1 Peter 2:1-25
[Jesus] 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.
~ Peter, 1st Peter 2:24
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 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. 6 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.”
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 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.
Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 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.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 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. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Pondering Point
In the first dozen verses, we hear that we, the followers
of Jesus, are living stones, chosen, God’s possession –
and called to declare the praises of Him who called us
out of darkness and into His marvelous light. If you kept reading, you saw more verses encouraging us to endure suffering that comes at the hands of others, not unlike Jesus Himself suffered. In this way, God will be glorified in our lives.
Jesus suffering willingly at the hands of enemies, leading to our salvation, seen in 1 Peter 2:24: "Jesus [bore] our sins so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness". We were healed of our sin problem and now can live for—better yet – we can live with God; we can fellowship with God. And now we can glorify God too as we follow Jesus’ example, including the possibility that we suffer under the hands of evil men.
Prayer
Father God, we know that Jesus didn’t “want” to suffer but was willing to do so under Your authority and care. I too – obviously – don’t want to suffer. But if it is Your will that I do so, help and strengthen me like You strengthened Jesus. I want to honor You.
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 51:7-12
- Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. - Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice. - Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity. - Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. - Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me. - Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Teaching or Command of God:
Proverbs 3:11-12
- My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke, - because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Pondering Point
Hyssop was a plant used to sprinkle water or other mixtures on worshippers or confessors as a sign of forgiveness. Martin Luther translated this phrase of David’s as, "Unsin me with hyssop."