First Peter

Chapter 2

Blaine Robison, M.A.

Published 23 March 2025 (in progress)

Chapter 1 | 3 | 4 | 5

Scripture Text: The Scripture text of First Peter used in this commentary is prepared by Blaine Robison and based on the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament. The essentially literal translation seeks to reflect the Jewish character of the author and writing. See my article The Jewish New Testament. Other Scripture quotations may be taken from published versions. Click here for Abbreviations of Bible Versions. Quotations marked with the initials "BR" indicate the translation of the commentary author.

Sources: Bibliographic data for works cited may be found at the end of the chapter commentary. Works without page numbers are cited ad loc. Important early Jewish sources include the following:

● DSS: the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of Jewish manuscripts of Scripture and sectarian documents found in the Qumran caves. Most of the Qumran MSS belong to the last three centuries B.C. and the first century A.D. Online: DSS Bible; Vermes.

● LXX: The abbreviation "LXX" ("70") stands for the Septuagint, the Jewish translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, in use among Jews by the mid-2nd century B.C. Online. The LXX also included the Apocrypha, Jewish works produced from 400 B.C. to A.D. 1. Online.

● Josephus: The Works of Flavius Josephus (c. 75–99 A.D.), Jewish historian, trans. William Whiston (1737). Online.

● Philo: Works by Philo of Alexandria, the Jewish philosopher (20 B.C.─A.D. 50), consisting of 45 monographs. Online.

● Targums: Aramaic translation of Hebrew Scripture with commentary: Targum Onkelos (A.D. 80-120), and Targum Jonathan (A.D. 150-250). Index of Targum texts.

● Talmud: References to the Talmud are from the Soncino Babylonian Talmud (1948); found at Halakhah.com. The Talmud incorporates the Mishnah, Jewish laws (A.D. 180-220) and the Gemara, legal analysis (A.D. 220-500). Click here for Talmud Abbreviations.

Syntax: Unless otherwise noted definition of Greek words is from F.W. Danker, The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (2009), and definition of Hebrew words is from The New Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (1981), abbreviated as "BDB." See the Greek Guide for the meaning of grammar abbreviations.

Special Terms: In order to emphasize the Hebrew and Jewish nature of Scripture I use the terms Yeshua (Jesus), Messiah (Christ), ADONAI (for YHVH), Torah (Pentateuch, Law), Tanakh (Old Testament), and Besekh (New Testament).

Please see the General Introduction to the letters of Peter and the Introduction to First Peter for background information on the letter.

Chapter Outline

Call to Spiritual Growth, 2:1-3

Call to Holy Priesthood, 2:4-10

Call to Submission, 2:11-20

Call to Walk as Messiah, 2:21-25

Call to Spiritual Growth, 2:1-3

1 Therefore having put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisies and envies and all slanders.

Therefore: Grk. oun, an inferential conj., which is used here to indicate a conclusion connected with data immediately preceding, 'so, therefore, consequently, then.' The conjunction connects the following exhortation to the previous chapter. having put away: Grk. apotithēmi, pl. aor. mid. part., to put off, put away, lay aside or rid oneself of. Its regular usage pertained to removing articles of clothing, especially in preparation for work, athletic activities, or religious rituals. Here the verb has an application to spiritual formation resulting from the removal of the following five sinful habits and adopting a new way of life in Messiah (cf. Rom 13:12; Eph 4:22; Col 3:8; Heb 12:1; Jas 1:21).

all: Grk. pas, adj., comprehensive in scope, but without statistical emphasis; all, every. malice: Grk. kakia, moral offensiveness, whether as a general disposition or having malicious attitude toward others. In the LXX kakia is used to translate Heb. ra, bad, evil, or wicked, first in Genesis 6:5 for the evil inclination that pervaded the antediluvian culture. and: Grk. kai, conj. that marks a connection or addition of words or numbers ('and, also'), as well as the introduction of clauses or sentences, sometimes with emphasis ('certainly, even, indeed, namely'). See my note on the significance of conjunctions in the Besekh.

all: Grk. pas. deceit: Grk. dolos, cunning that relies on deception for effectiveness; craftiness, deceit. and: Grk. kai. hypocrisies: pl. of Grk. hupokrisis, playing a role as in a theatrical production and used as a figure of speech for pretense or duplicity. The term may denote a discrepancy between an outward emphasis on piety and the inner spiritual condition. Yeshua accused certain Pharisees and religious leaders of manifesting this character defect (Matt 23:28; Mark 12:15; Luke 12:1). Most versions translate the plural noun as singular, but Peter likely uses the plural of this noun and the two following to emphasize different forms of evil conduct that result from malice and deceit.

and: Grk. kai. envies: pl. of Grk. phthonos, can mean to bear ill-will of a general kind, but more often to express the envy which makes one man grudge another something which he himself desires, but does not possess. Envy is included in Paul's list of works of the flesh (Gal 5:21) where it is also plural. Generally speaking envy may be defined as a feeling of discontent due to perceived advantages, possessions or success of another person and desiring that same thing for oneself. The desire can lead to a jealousy of an embittered mind and consider God at fault for allowing the disparity in advantages to exist at all. Then, instead of trying to raise oneself to the level of the one with the perceived advantage, the envious one desires to depress the envied one to his own level.

and: Grk. kai. all: Grk. pas. slanders: pl. of Grk. katalalia, verbal attack, disparagement, slander. The term refers to the act of speaking ill of someone, often behind their back, with the intent to harm their reputation. It encompasses malicious gossip and defamation. Such behavior that is contrary to the virtues of love, kindness, and truthfulness. Peter makes an incredible claim about the character of his readers before they experienced the transformation of the new birth. The five evil activities listed by Peter point to dominance of the evil inclination. Yeshua made similar accusations of Judean leaders in Matthew 23.

2 Like newborn babies crave the reasonable, pure milk, so that by it you may grow up into salvation,

Like: Grk. hōs, adv. with the primary function of connecting narrative components, here with focus on the idea of a pattern or model; (just) as, (just) like, similar to, in the manner of. newborn: Grk. artigennētos, adj., just born, newly-born. The adjective occurs only here in the Besekh. babies: pl. of Grk. brephos may refer to (1) unborn offspring, or (2) a newborn or very young child. The second meaning applies here. Bible versions render the noun variously as babes, babies or infants. The phrase "newborn babies" denotes spiritual immaturity. crave: Grk. epipotheō, aor. imp., have a strong desire for; long for, strain after, desire greatly, have affection for.

the reasonable: Grk. ho logikos, adj., characterized by careful thinking, or thoughtful. The word occurs only twice in the Besekh, the other in Romans 12:1 (see my comment there). In secular Greek philosophy logikos was used to describe man as a rational being and the rational principle governing the universe (LSJ). In apostolic use logikos emphasizes an internal orientation that is thoughtful and aligned with divine truth, contrasting with mere ritualistic practices. A number of versions translate the adjective as "spiritual" (CEV, ESV, GNB, HCSB, NET, NIV, NJB, NLT, NRSV, OJB, RSV, TLV).

However, Peter used logikos, not pneumatikos (verse 5 below). Some versions translate the adjective as "of the word" (AMP, CSB, CEB, CJB, KJV, MW, NASB, NKJV), for which there is no immediate antecedent, but commentators assume it to be found in the previous chapter (1:23-25). We should note that the Greek expression "Word of God" (Grk. logou Theou), which occurs in 1:23 is not in this verse, nor is the word for "Scripture" (Grk. graphē), which is in verse 6 below. The point of the adjective is to emphasize what is grasped with divine wisdom.

pure: Grk. adolos, adj., unadulterated, uncontaminated, pure. The adjective occurs only here in the Besekh. milk: Grk. gala, the liquid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals, serving for the nourishment of their young. A number of versions insert "of the Word," assuming Peter was talking about Scripture (CEB, CJB, CSB, KJV, LSB, NASB, NKJV). Stern interprets "milk" as alluding to the Word of God, which can mean (1) the written Scripture (1Pet 1:23-24), (2) the good news (1:25), (3) Yeshua (1:23, 2:4), (4) true doctrine, or (5) all of these.

Peter likely borrowed the concept from Paul who wrote about giving milk to the disciples in Corinth (1Cor 3:2), which he later defined as the elementary principles of the oracles of God (Heb 5:12). Milk refers to the essential elements of the good news proclaimed to the Jewish people and the basic conditions of discipleship. See my article The Original Gospel.

so that: Grk. hina, conj. used to add an idea that completes an intention expressed, in order that, so that, that. by: Grk. en, prep., generally used to mark position, lit. "in" or "within," but also, as here, to mark the instrument or means by or with which anything is accomplished, owing to the influence of the Hebrew preposition בְּ (Thayer). it: Grk. autos, an intensive personal pronoun used to distinguish a person or thing from or contrast it with another, or to give him (it) emphatic prominence. The pronoun may mean (1) self, (2) he, she, it, or (3) the same. The second meaning applies here, alluding to the milk.

you may grow up: Grk. auxanō, aor. pass. subj., cause to become greater in extent or amount; grow, increase. In this context the verb alludes to the developmental growth and maturation from infancy (cf. Luke 1:80; 2:40). into: Grk. eis, prep. that focuses on entrance, frequently in relation to direction and limit. salvation: Grk. sōtēria means deliverance, preservation, safety, or salvation, whether from enemies or physical harm, but often from God's wrath (Rom 5:9; 1Cor 5:5). In the religious sense sōtēria is deliverance from both the curse and consequences of sin. Salvation is a present experience, but also a future goal (1Pet 1:5, 9).

The clause "grow up into salvation" may be comparable to the phrase "grow up into grace" (2Pet 3:18), which is accomplished by increasing knowledge of the Lord and Savior. Peter may be engaging in a play on words here since Yeshua's name means salvation. Disciples may "grow up" into salvation since sōtēria is not just about the initial deliverance from the consequences of sin but more importantly the preservation of spiritual life and enjoying the benefits of being a citizen in Messiah's kingdom.

Textual Note

Metzger notes that the Textus Receptus, the Greek text on which the KJV is based, omits eis sōtēria either through an oversight in copying or because the idea of "growing into salvation" was theologically unacceptable.

3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Reference: Psalm 34:8 (LXX; MT).

if: Grk. ei, conj., a contingency marker that expresses a condition, thought of as real, or to denote assumptions (i.e. viewed as factual for the sake of argument); here the former; if, whether. It's important to remember that Peter is writing to congregations in five different provinces, perhaps as many as fifteen, and at the time of this writing he does not know the spiritual condition of every member. When the letter is read to each congregation Peter's admonition essentially means "if the shoe fits…." Peter then quotes from David's exhortation in Psalm 34.

you have tasted: Grk. geuomai, aor. mid., 2p-pl., partake of something by mouth, whether liquid or solid. In the LXX geuomai translates Heb. taam, which means to taste in the physical sense but also has the figurative meaning of discernment or judgment. In this context the verb alludes to having a personal experience of partaking of the pure milk mentioned in the previous verse. that: Grk. hoti, conj., versatile particle used primarily to introduce clauses that provide explanations, reasons, or content; here introducing a subordinate clause as complementary of the preceding verb.

the Lord: Grk. ho kurios generally means the owner of possessions. In the vernacular kurios was used to refer to persons of high or respected position, addressed as "sir," "lord" or "master," but especially as a designation for God. In the LXX kurios occurs over 9,000 times. In the great majority of instances, as in the quoted verse, kurios replaces the Heb. YHVH, the sacred name revealed to Moses (Ex 3:14). is good: Grk. chrēstos, adj. (from chráomai, "to furnish what is suitable, useful"), benevolent, good, kind, serviceable or useful. In the LXX of the quoted verse chrēstos translates Heb tov, which has the same range of meaning.

Lauding the goodness of ADONAI is a frequent affirmation in the Tanakh (Ex 18:9; 1Kgs 8:66; 2Chr 7:10; Ps 23:6; 27:13; 100:5; 135:3; 145:9; Jer 33:11; Lam 3:25; Nah 1:7). The Lord's goodness is manifested in His covenantal faithfulness and in the context of Psalm 34 His deliverance from fears and dangers.

Works Cited

BAG: Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. trans. W.F. Arndt & F.W. Gingrich. The University of Chicago Press, 1957.

BDB: The New Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. London: Oxford University Press, 1907. Reprinted by Associated Publishers and Authors, Inc., 1981. Online.

DM: H.E. Dana & Julius R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament. The Macmillan Co., 1955.

Danker: F.W. Danker, The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, University of Chicago Press, 2009.

DNTT: Dictionary of New Testament Theology. 3 Vols., ed. Colin Brown. Zondervan Publishing House, 1975.

Fruchtenbaum: Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Ariel's Bible Commentary: The Messianic Jewish Epistles. Ariel Ministries, 2005.

Gesenius: Friedrich Wilhelm Gesenius (1786-1842), Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. Trans. Samuel P. Tregelles (1846). Baker Book House, 1979. Online.

Marshall: I. Howard Marshall, 1 Peter. InterVarsity Press, 1991. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series.

Metzger: Bruce Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. 2nd ed. United Bible Societies, 1994.

Mounce: William D. Mounce, Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament. 2011. Online.

Rienecker: Fritz Rienecker, A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, Vol. 2. Zondervan Pub. House, 1980.

Robertson: Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, 6 Vols. Broadman Press, 1933. (Parsons CD-ROM Version 2.0, 1997)

Santala: Risto Santala, The Messiah in the New Testament in the Light of Rabbinical Writings. Trans. William Kinnaird. Keren Ahvah Meshihit, 1992. Online.

Stern: David Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary. Jewish New Testament Publications, 1996.

Tarn & Griffith: Sir William Tarn and G.T. Griffith, Hellenistic Civilization. 3^rd Edition. Edward Arnold Publishers, Ltd., 1952.

Thayer: Joseph Henry Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Harper Brothers, 1889. online.