1 Peter · chapter 2 of 5
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1 Peter 2 calls believers to crave spiritual milk and to come to Christ, the living stone rejected by men but chosen by God, to be built up as a spiritual house and a holy priesthood. It calls them a chosen race and God's people, urges them to live honorably and to submit to authorities, and presents Christ, who suffered without sin and bore our sins on the cross, as example and savior.
Peter has just reminded the readers of their new birth and their call to holiness. Chapter 2 defines them as a community: they are a building, a priesthood and a people. Then he explains how to live that identity in a society that watches and criticizes them, with Christ as the model.
Peter asks them to put away malice, deceit, envy and slander, and like newborn infants to long for pure spiritual milk so as to grow into salvation. As they come to Christ, the living stone rejected by men but chosen and precious to God, believers are built up as a spiritual house and a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices through Jesus Christ. For those who believe the stone is precious; for those who do not, it is a stone of stumbling.
Believers are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people for God's own possession, to proclaim the excellencies of the one who called them out of darkness into his light; once they were not a people, but now they are God's people. As sojourners and exiles they must abstain from the passions of the flesh and keep their conduct honorable among the Gentiles, so that, seeing their good deeds, those people may glorify God.
They must submit to every human institution, to the emperor and governors, living as free people who are servants of God, honoring everyone, loving the brotherhood and fearing God. Servants must submit to their masters with respect, even the unjust, for it is gracious in God's sight to endure while suffering unjustly.
To this they were called, because Christ suffered for them and left an example. He committed no sin, did not revile in return and entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds they were healed. They were straying sheep, but have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Believers are living stones, built up as a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices through Jesus Christ. The church is God's temple, made of people.
Believers are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and God's people, to proclaim the excellencies of the one who called them out of darkness into his light. Their identity becomes mission.
Among the Gentiles they must keep honorable conduct so that, seeing their good deeds, those people glorify God. Practical witness can disarm slander.
Christ bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds we have been healed. The cross is substitution and also a call to new life.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: The pure spiritual milk. — 1 Peter 2:2
Answer: A living stone, chosen and precious in God's sight. — 1 Peter 2:4-6
Answer: A chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, people for God's own possession. — 1 Peter 2:9
Answer: So that they may glorify God when they see their good deeds. — 1 Peter 2:12
Answer: An example, so that they might follow in his steps. — 1 Peter 2:21
Answer: He bore them in his body on the tree. — 1 Peter 2:24
1 Peter 2 reminds us that the church is not a building but a family of living stones. A small group can talk about what it means to be priests and how to proclaim God's excellencies with words and life. Each person can identify one concrete way to serve others this week.
Verses 21 to 25 speak to those who suffer without guilt. Christ did not answer with cursing. It is not easy, but the cross gives meaning: he bore our sins and now cares for us as Shepherd. You can pray together for those who suffer unjust treatment.
1 Peter 2 defines believers as God's people and Christ as their example. Chapter 3 applies that life in the home, the community and in front of those who ask about their hope.
That all believers have direct access to God through Christ and the mission to offer him spiritual sacrifices and proclaim his excellencies. It does not remove the task of leaders but shows that the whole people of God serves.
He asks us to submit to human institutions for the Lord's sake and to do good, but in verse 17 everyone is honored and only God is feared. Other texts, such as Acts 5:29, show that obedience to God has priority when an authority demands the opposite.
Peter quotes Isaiah 53 to explain that the cross brings spiritual healing: forgiveness, reconciliation and new life. The context speaks of sin and righteousness, not of an automatic promise of physical healing.