verse, it was seen that Peter has directly equated Jesus, of whom he was writing about, to the Lord (meaning Jehovah of the Old Testament). As certain as that was from the context, it continues to be verified with his words now. He says, “Coming to Him.” Is he writing about Jesus or God? The answer is “both.”

It is obviously referring to Jesus, because he says in this same verse, “chosen by God.” But he has just equated the Subject (the Lord) of the previous verse to the Lord of the Old Testament by citing the psalm which was referring to the Lord (Jehovah). The words cannot be misconstrued. To deny the deity of Christ is to deny a fundamental tenant of the Bible, and it is to accept heresy.

Peter uses a present participle in the words, “Coming to Him” As Vincent’s Word Studies explains, “Indicating a close (πρός) and an habitual (present participle) approach and an intimate association.” We are to come near to the Lord at all times, and it is to be in a manner which is as if we were coming to our closest relative or friend.

Peter next describes “Him,” by saying, “as to a living stone.” The words “as to” are inserted and unnecessary. He is describing Jesus. “Coming to Him; a living stone.” It is similar to Peter’s own words of Acts 4 –

“This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’” Acts 4:11

The reason for Peter saying this is because Jesus used the term of Himself, citing Scripture as He did. That is seen in all three synoptic gospels, such as in Luke 20 –

“What then is this that is written:

‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?” Luke 20:17

Jesus was citing the 118^th Psalm, which says –

“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22

Jesus was indicating that He was the fulfillment of this messianic psalm. Peter confirms this in Acts 4, and he continues to repeat that now. This will be more fully evident when he cites both the psalm and Isaiah 28 in just a couple verses. Those verses together call out concerning the working of God in Christ. So important is this thought which is seen in the psalms and in Isaiah, that Paul refers to it in Romans 9:32, 33 and Ephesians 2:19-22 as well.

Paul’s words, especially in Ephesians, shows that he and Peter are speaking about the same gospel and the same salvation for Jew and Gentile. This is evident because Peter was speaking to Jews in Acts 4, and he is addressing Jews in this epistle as well. However, Paul is writing to Gentiles in Ephesians 2:19-22 –

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Both apostles refer to Jesus as the cornerstone, and both refer to what God is doing in Christ with his redeemed. We are (Jew and Gentile) being built into an edifice where God will dwell. The heretical doctrine which teaches that there is one salvation for Jew and another for Gentile is to be rejected because it teaches two gospels, not one. There is one gospel for both. To teach otherwise is to teach a false gospel.

Peter next continues with, “rejected indeed by men.” This is what Psalm 118 prophesied, and it is what came about when the leaders of Israel, fulfilling the very words of the Scriptures they were the stewards of, rejected Christ Jesus.

The word translated as “rejected” signifies “to reject after determining something is useless” (HELPS WORD Studies). The leadership of Israel evaluated Christ Jesus, and they found Him tasteless and not worthy of their consideration. In this, they rejected Him as their Messiah. Peter uses the word “men” here, instead of “builders,” as in the psalm to show the obvious contrast between them and God. This is seen in his final words of the verse which say, “but chosen by God and precious.”

Though He was rejected by mere men who are foolish and without understanding, Christ was chosen by God who is all-glorious and all-knowing. The contrast is obvious, and it is Peter’s way of calling out, “Whose side are you on? God’s, or that of man?” For those he is addressing, meaning believers, he is encouraging them to be bold and to act in accord with their calling (as noted in verse 2:1-3).

The final word, “precious,” speaks of that which is held in honor, as of in personal respect. God has placed Christ Jesus at the highest point of honor, making Him the chief cornerstone in the house that He is building. Peter will continue with this thought over the coming verses, demonstrating fully and completely that Jesus is the Messiah, that Jesus is God, and that there is one gospel for all who believe. The message he proclaims is the same as the message that Paul has already put forth in his epistles.

Life application: What does it mean to be a “living stone?” The Bible sometimes uses terms which seem contradictory to the sensibilities of the world.

Take the term “living sacrifice” for example. It doesn’t make sense unless one understands what God expects of us. A sacrifice, by its very nature, is something that dies. Likewise, a “living stone” doesn’t make sense on the surface. But when we realize that it is a metaphor for something else, we can more clearly understand the concept. A stone is something unmoving and unshakable; it indicates permanence and stability.

Jesus is like that to us – He doesn’t change. Instead, He is permanent and reliable. When confronted with His doctrine, the rulers of Israel rejected Him because He wouldn’t relent in properly teaching the things of God and the surety of His word. These people were so caught up in legalism and the teachings of man that they spent their time trying to work out issues completely unrelated to what was expected of them. At one time, Jesus remarked –

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. ⁴ For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Matthew 23:2-4

Because of this and a host of other words of condemnation, the leaders of Israel rejected Him. However, He carried out His work, the work of God, faithfully. He remains the unchangeable, glorious, and precious Living Stone. Until the end of the ages, Jesus Christ is our eternal and magnificent Lord.

Lord God, what an honor and a blessing to know that You, O Lord, are with us – firm and unchanging. Help us to likewise be firm in our convictions, resolute in our faith, and acceptable to You in our actions. May we be the same – precious living stones in the heavenly temple to come. Amen.

Wednesday, 16 October 2019

…if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 Peter 2:3

In the previous verse, Peter spoke of desiring the “pure milk of the word.” He now shows that this word is what reveals the Lord Jesus, the Subject of his own epistle. In his words, he finishes the whole thought with, “if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

It is an aorist verb, and so it more correctly says, “if indeed you tasted.” It is a specific time that Peter refers to when the appetite of each believer was excited. Further, the idea of “if” here is not indicating Peter is making a supposition that it may or may not be. Rather, it is a way of saying that it is so, and that his words are to be acted upon. It is the same type of thought that is used elsewhere in this manner. The context implies the idea of “since you have tasted.”

With this understanding, a few points can be made. First, this confirms that the word, meaning Scripture, speaks of Jesus. His words do this by having equated the word with milk, and then by encouraging the taking in of that milk (meaning the word) in order to grow. And it is that word by which we “taste” the graciousness of the Lord.

Milk = word
Taste = understanding of the Lord’s gracious nature
Then, desire the milk (continue to get to know and grow in the Lord) through His word

Secondly, the words shout out the divinity of Christ. The reason for this is that Peter is citing Psalm 34:8 –

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

The psalmist called out for those who seek the workings of the Lord (meaning Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament) to “taste and see” that He is good. Peter uses the idea from that psalm, and he applies it to the working of Jesus, saying, “if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” He is making a one to one comparison between “Jehovah” and “Jesus.” In doing so, he is either blaspheming the name of Jehovah, or he is proclaiming that Jesus is Jehovah, the Lord God.

Life application: Have you ever looked at food coming out of the oven and started to salivate in expectation of the delight to come? Or have you ever heard someone speaking about a meal and all of a sudden, your mouth starts to water? This is the mental picture that both Peter and the psalmist of old are trying to relay to the reader concerning their words.

The Lord is to be desired with a yearning even stronger than that of food when we are hungry. And not just any food, but the most delightful tasting, yummiest feast we could imagine. This is why Peter told us to “desire the pure milk of the word.”  It is so that we can grow in it, be nourished by it, and have our souls satisfied from the delight of it.

If you have never had this yearning to read the Bible, or if you once had it, but now it is faded, then ask the Lord to clear out all the unhealthy diet in your life (too many Gummi Worms?), so that you will again have the time and the desire to seek Him. A diet of TV, Facebook, and shopping can only take away the time you might otherwise have spent in His presence, learning about Him. Like eating sweets, those things don’t nourish, and they only last a moment. But the Bible and its contents will feed you for eternity.

Take time today – yes, even now! – to commit to reading your Bible. May you be blessed as you do – to the glory of God.

O God, let us not squander our few years here on the trivial and temporary. Instead, help us to focus on the eternal and everlasting. We desire to follow You, but far too often we get sidetracked from that set goal. So please Lord, kindly steer us in the right direction and remind us of the greater and eternal blessings that come from seeking You first. Amen.

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

…as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 1 Peter 2:2

Peter now turns from the negatives (laying aside) from the previous verse, and to a positive. In laying aside that which is unworthy of the life of believers, he shows what should be the greatest desire and yearning for them. This is so much the case that he chooses “newborn babes” as examples.

He is speaking of actual, physical newborn babies, not those spiritually born from above. However, he is addressing those who are born from above and showing them what their spiritual hunger should be like. A newborn baby knows almost nothing because it has had no experience to build on. But one thing that a baby knows (well, apart from crying – which is intended to remedy the other thing!) is that it is hungry.

A baby might need to be taught where to find the source of that which will satisfy his hunger, but once he arrives at that source, he knows instinctively what to do and he does not stop doing it until he has had his fill. The mother’s pure milk, designed by God specifically for him, is what he yearns for. In taking it in, the need is met, and the baby is satisfied.

In like manner, Peter says that believers should “desire the pure milk of the word.” Just as there is a source of life which waits at the mother’s breast, there is also a source of life which is designed by God that flows forth from Him, through His word. The word Peter uses, and which is translated as “desire,” signifies “to yearn for.” It speaks of a longing that needs to be satisfied. It is used by Paul seven times, once by James, and now this is its final use in Scripture.

It should be that our desire to understand our new birth in Christ, and all that it entails, is as great as that of the baby, longing to obtain the milk – the one thing that he knows will satisfy – which is waiting to fill his stomach. And as the source of a baby’s growth is from that milk, Peter shows that it is the “pure milk of the word” which is needed so “that you may grow thereby.”

A person’s doctrine will either be shallow and ineffective, or it will be somewhere all the way up to tall, sound, and well-established. The only way for it to achieve the latter is to first have a thorough knowledge of what the word actually says. Once that is known, even if the theology which comes from the knowledge of the word is not yet developed, there is a basis for higher theology which is sound.

In other words, the word itself leads into doctrines. Doctrines are usually developed over great periods of time, and they are often refined as others provide their own thinking and insight into the particular doctrine. However, if one does not know the word before being handed a doctrine, the only thing that person can do is accept it or reject it at face value, but it cannot be evaluated based on the word itself – because the knowledge of the word is lacking.

However, if a basic knowledge of the word is already at hand, the doctrine can be evaluated and shown to be sound or unsound from the knowledge of the word which already is established in the individual. An example is that either Jesus is God or Jesus is not God. A person is with no basic knowledge of the word is told by a Jehovah’s Witness that Jesus is not God. As he has no knowledge of the word, he is more likely to accept this as true. From that point on, he will always evaluate the word from a presupposition that Jesus is not God, and his doctrinal studies will exclude anything which contradicts that in him.

However, if a person has read the Bible carefully and thoroughly, even once, it is as evident as the nose on the face that Jesus is God. The doctrine of the deity of Christ may be undeveloped, but the basic understanding of the truth of the tenet is instilled in him. Because of this, when he hears what the JW says, he can dismiss it as a ludicrous precept which was obtained through false doctrine.

The problem is that without first knowing the word to at least some extent, we cannot properly evaluate the higher doctrines which are then presented. There is no basis for doing so. This is why we are to yearn after the pure milk which the word of God provides. Only in doing so will we grow. And only in doing so will we grow properly.

Life application: Five times in the New Testament the term “milk” is used. Four of those are applied to a knowledge of the word of God, which is the Bible. Each of those times, it is applied to the very basic knowledge of God and of His works as recorded there. Here is an example from the book of Hebrews –

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” Hebrews 5:12.

Peter is consistent with this imagery. If a baby doesn’t get milk, the result is malnutrition and eventually death. And it is no different with those who receive Christ. Should we call on Him and neglect to grow in Him, we will backslide to a point where we become completely malnourished and we will eventually die.

This doesn’t mean a spiritual death – believers have crossed that chasm and are made alive in Christ. But a failure to pursue the things God would rather have us pursue will eventually result in picking up bad habits from the past – drugs, alcohol, etc. These will naturally lead to the destruction of our bodies and end in death.

This is the case with believers who are mentioned in the Bible, and we are no less immune to such things. So, get into the word, read it, crave it, and grow in it! God has a wonderful plan for your life if you will simply allow Him to fulfill it in you. Don’t waste your life on pursuing the wind. Instead, pursue God and His righteousness during your short walk on this earth.

Lord God, time is tight, many things draw our attention away from what is important, and we find it hard to meet our desires in reading and learning Your word. Forgive us for this and remind us of our priorities, the first and foremost of which is knowing You. Give us wisdom to set aside the trivial things that we often pursue, so that we can purse that which is of eternal value. Hear our prayer, O God. Amen.

Monday, 14 October 2019

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 1 Peter 2:1

Beginning in Chapter 2, Peter writes “therefore.” It is right to remember that when you see the word “therefore,” you should stop and see what it is there for. In other words, we should go back and review what has been previously said. Since the last “therefore” which was in verse 1:13, some of the points which Peter wrote were –

1) We will be judged according to our works, and so we should live accordingly.
2) We have been redeemed, not with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Jesus.
3) Jesus was foreordained before the foundation of the world, and was manifest now for our sake.
4) Through Him, we believe in God, and our faith and our hope rests in God.
5) Because of this faith (obeying the truth through the Spirit), we are to love one another with a pure heart.
6) This love is possible because we have been born again into incorruptible life by the word of God; the gospel of our salvation.

Therefore and because of these points, we need to “lay aside” anything which would hinder, or be a detriment to, the gospel of our salvation. Such things include:

Malice – the intent or desire to cause harm or pain to someone;
Deceit – the intent to defraud or deceive someone;
Hypocrisy – making false claims or pretenses of having admirable principles, beliefs, or feelings;
Envy – having resentful or unhappy feelings of wanting what someone else possesses; and
Evil speaking – engaging in gossip, coarse language, willful destruction of others with the tongue, etc.

Life application: Peter has given us a short list of things that are incompatible with our life in Christ. We are not to do these things because we bear the name of Christ, and our conduct and actions reflect on Him in the eyes of others.

One of the most common claims against Christians is that of being hypocrites. Often, that is unfounded and is simply a person’s own misunderstanding of our life and freedom in Christ. However, it is also a common trait to be found in many Christians, maybe especially between them.

If we put aside such things, we will have a strong and admirable life-walk in the gospel, thus bringing credit and honor on Jesus our Lord and God the Father. Pay heed! We are called to holy living!

Lord God and Heavenly Father, please guide us in our walk and keep us from the sinful attitudes mentioned in Your word, of which we are to avoid. These things, from time to time, well up in us. They can cause division, animosity, and strife. Help us, O Lord, to bring honor to You and to put to rest these things. Help us to be the godly Christians You have called us to be. Amen.