Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Ye also, as lively stones - partaking of the name and life which is in "THE LIVING STONE" (1 Peter 2:4). Many names which pre-eminently belong to Christ are assigned to Christians in a lower sense. He is "THE Son," "High Priest," "King," "Lamb:" they, "sons," "priests," "kings," "lambs." So the Shulamite from Solomon (Song of Solomon 6:13) (Bengel). Are built up, х oikodomeisthe (G3618)] - 'are being built up,' as Ephesians 2:22. Not as Alford, 'Be ye built up.' Peter grounds his exhortations, 1 Peter 2:2; 1 Peter 2:11, etc., on their consciousness of being living stones in the course of being built up into a spiritual house (i:e., the temple of the Spirit).
Priesthood. Christians are at once the temple and the priests х hieron (G2411) (the sacred place) expresses the whole building, including the courts wherein the sacrifice was killed; and naos (G3485) (the dwelling, namely, of God), the inner shrine wherein God peculiarly manifested Himself: where, in the Holiest, the blood of the sacrifice was presented before Him]. All believers alike, not merely ministers, are now the dwelling of God [and are called naos, not hieron], and priests unto God (Revelation 1:6). The minister is not, like the Jewish priest х hiereus (G2409)], nearer God than the people, but merely for order's sake leads their spiritual services. Priest is the abbreviation of presbyter, not corresponding to the Aaronic priest х hiereus (G2409)], who offered literal sacrifices. Christ is the only literal Hiereus-priest in the New Testament: through Him alone we may always draw near to God. Compare 1 Peter 2:9, "a royal priesthood." The Spirit never applies hiereus (G2409), sacerdotal priest, to Gospel ministers.
Spiritual sacrifices - not the literal one of the mass, as Rome's self-called disciples of Peter teach. Compare Isaiah 56:7, with "accountable to God" here; Isaiah 19:21; Psalms 4:5; Psalms 50:14; Psalms 51:17; Psalms 51:19; Hosea 14:2; Philippians 4:18. 'The foremost of spiritual sacrifices is the oblation of ourselves (Romans 12:1). For never can we offer anything to God until we have offered ourselves (2 Corinthians 8:5). Then follow prayers, giving of thanks, alms-deeds, and all exercises of piety' (Calvin). Christian houses of worship are never called temples, because the temple was for sacrifice, which has no place in the Christian dispensation; the Christian "temple" is the congregation of spiritual worshippers. The synagogue (where reading of Scripture and prayer constituted the worship) was the model of the Christian house of worship (note, James 2:2; Acts 15:21). Our sacrifices are prayer, praise, and self-denying services to Christ (1 Peter 2:9, end).
By Jesus Christ - as our mediating High Priest before God. Connect with "offer up." Christ is precious Himself, and makes us accepted (Bengel). As the temple, so the priesthood, is built on Christ (1 Peter 2:4-5) (Beza). Imperfect as are our services, we are not with unbelieving timidity, or refined self-righteousness, to doubt their acceptance THROUGH CHRIST. After extolling the dignity of Christians, he goes back to CHRIST, its sole source.