1 Peter 2:6

2:1-10 Evil-speaking is a sign of malice and guile in the heart; and hinders our profiting by the word of God. A new life needs suitable food. Infants desire milk, and make the best endeavours for it which they are able to do; such must be a Christian's desires after the word of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ is very merciful to us miserable sinners; and he has a fulness of grace. But even the best of God's servants, in this life, have only a taste of the consolations of God. Christ is called a Stone, to teach his servants that he is their protection and security, the foundation on which they are built. He is precious in the excellence of his nature, the dignity of his office, and the glory of his services. All true believers are a holy priesthood; sacred to God, serviceable to others, endowed with heavenly gifts and graces. But the most spiritual sacrifices of the best in prayer and praise are not acceptable, except through Jesus Christ. Christ is the chief Corner-stone, that unites the whole number of believers into one everlasting temple, and bears the weight of the whole fabric. Elected, or chosen, for a foundation that is everlasting. Precious beyond compare, by all that can give worth. To be built on Christ means, to believe in him; but in this many deceive themselves, they consider not what it is, nor the necessity of it, to partake of the salvation he has wrought.

Though the frame of the world were falling to pieces, that man who is built on this foundation may hear it without fear. He shall not be confounded. The believing soul makes haste to Christ, but it never finds cause to hasten from him. All true Christians are a chosen generation; they make one family, a people distinct from the world: of another spirit, principle, and practice; which they could never be, if they were not chosen in Christ to be such, and sanctified by his Spirit. Their first state is a state of gross darkness, but they are called out of darkness into a state of joy, pleasure, and prosperity; that they should show forth the praises of the Lord by their profession of his truth, and their good conduct. How vast their obligations to Him who has made them his people, and has shown mercy to them! To be without this mercy is a woful state, though a man have all worldly enjoyments. And there is nothing that so kindly works repentance, as right thoughts of the mercy and love of God. Let us not dare to abuse and affront the free grace of God, if we mean to be saved by it; but let all who would be found among those who obtain mercy, walk as his people.

1 Peter 2:6-8 . Wherefore also — To which purpose; it is contained in the Scripture — In Isaiah 28:16 , the passage before referred to. Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone — To support and hold together the whole building. This, as explained Ephesians 2:21 , signifies the union of Jews and Gentiles in one faith, baptism, and hope, so as to form one church or temple for the worship of God through the mediation of Christ. And he that believeth on him — With a lively faith, a faith productive of love and obedience; shall not be confounded — In time or in eternity. To you therefore who believe — With such a faith; he is precious — Highly esteemed by you, and of infinite advantage to you. Or, as we read in the margin, he is an honour. The clause may also be rendered, To you who believe in this honour; the honour of being built on Christ, the foundation, or chief corner-stone of the new temple of God. But unto them which be disobedient — Who disbelieve and disobey the gospel, the words of the psalmist are accomplished; the stone which the builders disallowed — Namely, the Jewish chief-priests, elders, and scribes, called builders, because it was their office to build up the church of God among the Jews. See on Psalm 118:22 . But they rejected the stone here spoken of, and would give it no place in the building; the same is made the head of the corner — And all their opposition to it is vain.

It is not only placed at the foot of the corner, to support the two sides of the building erected upon it, but at the head of the corner, to fall upon and grind to powder those that reject it; and, as the same prophet elsewhere speaks, a stone of stumbling, and rock of offence — Namely, to the unbelieving and disobedient. Thus Simeon, ( Luke 2:34 ;) This child is set for the fall as well as the rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be spoken against; a prediction awfully fulfilled. Even to them which stumble, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed — This translation of the clause seems to imply that those who are disobedient were appointed to be so; but the original does not convey that sense, but is literally rendered, Who, disobeying the word, stumble, to which also they were appointed: that is, those who disobey the word are appointed to stumble, namely, at the stone of stumbling here spoken of, according to the prediction of Isaiah, Isaiah 8:14-15 ; He shall be for a sanctuary, but for a stone of stumbling, &c ., to both the houses of Israel; that is, to those that are unbelieving and disobedient; and many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and snared, and taken. This is what God has appointed, that they who reject Christ shall stumble at him, and fall into misery and ruin: or, that he who believeth not shall be damned: the unalterable decree of the God of heaven.

It is contained (περιέχει) From περί, round about, and ἔχω, to hold. Hence, to contain or comprehend. So Luke 5:9, he was astonished (θάμβος αὐτὸν περιέσχεν) ; lit., astonishment held him, encompassed. Also, Acts 23:25, "He wrote a letter after this manner (περιέχουσαν τὸν τύπον τοῦτον) ; lit., containing this form. The verb here is impersonal. The kindred word περιοχή occurs only in Acts 8:32, rendered place; i.e., the passage of scripture: either the contents of the passage or the section of the book circumscribed or marked off. In the scripture (ἐν γραφῇ) The best texts reject the article. Γραφή means a passage of scripture. See on Mark 12:10. Hence Rev., in scripture; margin, in a scripture. Behold I lay, etc See Romans 9:33. Precious See on 1 Peter 2:4.

1 Peter 2:6 . Περιέχει , it is contained ) Used here as an impersonal verb.— ἰδοὺ , behold ) See Romans 9:33 , note.— ἐκλεκτὸν , ἔντιμον , elect, precious ) Elect , has special reference to the stone; precious, to the chief corner-stone . In Hebrew אבן , a stone בחן פנת יקרת מוסד מוסד of searching out, a corner-stone of preciousness, most firmly laid. The term elect is also used of believers, 1 Peter 2:9 . From the word precious is derived the word ἡ τιμὴ , the preciousness, the price, 1 Peter 2:7 .— ὁ πιστεύων , he that believeth) From this is derived the word believing [unto you who believe], 1 Peter 2:7 — οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ , shall not be put to shame) He shall experience that the preciousness of Christ abounds towards him (whilst) believing.

Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture: the Greek word being of an active form, makes great difference among expositors about these words; not to trouble the reader with variety, the plainest way of understanding them seems to be, either: 1. That God be understood here, and supplied out of the former verse: Wherefore God contains it in the Scripture: or: 2. That the word, though of an active termination, be yet taken in a passive signification, contains, for is contained; so our translators do, and this way of speaking is not unusual with other writers. Behold, I; I the Lord, not man, Psalm 118:23 . Lay in Sion; viz. by the preaching of the gospel, wherein Christ was declared to be the only foundation of the church, and whereby faith was wrought in the hearts of men, who were thereby actually built on Christ, as their foundation, and so the spiritual house, 1 Peter 2:5 , erected. Sion; either by synecdoche, Jerusalem, (whereof Sion was a part), where by the preaching of Christ first, and the apostles after his ascension, and sending the Spirit, this foundation stone was first laid, and God’s temple begun to be built, Psalm 110:2 Isaiah 2:3 Micah 4:2 Luke 24:47 . Or rather, Sion here is to be understood of the gospel church, whereof Sion was a type.

A chief corner-stone; or, Head of the corner, Psalm 118:22 ; that which both supports the building, and unites the parts; Christ being the foundation not of a part only, but of the whole church; all the parts of which, Gentile, as well as Jew, are jointly built on him, and upheld by him, Ephesians 2:20 . Elect, precious: see 1 Peter 2:5 . And he that believeth on him shall not be confounded; shall not be disappointed of his expected salvation, and so shall have no cause to be ashamed of his hope. This is according to the LXX., the Hebrew hath it, shall not make haste, i.e. he that believes in Christ shall not through haste, or distrust, or unwillingness to wait God’s time and way, seek after any other way of salvation than by Christ; and so (as before) not being disappointed, shall have no cause to be ashamed; whereas they that do not believe, but make haste, coming short of their expectation, are at last filled with confusion. {See Isaiah 28:16 Romans 9:33}

1 Peter 2:6 . περιέχει ἐν γραφῇ , it is contained in Scripture . The formula occurs in Josephus (Ant. xi. 7, βούλομαι γενέσθαι πάντα καθὼς ἐν [ τῇ ἐπιστολῇ ] περιέχει ) and is chosen for its comprehensiveness.— περιέχει is intransitive as the simple verb and other compounds often are; cf. περιοχή , contents , Acts 8:32 .— γραφῇ . being a technical term, has no article.— ἰδοὺ … καταισχυνθῇ , formal quotation of Isaiah 28:16 , preceding quotation from Psalms, as prophets always precede the writings. The LXX has ἰδοὺ ἐμβάλλω ἐγὼ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια (unique expansion of normal θεμελιῶ = יסד of Heb., cf. εἰς τὰ θ . below; Targum, ממני I will appoint ) Σειὼν λίθον πολυτελῆ ( π . duplicate of ἔντιμον ; Heb., a stone a stone ; Targum, a king a king ; pointing to Jewish Messianic interpretation) ἐκλεκτὸν ἀκρ . ἔντ . εἰς τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς ( a foundation a foundation , Heb.) καὶ ὁ πιστεύων (+ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ [148] AQ) οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ (= יבוש for יחיש of Heb. = shall not make haste ; Targum, when tribulation come shall not be moved ). The chief difference is that St. Peter omits all reference to the foundation , and substitutes τίθημι ; LXX is conflate, ἐμβάλλω εἰς being the original reading and τὰ θεμ . added by some purist to preserve the meaning of the Hebrew root.

This omission may be due to the fact that Christians emphasised the idea that the stone was a corner stone binding the two wings of the Church together ( Ephesians 2:20 ) and regarded this as inconsistent with εἰς κεφ . [148] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.