I Peter 2, Chosen People, Royal Priesthood

Peter has been reminding his readers of the eternal role of Jesus as both creator and sacrificial lamb.

1 Peter 2: 1-3, Crave growth

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Step up! 

1 Peter 2: 4-5, Be living stones, just like your leader
As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

You are part of a larger spiritual house, an eternal indestructible one!

1 Peter 2: 6-8, 
For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a  chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in  him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has  become the capstone, " and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that  makes them fall."  They stumble because they disobey the  message--which is also what they were destined for.

Peter makes his argument, to his Jewish readers, by quoting from the Jewish scriptures, especially from the scroll of Isaiah. The quote in verse 6 is from Isaiah 28:16; the quote in verse 7 is from Psalm 118: 22 and the quote in verse 8 is from Isaiah 8: 14.

1 Peter 2: 9-10, You are a royal priesthood!

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, 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.

This letter is steeped with Old Testament concepts and analogies.  The phrase "not my people" is reminiscent of the beginning of Hosea. In that book God tells the Israelites "You are not my people" and "I am not your God" but then promises (in Hosea 2) that a day will come when God will say, "You are my people" and the Israelites will respond, "You are our God!"  Peter is telling his Jewish readers that time, long awaited by Hosea and his descendants, has finally come!

1 Peter 2: 11-12, We are aliens and strangers
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Until the final kingdom is set up, the Jewish remnant must live among the pagans, living out a life of good deeds, representing their future kingdom.

1 Peter 2: 13-17, As aliens, submit to local authorities in your temporary home
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up  for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of  believers, fear God, honor the king.

Like Paul, Peter has no interest in rebellions and insurrections. We are ambassadors, out of another country, seeking to live peacefully in this temporary home.

1 Peter 2: 18-20a, Slavery and suffering
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to  those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of  unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? 

Peter is not supporting slavery but is (again) emphasizing peaceful coexistence in this alien world.

1 Peter 2: 20b-24, Endurance, like Jesus
But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."  When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate;  when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted  himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

This passage quotes from the Messianic passage in Isaiah, chapter 23. The quote in verse 22 is from Isaiah 53: 9 and the quote in verse 25 is from Isaiah 53: 4-6 (Septuagint). 

I recall, long ago, reading I Peter just after having read Isaiah 53 and suddenly recognizing that Peter had been doing the same thing.  Indeed, Peter has spent some time in Isaiah.

This passage gives a simple summary of the reasons for Christ's death.

1 Peter 2: 25, Our Shepherd
For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The Lamb/Shepherd has called us back!

The next chapter will provide more specific details about how the community of believers should treat each other.