Study of First Peter Lesson
21
Review:
2:2 With vs:2 Peter establishes an analogy to make a point
related to our attitude towards the Word and the importance of spiritual
growth.
- like
newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word,
Then he gives us another command;
we are to long for something in the same manner as the newborn
longs for nourishment.
long for evpipoqe,w
(Aorist act imperative 2nd pl) a word which means to crave, to intensely
desire, and its directed towards an object.
The Object is indicated by the next phrase;
the pure milk of
the word have 2 adjectives to describe the
milk
- First adjective: pure
without deceit, pure, uncontaminated
- Second adjective is logiko,j which is translated here word, but the
word refers to what is rational, reasonable, pertaining to
reason/thinking.
Notice that this word ends in -ikoj which emphasizes
that this word describes a characteristic of ability or fitness.
Therefore would translate this word "spiritual" which describes
our ability or fitness for service and function in life related to the ministry
of the Holy Spirit.
- Milk ga,la is used here to refer to what nourishes, for
the new born it’s what provides the necessary growth
- For the believers Peter is addressing
what is it that provides the necessary growth in life as believers?
It’s a knowledge of the Word which gives us
spiritual wisdom and understanding. That
is spiritual growth as a believer.
so that by it you
may grow in respect to salvation,
- this is a purpose clause, describes the goal for feeding on
the pure spiritual food of divine viewpoint - spiritual growth
- but like Paul in Phil 2:12 where he exhorted them to carry
their salvation to its logical goal and objective. Peter is doing the same thing here!
Summary
2:2
1. The
majority of those believers that Peter is writing to are not new believers.
2. Peter's focus is that even though you
may not be a new believer your positive volition towards the Word, that is your
desire to hear the Word should be just as intense and tenacious as the new born
baby is to be fed regularly.
3. Peter first exhorts
us to clear the deck, putting aside those sins that will readily disrupt
relationships within the local church.
4. We can set up an
equation that describes what Peter is exhorting here:
putting aside + intensely desiring the pure spiritual
milk = growth
5. Since we have been born again by an eternal
imperishable seed we should have an intense desire to pursue the truths of the
Word of God which will provide us a strong foundation for daily living.
6. Your personal appetite for the divine nourishment of
the Word is directly reflected in your life and the decisions you make each day
if it forms the frame of reference from which you make the necessary decisions.
<2:3> An
incentive for spiritual growth
if you have
tasted the kindness of the Lord.
if = 1cc
(ei + indicative mood of verb) = if and its true
you have tasted here used
figuratively to taste or to savor
- That longing for the truth of the Word has as its
stimulus, its motivation in a past experience, that is, the tasting of the
kindness of the Lord.
- So what is Peter referring to?
the
kindness crhsto,j basic meaning - being well adapted to
fulfill a purpose, i.e. useful, suitable, excellent, kindness or
goodness;
- Look at Titus 3:4-7
Observations
1. This
verse is quote from Psalm 34:8.
2. Jesus Christ tasted death for everyone Heb 2:9.
3. The one who tastes of the goodness in action of the
Lord will not taste death. John
8:51,52
4. Peter's challenge here in this
transition from an emphasis on what Christ has done for us to sustain us so that we can grow to an
emphasis on our foundation as believers should whet our appetites to feed more
and more on Him.