Baby Rocks Hewn from the Living Stone

I Peter 2:2-10, the epistle reading for the Fifth Sunday of Easter in the Year of Mark, continues our reading through the book of First Peter in this season.  This passage is loaded with Old Testament metaphors, curious because we understand that this letter was not written to Jews, but quite likely to Gentiles mainly.  Be that as it may, the language is rich both in Law and Gospel.  It shall be the preacher's task to lift up both.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are only an avenue for exploring the function of the Word, a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  As the Word functions in the text, so should the Word function in the sermon.  For more on this method and Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  There is plenty of evidence of both Law and Gospel in this short text.  The Word functions as Gospel whenever we hear what God is doing to save: "a living stone...chosen and precious in God's sight, "a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame, "but you are chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people."  The Word functions as Law whenever it exposes our need for a Savior:  "a living stone, rejected by mortals, "The stone the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner," and "A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall, "Once you were not a people... once you had not received mercy."

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are the "newborn infants" who are exhorted to "long for pure spiritual milk."  We are those who "have tasted that the Lord is good."  We are those who are being built into "a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God."  In short, we are the ones addressed by this text of Law and Gospel.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  Like many other passages in I Peter, in addition to Law and Gospel, the Word also functions here to invite the listeners to live in response to God's grace.  The exhortation to "let yourselves be built into a spiritual house," is a classic call to obedience.  We are those who have tasted the goodness of the Lord, now we are exhorted to let God do the work of building us up in faith.  We were not saved for our own sake alone, but "in order that [we] might proclaim the mighty acts of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light."

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The presence of clear Law/Gospel language in this text offers a number of appropriate couplets:  rejected/chosen; unbelief/belief; no people/God's people; had not received mercy/have received mercy.

5.  Exegetical work:  Pheme Perkins, in her commentary, has lifted up some of the many OT references which I Peter calls on.  They come mainly from the prophet Isaiah and the book of Exodus.  Isa 28:6 (v.6)  "And a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate." Psa 118:22 (v.7) "The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone." Isa 8:14 (v.8)  "He will become a sanctuary, a stone one strikes against; for both houses of Israel he will become a rock one stumbles over." Isa 43:20 "a chosen people," Exo 19:6 "a priestly kingdom and a holy nation," Isa 43:21 "the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise." (v.9)  Verses 9b-10 also echo two other prophetic passages:  Isa 9:2, "The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light," and Hos 2:23, "And I will say to Lo-ammi, [Not my people] 'You are my people': and he shall say, 'You are my God'".  (Interpretation series, First and Second Peter, James, and Jude, p. 43)  What is clear in this passage is that the writer is emphasizing again and again the new identity these early believers had in Christ.  They were not to be defined by their state as exiles of the Dispersion (1:1), but rather as children of God, called to be a holy nation, priests to witness to God's glory.

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Although Michael Hoy does not provide a Crossings analysis of this text, his commentary, archived under the reference, is insightful.  He speaks of our identity as "chips off the new block."  In our baptism into Christ, the Living Stone, we become part of this "new block."  Christ is the Rock upon which we can stand.  See the entire commentary at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!