A Royal Priesthood

1 Peter 2:1-12

Key Verse 2:9

In this passage the Apostle Peter exhorts the first century Christians undergoing severe persecutions, not to compromise with the sinning (and/or persecuting) world, but rather with a shepherd’s heart, follow Jesus’ example to lead them to the Lord, for their salvation. 

Jesus established Peter as the shepherd for the flock of God. As Peter was about to depart from this world, he too prayed for the believers to grow up and live as shepherds for the flock of God. 

Read verse 1. What is a believer called to rid himself of? Why? (1:3-5)

** All malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 

** Jesus died for our sins, and rose again, to justify, sanctify, and glorify us, so that we would live in the presence of God for good. 

Read verses 2-3. What does “pure spiritual milk” represents?  What does it mean “to grow up” [in your salvation]? How does one grow up?

** The living word of God recorded in the sixty six books of the Bible.

** 1) Miriam Webster’s Dictionary: to spring up and develop to maturity;  to expand and increase [knowledge or wisdom]; to have an increasing influence [on others];  to become increasingly acceptable or attractive [to God and to men] 

2) It means “spiritual” growth, so that our internal person would be as mature and perfect as that of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:48 Jesus said that we are to [grow] to be as perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.  Matthew 5-7 (Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount) sets forth the areas in which we need to grow up, such as developing the capability to resist temptations, and obey God’s word. 

** By feeding on the word of God with due diligence, for the word of God enlightens man to come to know the Lord better, and discern what is right from what is wrong, and thereby choose what is right, rejecting what is wrong. 

Read verses 4-5. What does it mean to “come to him”? What does a “spiritual house” stand for? What does it mean: 1) to be “built into” a spiritual house; 2) to be a holy “priesthood” (John 21:15; Acts 20:28; 1Pe 5:2); 3) to offer “spiritual sacrifices” acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (John 10:10-16)?

** It means to secure the fellowship with Jesus Christ. This is like a woman having a marriage relationship with her husband. When the two get married, the two are called to have a fellowship together. And this fellowship does not occur without the two parties making conscious efforts to do so. In many ways our life in the Lord is like a bride having a fellowship (in a marriage context) with the groom. When one accepts Jesus Christ, Jesus comes into his heart. Jesus lives through the work of the Holy Spirit poured out into his or her heart. Then through the work of the Spirit one can have an intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ. Read Revelation 3:20. 

** A “house” means a “community” of people. A “spiritual” house means a house which is filled with people whose spirits have been made perfect. Heb 12:22-24

** Priesthood means to live as a shepherd who serves and leads people to come to know the Lord and be molded into his image becoming increasingly like him. 

** Spiritual sacrifices denote all the efforts a shepherd is called to make through the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, such as offering intercessory prayers for his sheep, making visits to sheep’s place and serving sheep with the Lord, inviting sheep to Bible studies, worship services, etc., teaching the Bible to his sheep, correcting, rebuking and encouraging etc. 

Read verses 6-8. What is the significance of a “cornerstone”? In what respect is Jesus a cornerstone? When one puts trust in Jesus Christ, he will “never” be put to “shame”. What does it mean to be (or not to be) put to shame? What does “stumble” or “fall” mean?

** A cornerstone means the stone at the corner of a building uniting two intersecting walls. It is often laid in a ceremony at the corner of a building, in which ceremony they inscribe on this stone the origin of the building. This stone is considered indispensable for it provides the building with fundamental basis. 

** Here “shame” has to do with the problem of “sin”, for sin causes man to be ashamed. It is sin that causes man to fall from God’s glory. Romans 3:23

When we believe in Jesus, God forgives us of our sins, so that we would be free of all the sin-debts, and thereby make a new beginning. 

If we do not believe in Jesus who was without sin and yet died for our sins, we remain condemned for all the sins we have committed. In this way God’s wrath and judgment still hang over us.

** Stumble: to fall into sin or waywardness;  make an error; to come to an obstacle to belief;  to trip in walking or running;  to walk unsteadily or clumsily; to speak or act in a hesitant or faltering manner; to come unexpectedly or by chance; to fall or move carelessly. 

As these expressions indicate, as used here in 1Pe 2, when one hears the gospel, yet chooses not to believe, one remains condemned, and will be subject to God’s judgment, only to be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. John 3:18; Rev 21:8

** Fall: to descend freely by the force of gravity; to drop oneself to a lower position; to drop down wounded or dead; to suffer military capture <after a long siege the city fell>; to lose office; to suffer ruin, defeat, or failure; to commit an immoral act; to lose one's chastity; to move or extend in a downward direction; to decline in quality, activity, or quantity 

Basically as used in 1Pe 2, to fall means to fail thoroughly and thereby suffer loss endlessly. 

 

Read verses 9-12. In what respect is a believer a “royal” priesthood? In what respect is his light “wonderful”? What does it mean to say, “You [came to be] the people of God” because of God’s “mercy”? What are the practical ways in which one can “declare the praises of him who called you”? 

** 1) Each believer is called a royal priesthood in that he or she represents God who is the King. 

The word “royal” means kingly. God is called the King [of universe]. 1Sa 12:12 Jesus is also called the king of the Jews. The Bible abounds with the expression “Kingdom of God” which indicates that God is the true king. A King is a ruler. All believers are called members of the “royal” priesthood for they work on behalf of God who is the King of kings. [Jesus is also called the King of kings. Rev 19:16] 

2) Peter calls the believing Christians as “royal” for they are to inherit the kingdom of God. Romans 8:17; Luke 22:29

** According to Ephesians 5:9, this light is wonderful for it helps us bear such good fruit as goodness, righteousness, and [the ability to abide in the] truth. Essentially then this light is wonderful for it leads us to Jesus who helps us to have life and have it to the full. According to John 8:12, this light is called the light of “life”. John 1:4 talks about the other side of the coin, that is, the life found in Jesus is the light of man. According to John 3:20 this light exposes man’s evil deeds so he would repent of his evil lifestyle, and come to Jesus for forgiveness. 

** Mercy: compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender; a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion.

So the statement that we came to become the people of God by God’s mercy means that although we did not deserve to be called as the people of God, thanks to Jesus’ blood sacrifice, we came to be. So it is purely out of God’s compassion that we became what we became. 

** 1) Live as a shepherd for the flock of God; 2) live as a stranger (meaning not trying to take root in this world but living as a holy pilgrim journeying to His kingdom, so that while on earth we would serve the Lord’s purpose, doing his will); 3) abstain from sinful desires; 4) be of good influence to unbelievers just as Isaac in Genesis was to his war-like neighbors. 

The end

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