1 Peter 2

1 Peter 2:1

Call to remembrance the former days. Some former day of persecution, after they were illuminated, “were enlightened” (Revised Version) by the gospel. Possibly the great persecution at the death of Stephen (Acts 8:1) is referred to, or that of Ac 12:1-3.

1 Peter 2:2

Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions. Looked upon with reproach, abused and afflicted personally. And partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. Sharing the suffering of those who were persecuted.

1 Peter 2:3

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds. “For ye had compassion on them in bonds” (Revised Version). Actively showed their sympathy. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods. The losses made necessary by becoming Christians. Knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Knowing that if they lost on earth they would gain in heaven.

1 Peter 2:4

Cast not away therefore your confidence. Inasmuch as formerly ye endured so well, be faithful now. Some great period of trial was evidently being endured.

1 Peter 2:5

For ye have need of patience. Patience is an essential element of patient endurance. See Romans 5:3-5.

1 Peter 2:6

For yet a little while. Quoted from Habakkuk 2:3 and applied to Christ. And he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Soon Christ will come, either in person or by his providence, in such a way as to bring relief. He did thus come very soon after and ended Jewish persecution by the overthrow of the nation. This is a frequent sense of oft-repeated allusions to the coming of the Lord found both in the Old Testament and New Testament. See Habakkuk 2:5-20. The passage there quoted refers to the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, and is here applied to the destruction by the Romans.

1 Peter 2:7

Now the just shall live by faith. See Habakkuk 2:4. Those who continued to walk in the full assurance of faith shall live by faith (Hebrews 10:22). But if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. He who draws back through fear, or because of trial, in him God hath no pleasure. See Psalms 5:4.

1 Peter 2:8

But we are not of them. The apostle has confidence that the Hebrew saints are of those who “shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4 Romans 1:17 Hebrews 10:38) rather than those who draw back unato perdition. He that draweth back is lost.

1 Peter 2:10

Living by Faith SUMMARY OF HEBREWS 11: Faith Explained. The Faith of the Elders. Remarkable Examples of Ancient Faith. All Seeking for a Better Country. The Victories of Faith. The Sufferings Ended by Faith. Christians Exhorted to Follow These Glorious Examples. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The old meaning of “substance”, as well as of “hupostasis”, the Greek word here used, is “stand under”, that is, to be a foundation. Faith is the foundation on which all our hopes for the future are built. The evidence of things not seen. Rather, the conviction or persuasion of things not seen. Without faith we would be limited to the very narrow world comprehended by the senses.

1 Peter 2:11

For by it the elders obtained a good report. The ancient men of God, through faith, so lived, that they have obtained a good name.

1 Peter 2:12

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. The creation of the world is among “the things not seen”, and all our knowledge of it rests upon our faith in the word of God. Indeed, our knowledge of all past history depends upon faith.

1 Peter 2:13

Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. See the account of Ge 4:1-5. Abel’s faith was probably shown in offering just such a sacrifice as the Lord demanded, while Cain made an offering according to his own ideas. By which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts. In some way the Lord testified his approval of Abel’s sacrifice, and showed his disapproval of Cain’s, perhaps by sending fire to consume Abel’s. And by it he being dead yet speaketh. By his faith. His faith speaks to all ages.

1 Peter 2:14

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death. See Genesis 5:24 Jude 1:14. His faithfulness was rewarded by a translation to heaven without first becoming a victim of death. For before his translation he had this testimony. The testimony is that he “walked with God”, and God took him, because he was pleased with him.

1 Peter 2:15

But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]. Man cannot please God without because in unbelief he cannot do what is pleasing to God. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is. To please God we must come to him in the appointed ways, but this cannot be done without belief in his existence and

1 Peter 2:16

By faith Noah . . . moved with fear, prepared an ark. See Genesis 6:13-22. When he was divinely warned of a coming deluge he believed it, simply upon the word of God. Now observe how his faith acted. (1) He was moved by fear; (2) he prepared the ark as God had directed. His faith moved him to obedience. By which he condemned the world. The example of his faith was a rebuke to all who were not moved by it. The man who gives heed to God by his conduct condemns those who refuse to heed him. And became heir of righteousness. It was by the obedience of faith that he became an heir of the blessings vouchsafed to those who are counted righteous through faith. See Romans 1:5,17.

1 Peter 2:17

By faith Abraham . . . went out, not knowing whither he went. See Genesis 11:31 12:1-4 Acts 7:2-4. While in Ur of the Chaldees he was commanded to go where he should be led. In obedience to this call he obeyed through faith, a striking example of the action of faith.

1 Peter 2:18

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise. He was a stranger in the land promised to him and his seed, dwelling as did Isaac and Jacob, in tents, yet trusting the promise of God. With Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. See Genesis 26:3,4 27:4,13-14.

1 Peter 2:19

For he looked for a city which hath foundations. Not only for a permanent home for his seed in Canaan, but for a home above in the eternal city, the New Jerusalem. Whose builder and maker [is] God. Architect and maker. God not only projected the plans of the eternal city but has executed them.

1 Peter 2:20

Through faith also Sara received strength to conceive seed. See Genesis 17:15-21 18:11-14 21:1-2. Far beyond the years of child bearing, yet by faith she was give natural strength to bear the child of promise. She was about ninety years old (Genesis 17:17).

1 Peter 2:21

Therefore there sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead. From an old man, a hundred years old, whose reproductive powers were dead, a people. As the stars of the sky in multitude. See Deuteronomy 1:10. These figures are used to express a vast multitude.

1 Peter 2:22

These all died in faith, not having received the promises. All the patriarchs named. They died without the fulfillment of the promises, either those of a temporal possession or of an innumerable seed. Having seen them afar off. They beheld them in the future by faith. Confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. By their whole lives that they were pilgrims. They had no fixed home and were waiting for a country.

1 Peter 2:23

They that say such things. Who confess that they are pilgrims. Declare plainly that they seek a country. This confession shows that they are seeking a country somewhere and have not yet found it.

1 Peter 2:24

And, truly, if they had been mindful of that [country]. They could have returned to their old home in Ur of the Chaldees, if they had chosen, but though homeless in a strange land they had faith in a future home.

1 Peter 2:25

But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly. They desired a country better than Chaldea, better even than Canaan. They had a faith which looked for a heavenly country.