1Pe 2:1-10 | TNotes

2:2 ^a Believers, who have been “born again” (1:23 ^b), are to be like newborn babies in naturally and regularly craving pure spiritual milk. Elsewhere in the New Testament, milk (in contrast to solid food) stands for elementary Christian teaching (1 Cor 3:2 ^c; Heb 5:12-13 ^d). This does not imply that Peter’s readers are new believers, however; here, it probably refers to God’s word in general.
2:3 ^e now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness: The words are taken from Ps 34:8 ^f. Peter quotes this psalm again in 1 Pet 3:10-12 ^g.
Summary for 1Pet 2:4-10: 2:4-10 ^h Throughout the letter, Peter encourages the suffering believers by reminding them of their exalted spiritual status. In this paragraph, he presents the Christian community as the new temple built on the foundation of Christ, and as heirs of the blessings granted to God’s covenant people. 2:4 ⁱ rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor: This is an allusion to Ps 118:22 ^j, which is quoted in 1 Pet 2:7 ^k.
2:5 ^l God’s people themselves constitute the spiritual temple where God dwells (1 Cor 3:16 ^m). Jesus compared his body to a “temple” (John 2:19-22 ⁿ), and the church is called the “body of Christ” (Eph 4:12 ^o). God no longer manifests himself in a particular place but in the people who belong to him and praise his goodness (see 1 Pet 2:10 ^p).

• As God’s holy priests in the new covenant, Christians offer not animal sacrifices but spiritual sacrifices such as praising God, praying, and doing good (see Rom 12:1 ^q; Heb 13:15-16 ^r).
Summary for 1Pet 2:6-8: 2:6-8 ^s The three Old Testament quotations in these verses each identify Christ as some kind of stone: the cornerstone on which the new temple is built (2:6 ^t); the cornerstone that God, despite peoples’ rejection, has elevated to be the keystone of his redemptive plan (2:7 ^u); and the stone that makes people stumble (2:8 ^v). Jesus quotes Ps 118:22 ^w (Matt 21:42 ^x), and Paul quotes both Isa 8:14 ^y and 28:16 ^z (Rom 9:33 ^aa). Likely these three quotations were brought together very early as a combined Old Testament testimony to the nature and significance of Jesus the Messiah.
2:8 ^ab they meet the fate that was planned for them (literally for which they were appointed): It is not clear whether these people were appointed by God to unbelief or whether they were, because of their unbelief, appointed by God to suffer condemnation.
2:9 ^ac Peter applies descriptions of the Israelites in the Old Testament (see, e.g., Exod 19:5-6 ^ad) to his primarily Gentile audience, indicating that they—like all Christians—are truly God’s people in the new covenant era.