Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,
KJV
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,
Commentary
Commentary
The general exhortation to holiness is continued, and enforced by
several reasons taken from the foundation on which Christians are
built, Jesus Christ, and from their spiritual blessings and privileges
in him. The means of obtaining it, the word of God, is recommended, and
all contrary qualities are condemned, ver. 1-12 .
Particular directions are given how subjects ought to obey the
magistrates, and servants their masters, patiently suffering in well
doing, in imitation of Christ, ver. 13, to the end .
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and
hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that
ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
The holy apostle has been recommending mutual charity, and setting
forth the excellences of the word of God, calling it an incorruptible seed, and saying that it liveth and abideth for
ever. He pursues his discourse, and very properly comes in with
this necessary advice, Wherefore laying aside all malice, &c.
These are such sins as both destroy charity and hinder the efficacy of
the word, and consequently they prevent our regeneration.
I. His advice is to lay aside or put off what is evil, as one would do
an old rotten garment: "Cast it away with indignation, never put it on
more."
1. The sins to be put off, or thrown aside, are,
(1.) Malice, which may be taken more generally for all sorts of
wickedness, as Jam. i. 21; 1 Cor. v. 8 .
But, in a more confined sense, malice is anger resting in the bosom of
fools, settled overgrown anger, retained till it inflames a man to
design mischief, to do mischief, or delight in any mischief that befals
another.
(2.) Guile, or deceit in words. So it comprehends flattery,
falsehood, and delusion, which is a crafty imposing upon another's
ignorance or weakness, to his damage.
(3.) Hypocrisies. The word being plural comprehends all sorts of
hypocrisies. In matters of religion hypocrisy is counterfeit piety. In
civil conversation hypocrisy is counterfeit friendship, which is much
practised by those who give high compliments, which they do not
believe, make promises which they never intend to perform, or pretend
friendship when mischief lies in their hearts.
(4.) All envies; every thing that may be called envy, which is a grieving at the good and welfare of another, at their
abilities, prosperity, fame, or successful labours.
(5.) Evil speaking, which is detraction, speaking against
another, or defaming him; it is rendered backbiting, 2 Cor. xii. 20; Rom. i. 30 .
2. Hence learn,
(1.) The best Christians have need to be cautioned and warned against
the worst sins, such as malice, hypocrisy, envy. They are but
sanctified in part, and are still liable to temptations.
(2.) Our best services towards God will neither please him nor profit
us if we be not conscientious in our duties to men. The sins here
mentioned are offences against the second table. These must be laid
aside, or else we cannot receive the word of God as we ought to do.
(3.) Whereas it is said all malice, all guile, learn, That one
sin, not laid aside, will hinder our spiritual profit and everlasting
welfare.
(4.) Malice, envy, hatred, hypocrisy, and evil-speaking, generally go
together. Evil-speaking is a sign that malice and guile lie in the
heart; and all of them combine to hinder our profiting by the word of
God.
II. The apostle, like a wise physician, having prescribed the purging
out of vicious humours, goes on to direct to wholesome and regular
food, that they may grow thereby. The duty exhorted to is a strong and
constant desire for the word of God, which word is here called reasonable milk, only, this phrase not being proper English, our
translators rendered it the milk of the word, by which we are to
understand food proper for the soul, or a reasonable creature, whereby
the mind, not the body, is nourished and strengthened. This milk of the
word must be sincere, not adulterated by the mixtures of men,
who often corrupt the word of God, 2 Cor. ii. 17 .
The manner in which they are to desire this sincere milk of the word is
stated thus: As new-born babes. He puts them in mind of their
regeneration. A new life requires suitable food. They, being newly
born, must desire the milk of the word. Infants desire common milk, and
their desires towards it are fervent and frequent, arising from an
impatient sense of hunger, and accompanied with the best endeavours of
which the infant is capable. Such must Christians' desires be for the
word of God: and that for this end, that they may grow thereby, that we
may improve in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, 2 Pet. iii. 18 .
Learn,
1. Strong desires and affections to the word of God are a sure evidence
of a person's being born again. If they be such desires as the babe has
for the milk, they prove that the person is new-born. They are the
lowest evidence, but yet they are certain.
2. Growth and improvement in wisdom and grace are the design and desire
of every Christian; all spiritual means are for edification and
improvement. The word of God, rightly used, does not leave a man as it
finds him, but improves and makes him better.
III. He adds an argument from their own experience: If so be, or since that, or forasmuch as, you have tasted that the Lord is
gracious, v. 3 .
The apostle does not express a doubt, but affirms that these good
Christians had tasted the goodness of God, and hence argues with them.
"You ought to lay aside these vile sins
( v. 1 );
you ought to desire the word of God; you ought to grow thereby, since
you cannot deny but that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
The next verse assures us that the Lord here spoken of is the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence
learn,
1. Our Lord Jesus Christ is very gracious to his people. He is in
himself infinitely good; he is very kind, free, and merciful to
miserable sinners; he is pitiful and good to the undeserving; he has in
him a fulness of grace.
2. The graciousness of our Redeemer is best discovered by an
experimental taste of it. There must be an immediate application of the
object to the organ of taste; we cannot taste at a distance, as we may
see, and hear, and smell. To taste the graciousness of Christ
experimentally supposes our being united to him by faith, and then we
may taste his goodness in all his providences, in all our spiritual
concerns, in all our fears and temptations, in his word and worship
every day.
3. The best of God's servants have in this life but a taste of the
grace of Christ. A taste is but a little; it is not a draught, nor does
it satisfy. It is so with the consolations of God in this life.
4. The word of God is the great instrument whereby he discovers and
communicates his grace to men. Those who feed upon the sincere milk of
the word taste and experience most of his grace. In our converses with
his word we should endeavour always to understand and experience more
and more of his grace.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed
of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 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.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I
lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that
believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto
them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders
disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to
them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto
also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises
of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the
people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims,
abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that,
whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of
visitation.
I. The apostle here gives us a description of Jesus Christ as a living
stone; and though to a capricious wit, or an infidel, this description
may seem rough and harsh, yet to the Jews, who placed much of their
religion in their magnificent temple, and who understood the
prophetical style, which calls the Messiah a stone ( Isa. viii. 14; xxviii. 16 ),
it would appear very elegant and proper.
1. In this metaphorical description of Jesus Christ, he is called a
stone, to denote his invincible strength and everlasting duration, and
to teach his servants that he is their protection and security, the
foundation on which they are built, and a rock of offence to all their
enemies. He is the living stone, having eternal life in himself, and
being the prince of life to all his people. The reputation and respect
he has with God and man are very different. He is disallowed of men,
reprobated or rejected by his own countrymen the Jews, and by the
generality of mankind; but chosen of God, separated and fore-ordained
to be the foundation of the church (as ch. i. 20 ),
and precious, a most honourable, choice, worthy person in himself, in
the esteem of God, and in the judgment of all who believe on him. To
this person so described we are obliged to come: To whom coming, not by a local motion, for that is impossible since his exaltation, but
by faith, whereby we are united to him at first, and draw nigh to him
afterwards. Learn,
(1.) Jesus Christ is the very foundation-stone of all our hopes and
happiness. He communicates the true knowledge of God
( Matt. xi. 27 );
by him we have access to the Father
( John xiv. 6 ),
and through him are made partakers of all spiritual blessings, Eph. i. 3 .
(2.) Men in general disallow and reject Jesus Christ; they slight him,
dislike him, oppose and refuse him, as scripture and experience
declare, Isa. liii. 3 .
(3.) However Christ may be disallowed by an ungrateful world, yet he is
chosen of God, and precious in his account. He is chosen and fixed
upon to be the Lord of the universe, the head of the church, the
Saviour of his people, and the Judge of the world. He is precious in
the excellency of his nature, the dignity of his office, and the
gloriousness of his services.
(4.) Those who expect mercy from this gracious Redeemer must come to
him, which is our act, though done by God's grace--an act of the soul,
not of the body--a real endeavour, not a fruitless wish.
2. Having described Christ as the foundation, the apostle goes on to
speak of the superstructure, the materials built upon him: You also,
as living stones, are built up, v. 6 .
The apostle is recommending the Christian church and constitution to
these dispersed Jews. It was natural for them to object that the
Christian church had no such glorious temple, nor such a numerous
priesthood; but its dispensation was mean, the services and sacrifices
of it having nothing of the pomp and grandeur which the Jewish
dispensation had. To this the apostle answers that the Christian church
is a much nobler fabric than the Jewish temple; it is a living temple,
consisting not of dead materials, but of living parts. Christ, the
foundation, is a living stone. Christians are lively stones, and these
make a spiritual house, and they are a holy priesthood; and, though
they have no bloody sacrifices of beasts to offer, yet they have much
better and more acceptable, and they have an altar too on which to
present their offerings; for they offer spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Learn,
(1.) All sincere Christians have in them a principle of spiritual life
communicated to them from Christ their head: therefore, as he is called
a living stone, so they are called lively, or living stones; not dead
in trespasses and sins, but alive to God by regeneration and the
working of the divine Spirit.
(2.) The church of God is a spiritual house. The foundation is Christ, Eph. ii. 22 .
It is a house for its strength, beauty, variety of parts, and
usefulness of the whole. It is spiritual foundation, Christ Jesus,--in
the materials of it, spiritual persons,--in its furniture, the graces
of the Spirit,--in its connection, being held together by the Spirit of
God and by one common faith,--and in its use, which is spiritual work,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices. This house is daily built up, every
part of it improving, and the whole supplied in every age by the
addition of new particular members.
(3.) All good Christians are a holy priesthood. The apostle speaks here
of the generality of Christians, and tells them they are a holy
priesthood; they are all select persons, sacred to God, serviceable to
others, well endowed with heavenly gifts and graces, and well employed.
(4.) This holy priesthood must and will offer up spiritual sacrifices
to God. The spiritual sacrifices which Christians are to offer are
their bodies, souls, affections, prayers, praises, alms, and other
duties.
(5.) The most spiritual sacrifices of the best men are not acceptable
to God, but through Jesus Christ; he is the only great high priest,
through whom we and our services can be accepted; therefore bring all
your oblations to him, and by him present them to God.
II. He confirms what he had asserted of Christ being a living
stone, &c., from Isa. xxviii. 16 .
Observe the manner of the apostle's quoting scripture, not by book,
chapter, and verse; for these distinctions were not then made, so no
more was said than a reference to Moses, David, or the prophets, except
once a particular psalm was named, Acts xiii. 33 .
In their quotations they kept rather to the sense than the words of
scripture, as appears from what is recited from the prophet in this
place. He does not quote the scripture, neither the Hebrew nor LXX.,
word for word, yet makes a just and true quotation. The true sense of
scripture may be justly and fully expressed in other than in
scripture--words. It is contained. The verb is active, but our
translators render it passively, to avoid the difficulty of finding a
nominative case for it, which had puzzled so many interpreters before
them. The matter of the quotation is this, Behold, I lay in
Zion. Learn,
1. In the weighty matters of religion we must depend entirely upon
scripture--proof; Christ and his apostles appealed to Moses, David, and
the ancient prophets. The word of God is the only rule God hath given
us. It is a perfect and sufficient rule.
2. The accounts that God hath given us in scripture concerning his Son
Jesus Christ are what require our strictest attention. Behold, I
lay, &c. John calls for the like attention, John i. 29 .
These demands of attention to Christ show us the excellency of the
matter, the importance of it, and our stupidity and dulness.
3. The constituting of Christ Jesus head of the church is an eminent
work of God: I lay in Zion. The setting up of the pope for the
head of the church is a human contrivance and an arrogant presumption;
Christ only is the foundation and head of the church of God.
4. Jesus Christ is the chief corner-stone that God hath laid in his
spiritual building. The corner-stone stays inseparably with the
building, supports it, unites it, and adorns it. So does Christ by his
holy church, his spiritual house.
5. Jesus Christ is the corner-stone for the support and salvation of
none but such as are his sincere people: none but Zion, and such as are
of Zion; not for Babylon, not for his enemies.
6. True faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to prevent a man's utter
confusion. Three things put a man into great confusion, and faith
prevents them all--disappointment, sin, and judgment. Faith has a
remedy for each.
III. He deduces an important inference, v. 7 .
Jesus Christ is said to be the chief corner-stone. Hence the apostle
infers with respect to good men, "To you therefore who believe he is
precious, or he is an honour. Christ is the crown and honour of a
Christian; you who believe will be so far from being ashamed of him
that you will boast of him and glory in him for ever." As to wicked
men, the disobedient will go on to disallow and reject Jesus Christ;
but God is resolved that he shall be, in despite of all opposition, the
head of the corner. Learn,
1. Whatever is by just and necessary consequence deduced from
scripture may be depended upon with as much certainty as if it were
contained in express words of scripture. The apostle draws an inference
from the prophet's testimony. The prophet did not expressly say so, but
yet he said that from which the consequence was unavoidable. Our
Saviour bids them search the scriptures, because they testified of him;
and yet no place in those scriptures to which he there refers them said
that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. Yet those scriptures do say
that he who should be born of a virgin, before the sceptre departed
from Judah, during the second temple, and after Daniel's seventy weeks,
was the Messiah; but such was Jesus Christ: to collect this conclusion
one must make use of reason, history, eye-sight, experience, and yet it
is an infallible scripture--conclusion notwithstanding.
2. The business of a faithful minister is to apply general truths to
the particular condition and state of his hearers. The apostle quotes a
passage
( v. 6 )
out of the prophet, and applies it severally to good and bad. This
requires wisdom, courage, and fidelity; but it is very profitable to
the hearers.
3. Jesus Christ is exceedingly precious to all the faithful. The
majesty and grandeur of his person, the dignity of his office, his near
relation, his wonderful works, his immense love--every thing engages
the faithful to the highest esteem and respect for Jesus Christ.
4. Disobedient people have no true faith. By disobedient people
understand those that are unpersuadable, incredulous, and impenitent.
These may have some right notions, but no solid faith.
5. Those that ought to be builders of the church of Christ are often
the worst enemies that Christ has in the world. In the Old Testament
the false prophets did the most mischief; and in the New Testament the
greatest opposition and cruelty that Christ met with were from the
scribes, pharisees, chief priests, and those who pretended to build and
take care of the church. Still the hierarchy of Rome is the worst
enemy in the world to Jesus Christ and his interest.
6. God will carry on his own work, and support the interest of Jesus
Christ in the world, notwithstanding the falseness of pretended friends
and the opposition of his worst enemies.
IV. The apostle adds a further description, still preserving the
metaphor of a stone, v. 8 .
The words are taken from Isa. viii. 13, 14 , Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself--and he shall be for a stone of
stumbling, and for a rock of offence, whence it is plain that Jesus
Christ is the Lord of hosts, and consequently the most high God.
Observe,
1. The builders, the chief-priests, refused him, and the people
followed their leaders; and so Christ became to them a stone of
stumbling, and a rock of offence, at which they stumbled and hurt
themselves; and in return he fell upon them as a mighty stone or rock,
and punished them with destruction. Matt. xii. 44 , Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on
whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder. Learn,
(1.) All those that are disobedient take offense at the word of God: They stumble at the word, being disobedient. They are offended
with Christ himself, with his doctrine and the purity of his precepts;
but the Jewish doctors more especially stumbled at the meanness of his
appearance and the proposal of trusting only to him for their
justification before God. They could not be brought to seek
justification by faith, but as it were by the works of the law; for
they stumbled at that stumbling-stone, Rom. ix. 32 .
(2.) The same blessed Jesus who is the author of salvation to some is
to others the occasion of their sin and destruction. He is set for
the rising and fall of many in Israel. He is not the author of
their sin, but only the occasion of it; their own disobedience makes
them stumble at him and reject him, which he punishes, as a judge, with
destruction. Those who reject him as a Saviour will split upon him as a
Rock.
(3.) God himself hath appointed everlasting destruction to all those
who stumble at the word, being disobedient. All those who go on
resolutely in their infidelity and contempt of the gospel are appointed
to eternal destruction; and God from eternity knows who they are.
(4.) To see the Jews generally rejecting Christ, and multitudes in all
ages slighting him, ought not to discourage us in our love and duty to
him; for this had been foretold by the prophets long ago, and is a
confirmation of our faith both in the scriptures and in the
Messiah.
2. Those who received him were highly privileged, v. 9 .
The Jews were exceedingly tender of their ancient privileges, of being
the only people of God, taken into a special covenant with him, and
separated from the rest of the world. "Now," say they, "if we submit to
the gospel--constitution, we shall lose all this, and stand upon the
same level with the Gentiles."
(1.) To this objection the apostle answers, that if they did not submit
they were ruined
( v. 7, 8 ),
but that if they did submit they should lose no real advantage, but
continue still what they desired to be, a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, &c. Learn,
[1.] All true Christians are a chosen generation; they all make
one family, a sort and species of people distinct from the common
world, of another spirit, principle, and practice, which they could
never be if they were not chosen in Christ to be such, and sanctified
by his Spirit.
[2.] All the true servants of Christ are a royal priesthood. They are
royal in their relation to God and Christ, in their power with God, and
over themselves and all their spiritual enemies; they are princely in
the improvements and the excellency of their own spirits, and in their
hopes and expectations; they are a royal priesthood, separated from sin
and sinners, consecrated to God, and offering to God spiritual services
and oblations, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
[3.] All Christians, wheresoever they be, compose one holy nation. They
are one nation, collected under one head, agreeing in the same manners
and customs, and governed by the same laws; and they are a holy nation,
because consecrated and devoted to God, renewed and sanctified by his
Holy Spirit.
[4.] It is the honour of the servants of Christ that they are God's
peculiar people. They are the people of his acquisition, choice, care,
and delight. These four dignities of all genuine Christians are not
natural to them; for their first state is a state of horrid darkness,
but they are effectually called out of darkness into a state of
marvellous light, joy, pleasure, and prosperity, with this intent and
view, that they should show forth, by words and actions, the virtues
and praises of him who hath called them.
(2.) To make this people content, and thankful for the great mercies
and dignities brought unto them by the gospel, the apostle advises them
to compare their former and their present state. Time was when they
were not a people, nor had they obtained mercy, but they were solemnly
disclaimed and divorced
( Jer. iii. 8; Hos. i. 6, 9 );
but now they are taken in again to be the people of God, and have
obtained mercy. Learn,
[1.] The best people ought frequently to look back upon what they were
in time past.
[2.] The people of God are the most valuable people in the world; all
the rest are not a people, good for little.
[3.] To be brought into the number of the people of God is a very great
mercy, and it may be obtained.
V. He warns them to beware of fleshly lusts, v. 11 .
Even the best of men, the chosen generation, the people of God, need an exhortation to abstain from the worst sins, which the apostle
here proceeds most earnestly and affectionately to warn them against.
Knowing the difficulty, and yet the importance of the duty, he uses his
utmost interest in them: Dearly beloved, I beseech you. The duty
is to abstain from, and to suppress, the first inclination or rise of
fleshly lusts. Many of them proceed from the corruption of nature, and
in their exercise depend upon the body, gratifying some sensual
appetite or inordinate inclination of the flesh. These Christians ought
to avoid, considering,
1. The respect they have with God and good men: They are dearly
beloved. 2. Their condition in the world: They are strangers and
pilgrims, and should not impede their passage by giving into the
wickedness and lusts of the country through which they pass.
3. The mischief and danger these sins do: " They war against the
soul; and therefore your souls ought to war against them." Learn,
(1.) The grand mischief that sin does to man is this, it wars
against the soul; it destroys the moral liberty of the soul; it
weakens and debilitates the soul by impairing its faculties; it robs
the soul of its comfort and peace; it debases and destroys the dignity
of the soul, hinders its present prosperity, and plunges it into
everlasting misery.
(2.) Of all sorts of sin, none are more injurious to the soul than fleshly lusts. Carnal appetites, lewdness, and sensuality, are
most odious to God, and destructive to man's soul. It is a sore
judgment to be given up to them.
VI. He exhorts them further to adorn their profession by an honest
conversation. Their conversation in every turn, every instance, and
every action of their lives, ought to be honest; that is, good, lovely,
decent, amiable, and without blame: and that because they lived among
the Gentiles, people of another religion, and who were inveterate
enemies to them, who did already slander them and constantly spoke evil
of them as of evil-doers. "A clean, just, good conversation may
not only stop their mouths, but may possibly be a means to bring them
to glorify God, and turn to you, when they shall see you excel all
others in good works. They now call you evil-doers; vindicate
yourselves by good works, this is the way to convince them. There is a
day of visitation coming, wherein God may call them by his word and his
grace to repentance; and then they will glorify God, and applaud you,
for your excellent conversation, Luke i. 68 .
When the gospel shall come among them, and take effect, a good
conversation will encourage them in their conversion, but an evil one
will obstruct it." Note,
1. A Christian profession should be attended with an honest
conversation, Phil. iv. 8 .
2. It is the common lot of the best Christians to be evil spoken of by
wicked men.
3. Those that are under God's gracious visitation immediately change
their opinion of good people, glorifying God and commending those whom
before they railed at as evil-doers.
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's
sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the
punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put
to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of
maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the
king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not
only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward
God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your
faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and
suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with
God.
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his
steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he
suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that
judgeth righteously:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by
whose stripes ye were healed.
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto
the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
The general rule of a Christian conversation is this, it must be
honest, which it cannot be if there be not a conscientious discharge of
all relative duties. The apostle here particularly treats of these
distinctly.
I. The case of subjects. Christians were not only reputed innovators in
religion, but disturbers of the state; it was highly necessary,
therefore, that the apostle should settle the rules and measures of
obedience to the civil magistrate, which he does here, where,
1. The duty required is submission, which comprises loyalty and
reverence to their persons, obedience to their just laws and commands,
and subjection to legal penalties.
2. The persons or objects to whom this submission is due are described,
(1.) More generally: Every ordinance of man. Magistracy is
certainly of divine right; but the particular form of government, the
power of the magistrate, and the persons who are to execute this power,
are of human institution, and are governed by the laws and
constitutions of each particular country; and this is a general rule,
binding in all nations, let the established form of be what it will.
(2.) Particularly: To the king, as supreme, first in dignity and
most eminent in degree; the king is a legal person, not a tyrant: or
unto governors, deputies, proconsuls, rulers of provinces, who are sent by him, that is, commissioned by him to govern.
(1.) For the Lord's sake, who had ordained magistracy for the
good of mankind, who has required obedience and submission
( Rom. xiii. ),
and whose honour is concerned in the dutiful behavior of subjects to
their sovereigns.
(2.) From the end and use of the magistrate's office, which are, to
punish evil-doers, and to praise and encourage all those that do well.
They were appointed for the good of societies; and, where this end is
not pursued, the fault is not in their institution but their practice.
[1.] True religion is the best support of civil government; it requires
submission for the Lord's sake, and for conscience' sake.
[2.] All the punishments, and all the magistrates in the world, cannot
hinder but there will be evil-doers in it.
[3.] The best way the magistrate can take to discharge his own duty,
and to amend the world, is to punish well and reward well.
(3.) Another reason why Christians should submit to the evil magistrate
is because it is the will of God, and consequently their duty;
and because it is the way to put to silence the malicious slanders of
ignorant and foolish men, v. 15 .
Learn,
[1.] The will of God is, to a good man, the strongest reason for
any duty.
[2.] Obedience to magistrates is a considerable branch of a Christian's
duty: So is the will of God. [3.] A Christian must endeavour, in all relations, to behave himself so
as to put to silence the unreasonable reproaches of the most ignorant
and foolish men.
[4.] Those who speak against religion and religious people are ignorant
and foolish.
(4.) He reminds them of the spiritual nature of Christian liberty. The
Jews, from Deut. xvii. 15 ,
concluded that they were bound to obey no sovereign but one taken
from their own brethren; and the converted Jews thought they were
free from subjection by their relation to Christ. To prevent their
mistakes, the apostle tells the Christians that they were free, but
from what? Not from duty or obedience to God's law, which requires
subjection to the civil magistrate. They were free spiritually from the
bondage of sin and Satan, and the ceremonial law; but they must not
make their Christian liberty a cloak or covering for any wickedness, or
for the neglect of any duty towards God or towards their superiors, but
must still remember they were the servants of God. Learn,
[1.] All the servants of Christ are free men
( John viii. 36 );
they are free from Satans' dominion, the law's condemnation, the
wrath of God, the uneasiness of duty, and the terrors of death.
[2.] The servants of Jesus Christ ought to be very careful not to abuse
their Christian liberty; they must not make it a cover or cloak for any
wickedness against God or disobedience to superiors.
4. The apostle concludes his discourse concerning the duty of subjects
with four admirable precepts:--
(1.) Honour all men. A due respect is to be given to all men;
the poor are not to be despised
( Prov. xvii. 5 );
the wicked must be honoured, not for their wickedness, but for any
other qualities, such as wit, prudence, courage, eminency of
employment, or the hoary head. Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, the prophets,
and the apostles, never scrupled to give due honour to bad men.
(2.) Love the brotherhood. All Christians are a fraternity,
united to Christ the head, alike disposed and qualified, nearly related
in the same interest, having communion one with another, and going to
the same home; they should therefore love one another with an especial
affection.
(3.) Fear God with the highest reverence, duty, and submission;
if this be wanting, none of the other three duties can be performed as
they ought.
(4.) Honour the king with that highest honour that is peculiarly
due to him above other men.
II. The case of servants wanted an apostolical determination as well as
that of subjects, for they imagined that their Christian liberty set
them free from their unbelieving and cruel masters; to this the apostle
answers, Servants, be subject, v. 18 .
By servants he means those who were strictly such, whether
hired, or bought with money, or taken in the wars, or born in the
house, or those who served by contract for a limited time, as
apprentices. Observe,
1. He orders them to be subject, to do their business faithfully
and honestly, to conduct themselves, as inferiors ought, with reverence
and affection, and to submit patiently to hardships and inconveniences.
This subjection they owe to their masters, who have a right to their
service; and that not only to the good and gentle, such as use
them well and abate somewhat of their right, but even to the crooked
and perverse, who are scarcely to be pleased at all. Learn,
(1.) Servants ought to behave themselves to their masters with
submission, and fear of displeasing them.
(2.) The sinful misconduct of one relation does not justify the sinful
behaviour of the other; the servant is bound to do his duty, though the
master be sinfully froward and perverse.
(3.) Good people are meek and gentle to their servants and inferiors.
Our holy apostle shows his love and concern for the souls of poor
servants, as well as for higher people. Herein he ought to be imitated
by all inferior ministers, who should distinctly apply their counsels
to the lower, the meaner, the younger, and the poorer sort of their
hearers, as well as others.
2. Having charged them to be subject, he condescends to reason with
them about it.
(1.) If they were patient under their hardships, while they suffered
unjustly, and continued doing their duty to their unbelieving and
untoward masters, this would e acceptable to God, and he would reward
all that they suffered for conscience towards him; but to be patient
when they were justly chastised would deserve no commendation at all;
it is only doing well, and suffering patiently for that, which is
acceptable with God, v. 19, 20 .
Learn,
[1.] There is no condition so mean but a man may live conscientiously
in it, and glorify God in it; the meanest servant may do so.
[2.] The most conscientious persons are very often the greatest
sufferers. For conscience towards God, they suffer wrongfully; they
do well, and suffer for it; but sufferers of this sort are
praiseworthy, they do honour to God and to religion, and they are
accepted of him; and this is their highest support and satisfaction.
[3.] Deserved sufferings must be endured with patience: If you are
buffeted for your faults, you must take it patiently. Sufferings in this world are not always pledges of our future
happiness; if children or servants be rude and undutiful, and suffer
for it, this will neither be acceptable with God nor procure the praise
of men.
(2.) More reasons are given to encourage Christian servants to patience
under unjust sufferings, v. 21 .
[1.] From their Christian calling and profession: Hereunto were you
called. [2.] From the example of Christ, who suffered for us, and so
became our example, that we should follow his steps, whence
learn, First, Good Christians are a sort of people called to be
sufferers, and therefore they must expect it; by the terms of
Christianity they are bound to deny themselves, and take up the cross;
they are called by the commands of Christ, by the dispensations of
Providence, and by the preparations of divine grace; and, by the
practice of Jesus Christ, they are bound to suffer when thus called to
it. Secondly, Jesus Christ suffered for you, or for
us; it was not the Father that suffered, but he whom the Father
sanctified, and sent into the world, for that end; it was both the body
and soul of Christ that suffered, and he suffered for us, in our stead
and for our good, v. 24 . Thirdly, The sufferings of Christ should quiet us under the most
unjust and cruel sufferings we meet with in the world. He suffered
voluntarily, not for himself, but for us, with the utmost readiness,
with perfect patience, from all quarters, and all this though he was
God-man; shall not we sinners, who deserve the worst, submit to the
light afflictions of this life, which work for us unspeakable
advantages afterwards?
3. The example of Christ's subjection and patience is here explained
and amplified: Christ suffered, (1.) Wrongfully, and without cause; for he did no sin, v. 22 . He had done no violence, no injustice or wrong to any one--he
wrought no iniquity of any sort whatever; neither was guile found in
his mouth ( Isa. liii. 9 ),
his words, as well as his actions, were all sincere, just, and right.
(2.) Patiently: When he was reviled, he reviled not again ( v. 23 );
when they blasphemed him, mocked him, called him foul names, he was dumb, and opened not his mouth; when they went further, to real
injuries, beating, buffeting, and crowning him with thorns, he
threatened not; but committed both himself and his cause to God that judgeth righteously, who would in time clear his
innocency, and avenge him on his enemies. Learn,
[1.] Our Blessed Redeemer was perfectly holy, and so free from sin that
no temptation, no provocation whatsoever, could extort from him so much
as the least sinful or indecent word.
[2.] Provocations to sin can never justify the commission of it. The
rudeness, cruelty, and injustice of enemies, will not justify
Christians in reviling and revenge; the reasons for sin can never be so
great, but we have always stronger reasons to avoid it.
[3.] The judgment of God will determine justly upon every man and every
cause; and thither we ought, with patience and resignation, to refer
ourselves.
4. Lest any should think, from what is said, v. 21-23 ,
that Christ's death was designed merely for an example of patience
under sufferings, the apostle here adds a more glorious design and
effect of it: Who his own self, &c., where note,
(1.) The person suffering--Jesus Christ: His own self--in his own
body. The expression his own self is emphatic, and necessary
to show that he verified all the ancient prophecies, to distinguish him
from the Levitical priests (who offered the blood of others, but he by himself purged our sins, Heb. i. 3 ),
and to exclude all others from participation with him in the work of
man's redemption: it is added, in his body; not but that he
suffered in his soul
( Matt. xxvi. 38 ),
but the sufferings of the soul were inward and concealed, when those of
the body were visible and more obvious to the consideration of these
suffering servants, for whose sake this example is produced.
(2.) The sufferings he underwent were stripes, wounds, and
death, the death of the cross --servile and ignominious
punishments!
(3.) The reason of his sufferings: He bore our sins, which
teaches,
[1.] That Christ, in his sufferings, stood charged with our sins, as
one who had undertaken to put them away by the sacrifice of
himself, Isa. liii. 6 .
[2.] That he bore the punishment of them, and thereby satisfied divine
justice.
[3.] That hereby he takes away our sins, and removes them away from us;
as the scape-goat did typically bear the sins of the people on his
head, and then carried them quite away,
( Lev. xvi. 21, 22 ),
so the Lamb of God does first bear our sins in his own body, and
thereby take away the sins of the world, John i. 29 .
(4.) The fruits of Christ's sufferings are,
[1.] Our sanctification, consisting of the death, the mortification of
sin, and a new holy life of righteousness, for both which we have an
example, and powerful motives and abilities also, from the death and
resurrection of Christ.
[2.] Our justification. Christ was bruised and crucified as an
expiatory sacrifice, and by his stripes we are healed. Learn, First, Jesus Christ bore the sins of all his people, and
expiated them by his death upon the cross. Secondly, No man can
depend safely upon Christ, as having borne his sin and expiated his
guilt, till he dies unto sin and lives unto righteousness.
5. The apostle concludes his advice to Christian servants, by putting
them in mind of the difference between their former and present
condition, v. 25 .
They were as sheep going astray, which represents,
(1.) Man's sin: he goes astray; it is his own act, he is not driven,
but does voluntary go astray.
(2.) His misery: he goes astray from the pasture, from the shepherd,
and from the flock, and so exposes himself to innumerable dangers.
(3.) Here is the recovery of these by conversion: But are now
returned. The word is passive, and shows that the return of a
sinner is the effect of divine grace. This return is from all their
errors and wanderings, to Christ, who is the true careful shepherd,
that loves his sheep, and laid down his life for them, who is the most
vigilant pastor, and bishop, or overseer of souls. Learn,
[1.] Sinners, before their conversion, are always going astray; their
life is a continued error.
[2.] Jesus Christ is the supreme shepherd and bishop of souls, who is
always resident with his flock, and watchful over them.
[3.] Those that expect the love and care of this universal pastor must
return to him, must die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.
INTRODUCTION TO I PETER 2.
This chapter consists of exhortations, in general, to a holy life; and, in particular, to obedience to superiors. It begins with an exhortation to lay aside various vices, which were unbecoming regenerate persons, 1Pe 2:1 and, agreeably to their character, as new born babes, to express a desire after the Gospel, which is commended from its nature, being comparable to milk; and from its quality, being reasonable, sincere, and unmixed; and from the end and usefulness of it, a spiritual growth; and the argument engaging to such a desire is the experience they had of the grace of Christ in it, 1Pe 2:2 whose excellency is declared, under the metaphor of a stone, said to be living, to be chosen of God, and precious to him, though rejected by men; to whom the saints are encouraged to come, as lively stones built up, a spiritual house, for the exercise of the holy office of the priesthood, by offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ, 1Pe 2:4 and that Christ is such a precious stone, is proved from Isa 28:16 and not only to God, but to all them that believe; though to them that believe not, he is the stone of rejection, stumbling, and offence; to stumble at which, and the doctrine of it, through disobedience, they were of old appointed by God, 1Pe 2:6 but the character of the persons the apostle writes to was very different, quite the reverse, being chosen and called, and manifestly the people of God, and sharing in his grace and mercy, 1Pe 2:9 and these he exhorts, suitable to their state and condition, to abstain from sin, as an enemy to their souls, and to live an honest life and conversation among the Gentiles, that they, instead of speaking evil of them, might, by beholding their good works, glorify God, 1Pe 2:11. And particularly he exhorts them to obedience to civil magistrates, both superior and inferior; partly from the author of them, they being of the Lord; and partly from the usefulness of them to punish wicked men, and to encourage good men; and also from its being the will of God, by such obedience, to silence the cavils of foolish men, 1Pe 2:13. And whereas it might be objected, that they were made free by Christ, and therefore should not be the servants of men; it is granted, that they were free; but then it is denied, that they should use their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness: and besides, it should be observed, that they were the servants of God, and therefore ought to do what he enjoined them; and, among other things, yield obedience to civil magistrates, 1Pe 2:16. And to this purpose are various exhortations in 1Pe 2:17, and another particular one is added, which is to servants, to be subject to their masters, and fear them, whether they be good or bad, 1Pe 2:18 and then he comforts such that had bad masters, and encourages them to bear the injuries they received from them patiently; because so to do was grateful to God, and acceptable in his sight; and because they were called unto it by him; and because of the example Christ had left them in suffering for them, 1Pe 2:19. And this is further urged from the character of Christ, who was without sin, and yet suffered, and from his conduct, who, when reviled, made no return, but left his cause with God, 1Pe 2:22 which leads on the apostle take notice of the nature of Christ's sufferings in his body on the cross, and the ends of them, which were expiation of sin, healing diseases, and holiness of life, as a consequent thereof, 1Pe 2:24 previous to which conversion, which is illustrated by the former state and condition men are in, being as sheep going astray; and by their present one, being returned to Christ, the Shepherd and Bishop of souls, 1Pe 2:25.
Ver. 1. Wherefore, laying aside all malice,.... Since the persons the apostle writes to were born again, and therefore ought to love one another, he exhorts them to the disuse of such vices as were disagreeable to their character as regenerate men, and contrary brotherly love; he dissuades them from them, and advises to "lay them aside", either as weights and burdens, which it was not fit for new born babes to carry; see Heb 12:1 or rather as old worn out clothes, as filthy rags, which should be put off, laid by, and never used more, being what were very unsuitable to their character and profession to wear: the metaphor is the same as in Eph 4:22 and the first he mentions is malice; to live in which is a mark of an unregenerate man, and very unbecoming such who are born again; and is not consistent with the relation of brethren, and character of children, or new born babes, who are without malice, and do not bear and retain it: "all" of this is to be laid aside, towards all persons whatever, and in every shape, and in every instance of it:
and all guile; fraud, or deceit, in words or actions; and which should not be found, and appear in any form, in Israelites indeed, in brethren, in the children of God; who ought not to lie one to another, or defraud each other, nor express that with their lips which they have not in their hearts; which babes are free from, and so should babes in Christ:
and hypocrisies; both to God and men: hypocrisy to God is, when persons profess that which they have not, as love to God, faith in Christ, zeal for religion, fervent devotion, and sincerity in the worship of God; and do all they do to be seen of men, and appear outwardly righteous, and yet are full of all manner of iniquity: hypocrisy to men is, pretence of friendship, loving in word and tongue only, speaking peaceably with the mouth, but in heart laying wait; a sin to be abhorred and detested by one that is born from above; and is contrary to that integrity, simplicity, and sincerity of heart, which become regenerate persons, the children of God, and brethren one of another:
and envies; at each other's happiness and prosperity, riches, honours, gifts temporal or spiritual; for such are works of the flesh, show men to be carnal, are unbecoming regenerated persons, and contrary to the exercise of Christian charity, or love, which envieth not the welfare of others, either respecting body, soul, or estate:
and all evil speakings; backbitings, whisperings, detractions, hurting one another's characters by innuendos, false charges, and evil surmises; which is not acting like men that are made new creatures, and are partakers of the divine nature, nor like brethren, or as Christ's little ones, and who are of God, begotten again to be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
1 Peter 2:2
Ver. 2. As new born babes,.... The Syriac version renders it, "be ye simple as infants"; and as if it was a distinct exhortation of itself, and from that which follows; though it seems rather to be descriptive of the persons spoken to, and a character of them, under which the apostle addresses them; which carries in it a reason strengthening the exhortation after given: he takes it for granted that they were begotten again, according to the abundant mercy of God, and born of incorruptible seed, by the word of God, and that they were just, or lately born; and which is to be understood of them all in general, and not of younger converts among them, who might be called little children with respect to others who were young men or fathers; but that, comparatively speaking, those that had been of the longest standing were but as it were newly born, it being at most but a few years since they were called by grace: and they were as "babes", not on account of their want of knowledge, or unskilfulness in the word of righteousness; or of nonproficiency in the learning of divine truths, and their great dulness, backwardness, and imperfection; or because of their incapacity in taking in, and digesting the strong meat and sublimer doctrines of the Gospel; or for their instability and simplicity, being easily deceived and beguiled; nor for their weakness in faith, not being able to walk alone, and their insufficiency to defend, or provide for themselves; but because of their harmlessness and innocence, meekness and humility; and for the sincerity of their faith and love, obedience and profession. The proselytes to the Jews' religion are often said {m} to be ymd dlwnv Nwjqk, "as an infant just born", or a new born babe; to which the allusion may here be made:
desire the sincere milk of the word; this is not a declaration that these new born souls did do so, though that might be true, but an exhortation to them so to do, as it became them: by "the sincere milk of the word" is meant the Gospel, even the whole of it, and not, as elsewhere, the more plain and easy truths of it; which is compared to milk for its purity in itself, for every word of God is pure and for its purifying nature, as used by the Spirit of God; and for its sweetness and agreeable taste to a regenerate man; and because easy of digestion to a spiritual one; and because it is nutritive to him, by it he is nourished up unto eternal life; and because, as milk is of a cooling nature, so the Gospel is a means, in the hand of the Spirit of God, of assuaging those inflammations, and of allaying that wrath and fiery indignation, raised in the conscience of a sinner by the law; and because as milk, medicinally used, is a restorative in consumptive disorders, so the Gospel is not only the means of helping a declining person, and who is wasted and consumed by sin, but even of quickening such as are dead in sin; it is the savour of life unto life. The Jewish writers speak of hrwt lv blx, "the milk of the law" {n}, of which they generally interpret {o} the passage in Isa 55:1 but it is much better applied to the Gospel, which is the milk of the word, or "rational milk": not that the Gospel is a scheme according to the carnal reason of men; it is contrary to that, and above sound reason, though not repugnant to it; but it is what is calculated for faith, the spiritual reason of men, and for such who have their spiritual senses exercised, to discern between good and evil; it is a spiritual drink, and is made up of spiritual things, and suited to the spiritual man; it is milk, not in a natural, but in a mystic and spiritual sense: the Syriac version renders it, "the word which is as milk, pure and spiritual": and it is "sincere"; without mixture, unadulterated with the inventions and doctrines of men, Jews or heretics: or "without deceit"; being neither deceitfully handled by the faithful ministers of it, nor causing deceit, or deceiving those that cordially receive it. Now, this it becomes regenerate person, to "desire"; and vehemently long after, as a new born babe does after its mother's milk; for the Gospel is that to one that is born again, as the breast is to a babe: desire after it supposes knowledge of it; and where there is an experimental knowledge, there will be a value and esteem for it, even above necessary food, and, at times, an hungering and thirsting after it, an impatient longing for, and desire of it; when such souls will labour after it, and diligently observe and attend every opportunity of enjoying it, and think long ere the seasons of meeting with it return; for it is suitable food for them, savoury food, such as their souls love, and which indeed they cannot live without: now the end of this exhortation, and of such a desire, and of feeding on the words of faith and sound doctrine, is,
that ye may grow thereby: regenerate persons are not at their full growth at once; they are first children, then young men, and then fathers in Christ; the Gospel is appointed as a means of their spiritual growth, and by the blessing of God becomes so, and which they find to be so by good experience; and therefore this milk of the word is desirable on this account, for the increase of faith, and the furtherance of the joy of it; for their growth in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and in an experience of spiritual strength from him, and unto him, as their head in all things; not merely in the leaves of a profession, but in the fruits of grace, righteousness, and holiness. The Alexandrian copy, and several others, and also the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, add, "unto salvation": that is, until they come to a perfect knowledge of Christ, and to be perfect men with him, being arrived to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, and in the possession of that salvation he has obtained for them.
{m} T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 22. 1. & 48. 2. & 62. 1. & 97. 2. Maimon. Hilch. Issure Bia, c. 14. sect. 11. & Eduth, c. 13. sect. 2. {n} Jarchi in Cant. 5. 12. {o} Jarchi, Aben Ezra, & Kimchi, in Isa. lv. 1. Abarbinel, Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 26. 1.
1 Peter 2:3
Ver. 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Reference is had to Ps 34:8, "O taste and see that the Lord is good"; and the Syriac version here adds, "if ye have seen": by the Lord is meant, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the following words show, who is gracious and amiable, and lovely in his person; who has a fulness of grace in him for his people; has displayed his grace towards them, in engaging for them as a surety, in assuming their nature, obeying, suffering, and dying in their stead; he is gracious in his word and promises, truths and ordinances, and in all his offices and relations; and regenerate persons have tasted that he is so: an unregenerate man has no spiritual taste; his taste is vitiated by sin, and not being changed, sin is a sweet morsel in his mouth, and he disrelishes everything that is spiritual; but one that is born again savours the things of the Spirit of God; sin is exceeding sinful to him, and Christ exceeding precious; he, and his fruit, his promises, and blessings of grace, his word and ordinances, are sweet unto his taste: and the taste he has is not a mere superficial one, such as hypocrites may have of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; but such a taste of Christ, and of his grace, as, by a true faith, to eat his flesh, and drink his blood, and so have everlasting life; such have a saving and experimental knowledge of Christ, an application of him, and his saving benefits to them, a revelation of him in them, so that they find and feel that he dwells in them, and they in him; such receive out of Christ's fulness, and grace for grace, and live by faith upon him, and receive nourishment from him; and of this the apostle made no doubt concerning these persons, but took it for granted that they had had such tastes of Christ, and therefore could not but desire the Gospel, which is a revelation of Christ, and sets forth the glory of his person, and the riches of his grace: and whereas, such as have truly tasted of his grace cannot but desire to have more, and fresh tastes of it; where should they have them, but in his word and ordinances? and therefore, would they grow in grace, and know more of Christ, and taste more of his goodness, it is their interest, as it is their spiritual nature, to desire the Gospel, in the purity and sincerity of it.
1 Peter 2:4
Ver. 4. To whom coming, as unto a living stone,.... Christ here, as often elsewhere, is compared to a "stone"; and Peter, by the use of this metaphor, shows that he is not the rock, but Christ is the rock on which the church is built, and he is the foundation stone on which every believer is laid; and it is chiefly with respect to the usefulness of a stone in building, that Christ is compared to one, who is the foundation and cornerstone, as well as for strength and duration; and he is called a "living" one, because he has life in himself, as God, as Mediator, and as man; and communicates life to others, as natural life to all creatures, and spiritual and eternal life to his people, whose great privilege it is to come to him: and by coming to him is meant believing in him; and it does not design the first act of faith on Christ, or a soul's first coming to Christ, but an after and continued exercise of faith on him; and it supposes Christ to be come at, notwithstanding he is in heaven, and saints on earth, for their faith and hope can enter into, and reach him within the vail, and notwithstanding their many transgressions and backslidings; it supposes life in them, or they could not come; and a sense of their need of him, of his righteousness to justify them, of his blood for pardoning and cleansing, of his fulness to supply their want of food, rest, peace, comfort, and salvation in him; and a persuasion of his ability and willingness to relieve them: and they are encouraged to come to him under the above considerations, as a stone, a foundation stone; believing that he is laid as a foundation, and that he is the only foundation, and therefore they lay the whole stress of their salvation, and build all their hopes of happiness on him; and as a living stone, deriving grace, life, and strength from him; exercising faith on him for all the mercies, blessings, and comforts of a spiritual life, and looking to his mercy for eternal life.
Disallowed indeed of men; by the Jewish builders, high priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, and the body and bulk of that nation; who rejected him as the Messiah, and stone of Israel, refused him as a foundation stone, and left him out of the building; and laid another foundation, even their own works of righteousness, on which sandy foundation they built themselves, and directed others to do so likewise; and set him, at nought, as a living stone, would not come to him for life, but sought it in the law, the killing letter, and among their dead works; but though Christ was thus disallowed and disesteemed of by men, yet was he highly valued and esteemed by God:
but chosen of God, and precious; his human nature was "chosen" from among, and above all other individuals of mankind; to be united to the Son of God; as God-man and Mediator, he was chosen to that high office, to be the head of the church, and the Saviour of the body; to be the foundation in the spiritual building, and to be the author and giver of spiritual and eternal life to as many as were given him. Moreover, this phrase denotes the superior excellency of Christ to angels and men in the account of God; being the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, the Son of his love, in whom he was always well pleased, and in whom he took infinite delight, considered both as his Son, and the surety of his people; and to whom he was
precious, and by him highly honoured, made higher than the kings of the earth, than the angels in heaven, than the heavens themselves, being set down at God's right hand, and a name given him above every name in this world, or that to come; and who is precious to the saints too, more so than rubies, or any precious stones, or any thing or creature whatever; his person is precious, and so are his name, his blood, his righteousness, his truths, his ordinances, and his people.
1 Peter 2:5
Ver. 5. Ye also, as lively stones,.... Saints likewise are compared to stones; they lie in the same quarry, and are the same by nature as the rest of mankind, till dug out and separated from thence by the powerful and efficacious grace of God, when they are hewn, and made fit for the spiritual building; where both for their ornament, beauty, and strength, which they receive from Christ, they are compared to stones, and are lasting and durable, and will never perish, nor be removed out of the building: and because of that life which they derive from him, and have in him, they are called "lively", or "living stones"; the spirit of life having entered into them, a principle of life being implanted in them, and coming to Christ, the living stone, they live upon him, and he lives in them; and his grace in them is a well of living water, springing up into eternal life. It was usual with poets and philosophers to call stones, as they lie in the quarry before they are taken out of it, "living" ones: so Virgil {p}, describing the seats of the nymphs, says, "intus aquae dulces vivoque sedilia saxo, nympharum domus", &c. but here the apostle calls such living stones, who were taken out from among the rest: the stones which Deucalion and Pyrrha cast over their heads after the flood are called {q} zwoyentev liyoi, "quickened stones", they becoming men, as the fable says. "Are built up a spiritual house"; these living stones being laid, and cemented together, in a Gospel church state, become the house of God in a spiritual sense, in distinction from the material house of the tabernacle, and temple of old, to which the allusion is; and which is built up an habitation for God, by the Spirit, and is made up of spiritual men; such as have the Spirit of God, and savour the things of the Spirit, and worship God in Spirit and in truth; among whom spiritual services are performed, as prayer, praise, preaching, and hearing the word, and administering ordinances. Some read these words in the imperative, as an exhortation, "be ye built up as lively stones; and be ye spiritual temples and holy priests", as the Syriac version. A synagogue with the Jews is called ygxwr tyb, "a spiritual house" {r}; and so is the third temple which the Jews expect in the times of the Messiah; of which one of their writers {s} thus says:
"it is known from the ancient wise men, that the future redemption, with which shall be the third ynxwr, "spiritual" sanctuary, is the work of God, and will not be as the former redemptions: "I will fill this house with glory"; this is ynxwr, "a spiritual" one, for even the walls shall be Myynxwr, "spiritual"--for even all this "house" shall be "spiritual"; for that which was then built, which is the second, shall be turned into another a "spiritual" one:''
and which has been already done, and is what the apostle means here, the church, under the Gospel dispensation, or the Gospel church state, in opposition to the worldly sanctuary, and carnal worship of the Jews.
An holy priesthood; in allusion to the priests under the law, who were set apart, and sanctified for that office; but now, under the Gospel, all the saints are priests unto God, and are all appointed and directed
to offer up spiritual sacrifices; their whole selves, souls, and bodies, as a holy, living, and acceptable sacrifice; their prayers and praises, and all good works done in faith, and from love, and to the glory of God; particularly acts of kindness and beneficence to poor saints; these are called spiritual, in distinction from legal sacrifices, and because offered in a spiritual manner, under the influence, and by the assistance of the Spirit of God, and with their spirits. So the Jews speak of spiritual sacrifices, as distinct from material ones:
"the intellectual sacrifice (they say {t}) is before the material sacrifices, both in time and excellency.--Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the earth, and behold the intellectual attention did not agree with it, which is ynxwrh Nbrq, "the spiritual sacrifice".''
Now such are
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ; through whom they are offered up; for it is through him the saints have access to God, present themselves to him, and their services; and both persons and services are only accepted in Christ, and for his sake, and in virtue of his sacrifice, which is always of a sweet smelling savour to God.
{p} Aeneid. l. 1. {q} Eustathius in Homer. Iliad. 1. {r} Neve Shalom apud Caphtor, fol. 14. 1. {s} R. Alshech. in Hagg. ii. 7, 8, 9, 10. {t} Neve Shalom apud Caphtor, fol. 88. 2. Vid. Raziel. fol. 33. 1.
1 Peter 2:6
Ver. 6. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture,....
Isa 28:16. This is produced as a proof of the excellency of Christ, as compared to a stone; and of his usefulness in the spiritual building; and of his being chosen of God, and precious, though rejected by men; and of the happiness, comfort, and safety of those that believe in him. That this prophecy belongs to the Messiah, is the sense of some of the Jewish writers: the Targum on it applies it to a mighty king; it does not mention the King Messiah, as Galatinus {u} cites it; but Jarchi expressly names him, and interprets it of him:
behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; Christ is here called a chief corner stone, as in Eph 2:20 because he not only adorns and strengthens the building, but unites the parts, and keeps them together, even all the saints, Jews or Gentiles, in all ages and places, whether in heaven or earth; and he, as such, is chosen of God for that purpose, and is precious both to God and man, on that account; and is a stone, not of men's laying, but of God's laying in his council, covenant, promises, and prophecies, in the mission of him into this world, and in the Gospel ministry; the place where he is laid is in Sion, the Gospel church, of which he is both the foundation and corner stone: and this account is introduced with a "behold", it being something very wonderful, and worthy of attention: to which is added,
he that believeth on him shall not be confounded: or "ashamed"; of the foundation and cornerstone Christ, nor of his faith in him; and he shall not be confounded by men or devils, neither in this world, nor in that to come; he shall have confidence before Christ, and not be ashamed at his coming; he shall be safe now, being laid on this stone; nor shall he be removed from it, or intimidated by any enemy, so as to flee from it; nor shall he make haste, as it is in
Isa 28:16 to lay another foundation; and he shall be found upon this hereafter; so that his person and state will be safe, though many of his works may be burnt up.
{u} De Aroan. Cathol. Ver. l. 3. c. 21.
1 Peter 2:7
Ver. 7. Unto you therefore which believe,.... And such are not all they that can say their creed, or give their assent to the articles of it; nor all that believe a divine revelation, and that the Scriptures are the word of God, and give credit to all that is contained in the sacred oracles; or who believe the whole Gospel, and all the truths of it; as that there is one God; that there are three persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Spirit; that Christ is the Son of God, and truly God; that he is the Mediator between God and man; that he is the Messiah, is become incarnate, has obeyed, suffered, and died for men, and is the Saviour of them: that he rose again, ascended to heaven, is set down at the right hand of God, intercedes for his people, and will come a second time to judge the world in righteousness; together with all other truths which arise from, depend upon, and are connected with these; nor all that say they believe, or profess to do so; but such who have seen themselves lost and undone by sin, their need of a Saviour, and Christ as the only one; who have seen the Son, the beauty of his person, the fulness of his grace, and the necessity and suitableness of salvation by him; who have beheld him as able to save them, as every way proper for them, and desirable by them, for faith is a sight of Christ; who also come to him under the drawings of efficacious grace, as perishing sinners, encouraged by his invitations and declarations, and venture on him; who likewise lay hold upon him, as their Saviour, and will have no other; give up themselves to him, and commit their all into his hands; who rely and stay themselves upon him, trust him with all they have, and for all they want, expecting grace and glory from him; who live upon him, and walk on in him, go on believing in him, till they receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls. Now to these, in proof of what is asserted in the above passage out of Isaiah, Christ is
precious; he is so in all his names and titles, as Immanuel, God with us, and that cluster of them in Isa 9:6 and particularly his name Jesus, a Saviour, which is as ointment poured forth, and draws the love of believers to him; and so he is in both his natures, divine and human; the perfections of deity in him, his being in the form of God, and equal to him, the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person, render him very amiable in the view of believers; who rightly conclude from hence, that all he has done, and does, must answer the purposes for which they are designed; and his having a perfect human nature, like to theirs, excepting sin, in which he wrought salvation for them on earth, and is now glorified in heaven, makes him a delightful object to them: he is also precious to them in all his offices; in his priestly office, his blood is precious, as it must needs be, since by it they are purchased and redeemed; they are justified and sanctified by it; through it they have the forgiveness of sin, and boldness to enter into the holiest of all: his righteousness is precious to them, it being the best robe, the wedding garment, fine linen, clean and white, every way suitable to them, and answerable to the demands of the law; is pure, perfect, and everlasting; that by which they are justified from all things, and which will answer for them in a time to come, and entitles them to eternal life. His sacrifice is precious, of a sweet smelling savour to them, as well as to God; by which their sins are fully expiated, put, and taken away; full satisfaction being made for them, and they themselves thereby perfected for ever. And so he is in his prophetic office. His word is precious, and all the truths of the Gospel, which are comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones; the promises of it are exceeding great and precious, being suited to the cases of all believers: and he is also precious in his kingly office; his commands are not grievous; his yoke is easy, and burden light; believers love his commandments above gold, yea; above fine gold, and esteem his precepts concerning all things to be right, and delight in his ways and ordinances: moreover, he is precious to them in all his relations, as he is the head of eminence and influence, their kind and loving husband, their everlasting Father, their affectionate brother, and faithful friend; his whole person, in every view, is precious to them that believe; the church of Christ, the members of his body, the sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, in these is all the delight of saints; everything that is in Christ, that is of him, or belongs to him, is precious to such souls: some read the words, "to you therefore that believe, he is honour"; as the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions; and so the word is rendered in Ro 13:7, he is both an honour to them, that they are related to him; and he is honoured by them, by believing in him, and obeying him; and he is the cause of all their true honour, both in this and the other world. The Syriac version renders it, "to therefore is this honour given"; namely, that such a stone is laid, and that they were built upon it, and should not be confounded or ashamed, either here or hereafter; connecting the words with the preceding. The Septuagint use the word the apostle here does, in
Isa 11:10 where it is prophesied of the Messiah, that his rest shall be glorious; they render it timh, "honour", or "precious". The Jewish writers have adopted the word ymyj into their language, and use it for profit and gain {w}; in which sense it is applicable to Christ, who is gain to believers, both in life and in death; they being blessed with all spiritual blessings in him, and he being all in all to them: and also they use it, as denoting the intrinsic price and value of anything {x}, and which is a right sense of the word; and to believers the price of wisdom, or Christ, is far above rubies, and all the things that can be desired; to them he is precious as a stone, as a foundation and corner stone, and more precious than the most precious stones or things in nature; this he is to them that believe: next follows, in this and the other verse, the account of what he is to them that believe not:
but unto them which be disobedient; who are not persuadable, unbelieving, and are children of disobedience; who neither obey God and his righteous law, nor Christ and his Gospel:
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner; reference is manifestly had to Ps 118:22 which is a passage that clearly belongs to the Messiah, and which is suggested by Christ himself, See Gill on "Mt 21:42"; and is by our apostle, in Ac 4:11 applied unto him: by the builders are meant the rulers of the Jews, both civil and ecclesiastical, and especially the latter, the Scribes, Pharisees, and chief priests; who set up for builders of the church of God, but were miserable ones; they built themselves, and taught others to build, on the observance of the ceremonial law, and the traditions of the elders; on their carnal privileges, and moral righteousness; and these disallowed of Christ in the building, rejected him as the Messiah, refused him as the Saviour and Redeemer, and set him at nought, had him in the utmost derision, and reckoned him as a worm, and no man; but, to their great mortification, he is not only laid and retained as the foundation and cornerstone, but made the head of the building, and is exalted at God's right hand above angels and men; he is the head of the body, the church; he is higher than the kings of the earth, and angels are subject to him.
{w} Targum in Esther iii. 8. & v. 13. & vii. 4. {x} Targum Hierosol. in Gen. xxi. 33. Targum Jon. in Gen. xxiii. 15. Targum in Prov. xxxi. 10. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 2. 3. & sect. 11. fol. 9. 3.
1 Peter 2:8
Ver. 8. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence,.... The apostle alludes to Isa 8:14 and which is a prophecy of the Messiah;
See Gill on "Ro 9:33" and had its accomplishment in the unbelieving and disobedient Jews; who stumbled at his birth and parentage; at the manner of his birth, being born of a virgin; at the meanness of his parents, his supposed father being a carpenter, and his mother, Mary, a poor woman, when they expected the Messiah would have sprung from some rich and noble family; and at the place of his birth, which they imagined was Galilee, from his education and conversation there; they stumbled also at his education, and could not conceive how he should know letters, and from whence he should have his wisdom, having never been trained up in any of their schools and academies, or at the feet of any of their doctors and Rabbins; but, on the other hand, was brought up and employed in the trade of a carpenter; they stumbled at his outward meanness and poverty, when they expected the Messiah would be a rich, powerful, and glorious monarch; and so at the obscurity of his kingdom, which was not of this world, and came not with observation, when they dreamt of an earthly and temporal one, which should be set up in great splendour and glory; and they stumbled likewise at the company he kept, and the audience that attended him, being the poorer sort of the people, and the more illiterate, and also such who had been very profane and wicked, as publicans and harlots; moreover, they stumbled at his ministry, at the doctrine he preached, particularly at the doctrine of his divinity, and of spiritual communion with him, by eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, and at the doctrines of distinguishing grace; and so at his miracles, by which he confirmed his mission and ministry, some of these being wrought on the sabbath day, and others they imputed to diabolical influence and assistance, in a word, they stumbled at his death, having imbibed a notion that Christ abideth for ever, and especially at the manner of it, the death of the cross; wherefore the preaching of Christ crucified always was, and still is, a stumbling block unto them:
even to them which stumble at the word; either the essential Word, Christ Jesus, as before; or rather at the doctrine of the Gospel, at that part of it which respects a trinity of persons in the Godhead; because their carnal reason could not comprehend it, and they refused to submit to revelation, and to receive the witness of God, which is greater than that of men; and at that part of it which regards the deity of Christ, and that for this reason, because he was a man, and in order to enervate the efficacy of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, and fearing too much honour should be given to him; and also at that part of the word which concerns the distinguishing grace of God, as eternal personal election, particular redemption, and efficacious grace in conversion; against which the carnal mind of man is continually cavilling and replying, and, in so doing, against God himself, charging him with cruelty, injustice, and insincerity; and particularly at that part of the word which holds forth the doctrine of free justification, by the righteousness of Christ; this was the grand stumbling block of the Jews, who sought for righteousness, not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and of the spirituality of the law, and of themselves, and their own righteousness, of which they had an overweening opinion:
being disobedient; to the Gospel revelation, and unwilling to submit their carnal reason to it; this is the source and cause of their stumbling at Christ and his Gospel: it is worth while to compare this with the paraphrase of Isa 8:14 which passage is here referred to; and the paraphrase of it runs thus;
""if ye obey not", his word shall be among you for revenge, and for a stone smiting, and for a rock of offence to both houses of the princes of Israel, and for destruction and offence to those who are divided upon the house of Judah, &c.''
whereunto also they were appointed; both to stumble at the word of the Gospel, and at Christ, the sum and substance of it, he being set in the counsel and purpose of God, as for the rising of some, so for the stumbling and falling of others; and also to that disobedience and infidelity which was the cause of their stumbling; for as there are some whom God appointed and foreordained to believe in Christ, on whom he has determined to bestow true faith in him, and who have it as a pure gift, in consequence of such appointment; so there are others, whom he has determined to leave in that disobedience and infidelity into which the fall brought and concluded them, through which they stumble at Christ, and his word, and, in consequence thereof, justly perish; but this is not the case of all; there are some who are the objects of distinguishing grace and favour, and who are described in the following verse.
1 Peter 2:9
Ver. 9. But ye are a chosen generation,.... Or "kindred"; the phrase is to be seen in the Septuagint, on Isa 43:20, to which, and the following verse, the apostle refers here, and in another part of this text. The allusion is throughout to the people of Israel in general, who, in an external way, were all that is here said; but was only true in a spiritual sense of such as were chosen and called among the Jews: and who were a "generation or kindred"; being regenerate, or through abundant mercy begotten, and of an incorruptible seed born again; and were akin to God, he being their Father, and they his children by adopting grace, and which was made manifest by their new birth; and also akin to Christ, he being their head, husband, Father, and brother, and they his members, spouse, children, and brethren; and to the saints, being of the same household and family in heaven and in earth; having the same Father, Lord, Spirit, faith, baptism, and they all brethren: and they were a "chosen" generation or kindred; being famous, and in high esteem with God, and accounted by him for a generation; he having chosen them above all kindreds, tongues, people, and nations, and that from all eternity; and of his own sovereign good will and pleasure; and not on account of their faith, holiness, and good works; and to special benefits, to the relation and kindred they are in, to grace here, and glory hereafter; to regeneration and sanctification, and to salvation and eternal life; just as Israel, as a nation, were chosen above all others, because of the love of God to them, and for no other reason, to many external privileges and favours, which others did not enjoy: now the apostle mentions this character first, because God's eternal election is the source and spring of all spiritual blessings, which provides and secures them, and according to which they are bestowed, and with which they are inseparably connected:
a royal priesthood; referring to Ex 19:6, where the Israelites are called a "kingdom of priests"; which the Chaldee paraphrase renders, kings, priests; see Re 1:6 a character which one of the Jewish commentators says {y} shall return to the Jews abl dytel, "in time to come"; and well agrees with all the people of Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles, who are all of them kings, through their relation to Christ; and at the present time have a kingdom which cannot be moved, or taken away from them; being not only brought into the Gospel dispensation, the kingdom of the Messiah, and having a right to all the privileges and immunities of it, but have also the kingdom of grace set up within them, or grace, as a reigning principle, implanted in them; which lies not in anything external, but in righteousness and true holiness, in inward peace, and spiritual joy; and they have the power of kings over sin, Satan, and the world; and the riches of kings, being possessed of the riches of grace now, and entitled to the riches of glory in another world; they live like kings, they wear royal apparel, the robe of Christ's righteousness; they sit at the king's table, and feed on royal dainties; and are attended on as kings, angels being their life guards, and ministering spirits to them; and hereafter they shall reign with Christ on earth, and that for the space of a thousand years, and, after that, for ever: being raised up from a low estate, to inherit the crown of glory, to wear the crown of life and righteousness, and possess the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, of which they are now heirs: and they are "priests", as well as kings; being made so by Christ, and through his priestly office; are anointed with the Holy Ghost, and sanctified by his grace, and allowed to draw near to God, and offer up by Christ their spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise; and are enabled and assisted to offer up the sacrifice of a broken heart, and their bodies also, and even their lives when called to it; the allusion is to the kingdom and priesthood being formerly together, and which met in Christ, Zec 6:13 and in his people. The Jews were wont to call the priestly dignity and office hnhk rtk, "the crown of the priesthood" {z}:
an holy nation; referring to the same place in Ex 19:6 where the Israelites are so called, being separated by God from other nations, and legally and externally sanctified by him; as all the true Israel of God are sanctified, or set apart by God the Father, in eternal election, to real and perfect holiness; and are sanctified or cleansed from sin, by the blood and sacrifice of Christ; and are internally sanctified by the Spirit of God; have principles of holiness wrought in them, from whence they live holy lives and conversations:
a peculiar people; as the Israelites are called a "peculiar treasure", Ex 19:5 to which the reference is: God's elect are a peculiar people, to whom he bears a peculiar love; they are chosen by him to be a special people above all others, and have peculiar blessings bestowed on them, and peculiar care is taken of them; they are the Lord's, hlgo, his treasure, his jewels, his portion and inheritance, and therefore he will preserve and save them; they are a people for acquisition, purchase, and possession, as the words may be rendered; whom God has obtained, procured, and purchased for himself, with the precious blood of his Son; hence the Syriac version renders them, aqyrp avnk, "a redeemed company": the same with the church God has purchased with his blood, Ac 20:28 and the purchased possession, Eph 1:14 and which are redeemed and purified to be, and appear to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit 2:14 the end of all which grace being bestowed upon them in election, redemption, and regeneration, is,
that ye should show forth the praises of him; that is, God, who has chosen them into a spiritual kindred and relation, made them kings and priests, sanctified them by his Spirit, and redeemed them by his Son, as a peculiar people; all which laid them under obligation to show forth with their lips, and in their lives and conversations, his "virtues": we read, "praises"; and so the Syriac version; that is, the power, wisdom, goodness, love, grace, and mercy of God, and the commendations of them, displayed in the above instances: the apostle seems to have his eye on Isa 43:21, where the Septuagint use the same word for "praise", as here: next follows a periphrasis of God, and in it an argument, or reason for speaking of his virtues, and showing forth his praise:
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; which is to be understood, not of an external call by the ministry of the word only; for many are called in this sense, who are not chosen, redeemed, and sanctified; but of an internal, special, powerful, holy, and heavenly calling, by the Spirit and grace of God: and this is, "out of darkness"; out of the darkness of the law, under the former dispensation, which was as night, in comparison of the Gospel day; and out of that darkness which the Jews were particularly in, in and about the coming of Christ, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and the spirituality of the law; having lost all right notions of the Messiah, and the true sense of the Scriptures, and were carried away with the traditions of the elders, and led by blind guides, the Scribes and Pharisees; out of this darkness, as well as what is common to men, in a state of unregeneracy, having no sight of themselves, their sin, and misery, nor knowledge of divine things, of God in Christ, and of salvation by him, and of the work of the Spirit upon the heart, they were called,
into his marvellous light: by which they saw the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the insufficiency of their righteousness, their need of Christ, and salvation by him; and astonishing it was to them, that they who were born blind, and were brought up in darkness, and were darkness itself, should be made light in the Lord; and the objects they saw were amazing to them; everything in a spiritual way was marvellous in their eyes; especially the sun of righteousness, the light of the world, and also the wonderful things out of the law, or doctrine of Christ, the Gospel, and the surprising love and grace of God, in the whole, and in the several parts of their salvation: it was with them, as if a child, from the moment of its birth, was shut up in a dungeon, where there was not the least crevice to let in the least degree of light, and should continue here till at years of maturity, and then be brought out at once, at noonday, the sun shining in its full strength and glory, when that particularly, and all objects about him, must strike him with wonder and surprise. The Syriac version renders it, "his most excellent light"; the apostle seems to refer to the form of praise and thanksgiving used by the Jews, at the time of the passover; who say {a},
"we are bound to confess, to praise, to glorify, &c. him who hath done for our fathers, and for us, all these wonders; he hath brought us out of bondage to liberty; from sorrow to joy, and from mourning to a good day,
lwdg rwal hlypamw, "and out of darkness into great light"; and from subjection unto redemption.''
This was also part of their morning prayer {b};
"I confess before thee, O my God, and the God of my fathers, that thou hast brought me out of darkness into light.''
And it is to be observed, that the third Sephira, or number, in the Jewish Cabalistic tree, which answers to the third Person in the Trinity, among other names, is called, "marvellous light" {c}.
{y} Baal Hatturim in loc. {z} Pirke Abot, c. 4. sect. 13. Tzeror Hammot, fol. 78. 3. {a} Misn. Pesachim, c. 10. sect. 5. Haggada Shel Pesach, p. 23. Maimon. Hilchot Chametz Umetzah, c. 8. sect. 5. {b} T. Hieros. Beracot, c. 4. fol. 7. 1. {c} Cabala Denudata, par. 2. p. 8.
1 Peter 2:10
Ver. 10. Which in time were not a people,.... A "Loammi" being put upon them; see Ho 1:9 to which the apostle here refers: God's elect, whether among Jews or Gentiles, were, from eternity, his chosen people, and his covenant people; and, as such, were given to Christ, and they became his people, and his care and charge; and he saved them by his obedience, sufferings, and death, and redeemed them to himself, a peculiar people: but then, before conversion, they are not a people formed by God for himself, and his praise; nor Christ's willing people, either to be saved by him, or to serve him; nor are they, nor can they be truly known by themselves, or others, to be the people of God: the Syriac version gives the true sense of the phrase, by rendering it "these who before were not" Nwbvx, "reckoned or accounted a people"; that is, by others:
but are now the people of God; being regenerated, called, and sanctified, they are avouched by God to be his people; they have the witness of the Spirit to their spirits, that they are the people of God; they can then claim their relation to God, and are known, acknowledged, and called the people of God, by others:
which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy; being called formerly, Loruhamah, Ho 1:6 which passages the apostle has in view: before conversion there is mercy in God's heart towards his elect, and so there is in the covenant of grace, and which was shown in the provision of his Son, as a Saviour, in the mission of him, and redemption by him; but this is not manifested to them, until they are begotten again, according to abundant mercy, and then they obtain mercy; having in their regeneration an evident display of the mercy of God towards them, and an application of his pardoning grace and mercy, through the blood of his Son, unto them.
1 Peter 2:11
Ver. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you,.... The apostle, from characters of the saints, and which express their blessings and privileges, with great beauty, propriety, and pertinency, passes to exhortations to duties; he addresses the saints under this affectionate appellation, "dearly beloved", to express his great love to them, and to show that what he was about to exhort them to sprung from sincere and hearty affection for them, and was with a view to their real good; nor does he in an authoritative way command, as he might have done, as an apostle, but, as a friend, he entreats and beseeches them:
as strangers and pilgrims; not in a literal sense, though they were in a foreign country, in a strange land, and sojourners there, but in a spiritual and mystical sense; they were "strangers", not to God and Christ, and to the Spirit, to themselves, to the saints, and to all that is good, as they had formerly been, but to the world, the men of it, and the things in it; and therefore it became them to separate from it, and not conform to it; to abstain from all appearance of evil, to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts: and they were "pilgrims"; whose habit is Christ and his righteousness; whose food is Christ and his fulness; whose staff is Christ and the promises; whose guide is the blessed Spirit; the place for which they are bound is heaven, the better country, where is their Father's house, their friends, and their inheritance; this world not being their country, nor their resting place, it became them to have their conversation in heaven, and to
abstain from fleshly lusts; which spring from the flesh, and are concerned about fleshly things, and are exercised in and by the members of the flesh, or body; hence, in the Syriac version, they are called, "the lusts of the body": these are to be abstained from; not that the apostle thought that they could be without them; for while the saints are in the body, flesh, or corrupt nature will be in them, and the lusts thereof; but then these are not to be indulged, or provision to be made for them, to fulfil them; they are not to be obeyed and served, or lived unto, but to be denied and crucified, being unsuitable to the character of strangers and pilgrims, and also because of their hurtful and pernicious nature:
which war against the soul; see Ro 7:23, these are enemies to the spiritual peace, comfort, and welfare of the soul; and being of a man's household, and in his heart, are the worst enemies he has; and are to be treated as such, to be shunned and avoided, watched and guarded against; for though they cannot destroy the souls of true believers, they may bring much leanness upon them, and greatly distress them, and spoil them of their inward joy, and spiritual pleasure.
1 Peter 2:12
Ver. 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles,.... To have the conversation honest, is to provide things honest in the sight of men; to live and walk honestly before all; to do those things which are right and honest in the sight of God, and among men; to order the conversation aright, according to the law of God, which is a rule of walk and conversation, and as becomes the Gospel of Christ; and which was the more, and rather to be attended to, because these converted Jews were "among the Gentiles", that knew not God; idolaters, and unbelievers, profane sinners, who were watching for their halting, and that they might take an advantage against them, and the Gospel, and the religion they professed, from their conversations:
that whereas they speak against you as evildoers: charging them with the grossest immoralities, as the Heathens did the Christians in the first ages; which appears evidently from the apologies of Tertullian, Jnstin Martyr, and others; though it seems that the Jewish converts are here intended, who were accused by the Gentiles of seditious principles and practices, and of acting contrary to the laws of civil government, refusing to yield subjection to Gentile magistrates, and obedience to Heathen masters; and hence the apostle, in some following verses, enlarges on those duties, and which he exhorts them to attend unto, that they might put to silence the ignorance of such foolish accusers: and
that they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation; or "trial", or "examination", as the Syriac version renders it; which may be understood either of human or divine visitation; if of the former, then the sense is, let the saints attend to all the duties of civil life, that when Heathen magistrates come to visit their several districts, and inquire and examine into the conduct of men, and seeing and finding that the Christians behave well and orderly, instead of persecuting them, they will bless God that they are such good subjects; if of divine visitation, which seems most likely, this must either design a visitation by way of judgment, or of mercy; for as the Jews say {d}, there is hdyqp, "a visitation", for good, and a visitation for evil: God sometimes visits in a way of punishment for sin, and sometimes in away of grace, for the good and welfare of men; and then the sense is, that when wicked men take notice of and observe the good works of the saints, their civil, honest, and orderly conversation, they shall glorify God on that account, who has enabled them to perform them; and acknowledge the goodness of them, and the wrong judgment they have passed upon them, and the ill measure they have measured out to them; and this will be, either when God visits them in a way of wrath, as at the day of judgment, or at the time of some temporal calamity before, or when he visits them in a way of mercy, calls them by his grace, and effectually works upon them by his Spirit: the same argument for the performance of good works is used by Christ, in Mt 5:16.
{d} Zohar in Gen. fol. 93. 3.
1 Peter 2:13
Ver. 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man,.... Or, "to every human creation", or "creature"; not to "all the sons of men", as the Syriac version renders it; or to all the individuals of mankind; for there are some that are in such stations and circumstances, that they are not to be submitted to, but to be ruled over, and governed: so kings are not to submit to their subjects, nor are parents to be subject to their children, nor husbands to their wives, nor masters to their servants, which would be preposterous; but submission is limited and restrained to persons in such a place and situation: "the human creature", or "creation", here designs the Gentiles, who are elsewhere called the creature, the whole creation, every creature, and every creature under heaven, Ro 8:19 and particularly Heathen magistrates, styled creation, or creature: not as men, for all men, as such, are creatures; but as magistrates, being created, constituted, and appointed such, and installed into, and invested with such an office: and "human"; not only because they were men, and were taken out from among men that bore the office of magistrates, and governed over men, and were for the good and advantage of mankind, but because they were created and placed in such a station by men; though government itself is of God, is a divine institution, yet this and that particular form of government is of man; and especially the forms of government among the Gentiles were human; and are here so called, in distinction from the form of government among the Jews, which was a theocracy, and was divine; wherefore the Jews, and so these converted ones, scrupled yielding obedience to Heathen magistrates; on which account they were spoken against, as evildoers; hence the apostle, in the first place, and as a principal part of their honest conversation among the Gentiles, exhorts them to submission to civil magistrates, though they were creatures of men; and to everyone of them, though a Gentile, an unbeliever, and a wicked man: and this he urges,
for the Lord's sake; for the sake of Christ Jesus the Lord, because of his command, who ordered to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and in imitation of him, who paid tribute to whom tribute was due; and for the sake of his honour and glory, who was ill thought and spoken of by the Gentiles, because of the disregard of the converted Jews to their magistrates; and which served to prejudice them against Christ and his Gospel: the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, read, "for God's sake"; because civil government is of God; magistracy is of divine appointment; the powers that he are ordained of God, though this or the other form is of man's prescription: it is the command of God that magistrates should be obeyed; and it makes for his glory, as well as for the good of men, when they are submitted to in things that do not contradict the revealed will of God; for otherwise, not man, but God, is to be obeyed:
whether it be to the king; to Caesar, the Roman emperor; and the then reigning one seems to be Nero, who, though a wicked man, was to be submitted to in things civil and lawful; and it holds good of any other king that has the supreme government of a nation: the Syriac version reads it in the plural number, "to kings"; and though the name of king was odious to the Romans, from the times of Tarquin, nor did they call their chief governor, or governors, by this name, yet other nations did; see Joh 19:15 and subjection was to be yielded to him, "as supreme"; for the sake, and in consideration of his being in so high and exalted a station, having the supreme power and government of the people in his hands. The Syriac version renders it, "because of their power"; and the Arabic version, "because of his power"; and the Ethiopic version, "because all things are his"; the Roman emperors were absolute monarchs; see Ro 13:1.
1 Peter 2:14
Ver. 14. Or unto governors,.... Inferior magistrates, such as were under the Roman emperor; as proconsuls, procurators, &c. such as Pontius Pilate, Felix, and Festus, who had under the emperor the government of particular nations, provinces, and cities:
as unto them that are sent by him; either by the king, the Roman emperor, by whom they were sent, from whom they received their commission, and derived their authority, under whom they acted, and to whom they were accountable; or by God, by whom they are ordained, and whose ministers they are, and for the ends hereafter mentioned; so that this contains an argument or reason why they should be submitted to:
for the punishment of evildoers; the breakers of the laws of God and men, on whom punishment is to be inflicted, by the civil magistrates, for the breach of them, by lines, scourgings, imprisonment, and death itself, according as the crimes are:
and for the praise of them that do well; who behave according to the laws of God and nations, and are obedient to magistrates, and subject to every ordinance; these have praise of men, of magistrates, and are rewarded by them; by protecting their persons, defending their properties, and preserving them in the peaceable enjoyment of their estates and possessions; see Ro 13:3.
1 Peter 2:15
Ver. 15. For so is the will of God,.... Which refers not so much to what goes before; though it is a truth, that it is the will of God that men should be subject to magistrates, and that magistrates should encourage virtue, and discourage vice, reward the obedient, and punish delinquents; but to what follows:
that with well doing; by doing good works, and those well; by living soberly, righteously, and godly; by having the conversation honest among the Gentiles, agreeably to the law of God, and as becomes the Gospel of Christ; particularly, by living according to the laws of civil society, so far as is consistent with, and not contrary to the commands of God; and by being subject to every civil magistrate, and ordinance of man:
ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: or, as the Syriac version renders it, "that ye may stop the mouths of those foolish men who know not God"; or, as the Ethiopic version has it, "who know not these things"; who are ignorant of God, of his righteousness, of his law, his Gospel, and ordinances. The Gentiles were very ignorant of these things, and very foolish in their imaginations about religious affairs; and from this their ignorance and folly arose calumnies, reflections, and censures upon the people of God; they neither knew God, nor them, nor true religion, and reproached what they understood not, and for want of knowing it: now the apostle signified, that it was the declared will of God that his people should so behave in civil life, that their enemies should be entirely confounded, and silenced, and have nothing to say against them; the word signifies to be muzzled, to have the mouth shut up, as with a bit or bridle; it is used in Mt 22:12.
1 Peter 2:16
Ver. 16. As free,.... These converted Jews might value themselves on their freedom, partly as the descendants of Abraham, and so freeborn, and not to be brought into bondage to other people; and chiefly because of their liberty which they had in and by Christ Jews. The apostle allows that they were freemen, that they were Christ's freemen, were free from sin, its damning and domineering power, and from the curses and condemnation of the law, and had freedom of access to God, and a right to all the privileges and immunities of the house of God; but then they were not free to sin, and to live in the contempt of the laws of God and men, to despise government, speak evil of dignities, and break in upon the rules of civil society:
and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness; under a pretence of Christian liberty, to hurt the persons, properties, and estates of men, without looking upon themselves accountable for their conduct to their superiors: some think the apostle alludes to the ancient custom of servants, who, when they were made free, walked with a cap, or covering on their heads, in token of it: it follows,
[but] as the servants of God; for they that are free are the servants of God and Christ, and show themselves to be so by submitting to and obeying those that are under them, and ordained by them; and which is no ways inconsistent with, and contrary to their Christian liberty, which never was designed to thwart and subvert the principles of natural religion, laws of a moral nature, or the rules of civil government; some instances of which are next mentioned.
1 Peter 2:17
Ver. 17. Honour all men,.... To whom honour is due, according to the place, station, and circumstances in which they are, the gifts of providence and grace bestowed on them, and the usefulness they are of, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, rich or poor, believers or unbelievers: it is a saying of Ben Zoma {e},
"who is to be honoured, or is worthy of honour?
twyrbh ta dbkm, "he that honoureth creatures";''
meaning men in general, or the Gentiles particularly, who were sometimes so called by the Jews; See Gill on "Mr 16:15", and may be meant by "all men" here:
love the brotherhood; or "your brethren", as the Syriac version renders it: the whole company of the brethren in Christ, who are born of God, are members of Christ, and of the same body, and have the same spirit, belong to the same family, and are of the household of faith, let them be of whatsoever nation, or in whatsoever circumstances of life. The Jews had not that good opinion of, nor that affection for the Gentiles, but were ready to treat them with indifference, neglect, and contempt; and not only those that knew not God, but even believing Gentiles themselves; and which is the reason of these exhortations, that they should despise no man, but honour all; and especially should express their love, both by words and deeds, to those that were in the same spiritual relation with them, and that without any difference, on account of their being of another nation:
fear God; not with a servile, but a filial fear, the new covenant grace of fear; which springs from the goodness of God, has that for its object, and is increased by the fresh instances and discoveries of it; and which shows itself in a reverential affection for God, a strict regard to his worship and ordinances, and a carefulness of offending him. This is placed between what goes before, and follows after, to show the influence it has on each of them; for where the fear of God is, there will be due respect shown to all men, more or less, and an hearty and affectionate love to all the saints, as brethren, and a proper regard to those that are set in high places of dignity and power:
honour the king; Caesar, the Roman emperor, though a wicked, persecuting Nero, and so any other king or governor; who, so far as he acts the part of a civil magistrate, preserves the peace, the property, and liberty of his subjects, is a terror to evil works, and an encourager of good ones, and rules according to the laws of God, and civil society, is deserving of great honour and esteem from men; and which is to be shown by speaking well of him; by a cheerful subjection to him; by an observance of the laws, and by payment of tribute, and doing everything to make him easy, and honourable in his government: advice much like this is given by Isocrates {f};
"fear God, honour parents, revere friends, and obey the laws.''
{e} Pirke Abot, c. 4. sect. 1. {f} Paraen. ad Demos Orat. 1.
1 Peter 2:18
Ver. 18. Servants, be subject to your masters,.... This was another notion of the Jews, that because they were the seed of Abraham, they ought not to be the servants of any; and particularly such as were believers in Christ thought they ought not to serve unbelieving masters, nor indeed believing ones, because they were equally brethren in Christ with them; hence the Apostle Peter, here, as the Apostle Paul frequently elsewhere, inculcates this duty of servants to their masters; see 1Co 7:20 2Ti 2:9 the manner in which they are to be subject to them is,
with all fear; with reverence to their persons, strict regard to their commands, faithfulness in any trust reposed in them, diligence in the discharge of their duty, and carefulness of offending them: and all this,
not only to the good and gentle; those that are good natured, kind, beneficent, and merciful; that do not use them with rigour and severity; are moderate in their demands of service; require no more to be done than what is reasonable; allow them sufficient diet, give them good wages, and pay them duly:
but also to the froward; the ill natured, morose, and rigorous; who exact more labour than is requisite; give hard words, and harder blows; withhold sufficiency of food from them, and keep back the hire of their labours.
1 Peter 2:19
Ver. 19. For this is thankworthy,.... Or "grace"; this is a fruit and effect of grace, an instance of it, in which it shows itself: the Syriac version adds, "with God"; and so it is read in one of Beza's copies, and in the Alexandrian copy, and some others; that is, this is grateful to God, and acceptable with him; as in 1Pe 2:20,
if a man for conscience towards God; or, "for a good conscience", as the Syriac version reads it; for acting according to his conscience, in matters of religion, in the things of God; "for the knowledge of God", as the Arabic version renders it; for the knowledge of God in Christ; for the Gospel of Christ, and a profession of it: or, "for God", as the Ethiopic version; for the cause of God and truth, and for the sake of things appertaining to God, and that make for his glory:
endure grief; what occasions grief, as severe words, bitter reproaches, hard censures, and heavy blows; and that with patience, and without murmuring, and with resignation to the will of God:
suffering wrongfully; there being no just cause for an ill look, word, or blow, to be given.
1 Peter 2:20
Ver. 20. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults,.... Which ye have committed, and are guilty of, and are truly such:
ye shall take it patiently? to be silent, and not murmur when beaten, within measure, for real faults, is no great honour, nor does it deserve any praise; it is the least that can be done:
but if, when ye do well; either in their master's service, or rather in the business of religion, and the things of God; as when what they do is according to the will of God, and from love to him, and in faith, and in the name and strength of Christ, and to the glory of God; without all which there is no well doing:
and suffer for it; reproach and persecution, by words or blows, in person or property:
ye take it patiently; without grieving and repining, or answering again, and making any returns:
this is acceptable with God; is agreeably to his will, and grateful in his sight, what he is well pleased with, is reckoned grace with him; and though it is his own grace, and of his own bestowing, he will reward it with glory.
1 Peter 2:21
Ver. 21. For even hereunto were ye called,.... Both to well doing, of which none but those who are called with an holy and effectual calling are capable; and which they are fitted for, and are under obligation to perform, and to suffer for so doing, which they must always expect, and to patience in suffering for it, which highly becomes them. This being then one end of the saints' effectual calling, is made use of as an argument to engage them to the exercise of the grace of patience in suffering for well doing; and another follows:
because Christ also suffered for us; in our room and stead, to fulfil the law, satisfy the justice of God, and make reconciliation for sin; and not only for our good, or merely as a martyr, to confirm the truth of his doctrine, or barely as an example to us, though this also is true: the Alexandrian copy, and some others, read, "for you"; for you servants, as well as others, and therefore should cheerfully and patiently suffer for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel; and the rather, because he suffered,
leaving us, or "you", as the same copies, and the Vulgate Latin version read,
an example that ye should follow his steps: Christ is an example to his people in the exercise of grace, as of faith, love, zeal, meekness, and humility; and in the discharge of duty, in his regard to the commands of the moral law, and positive institutions of religion; in his constancy in prayer; in frequent attendance on public worship; in his submission to the ordinance of baptism, and his celebration of the supper; and likewise in his sufferings; and in his meekness, patience, courage, and resignation to the will of God, which is what is here intended, and in which his people are to fellow and imitate him.
1 Peter 2:22
Ver. 22. Who did no sin,.... He was in the likeness of sinful flesh; he looked like a sinful man, being born of a sinful woman, and keeping company with sinful men, being himself a man of sorrows, greatly afflicted, and at last put to death. He was traduced as a sinner by his enemies, and had all the sins of his people on him, which he bore, and made satisfaction for, and were the reason of his sufferings; but he had no sin in his nature, nor did he commit any in his life:
neither was guile found in his mouth; though it was diligently sought for, by the Scribes and Pharisees; there was no deceit in his lips, no falsehood in his doctrine, any more than there was immorality in his conversation; he was an Israelite indeed on all accounts, and in the fullest sense of that phrase; reference is had to Isa 53:9 and this is observed, partly to show that Christ suffered not for himself, or for any sins of his own, but for the sins of others, for which he was very fit, since he had none of his own; and partly as an argument for patience in suffering; for since Christ suffered, who had no sin, nor did any, nor could any be found in him, charged upon him, and proved against him; and which sufferings of his he bore with patience; then how much must it become sinful men to bear their sufferings patiently, though they may not be criminal with respect to the things for which they suffer, but yet are so in other things, whereas Christ was not criminal, nor blameworthy in anything?
1 Peter 2:23
Ver. 23. Who when he was reviled, reviled not again,.... When he was reproached as a glutton, a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners, all the reply he made was, that Wisdom is justified of her children; and when he was charged with casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, he defended himself, not with bad language, but with strong reasonings; and when he was said to be a Samaritan, and had a devil, his only answer was, that he had not, that he honoured his Father, and they dishonoured him; and when he was reviled on the cross, by those that passed by, by the chief priests, and Scribes, and the thieves that were crucified with him, he made no return, he opened not his mouth, and much less in a recriminating way.
When he suffered he threatened not; when he endured buffetings, and scourgings in his body, when the officers in the palace of the high priests spit in his face, buffeted him, and smote him with the palms of their hands, and bid him prophesy who smote him, all which were very provoking; yet he said not one word to them, much less threatened them with what he would do to them for such usage another day, when he would let them know, with vengeance, who it was that smote him; no, he took all patiently from them, and from Pilate, and the Roman soldiers, when scourged by them; he gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; and when he suffered crucifixion, and was put to such distressing pains and agonies, he did not threaten his crucifiers with a future judgment, when he would take vengeance, and execute his wrath upon them, but prays to his Father for the forgiveness of their sins: and, as it follows;
but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously; he commended his Spirit, or soul, to God his Father, and committed his cause to him, to vindicate it in what way he should think fit, who he knew was the Judge of all the earth, that would do right; and so the Syriac version supplies it with hynyd, "his judgment": which he left with God, the righteous Judge, to whom vengeance belongs; and which is an example, and an instruction to the saints to do so likewise; not to render railing for railing, or to seek revenge, but to leave their cause with their God, who will, in his own time, avenge the wrongs and injuries done them. The Vulgate Latin version reads, contrary to all the Greek copies, and other versions, "but delivered himself to him that judgeth unjustly"; the sense of which is, that Christ delivered himself into the hands of Pilate, who unjustly condemned him to death; but is neither the reading, nor sense of the text.
1 Peter 2:24
Ver. 24. Who his own self bare our sins,.... As was typified by the high priest bearing the sins of the holy things of the people of Israel, when he went into the most holy place, and by the scape goat bearing the iniquities of all the people unto a land not inhabited, and as was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah. The apostle here explains the nature and end of Christ's sufferings, which were to make atonement for sins, and which was done by bearing them. What Christ bore were "sins", even all sorts of sin, original and actual, and every act of sin of his people; and all that is in sin, all that belongs to it, arises from it, and is the demerit of it, as both filth, guilt, and punishment; and a multitude of sins did he bear, even all the iniquities of all the elect; and a prodigious load and weight it was; and than which nothing could be more nauseous and disagreeable to him, who loves righteousness, and hates iniquity: and these sins he bore were not his own, nor the sins of angels, but of men; and not of all men, yet of many, even as many as were ordained to eternal life, for whom Christ gave his life a ransom, whom he justifies and brings to glory; our sins, not the sins of the Jews only, for Peter was a Jew, and so were those to whom he writes, but of the Gentiles also, even the sins of all his people, for them he saves from their sins, being stricken for them. His "bearing" them was in this manner: he becoming the surety and substitute of his people, their sins were laid upon him by his Father, that is, they were imputed to him, they were reckoned as his, and placed to his account; and Christ voluntarily took them upon himself; he took them to himself, as one may take the debt of another, and make himself answerable for it; or as a man takes up a burden, and lays it on his shoulders; so Christ took up our sins, and "carried" them "up", as the word here used signifies, alluding to the priests carrying up the sacrifice to the altar, and referring to the lifting up of Christ upon the cross; whither he carried the sins of his people, and bore them, and did not sink under the weight of them, being the mighty God, and the man of God's right hand, made strong for himself; and so made entire satisfaction for them, by enduring the wrath of God, the curse of the law, and all that punishment which was due unto them; and thereby bore them away, both from his people, and out of the sight of God, and his vindictive justice; and removed them as far as the east is from the west, and made a full end of them; and this he himself did, and not another, nor by another, or with the help of another; not by the means of a goat, as the high priest, but by himself; though he was assisted in bearing his cross, yet he had no help in bearing our sins; angels could not help him; his Father stood at a distance from him; there was none to help; his own arm brought salvation to him; but
his own self, who knew no sin, nor did any, he by himself purged away our sins, and made reconciliation for them, by bearing them: and which he did
in his own body, and not another's; in that body which his Father prepared for him, and which he took of the virgin, and was free from sin; though not to the exclusion of his soul, which also was made an offering for sin, and in which he endured great pains and sorrows for sin: and all this
on the tree; the accursed tree, the cross; which is expressive both of the shame and pain of his sufferings and death. The end of which was,
that we being dead to sin; "to our sins", as the Alexandrian copy, and the Ethiopic version read; as all the elect are, through bearing their sins, and suffering death for them, so as that sin shall not be imputed to them; it is as though it never was; it is dead to them, and they to that, as to its damning power and influence; so as that they are entirely discharged from it, and can never come into condemnation on account of it, and can never be hurt, so as to be destroyed by it; nor by death, either corporeal or eternal, since the sting of death, which is sin, is taken away, and the strength of sin, which is the law, is dead to them, and they to that: in short, through the death of Christ they are so dead to sin, that it is not only finished, made an end of, and put away, but the body of it is destroyed, that it should not be served; which is an end subordinate to the former, and expressed in the next clause:
should live unto righteousness; live, and not die the second death, and live by faith on the righteousness of Christ, for justification of life, and soberly, righteously, and godly in this present evil world; which the grace of God teaches, and the love of Christ in bearing sin constrains to, and the redemption by his precious blood lays under an obligation to do; for those whose sins Christ has bore are not their own, but being bought with the price of his blood, they are bound to live to him who has a property in them, and a right to claim all obedience from them:
by whose stripes ye were healed; the passage referred to is in
Isa 53:5 which is a prophecy of the Messiah, as is acknowledged by the Jews {g}, who say {h},
"this is the King Messiah, who was in the generation of the ungodly, as it is said, Isa 53:5 "and with his stripes we are healed"; and for this cause God saved him, that he might save Israel, and rejoice with them in the resurrection of the dead.''
Sin is a disease, a natural and hereditary one, an epidemic distemper, that reaches to all men, and to all the powers and faculties of their souls, and members of their bodies; and which is nauseous and loathsome, and in itself mortal and incurable; nor can it be healed by any creature, or anything that a creature can do. Christ is the only physician, and his blood the balm and sovereign medicine; this cleanses from all sin; through it is the remission of sin, which is meant by healing; for healing of diseases, and forgiving iniquities, is one and the same thing; see
Ps 103:3 on which latter text a learned Jew {i} has this note,
"this interpreters explain hxylo Nwvl, "as expressive of forgiveness";''
and the Jews say, there is no healing of diseases but it signifies forgiveness {k}: it is an uncommon way of healing by the stripes of another. Some think the apostle alludes to the stripes which servants receive from their masters, to whom he was now speaking; and in order to encourage them to bear them patiently, observes, that Christ himself suffered stripes, and that they had healing for their diseases and wounds, by means of his stripes, or through his being wounded and bruised for them.
{g} Zohar in Exod. fol. 85. 2. Midrash Ruth, fol. 33. 2. Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 53. 3. & 90. 1. {h} R. Moses Haddarsan apud Galatin. de Areanis Cathol. Verit. l. 6. c. 2. {i} R. Sol. Urbin Ohel Moed, fol. 64. 1. {k} Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 43. 1.
1 Peter 2:25
Ver. 25. For ye were as sheep going astray,.... This is a proof of their being healed, namely, their conversion; in which an application of the blood of Christ, and pardon, and so healing by it, was made to their souls. The apostle has still in view the prophecy of Isa 53:6. God's elect are sheep before conversion; not that they have the agreeable properties of sheep, as to be meek, harmless, innocent, clean, and profitable, for they are the reverse of all this; nor can some things be said of them before conversion, as may be after, as that they hear Christ's voice, and follow him; nor are they so called, because unprejudiced against, and predisposed unto the Gospel, for the contrary is true of them; but they are so in electing grace, and were so considered in the Father's gift of them to Christ, and when made his care and charge, and hence they are called the sheep of his hand; and when Christ laid down his life, and rose again, which he did for the sheep, and as the great Shepherd of them; and when called by grace, for their being sheep, and Christ's own sheep by the Father's gift, and his own purpose, is the reason why he looks them up, calls them by name, and returns them: but then they are not yet of his fold; they are lost sheep, lost in Adam, and by his fall, and by their own actual transgressions; they are as sheep going astray from the shepherd, and from the flock, going out of the right way, and in their own ways; and are, like sheep, stupid and insensible of their danger; and as they never return of themselves, until they are sought for, and brought back: hence it follows,
but are now returned; not returned themselves, but were returned by powerful and efficacious grace: saints are passive, and not active in first conversion; they are turned, not by the power of their own free will, but by the power of God's free grace; they are returned under the illuminations and quickenings of the blessed Spirit, and through the efficacious drawings of the Father's love, unto Christ:
unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls; by whom Christ is meant, who bears the office of a Shepherd, and fully performs it by feeding his sheep, providing a good fold and pasture for them; by gathering the lambs in his arms, and gently leading those that are with young; by healing their diseases, and preserving them from beasts of prey; hence he is called the good, the great, and chief Shepherd: and he is the "Bishop" or "Overseer" of the souls of his people, though not to the exclusion of their bodies: he has took the oversight of them willingly, and looks well to his flock, inspects into their cases, and often visits them, and never forsakes them; nor will he leave them till they receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls; which he has undertook and effected by his obedience, sufferings and death. Philo the Jew {l} observes, that
"to be a shepherd is so good a work, that it is not only a title given to kings and wise men, and souls perfectly purified, but to God the governor of all---who, as a Shepherd and King, leads according to justice and law, setting over them his right Logos, "the first begotten Son", who has taken the care of this holy flock, as does the deputy of a great king.''
{l} De Agricultura, p. 194, 195.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Evil-speaking is a sign of malice and guile in the
heart; and hinders our profiting by the word of God. A new life
needs suitable food. Infants desire milk, and make the best
endeavours for it which they are able to do; such must be a
Christian's desires after the word of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ is
very merciful to us miserable sinners; and he has a fulness of
grace. But even the best of God's servants, in this life, have only a
taste of the consolations of God. Christ is called a Stone, to teach
his servants that he is their protection and security, the foundation
on which they are built. He is precious in the excellence of his
nature, the dignity of his office, and the glory of his services. All true
believers are a holy priesthood; sacred to God, serviceable to
others, endowed with heavenly gifts and graces. But the most
spiritual sacrifices of the best in prayer and praise are not
acceptable, except through Jesus Christ. Christ is the chief Corner-
stone, that unites the whole number of believers into one
everlasting temple, and bears the weight of the whole fabric.
Elected, or chosen, for a foundation that is everlasting. Precious
beyond compare, by all that can give worth. To be built on Christ
means, to believe in him; but in this many deceive themselves, they
consider not what it is, nor the necessity of it, to partake of the
salvation he has wrought. Though the frame of the world were
falling to pieces, that man who is built on this foundation may hear it
without fear. He shall not be confounded. The believing soul makes
haste to Christ, but it never finds cause to hasten from him. All true
Christians are a chosen generation; they make one family, a people
distinct from the world: of another spirit, principle, and practice;
which they could never be, if they were not chosen in Christ to be
such, and sanctified by his Spirit. Their first state is a state of gross
darkness, but they are called out of darkness into a state of joy,
pleasure, and prosperity; that they should show forth the praises of
the Lord by their profession of his truth, and their good conduct.
How vast their obligations to Him who has made them his people,
and has shown mercy to them! To be without this mercy is a woful
state, though a man have all worldly enjoyments. And there is
nothing that so kindly works repentance, as right thoughts of the
mercy and love of God. Let us not dare to abuse and affront the
free grace of God, if we mean to be saved by it; but let all who
3160
would be found among those who obtain mercy, walk as his
people.
Evil-speaking is a sign of malice and guile in the
heart; and hinders our profiting by the word of God. A new life
needs suitable food.
And there is
nothing that so kindly works repentance, as right thoughts of the
mercy and love of God. Let us not dare to abuse and affront the
free grace of God, if we mean to be saved by it; but let all who
3160
would be found among those who obtain mercy, walk as his
people.
Sources: Matthew Henry; Gill's Exposition; Matthew Henry Concise
Commentary
Commentary