_HE DEHORTETH THEM FROM THE BREACH OF LOVE; SHEWING THAT CHRIST IS THE FOUNDATION WHEREON THEY ARE BUILT: HE BESEECHETH THEM ALSO TO ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY LUST, AND TO BE OBEDIENT TO MAGISTRATES; AND TEACHETH SERVANTS HOW TO OBEY THEIR MASTERS, PATIENTLY SUFFERING FOR WELL-DOING, AFTER THE EXAMPLE OF... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE, LAYING ASIDE ALL MALICE, &C.— _Wherefore renouncing all ill-nature, all fraud, dissimulation, envy, and detraction,_ (1 Peter 2:2.) _thirst as new-born children for the pure milk of the word, that thereby you may thrive, and grow up to salvation._ Heylin; who observes, that this refers to... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE BE YE HAVE TASTED— "And I am satisfied that ye will do so, _seeing you have_ already _tasted_ how sweet and pleasant the Gospel is, or know by experience _that the Lord is gracious."_ This is an evident allusion to Psalms 34:8. The word ειπερ is properly rendered _seeing_ or _since;_ for the a... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHOM COMING, AS UNTO A LIVING STONE, &C.— By _coming unto Christ_ is meant the joining oneself to him as a part of this spiritual building, or embracing his religion with the heart unto righteousness. The reason why St. Peter compares Jesus Christ to _a stone_ was, because he had, under the Spiri... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE—IT IS CONTAINED, &C.— St. Peter has given us the sense of Isaiah 28:16 but not exactly the words, either according to the Hebrew or the LXX.; which was a common way of quoting among the ancients. See the notes on Isa... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS PRECIOUS— _Is this honour,_— η Τιμη, That is, "of being built upon that sure foundation, for which you willhave no reason to be ashamed." In using the word τιμη, St. Peter seems to have alluded to the word εντιμος, _precious_ or _honourable,_ Which he had made use of, 1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 2:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A STONE OF STUMBLING, &C.— We render this verse as if it were one continued sentence; but thus violence is done to the text, and the apostle's sense is thrown into obscurity and disorder; which is restored by putting a full stop after _offence,_ and beginning a new sentence thus: _They stumble a... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD,— This imports them to be of one stock through their new birth; as the Israelites, who were by outward calling the chosen of God, were all _the seed of Abraham according to the flesh:_ so theythat truly believe in the Lord Jesus, are all of them, by... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH IN TIME PAST, &C.— "Who, for ages past, were divorced from the visible church; (Jeremiah 3:8 and Hosea 1:6; Hosea 1:9.) but now, by the grace of the gospel, through Jesus Christ, are brought into the sweet and precious relation of a covenant people to him; and have foundmercy with him, unto th... [ Continue Reading ]
I BESEECH YOU, AS STRANGERS, &C.— "In consideration therefore of these distinguished favours which God has bestowed upon you, I earnestly entreat and exhort you, my dear brethren, to look upon yourselves as strangers and pilgrims upon earth, who are travelling onward to a better country: and I besee... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING YOUR CONVERSATION HONEST,— The word Καλην does not signify barely being _honest,_ or doing justice between man and man; but _good, virtuous,_ or _amiable;_ and refers to men's whole _behaviour._ These Christians lived among the Gentiles, or in heathen countries, and were more narrowly watched... [ Continue Reading ]
SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO EVERY ORDINANCE, &C.— See Romans 13:1; Romans 13:14. This epistle, we may recollect, is directed to the strangers scattered throughout divers countries; for in the ninth year of the emperor Claudius, the _Jews_ (under which name the Christians were comprehended, as isplain from... [ Continue Reading ]
YE MAY PUT TO SILENCE— _Ye may bridle-in._ The original φιμουν, is used for putting on a _muzzle,_ as the ancients used to do upon _oxen, horses,_ and _mules,_ as well as upon dogs. Fierce calumniators and zealous prosecutors, who were unacquainted with the Christian doctrine, and not possessed of t... [ Continue Reading ]
AS FREE— The Gentiles, by becoming Christians, were freed from the bondage of sin; they were likewise free from subjection to the Mosaic law: they were become the _Lord's people,_ and _freemen._ Such privileges might possibly have exalted their minds, so as to have made them look upon it as an indig... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR GOD— See Proverbs 24:21. Perhaps no finer or stronger instances of the laconic stile are to be found, than in this place. It is remarkable, that they are required to _honour the emperor,_ though so great a persecutor, and of so abandoned a character as _Nero_ himself. But St. Peter did not mean... [ Continue Reading ]
_1 PETER 2:18_.— _To the poor_ the _Gospel was preached;_ and many of the inferior sort, who were free from the incumbrance of riches, and the prejudices of the learned and mighty, embraced Christianity. Among the rest many _servants_ or _slaves_ became the disciples of Jesus; for the Gospel was cal... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS IS THANKWORTHY— _Graceful._... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHAT GLORY IS IT, &C.— It may be said, "Is it no glory for a man who has done a fault to take his punishment patiently?—Would not resistance or clamour, nay, even murmuring or impatience, in such a case, be wrong? And consequently must not patience and submission be a virtue? When God punishes u... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVEN HEREUNTO WERE YE CALLED— That is, "You were called to suffer for righteousness' sake, when ye became the disciples of Jesus." See Matthew 5:10; Matthew 5:48; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 16:28. _Because Christ also suffered for us;_ that is, for us Christians in general, Jews or Gentiles, bond or... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER WAS GUILE, &C.— In the Eastern languages, _righteousness_ and _truth_ are put one for another; and so are _wickedness_ and _falsehood,_ or _deceit._ By _guile_ therefore we may here understand _wickedness_ in general, but more especially in this connexion, _lying_ and _deceit._ If Christ's e... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO, WHEN HE WAS REVILED, &C.— Our Lord, during the course of his teaching and ministry, pronounced dreadful woes and denunciations against the wicked and hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees: but when he came to _suffer,_ he forbore, lest his denunciations should be thought to proceed, not from a lov... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO HIS OWN SELF BARE OUR SINS, &C.— That which is deepest in the heart is generally most in the mouth; that which abounds within, runs over most by the tongue or pen. When men light upon the speaking of that subject which possesses the affection, they can hardly be taken off, or drawn from it again... [ Continue Reading ]
BISHOP OF YOUR SOULS.— The word 'Επισκοπος, here translated _bishop,_ signifies "an overseer or inspector of any person or business;" and it is added to the word _shepherd,_ to strengthen the expression concerning Christ's fidelity and watchfulness over his people. See Isaiah 1:11; Isaiah 53:6. Luke... [ Continue Reading ]