I Peter 2
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I Peter 2: 1:
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, |
 Albert Barnes
“To put aside” means to radically and immediately break with these things and in no way allow them to control you again. When Peter appeals to lay these things aside it implies that they occur among the readers of his letter and that they can also occur among us.
“All malice” — All “evil,” the word “malice” we commonly apply now to a particular kind of evil, denoting extreme enmity of heart, ill will, a disposition to injure others without cause, from mere personal gratification, or from a spirit of revenge — Webster. The Greek word, however, includes evil of all kinds (note Romans 1:29; compare Acts 8:22, where it is rendered wickedness, and 1 Corinthians 5:8; 14:20; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8; Titus 3:3). “And all guile” — “Deceit of all kinds” (reference Psalm 34:13; 55:1; John 1:47; 2 Corinthians 12:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:3). “And hypocrisies” — (1 Timothy 4:2, Matthew 23:28; Galatians 2:13) on the word rendered dissimulation. The word means feigning to be what we are not; assuming a false appearance of religion; cloaking a wicked purpose under the appearance of piety. “ And envies” — Hatred of others on account of some excellency which they have, or something which they possess which we do not (Romans 1:29). |
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1 Peter 2:9-10: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
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The particular verse by Apostle Peter emphasises that everyone who believes in Christ has become part of God’s chosen people. Numerous other verses from the Bible debunk the assertions of dispensationalism and Christian Zionism (Exodus 19:5,6, Ephesians 2:11-18, Romans 2:11, only to name a few). Dismissing dispensationalism, adherents of Replacement Theology hold the view that God’s covenant to Jewish patriarchs (Abraham, Issac, and Jacob) were fulfilled in Christ, and the Church (meaning, all those who follow Christ and not a physical place called ‘Israel’) is the ‘new Israel’, according to II Corinthians 1:20.
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I Peter 2: 13-17:
Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. |
What does Peter mean when he says we are to submit “for the Lord’s sake"? It means that there is a direct connection between the people in authority over us, and God who is the Ultimate Authority. We may tend to look at a teacher who frustrates us or a boss who seems like a doofus (to use a technical term) and think that they stand alone in the universe. But that is not true. They exist as they are and where they are by God’s permission. If God did not will it so, that teacher could not teach, and that boss would not be a boss. This is true in some sense even of those people who seem harsh and cruel. They could not rule apart from God. To say that is not to excuse sin or foolish behavior. It simply means that those in authority cannot exist apart from God. Romans 13:1 says it very plainly, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” We submit to authority because God has commanded us to do so, and because God established all human authority.
This means that submission to authority is really an aspect of our submission to Christ. Jesus himself said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). In Acts 10 Peter had a vision of a sheet containing all sorts of animals being lowered from heaven—both clean and unclean according to the Old Testament Law. When the Lord told Peter to kill the animals and eat them, Peter replied, “No, Lord!” (Acts 10:14 HCSB). But those two words never go together. If you’re going to say no, don’t say Lord. If you’re going to say Lord, don’t tell him no. We will never fully grasp the importance of submission until we connect it to our obedience to Christ. Once we see that the Lord is intimately involved in every detail of our lives, then we will understand that obedience to authority is really obedience to the Lord. And we will be able to give that obedience “for the Lord’s sake” because we know that he is with us and watching over us even when we think the command we are obeying is foolish and shortsighted. [SOURCE: Keep Believing Ministries: Serving God in an Unbelieving World ] |
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I Peter 2:21:
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. |
Christ left us an example to “follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Humanity cries out for comfort in sorrow, light in darkness, peace in turmoil, rest in weariness, and healing in sickness. When we’re comforted and encouraged by the Lord, He expects us to do the same for those who cross our paths. We can all do better in asking God for help in communicating His comfort to those who need support by pointing them to the God of all comfort through His word – the Bible. We’re told in this great library of books that He is a refuge for the oppressed (Psalm 9:9), an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1), and His promises give life (Psalm 119:50). When we focus on others, it takes our minds off ourselves. -Billy Graham
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