1 Peter 2 - Justice Deferred is Not Justice Denied!

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2 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.

Peter uses the analogy of a newborn baby to illustrate what it means to grow spiritually. Just like a baby needs it's mother's milk to grow, so a baby Christian needs spiritual nourishment to grow. Though we are saved by grace through faith, we still need to grow up in our salvation. We need to grow up into the man or woman God has called us to be. Just like a baby grows from being a toddler, to a child, to a teen, and into being a young adult, so too a Christian has stages of spiritual maturity. It all starts with getting rid of the things he talks about in verse 1. 

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[a] 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,”[c] 8 and,“A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”[d] They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

Peter uses the metaphor of a stone to characterize Jesus. The name Peter, comes from the word "rock". And in Matthew 16:18 after Peter called Jesus the Messiah, Jesus said to him, 

"You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." 

The stones are also pointing to the Old Testament temple, which was made of stones held together by the cornerstone. The temple was the place the Israelites offered sacrifices according to the Law. Jesus is the new cornerstone of the temple made not by human hands but by God. We are also now the living stones God has built into this new temple, which is also called the Church. 

We become a child of God through trusting in Jesus as our cornerstone, but for those who reject Jesus he will be the stone that causes them to stumble. At the heart of those who reject the Cornerstone are those who disobey the message. This message is the message of the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ. 

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.

In the Jewish faith there were priests and there were kings. They were two separate roles. The priests oversaw the temple and made sure the sacrificial system was administered rightly. The king ruled the people and enforced the laws in the community found in the Ten Commandments. But Jesus was both a priest and a king. He was a mediator between us an God, and also brought into God's kingdom on earth as it was in heaven. 

God has chosen us and designated designated us as priests and kings. Martin Luther called it the "Priesthood of all Believers" and this term became a hallmark of the Protestant Reformation. Martin taught that all Christians are "litte priests". This is not to be mistaken for Jesus the only mediator between God and man through the cross, but we also play a role as an ambassador for Christ. God uses us to bring the message of reconciliation as we share the gospel of Christ. 

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.

As the believers and a member of this new priesthood, Peter urges them to live a life which reflects their new identity in Christ. He calls them foreigners and exiles, because their citizenship is now in heaven. Paul says something similar in Philippians 1:20, 

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."

The world is not our home, yet we are still called to live in the world and draw people to Christ. We do this by living a life that is above reproach. We are called to be different. Not different in an obnoxious way, but reflecting the values of Jesus. The values of love, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and virtue. 

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.

Though our citizenship is in heaven in one sense, we are still citizens in the world as well. Another part of having a good witness in our society is being a good citizen. This includes submitting to the human authorities in our new place of residence. In Peter's day, this human authority was the Roman Emperor. God has given earthly authorities the power of the sword to punish evildoers. This provides freedom for people to live and practice what they believe in. 

We are called to respect the law of the land, and our behavior as such can silence those who want to discredit Christians. When Christians break the law like everybody else,  people will think we are no different. There is nothing special about us. 

Bottom line is that Christians should be respectful to everyone. They are first of all to fear God, love their brothers and sisters in Christ, and submit to and 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.”

In the first century having slaves was common. When a slave became a Christian, they might have been tempted to try and rebel against their masters claiming their only master was Christ. But again Peter urges them to submit to their masters out of love for Christ. If they were to rebel against their master unlawfully and receive a beating for it, what good would that do for anyone. 

But if they suffered for doing good, it would be a witness for Jesus. To suffer for doing good is to follow in Jesus' steps. It is easy to follow Jesus when there is no consequences for being a Christ-follower, but when one suffers for being a Christian it is a real test of faith.

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,”[f] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Jesus suffered insults and beating before finally being nailed to the cross. In all of this he remained silent and submitted to the Father's will. He knew God was the final judge and justice deferred was not justice denied. 

Jesus bore our sin in his body on the cross. By his wounds we have been healed. Jesus was wounded for our sake. God laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. God the Father could justly declare we are "not guilty" because of the punishment Jesus took on our behalf and the guilty party. We call this the "Great Exchange". 

"He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21

Peter clearly meant the cross of Jesus when he mentioned the tree (literally wood). Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the wood – the wood of the cross. Peter stated it here both to constantly remind Christians of the great work of Jesus on the cross, and to show them that even as the suffering of Jesus accomplished much, so their own suffering can be used of God. - Guzik