1 Peter 2:8

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. STONE OF STUMBLING ... - from Isaiah 8:14. Not merely they stumbled, in the sense that their prejudices were offended, but that they suffered the judicial punishment of their rejection of the Messiah: they hurt themselves in stumbling over the corner stone (cf. Jeremiah 13:16; Daniel 11:19). AT THE WORD - join 'being disobedient to the word:' so 1 Peter 3:1;...

8_Which stumble at the word _He points out here the manner in which Christ becomes a stumbling, even when men perversely oppose the word of God. This the Jews did; for though they professed themselves willing to receive the Messiah, yet they furiously rejected him when presented to them by God. The Papists do the same in the present day; they worship only the name of Christ, while they cannot endure the doctrine of the Gospel. Here Peter intimates that all who receive not Christ as revealed in the Gospel, are adversaries to God, and resist his word, and also that Christ is to none for destruction, but to those who, through headstrong wickedness and obstinacy, rush against the word of God. And this is especially what deserves to be noticed, lest our fault should be imputed to Christ; for, as he has been given to us as a foundation, it is as it were an accidental thing that he becomes a ro...

1-10 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 a...

Verse 8. _A STONE OF STUMBLING_] Because in him all Jews and Gentiles who believe are united; and because the latter were admitted into the Church, and called by the Gospel to enjoy the same privileges which the Jews, as the peculiar people of God, had enjoyed for two thousand years before; therefore they rejected the Christian religion, they would have no partakers with themselves in the salvation of God. This was the true cause why the Jews rejected the Gospel; and they rejected Christ because he did not come as a _secular_ prince. In the _one case_ he was a _stone of_ _stumbling_-he was _poor_, and affected no worldly pomp; in the other he was a _rock of offence_, for his Gospel called the Gentiles to be a peculiar people whom the Jews believed to be everlastingly reprobated, and utterly incapable of any spiritual good. _WHEREUNTO ALSO THEY WERE APPOINTED._] Some good critics read t...

AND A STONE OF STUMBLING - A stone over which they, stumble, or against which they impinge. The idea seems to be that of a cornerstone which projects from the building, against which they dash themselves, and by which they are made to fall. See the notes at Matthew 21:44. The rejection of the Saviour becomes the means of their ruin. They refuse to build on him, and it is as if one should run against a solid projecting cornerstone of a house, that would certainly be the means of their destruction. Compare the notes at Luke 2:34. An idea similar to this occurs in Matthew 21:44; “Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken.” The meaning is, that if this foundation-stone is not the means of th

EXPOSITIONS 1 PETER 2:1 WHEREFORE LAYING ASIDE. Those who would wear the white robe of regeneration must lay aside the filthy garments (Zechariah 3:3) of the old carnal life. So St. Paul bids us put off the old man and put on the new (Ephesians 4:22, Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:8, Colossians 3:10; comp. also Romans 13:14

AND A STONE OF STUMBLING, AND A ROCK OF OFFENCE,.... The apostle alludes to Isaiah 8:14 and which is a prophecy of the Messiah; Romans 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

1 Peter 2:1. _Wherefore laying aside all malice,_ This is one of the old corruptible things, so put it away from you 1 Peter 2:1. _And all guile,_ All crafty tricks, all falsehood, exaggeration, double meanings to your words, and the like,- 1. _And hypocrisies, and envies,_ All hatred of those who are either better or better off than you are,- 1 Peter 2:1. _And all evil speaking,_ Thus the tongue expresses what the heart feels. Laying all these evil things aside, you will prove that you have been born again, born of the incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth for ever....

STONE OF STUMBLING Christ crucified is the Rock: (1) Smitten that the Spirit of life may flow from Him to all who will drink. (Exodus 17:6); (1 Corinthians 10:4); (John 4:13); (John 4:14); (John 7:37). (2) To the church the foundation and chief corner Stone. (Ephesians 2:20). (3) To the Jews at His first coming a "stumbling stone". (Romans 9:32); ...

II. THE BLESSINGS AND PRIVILEGES OF ALL BELIEVERS CHAPTER 1:22-2:10 _ 1. The new birth (1 Peter 1:22)_ 2. Spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:1) 3. The privileges of believers as the holy and royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:4) 1 Peter 1:22 The relationship of those who are thus redeemed, whose faith and hope is in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, whose souls are purified by obedience to the truth, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, is stated first: “Love one another with a pure heart fervently.” All the elect through the foreknowledge of God the Father are covered by the same love, are