Verse 3 3If so be that ye have tasted; or, If indeed ye have tasted. He alludes to Psalms 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” But he says that this taste is to be had in Christ, as, doubtless, our souls can find no rest anywhere but in him. But he has drawn the ground of his exhortation from the goodness of God, because his kindness, which we perceive in Christ, ought to allure us; for what follows, read more
Expositions Wherefore laying aside. Those who would wear the white robe of regeneration must lay aside the filthy garments ( Zechariah 3:3 ) of the old carnal life. So St. Paul bids us put off the old man and put on the new ( Ephesians 4:22 , Ephesians 4:24 ; Colossians 3:8 , Colossians 3:10 ; comp. also Romans 13:14 , "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ." The metaphor would be more striking when, at baptism, the old dress was laid aside, and the white chrisom was put on.... read more
The argument so far is as follows: Redemption; this issuing on holiness; that leading to the fear that they should prove to be without redemption; that fear being excited, the test of love is suggested. They are regarded as bearing that test, and proving their possession of life. The next idea is obviously that of growth. I. WE HAVE HERE THE IDEA OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH . 1. That implies life. Only living things can grow. Peter can speak of growth because he calls them... read more
In this "therefore" (Revised Version) our apostle gathers up the argument, perhaps, of all the preceding part of the letter, certainly of the passage immediately preceding this; viz. if we as Christians have begun to live this higher life, how will its early stage manifest himself? So we naturally note— I. SOME OF THE SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL CHILDHOOD . One of the signs that Christian men and women are, what Peter had heard the Lord say they ought to be, like little... read more
I. ITS GROWTH . 1. What must be shunned . St. Paul bids us work out our own salvation. The new birth is the beginning; that comes from God—from his free grace. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." But the new man must grow; and that growth is not spontaneous; it will not evolve itself without effort from the" incorruptible seed." Progress, growth in grace,... read more
I. NEWBORN BABES . 1. Duty conditioning appetite for the Ignorant. "Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings." This duty is connected with the foregoing ("therefore"), as coming under it. As the regenerate, we are to put away all dispositions and manifestations that offend against good brotherhood. We are to put away first, as being the radical vice, all malice (as we should read, with the old translation), i.e. ... read more
As newborn babes . The words look back to 1 Peter 1:3 , 1 Peter 1:23 . God begat them again; they were new-born babes in Christ, they must remember their regeneration. The rabbis used the same metaphor of their proselytes; but the apostle was doubtless thinking of the Savior's words. Desire the sincere milk of the Word. Desire, long for it eagerly ( ἐπιποθήσατε ) , as babes long for milk, their proper food, the only food necessary for them. It seems that in the adjective ... read more
There has just been a reference to regeneration as effected by the incorruptible seed of the Word. The metaphor is carried on in these words, which speak of the nourishment and growth of the regenerate. There does not, however, appear to be any limitation of the injunction of our text to Christians in an early stage. For all stages of the Christian life on earth the food which nourishes is the same. All should be growing, and the most mature is still, when his attainments are contrasted with... read more
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious ; rather, if ye tasted . If ye once tasted the good Word of God ( Hebrews 6:4 , Hebrews 6:5 ), if ye tasted of the heavenly gift which comes through that Word ( 1 Peter 1:23 ), long after it that ye may g-row therein. The "if" does not imply doubt; the apostle supposes that they have once tasted, and urges them, on the ground of that first taste, to long for more. The first experiences of the Christian life stimulate God's people to... read more
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John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:2
Verse 2 2.The sincere milk of the word This passage is commonly explained according to the rendering of Erasmus, “Milk not for the body but for the soul;” as though the Apostle reminded us by this expression that he spoke metaphorically. I rather think that this passage agrees with that saying of Paul, “Be ye not children in understanding, but in malice.” (1 Corinthians 14:20.) That no one might think that infancy, void of understanding and full of fatuity, was commended by him, he in due... read more