An Exposition Of 1 Peter, Part 10: The Perils Of Unbelief

An Exposition of 1 Peter, part 10: The Perils of Unbelief

1 Peter 2:7-8

Introduction

We continue today in our study on 1 Peter. As a way of reminder, we remember that Peter addresses the topic of persecution of the believers. But to use the word “topic” we are greatly understating things. It is a topic when we examine what happens to someone else. But persecution is a personal matter. It ceases to be a mere topic. When we realize that Peter writes this to us also and not just to a group of churches in 5 Roman provinces a long time ago, we realize that suffering happens to us as well. We show sympathy for Christians all over the world who are imprisoned and martyred for their faith. But if that is all we show, then truly we are disconnected from the body. It is as though because we are a hand which is not currently injured that we don’t suffer with the rest of the body when we hit our foot with a sledgehammer by accident. Peter has told us that we must suffer, but that suffering is but for a little while in light of the eternity of Eternal Life in Jesus Christ when He comes in His Kingdom. We may have lost our old identity and family, but we are now part of a new and eternal family. We comfort one another and strengthen each other. Even though we suffer, we are still to be witnessed for Christ in the world.

In today’s text, we are introduced to the peril of unbelief. It serves as an example of what we are not to do. It serves to demonstrate the perils to those who have never been Christians. This is contrasted to the hope we have in Jesus.

Exposition of the Text

Therefore, to you who believe, (He is) precious — Peter sums up the previous verses by reminding the believers that they are precious to Him. The believers are rejected by the world. They are treated by the world as stones which have been rejected and are of no use. Broken rocks are common and have no value. Peter has already told the believers that they were chosen and precious to God. they are living stones built up into a spiritual house. The believers are a holy priesthood which offer up spiritual sacrifices which are well pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. This reminder is used to set up a sharp contrast to those who are not.

But to the unbelievers — The “unbelievers” are set up front in the Greek sentence for emphasis. this also stands in parallel to the “to you” in the previous phrase which is also emphatic. One is either one or the other. the implication, therefore, which will be brought out, is that the comfort and value which God has placed for the believer does not extend to the unbeliever — quite the opposite.

The stone which was rejected by the builders, This One is become the chief cornerstone — Peter had previously quoted Isaiah 28:16 to refer to the believer. Here, Peter quotes Psalm 118:22 to refer to the unbeliever. There are two different words for “cornerstone” used here, but this is following the Greek translation of the two passages. Psalm 118 is a messianic psalm which is foundational to Christian doctrine. It is an interesting psalm in that it mixes joy and sadness. We sing a praise chorus “This is the Day that the LORD has Made” which comes from Psalm 118:24. We also will recognize Psalm 118:26 “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.” These words were quoted by the crowd on the first Palm Sunday and have been adapted into the Catholic and Greek Mass. But here, we have the sad note that the Jewish nation had rejected Him. they were proud of the Temple they had built in Jerusalem which was made with the most precious stone and gold. They did not realize that Jesus had come to erect a new Temple, made of living stones, made of those who believe on Him. this is the Temple the Father has for ever established, not a building in Jerusalem which was made a wonder of the world by Herod the Great. Ironically, shortly after the writing of this epistle, Herod’s Temple would be burnt by the Romans and all the stones taken down to where not one stone would be left upon another.

Even a stone of stumbling and a rock of scandal —This phrase is a parallel construction. “stone of stumbling” and “rock of scandal” are put together. The repetition in other words is not merely for poetic purposes. In this type of parallel construction, we need to look at what the parallel construction adds to the text. When we look at “stone” we should thing of a small rock which we can put in our hand. This is paired with the Greek “petra” which is a very large rock or even a rock formation. In the first phrase, “stumbling” is like one who stubs his toe. In the second phrase, “scandalon” is used. Although it can be used to fall after stumbling on a rock, it is also used as a word for entrapment. We get the word “scandal” from this Greek word. So now we see that the second phrase amplifies the intensity of the first. This tells us that the offense that they took was great, and it became a snare to them. Paul states in 1 Corinthians that the Jews considered Jesus a scandal (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). The message which should have been the greatest joy to the nation of Israel had become the means of great sorrow, their rejection of Jesus would become the cause of their own rejection.