1 Peter 2:1-3 “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit [guile – KJV], hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

 

It is interesting to note the definition of a few of these words that we may use, but not stop to think about what they actually mean.

 

Malice – 1. Desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness: the malice and spite of a lifelong enemy.

“malice.” Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 01 Mar. 2008. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/malice>.

 

Envy – 1. A feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another’s advantages, success, possessions, etc.

“envy.” Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 01 Mar. 2008. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/envy>.

The definition of envy is especially intriguing to me. I never really thought about what envy really is. Sure I “know” what envy is. It is bad, something you are not supposed to have. According to this definition it is a feeling of discontent when you see someone else that is better off. How easily we fall into this and perhaps not even know it.

 

2 “Like newborn babies, crave pure [sincere] spiritual milk [of the word – KJV], so that by it you may grow up in[to] your salvation, 3 if indeed [now that – NIV] you have tasted the Lord is good [gracious].”

 

As a result of all the preceding truth we must rid ourselves of ALL malice, ALL deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander; ALL being the key word. There is no place for any of those things in the life of God’s elect, those that are being sanctified by the Spirit and Sprinkled (purified) by the blood of Christ. If we’re to obey Christ these things cannot be present. One commentary I read also points out that this list of sins is a progression and they are all sins that go against the previously commanded brotherly love.

 

 

“The vices here are those which offend against the BROTHERLY LOVE inculcated above. Each succeeding one springs out of that which immediately precedes…Out of malice springs guile; out of guile, hypocrises (pretending to be what we are not, and not showing what we really are; the opposite of “love unfeigned,” and “without dissimulation”); out of hypocrisies, envies of those to whom we think ourselves obliged to play the hypocrite; out of envies, evil-speaking, malicious, envious detraction of others. Guile is the permanent disposition; hypocrisies the acts flowing from it. The guileless knows no envy. Compare 1Pe 2:2 , “sincere,” Greek, “guileless.” “Malice delights in another’s hurt; envy pines at another’s good; guile imparts duplicity to the heart; hypocrisy (flattery) imparts duplicity to the tongue; evil-speakings wound the character of another” [AUGUSTINE].”

 

How do we get rid of them? Not under our own power. Remember we’re being sanctified by work of the spirit and are purified by the blood of Christ! So we’re to crave pure spiritual truths rather than these sins. We are to crave them as a newborn baby desires milk. A baby may not fully understand why he wants or needs milk, but that does not lessen the intensity of his desire. So as babies we should desire these things, no matter if we understand fully at the time or not. They are ultimately for our growth. As we grow we can begin enjoying the milk more and understand more fully its composition, source, and function in our lives. Also, we can begin to chew on bigger and better Filet Mignon type truths, yet still relying on the milk to wash it down.

 

In the King James, the milk is described “as of the word.” The commentary I referred previously has this to say about that phrase:

 

“of the word–Not as ALFORD, “spiritual,” nor “reasonable,” as English Version in Rom 12:1 . The Greek “logos” in Scripture is not used of the reason, or mind, but of the WORD; the preceding context requires that “the word” should be meant here; the adjective “logikos” follows the meaning of the noun logos, “word.” Jam 1:21 , “Lay apart all filthiness . . . and receive with meekness the engrafted WORD,” is exactly parallel, and confirms English Version here.”

 

This is so we cannot be confused about what the milk actually is. It is the Word of God.

 

We are to grow up in our salvation as the ESV says. What does this mean? Perhaps understanding more fully what we have been saved from, our purpose now that we are saved, and understanding the loving God who saved us more and more. As we grow we understand more truth and as a result, love God more.

 

This last verse some what puzzles me. There has to be more hidden here. The NIV says, “now that…” while the ESV & KJV say something along the lines of “if…” Now to me these are quite different. When I looked up the words the KJV uses (Strong’s # 1512) if indeed, since and if after all were listed. Also, it is used in other places as thought, seeing, and if so be that. The commentaries I looked at said nothing of this part…interesting.

 

I looked up the definition of taste using the Strong’s number and found this: to feel, make trial of, experience. So when we taste these things we experience, we feel, we test that the Lord is good. And as Chuck Smith points out, it tastes just whets the appetite. So this taste of the Lord’s goodness just causes us to desire more.

 

Elsewhere in scripture we are commanded to taste of the Lord’s goodness:

“Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him.”

Application

  • Rid ourselves of all these sins that work against the brotherly love commanded in the previous passage. These are malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
  • Crave the word, the pure, nourishing milk of God’s word.
  • Drink the word and grow.
  • Taste and see that the Lord is good.
  • Experience His goodness.

 

“Whosoever has not tasted the word to him it is not sweet it has not reached the heart; but to them who have experienced it, who with the heart believe, ‘Christ has been sent for me and is become my own: my miseries are His, and His life mine,’ it tastes sweet” [LUTHER].

 

The commentary I referred to: Jamieson, Robert; A.R. Fausset; and David Brown. “The First Epistle General of Peter.” Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Blue Letter Bible. 19 Feb 2000.