1 Pet. 2 1 Pet. 2:1–3 The apostle exhorteth the Christian converts to lay aside all uncharitableness. 1 Pet. 2:4–10 He showeth their privileges through Christ, the chief corner stone. 1 Pet.

Having in the former chapter mentioned the new birth, 1 Pet. 1:23, and exhorted to brotherly love, as agreeable to it, 1 Pet. 1:22, he begins this chapter with a dehortation, wherein he dissuades them from those vices which are contrary to the state of regenerate men in the general, and brotherly…

Pursuant to his discourse, 1 Pet. 1:23, where he speaks of their new birth, he here calls them new-born babes; but that not in opposition to those that are adult, or of fall age, as Heb. 5:14, 1 Cor.

If so be; this doth not imply a doubting, but a supposition, as was before observed, 1 Pet. 1:17. Ye have tasted; not lightly tasted by a bare ineffectual knowledge, as Heb.

To whom; to which Christ. Coming; by faith: q.d. In whom believing, John 6:35, John 6:44–45. The word is in the present tense, the apostle describing here not their first conversion to Christ, but their present state, that they, being in Christ, were daily coming to him in the continued exercise of…

As lively; viz. as being enlivened by Christ. The word here translated lively, and living in the former verse, is the same; but being there spoken of Christ, it is to be understood actively, and here being applied to believers, who receive their spiritual life from Christ, it must be taken…

Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture: the Greek word being of an active form, makes great difference among expositors about these words; not to trouble the reader with variety, the plainest way of understanding them seems to be, either: 1.

Precious; the margin reads it, according to the Greek, an honour; either the abstract is put for the concrete, an honour, for honourable, or precious, ( as the text hath it), and then the sense is plain, that Christ, as he is precious in himself, and to his Father, so he is to them that believe.

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; i.e. a stone at which they stumble, a rock at which they are offended; and so it implies Christ not to be the cause of their stumbling, but the object of it; they of their own accord, and through the pravity of their nature, without any just occasion…

But ye; ye believers, in opposition to those reprobates that are disobedient to the word. He shows that those dignities and privileges, which were mentioned by Moses as belonging to their forefathers, did much more belong to them; and that they had the real exhibition in Christ, of those good…

Which in time past were not a people; either, were not a people, i.e. a formed state, or commonwealth, being dispersed in several countries, among other people, and not worth the name of a people: or, were not the people of God, (supplying God out of the opposite clause), since he had given them a…

Strangers and pilgrims; not only strangers in the several countries where ye inhabit, (being out of your own land), but strangers in the world, as all believers are, 1 Chron. 29:15, Ps. 39:12, Ps. 119:19, Heb. 11:13–14.

Having your conversation honest; irreprehensible, fruitful, such as may gain men’s love, and commend the religion you profess. Among the Gentiles; who, by reason of their differing from your religion, are the more likely to observe you. This proves this Epistle to be written to the Jews.

Every ordinance; of all kinds, whether supreme or subordinate. Ordinance of man; Greek, human creatures, which may be understood either, as Mark 16:15, every human creature for every man, only restraining it to the present subject whereof he treats, viz.

Or unto governors; he seems immediately to intend the governors of provinces under the Roman emperors, such as Pilate, Felix, Festus were in Judea, Sergius Paulus in Cyprus, Acts 13:7; and other places; see Luke 3:1; but so as to imply, under the name of governors, all inferior magistrates, as…

For so is the will of God; his command. That with well-doing; all manner of offices of humanity, whereof obedience to magistrates is a principal one. Ye may put to silence; Greek, muzzle, stop the mouths, Titus 1:11; viz. by taking away all occasion of evil-speaking.

As free; he prevents an objection; they might pretend they were a free people, as Jews, and therefore were not to obey strangers, Deut. 17:15, John 8:33; and made free by Christ.

Honour all men; viz. according as honour is due to them, according to their dignity, power, gifts, &c.: see Rom. 12:10, Rom. 13:7, Phil. 2:3. Love the brotherhood; though all may challenge suitable respects, yet there is a more special affection owing to believers, 1 Pet. 1:22, Gal. 6:10.

Servants; the word is not the same which Paul useth, Col. 3:22, but may well comprehend the servants he speaks of, as implying not only slaves, but those that were made free, yet continued still in the family; and so signifies servants of whatsoever condition.

For this is thank-worthy; in the Greek the substantive is put for the adjective: the sense is either, this is acceptable to God, and will be graciously rewarded by him; or, this is praise-worthy, and will be your glory, as 1 Pet. 2:20.

For what glory is it? What praise or glory do you get by it? Or, what great matter do you do? This interrogation hath the force of negation, but is to be understood comparatively; it is worthy of praise to suffer patiently, even when men suffer justly, but worthy of little in comparison of…

For even hereunto; viz. to patient bearing of sufferings even for well-doing. Were ye called; viz. to Christ and the fellowship of his kingdom; q.d. Your very calling and profession, as Christians, requires this of you.

i.e. There was no guile in his mouth; it is a Hebraism; to be found is the same as to be, and not to be found the same as not to be, Gen. 2:20, Isa. 39:2, Rom. 7:10. This signifies Christ’s absolute perfection, in that he did not offend so much as with his mouth, James 3:2.

By Christ’s being reviled, we are to understand all those injurious words, reproaches, slanders, blasphemies, which his persecutors cast out against him.

Who his own self; not by offering any other sacrifice, (as the Levitical priests did), but by that of himself. Bare our sins; or, took up, or lifted up, in allusion to the sacrifices of the Old Testament, the same word being used of them, Heb. 7:27, James 2:21.

For ye were, while ye continued in your Judaism, and had not yet received the gospel, as sheep going astray, from Christ the great Shepherd, and the church of believers his flock, and the way of righteousness in which he leads them.