1 Peter 2:4-9 NIV

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:6

Behold, I lay in Sion - This intimates that the foundation of the Christian Church should be laid at Jerusalem; and there it was laid, for there Christ suffered, and there the preaching of the Gospel commenced. A chief corner stone - This is the same as the foundation stone; and it is called here the chief corner stone because it is laid in the foundation, at an angle of the building where its two sides form the ground work of a side and end wall. And this might probably be designed to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:7

Unto you therefore which believe - You, both Jews and Gentiles. He is precious - Ὑμιν ουν ἡ τιμη τοις πιστευουσιν· The honor is to you who believe; i.e. the honor of being in this building, and of having your souls saved through the blood of the Lamb, and becoming sons and daughters of God Almighty. Them which be disobedient - The Jews, who continue to reject the Gospel; that very person whom they reject is head of the corner - is Lord over all, and has all power in the heavens... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:8

A stone of stumbling - Because in him all Jews and Gentiles who believe are united; and because the latter were admitted into the Church, and called by the Gospel to enjoy the same privileges which the Jews, as the peculiar people of God, had enjoyed for two thousand years before; therefore they rejected the Christian religion, they would have no partakers with themselves in the salvation of God. This was the true cause why the Jews rejected the Gospel; and they rejected Christ because he... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:9

Ye are a chosen generation - The titles formerly given to the whole Jewish Church, i.e. to all the Israelites without exception, all who were in the covenant of God by circumcision, whether they were holy persons or not, are here given to Christians in general in the same way; i.e. to all who believed in Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles, and who received baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The Israelites were a chosen or elected race, to be a special... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:4

Verse 4 To whom coming, is not to be referred simply to God, but to him as he is revealed to us in the person of Christ. Now, it cannot be but that the grace of God must powerfully draw us to himself and inflame us with the love of him by whom we obtain a real perception of it. If Plato affirmed this of his Beautiful, of which a shadowy idea only he beheld afar off, much more true is this with regard to God. Let it then be noticed, that Peter connects an access to God with the taste of his... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:5

Verse 5 5.Ye also, as lively or living stones, are built up The verb may be in the imperative as well as in the indicative mood, for the termination in Greek is ambiguous. But in whatever way it is taken, Peter no doubt meant to exhort the faithful to consecrate themselves as a spiritual temple to God; for he aptly infers from the design of our calling what our duty is. We must further observe, that he constructs one house from the whole number of the faithful. For though every one of us is... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:6

Verse 6 6Wherefore also it is contained in Scripture; or, Wherefore also the Scripture contains (20) They who refer the verb “contain” ( περιέχειν) to Christ, and render it “embrace,” because through him all these unite together, wholly depart from the meaning of the Apostle. No better is another exposition, that Christ excels others; for Peter simply intended to quote the testimony of Scripture. (21) He then shews what had been taught by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures, or, which is the same... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:7

Verse 7 7.Unto you therefore which believe God having pronounced Christ to be a precious and a chosen stone, Peter draws the inference that he is so to us. For, no doubt, Christ is there described such as we apprehend him by faith, and such as he proves himself to be by real evidences. We ought, then, carefully to notice this inference: Christ is a precious stone in the sight of God; then he is such to the faithful. It is faith alone which reveals to us the value and excellency of Christ. But... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:8

Verse 8 8Which stumble at the word He points out here the manner in which Christ becomes a stumbling, even when men perversely oppose the word of God. This the Jews did; for though they professed themselves willing to receive the Messiah, yet they furiously rejected him when presented to them by God. The Papists do the same in the present day; they worship only the name of Christ, while they cannot endure the doctrine of the Gospel. Here Peter intimates that all who receive not Christ as... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:9

Verse 9 9But ye are a chosen generation, or race. He again separates them from the unbelieving, lest driven by their example (as it is often the case) they should fall away from the faith. As, then, it is unreasonable that those whom God has separated from the world, should mix themselves with the ungodly, Peter here reminds the faithful to what great honor they had been raised, and also to what purpose they had been called. But with the same high titles which he confers on them, Moses honored... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:9

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:5

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:6

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:8

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Peter 2:9

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