Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Ye also as living stones (kai autoi wv liqoi zwntev). Peter applies the metaphor about Christ as the living stone to the readers, "ye yourselves also."
Are built up a spiritual house (oikodomeisqe oikov pneumatikov). Present passive indicative second person plural of oikodomew, the very verb used by Jesus to Peter in Matthew 16:18 (oikodomhsw) of building his church on the rock. If the metaphor of a house of living stones seems "violent" (Vincent), it should be remembered that Jesus employed the figure of a house of believers. Peter just carried it a bit farther and Paul uses a temple for believers in one place (1 Corinthians 3:16) and for the kingdom of God in general (Ephesians 2:22), as does the author of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:6). This "spiritual house" includes believers in the five Roman provinces of 1 Peter 1:1 and shows clearly how Peter understood the metaphor of Christ in Matthew 16:18 to be not a local church, but the church general (the kingdom of Christ).
To be a holy priesthood (eiv ierateuma agion). Late word (from ierateuw, to serve as priest, Luke 1:8 alone in N.T.), in LXX (Exodus 19:6), in N.T. only here and verse 1 Peter 2:9, either the office of priest (Hort) or an order or body of priests. At any rate, Peter has the same idea of Revelation 1:6 (iereiv, priests) that all believers are priests (Hebrews 4:16) and can approach God directly.
To offer up (anenegkai). First aorist active infinitive (of purpose here) of anaferw, the usual word for offering sacrifices (Hebrews 7:27). Only these are "spiritual" (pneumatikav) as pictured also in Hebrews 13:15 f.
Acceptable (euprosdektouv). Late (Plutarch) double compound verbal adjective (eu, pros, dexomai) as in 2 Corinthians 6:2.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Matthew 16:18
Acts 9:31
1 Corinthians 3:11
Ephesians 2:21
Ephesians 2:22
Hebrews 7:27
1 Peter 1:3
1 Peter 2:9
1 Peter 2:19
1 Peter 4:17
Jude 1:20
Revelation 14:4
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