A New House and a New Name

A Study through 1 & 2 Peter

Opening Context

A Living Stone and a Holy People
1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. —1 Peter 2:1–3

Chapter 2 continues the thought from chapter 1.

23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; —1 Peter 1:23 (ESV)

I. A New House

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. —1 Peter 2:4–5 (ESV)

Christ – the living stone that is submitted to or stumbled over.

“You yourselves” – also living stones; being built up into a spiritual house.

Two things are being built up:

You, me, etc. (Will happen if we cooperate with the Spirit)

The spiritual house. (Will happen by the sovereignty of God)

Why is this necessary?

Peter sites Isaiah 28:16-17 but the answer to this question is actually found in the
previous verses.

A Cornerstone in Zion
14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers,
who rule this people in Jerusalem!
15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
and with Sheol we have an agreement,
when the overwhelming whip passes through
it will not come to us,
for we have made lies our refuge,
and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;

The heart of Israel’s leadership (temple leadership) (ruling elite) were corrupt. —Isaiah 28:14–15 (ESV)

21 “I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. —Amos 5:21–24 (ESV)

So, now (in the New Covenant) the old “house” (temple) will be torn down and a new “house” build with people and Christ as the Cornerstone.

He (Christ) is our standard of righteousness.

“So…; because of this…”

A Living Stone and a Holy People
1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. —1 Peter 2:1–5 (ESV)

ἀποτίθημι (apotithēmi) – lay aside; take off (used with changing garments; taking them off).

Peter likens those in Christ in two ways: 1) “like Living Stones” and 2: “like Newborn infants”.

Peter declares that those in Christ seek growth/maturity!

Put away malice

Put away deceit

Put away hypocrisy

Put away slander

Peter declares that those who “indeed” have tasted of the Lord, “long for pure spiritual milk”.

This is not “milk” as Paul speaks of milk v. meat.

Peter is using milk as the necessary agent for growth for those in Christ!

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. —1 Peter 2:8 (ESV)

II. A New Name

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. —1 Peter 2:9–10 (ESV)

ἐκλεκτός – chosen; elect.
γένος (genos) – nation; people; class; kind.

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” —Romans 8:15 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called (κλητός klētos) according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. —Romans 8:28–30 (ESV)

“Called” (klētos); the root of klētos is kaleō which means to call; name.

The significant of “calling” is seen throughout scripture!

Abram to Abraham (Exalted father to father of multitudes)

Jacob to Israel (Deceiver to God preserves)

Zion’s Coming Salvation
1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.
2 The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the LORD will give. —Isaiah 62:1–2 (ESV)

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” —Acts 4:12 (ESV)

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. —Acts 2:37–38 (ESV)

The “chosen elect” are those who have received or been “called” (kalēo) (named).
The “chosen elect” bare the name of Jesus!

The River of Life
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. —Revelation 22:1–4 (ESV)