A Spiritual House

Peter tells believers to put away all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking. As newborn babies, long for the pure spiritual milk, that with it you may grow. Having tasted that the Lord is gracious, they come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious. In turn they are living stones, built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Peter draws on the Scriptures. God lays in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be disappointed. For believers the stone is precious, but for those who disobey, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone and a stone of stumbling. Then Peter applies titles once given to Israel: you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. Once they were not a people, but now they are God’s people, who have obtained mercy.

The rest of the chapter applies this identity to daily life. As foreigners, they should abstain from fleshly lusts and keep their behavior excellent. They should be subject to human authorities for the Lord’s sake. Live as free people, yet not using freedom as a cover for wickedness. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants who endure unjust suffering follow the example of Christ, who did no sin and committed himself to him who judges righteously. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness. You were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.