The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV
Page 652
1:2 elect. From the Gr. word which connotes the “called out ones.” The word means “to pick out” or “to select.” In the OT, it was used of Israel (Deut. 7:6), indicating that God sovereignly chose Israel from among all the nations of the world to believe in and belong to Him (cf. Deut. 14:2; Pss. 105:43; 135:4). Here the word is used as a term for Christians, those chosen by God for salvation (cf. Rom. 8:33; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10). The word is also used for those who receive Christ during the tribulation time (Matt. 24:22, 24), and holy, unfallen angels (1 Tim. 5:21). To be reminded that they were elected by God was a great comfort to those persecuted Christians (see notes on Eph. 1:3–14). foreknowledge. The same Gr. word is translated “foreordained” in v. 20. In both verses, the word does not refer to awareness of what is going to happen, but it clearly means a predetermined relationship in the knowledge of God. God brought the salvation relationship into existence by decreeing it into existence ahead of time. Christians are foreknown for salvation in the same way Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world to be a sacrifice for sins (cf. Acts 2:23). “Foreknowledge” means that God planned before, not that He observed before (cf. Ex. 33:17; Jer. 1:5; Amos 3:2; Matt. 7:23). Thus, God pre-thought and pre-determined or predestined each Christian’s salvation (see notes on Rom. 8:29; Eph. 1:4). sanctification of the Spirit. To sanctify means “to consecrate,” “to set apart.” The objective of election is salvation, which comes to the elect through the sanctifying work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit thus makes God’s chosen holy, by savingly setting them apart from sin and unbelief unto faith and righteousness (cf. 1 Thess. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13). Sanctification thus begins with justification (declaring the sinner just before God by graciously imputing Christ’s righteousness to him, cf. Phil. 3:9), and continues as a process of purification that goes on until glorification, when the Christian sees Jesus face to face. for obedience. Believers are set apart from sin to God in order that they might obey Jesus Christ. True salvation produces obedience to Christ (cf. Eph. 2:10; 1 Thess. 1:4–10). sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. This phrase is based on Moses’ sprinkling sacrificial blood on the people of Israel as a symbol sealing their covenant as they promised to obey God’s Word (see notes on Ex. 24:4–8). Likewise, in the New Covenant, faith in the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross not only activates God’s promise to give the believer perfect atonement for sin, but also brings the believer into the covenant by one’s promise of obedience to the Lord and His Word.
1:3 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though God was known as Creator and Redeemer in the OT, He was rarely called Father. Christ, however, always addressed God as His Father in the gospels (as John 5:17), except in the separation on the cross (Matt. 27:46). In so doing, Christ was claiming to be of the same nature, being, or essence as the Father (cf. Matt. 11:27; John 10:29–39; 14:6–11; 2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3, 17; 2 John 3). Also, by speaking of “our” Lord, Peter personalized the Christian’s intimate relationship with the God of the universe through His Son (cf. 1 Cor. 6:17), an important truth for suffering Christians to remember. abundant mercy. The reason God provided a glorious salvation for mankind is that He is merciful. Sinners need God’s mercy because they are in a pitiful, desperate, wretched condition as sinners (cf. Eph. 2:4; Titus 3:5; see also Ex. 34:6; Ps. 108:4; Is. 27:4; Lam. 3:22; Mic. 7:18). has begotten us again. God gave the new birth as part of His provision in salvation. When a sinner comes to Christ and puts his faith in Him, he is born anew into God’s family and receives a new nature (see notes on v. 23; John 1:13; 3:1–21). a living hope. The living hope is eternal life. “Hope” means confident optimism, and: 1) comes from God (Ps. 43:5); 2) is a gift of grace (2 Thess. 2:16); 3) is defined by Scripture (Rom. 15:4); 4) is a reasonable reality (3:15); 5) is secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 11:25, 26; 14:19; 1 Cor. 15:17); 6) is confirmed in the Christian by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13); 7) defends the Christian against Satan’s attacks (1 Thess. 5:8); 8) is confirmed through trials (Rom. 5:3, 4); 9) produces joy (Ps. 146:5); and 10) is fulfilled in Christ’s return (Titus 2:13).
1:4 inheritance. Peter showed those persecuted Christians how to look past their troubles to their eternal inheritance. Life, righteousness, joy, peace, perfection, God’s presence, Christ’s glorious companionship, rewards, and all else God has planned is the Christian’s heavenly inheritance (v. 5; cf. Matt. 25:34; Acts 26:18; Eph. 1:11; Col. 1:12; Heb. 9:15; also Pss. 16:5; 23; 26; 72; Lam. 3:24). According to Eph. 1:14, the indwelling Holy Spirit is the resident guarantee of that inheritance. incorruptible. The inheritance is not subject to passing away, nor liable to decay. The word was used in secular Greek of something that was unravaged by an invading army (cf. Matt. 6:19–21). undefiled. This word means unpolluted, unstained with evil. The undefiled inheritance of the Christian is in marked contrast to an earthly inheritance, all of which is corrupted and defiled. does not fade away. “Fading” was often used of flowers that wither and decay. Though earthly inheritances eventually fade away, the eternal inheritance of a Christian has no decaying elements.
1:5 kept by the power of God. Supreme power, omniscience, omnipotence, and sovereignty, not only keep the inheritance (v. 4), but also keep the believer secure. No one can steal the Christian’s treasure, and no one can disqualify him from receiving it. See notes on Rom. 8:31–39. through faith. The Christian’s response to God’s election and the Spirit’s conviction is faith, but even faith is empowered by God (see note on Eph. 2:8). Moreover, the Christian’s continued faith in God is the evidence of God’s keeping power. At the time of salvation, God energizes faith, and continues to preserve it. Saving faith is permanent; it never dies. See notes on Matt. 24:13; Heb. 3:14.
1:6 greatly rejoice. That is, to be exceedingly glad, exuberantly jubilant. This kind of joy is not based on changing, temporal circumstances, but is used of joy that comes from the unchanging, eternal relationship with God. Peter relates this joy to 1) the assurance of one’s protected eternal inheritance (vv. 4, 5; cf. John 16:16–33) and 2) the assurance from one’s proven faith (v. 7). various trials. Peter teaches several important principles about trouble in this verse: 1) trouble does not last (“little while”); 2) trouble serves a purpose (“if need be”); 3) trouble brings distress (“grieved”); 4) trouble comes in various forms (“various trials”); and 5) trouble should not diminish the Christian’s joy (“greatly rejoice”).
1:7 genuineness of your faith. God’s purpose in allowing trouble is to test the reality of one’s faith. But the benefit of such a testing, or “fire,” is immediately for the Christian, not God. When a believer comes through a trial still trusting the Lord, he is assured that his faith is genuine (cf. Gen. 22:1–12; Job 1:20–22). revelation of Jesus Christ. The revelation or unveiling of Christ refers to His second coming, particularly focusing on the time when He comes to call and reward His redeemed people (cf. v. 13; 4:13; 1 Cor. 1:7), i.e., the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13–18).
1:8 having not seen. This is in the sense of His appearing (v. 7). Cf. 2 Cor. 5:7. At that time, the fiery trials that believers have endured will benefit God by bringing Him “praise, honor, and glory” eternally.
1:9 receiving…salvation. “Receiving” could lit. be translated “presently receiving for yourselves.” In one sense, Christians now possess the result of their faith, a constant deliverance from the power of sin. In another sense, we are waiting to receive the full salvation of eternal glory in the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:23).
1:10 this salvation. In this section, Peter looks at the greatness of salvation from the viewpoint of the divine agents who made it possible: 1) OT prophets (vv. 10, 11); 2) the Holy Spirit (vv. 11, 12); 3) the NT apostles (v. 12); and 4) the angels (v. 12). inquired and searched carefully. The OT prophets studied their own writings in order to know more about the promised salvation. Though they believed and were personally saved from their sin by that faith (through the sacrifice God would provide in Christ), they could not fully understand what was involved in the life and deat
h of Jesus Christ (cf. Num. 24:17; Heb. 11:13, 39, 40). grace that would come. God is by nature gracious and was so, even under the conditional Old Covenant (cf. Ex. 33:19; Jon. 4:2). But the prophets foretold an even greater exhibit of grace than what they had ever known (Is. 45:20–25; 52:14, 15; 55:1–7; 61:1–3; cf. Rom. 9:24–33; 10:11, 13, 20; 15:9–21).
1:11 what, or what manner of time. “Who would be the person?” and “When would He come?” were the questions the OT prophets searched to know. Spirit of Christ who was in them. Jesus Christ, in the person of the Holy Spirit, took up residence within the writers of the OT, enabling them to write about the glorious salvation to be consummated in the future (2 Pet. 1:19–21).
1:12 to us they were ministering. The OT prophets who wrote of the coming of salvation (vv. 10, 11) knew it was a future Savior who would come, and thus they were really writing for those who are on this side of the cross. those who have preached the gospel. The NT apostles and preachers of the gospel had the privilege of proclaiming that the prophecies written by the OT prophets had come to pass (cf. 2 Cor. 6:1, 2).
1:13 gird up the loins of your mind. The ancient practice of gathering up one’s robes when needing to move in a hurry; here, it is metaphorically applied to one’s thought process. The meaning is to pull in all the loose ends of one’s thinking, by rejecting the hindrances of the world and focusing on the future grace of God (cf. Eph. 6:14; Col. 3:2). be sober. Spiritual sober-mindedness includes the ideas of steadfastness, self-control, clarity of mind, and moral decisiveness. The sober Christian is correctly in charge of his priorities and not intoxicated with the various allurements of the world. rest your hope fully. In light of their great salvation, Christians, especially those undergoing suffering, should unreservedly live for the future, anticipating the consummation of their salvation at the second coming of Christ (see v. 7). Cf. Col. 3:2–4. grace that is to be brought to you. Christ’s future ministry of glorifying Christians and giving them eternal life in His presence will be the final culmination of the grace initiated at salvation (cf. Eph. 2:7).
1:15 you also be holy. Holiness essentially defines the Christian’s new nature and conduct in contrast with his pre-salvation lifestyle. The reason for practicing a holy manner of living is that Christians are associated with the holy God and must treat Him and His Word with respect and reverence. We therefore glorify Him best by being like Him (see vv. 16, 17; Matt. 5:48; Eph. 5:1; cf. Lev. 11:44, 45; 18:30; 19:2; 20:7; 21:6–8).
1:17 if you call on the Father. This is another way of saying, “if you are a Christian.” The believer who knows God and that He judges the works of all His children fairly, will respect God and His evaluation of his life, and long to honor his heavenly Father.
1:18 redeemed. See note on 1 Tim. 2:6. That is, to buy back someone from bondage by the payment of a price; to set free by paying a ransom. “Redemption” was a technical term for money paid to buy back a prisoner of war. Here it is used of the price paid to buy the freedom of one in the bondage of sin and under the curse of the law (i.e., eternal death, cf. Gal. 3:13). The price paid to a holy God was the shed blood of His own Son (cf. Ex. 12:1–13; 15:13; Ps. 78:35; Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:24; Gal. 4:4, 5; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:11–17).
1:20 foreordained. In eternity past, before Adam and Eve sinned, God planned the redemption of sinners through Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 2:23; 4:27, 28; 2 Tim. 1:9). See note on v. 2. last times. The “last times” are the times of the Messiah, from His first coming to His second coming (cf. Acts 2:17; 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 2:18).
1:21 gave Him glory. God, through the ascension, returned Christ to the glory that He had with Him before the world began (cf. Luke 24:51–53; John 17:4, 5; Acts 1:9–11; Phil. 2:9–11; Heb. 1:1–3; 2:9).
1:22 love one another fervently. The love indicated here by Peter is the love of choice, the kind of love that can respond to a command. “Fervently” means to stretch to the limits (cf. Luke 22:44; Acts 12:5; also Luke 10:27ff.). Only those whose “souls” have been “purified,” i.e., saved, have the capacity to love like this. Such love exhibits itself by meeting others at the point of their need (cf. 2:17; 3:8; 4:8; also John 13:34; Rom. 12:10; Phil. 2:1–8; Heb. 13:1; 1 John 3:11).
1:23 not of corruptible seed. The spiritual life implanted by the Holy Spirit to produce the new birth is unfailing and permanent. through the word of God. The Spirit uses the Word to produce life. It is the truth of the gospel that saves. See note on Rom. 10:17.
1:24, 25 Peter enforces his point about the power of the Word to regenerate by quoting from Is. 40:6–8 (see note there).
1 Peter 2
2:1 laying aside. The Christian’s new life can’t grow unless sins are renounced. When that purging takes place, then the Word does its work (v. 2). malice. The Gr. word for evil is used 11 times in the NT to indicate that wickedness which comes from within a person (cf. v. 16; Rom. 1:29; Eph. 4:31; Titus 3:3).
2:2 desire the pure milk of the word. Spiritual growth is always marked by a craving for and a delight in God’s Word with the intensity with which a baby craves milk (cf. Job 23:12; Pss. 1:1, 2; 19:7–11; 119:16, 24, 35, 47, 48, 72, 92, 97, 103, 111, 113, 127, 159, 167, 174; Jer. 15:16). A Christian develops a desire for the truth of God’s Word by: 1) remembering his life’s source (1:25; cf. Is. 55:10, 11; John 15:3; Heb. 4:12); 2) eliminating sin from his life (v. 1); 3) admitting his need for God’s truth (v. 2, “as newborn babes”; cf. Matt. 4:4); 4) pursuing spiritual growth (v. 2, “that you may grow thereby”); and 5) surveying his blessings (v. 3, “Lord is gracious”).
2:3 tasted. At salvation, all believers experience how gracious the Lord is to those who trust Him. That should compel believers to seek more of that grace in pursuing His Word.
2:4 Coming to Him. “Coming,” in the Gr. here means to come with the idea of remaining. Here it means to remain in Christ’s presence with intimate fellowship (cf. John 15:5–15). a living stone. Both a metaphor and a paradox, this phrase from the OT (see vv. 6–8) emphasizes that Christ, the “cornerstone” and “stone of stumbling,” is alive from the dead and has a living relationship with saved humanity (v. 5; cf. 1 Cor. 15:45; 1 John 5:11, 12). rejected…but chosen. See v. 7. The messianic credentials of Jesus were examined by the false religious leaders of Israel and contemptuously rejected (vv. 6–8; cf. Matt. 12:22–24; John 1:10, 11). But Jesus Christ was God’s precious and elect Son, ultimately authenticated through His resurrection from the dead (cf. Ps. 2:10, 11; Matt. 3:17; Acts 2:23, 24, 32; 4:11, 12; 5:30, 31; 10:39–41).
2:5 you also, as living stones. Christians are so closely identified and united with Christ that the very life that exists in Christ exists in them also (cf. Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3, 4; 2 Pet. 1:4). built up a spiritual house. Metaphorically, God is building a spiritual house, putting all believers in place, integrating each one with others, and each one with the life of Christ (cf. Eph. 2:19; Heb. 3:6). a holy priesthood. OT priests and NT believer-priests share a number of characteristics: 1) priesthood is an elect privilege (Ex. 28:1; John 15:16); 2) priests are cleansed of sins (Lev. 8:6–36; Titus 2:14); 3) priests are clothed for service (5:5; Ex. 28:42; Lev. 8:7ff.; Ps. 132:9, 16); 4) priests are anointed for service (Lev. 8:12, 30; 1 John 2:20, 27); 5) priests are prepared for service (Lev. 8:33; 9:4, 23; Gal. 1:16; 1 Tim. 3:6); 6) priests are ordained to obedience (v. 4; Lev. 10:1ff.); 7) priests are to honor the Word of God (v. 2; Mal. 2:7); 8) priests are to walk with God (Mal. 2:6; Gal. 5:16, 25); 9) priests are to impact sinners (Mal. 2:6; Gal. 6:1); and 10) priests are messengers of God (Mal. 2:7; Matt. 28:19, 20). The main privilege of a priest, however, is access to God. to offer up spiritual sacrifices. Spiritual sacrifices mean God-honoring works done because of Christ under the direction of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Word of God. These would include: 1) offering the strength of one’s body to God (Rom. 12:1, 2); 2) praising God (Heb. 13:15); 3) doing good (Heb. 13:16); 4) sharing one’s resources (Heb. 13:16); 5) bringing people to Christ (Rom. 15:16); 6) sacrificing one’s desires for the good of othe
rs (Eph. 5:2); and 7) praying (Rev. 8:3).
2:6–8 Three OT passages employing the “stone” metaphor are used by Peter to show that Christ’s position as chief cornerstone of the new spiritual house was foreordained by God. That same stone is also going to be the stumbling stone that brings down the unbelieving in judgment (cf. Matt. 21:42, 44).
2:6 Zion. Quoted from Is. 28:16. Figuratively, Zion, i.e., Jerusalem, is in the realm of the New Covenant, as Sinai is in the realm of the Old Covenant.
2:6, 7 cornerstone. See note on Eph. 2:20; cf. Ps. 118:22.
2:7 disobedient. Unbelieving (v. 8).
2:8 A stone of stumbling…a rock of offense. Quoted from Is. 8:14. To every human being, Christ is either the means of salvation if they believe, or the means of judgment if they reject the gospel. He is like a stone in the road that causes a traveler to fall. disobedient to the word. Unbelief is their disobedience, since the call of the gospel to repent and believe is a command from God. they also were appointed. These were not appointed by God to disobedience and unbelief. Rather, these were appointed to doom because of their disobedience and unbelief. Judgment on unbelief is as divinely appointed as salvation by faith. See notes on Rom. 9:22; 2 Cor. 2:15, 16.