1 Peter 2:3
now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
now that
This phrase indicates a transition or a condition that has been fulfilled. In the context of 1 Peter, it suggests a progression in the spiritual journey of the believers. The Greek word used here, "εἰ," often introduces a condition that is assumed to be true. It implies that the readers have already experienced something significant, setting the stage for the exhortations that follow. This phrase connects the previous encouragements to crave pure spiritual milk with the realization of God's goodness.

you have tasted
The verb "tasted" comes from the Greek "γεύομαι" (geuomai), which means to experience or perceive. This is not merely a superficial or intellectual acknowledgment but a deep, personal experience. In the biblical context, tasting is often used metaphorically to describe experiencing something fully. Psalm 34:8, which Peter likely alludes to, invites believers to "taste and see that the LORD is good." This tasting is an invitation to a deeper relationship with God, moving beyond mere knowledge to a heartfelt encounter with His grace and mercy.

that the Lord
The term "the Lord" refers to Jesus Christ, affirming His divinity and central role in the believer's life. In the New Testament, "Lord" (Greek: "Κύριος," Kyrios) is a title of authority and reverence, acknowledging Jesus as sovereign and divine. This acknowledgment is crucial for the early Christians, who faced persecution and needed to affirm their faith in Christ as the ultimate authority over their lives. Recognizing Jesus as Lord is foundational to Christian identity and practice.

is good
The word "good" translates from the Greek "χρηστός" (chrestos), which means kind, benevolent, or gracious. This goodness is not just moral uprightness but encompasses the kindness and mercy of God. The goodness of the Lord is a recurring theme in Scripture, emphasizing His loving nature and the blessings He bestows upon His people. In the historical context of Peter's audience, who were likely experiencing trials and suffering, this affirmation of God's goodness serves as a source of comfort and hope. It reassures believers that despite their circumstances, God's nature is unchangingly good, and His intentions towards them are always for their ultimate benefit.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Peter
The apostle of Jesus Christ, traditionally believed to be the author of this epistle. He writes to encourage and instruct believers in their faith.

2. The Recipients
Early Christians scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, facing trials and persecution for their faith.

3. The Lord
Refers to Jesus Christ, whose goodness and grace are central to the Christian experience and salvation.
Teaching Points
Experiencing God's Goodness
The phrase "tasted that the Lord is good" suggests an intimate, personal experience with God's grace and kindness. Believers are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences of God's goodness in their lives.

Spiritual Growth and Maturity
Just as tasting leads to a desire for more, experiencing God's goodness should lead to a deeper hunger for spiritual growth and maturity. Believers are called to crave pure spiritual milk to grow in their salvation.

Living as Witnesses
Having tasted the Lord's goodness, Christians are called to live as witnesses to His grace, demonstrating His love and kindness in their interactions with others.

Perseverance in Trials
The context of 1 Peter is one of suffering and persecution. Recognizing the Lord's goodness provides strength and encouragement to persevere through trials.
Bible Study Questions
1. How have you personally "tasted" the goodness of the Lord in your life? Reflect on specific instances and how they have impacted your faith journey.

2. In what ways does experiencing God's goodness motivate you to grow spiritually? Consider practical steps you can take to deepen your relationship with God.

3. How can you share the goodness of the Lord with others in your community? Identify opportunities to be a witness of His grace and love.

4. What challenges or trials are you currently facing, and how can the knowledge of God's goodness help you persevere through them?

5. How does the concept of "tasting" God's goodness relate to other biblical teachings on spiritual nourishment and growth? Consider connections to scriptures like Hebrews 5:12-14 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-2.
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 34:8
This verse invites believers to "taste and see that the Lord is good," which is echoed in 1 Peter 2:3, emphasizing the experiential knowledge of God's goodness.

Hebrews 6:5
Discusses those who have "tasted the goodness of the word of God," relating to the transformative experience of encountering God's truth.

Ephesians 2:8-9
Highlights the grace of God in salvation, which is a demonstration of His goodness that believers have tasted.
A Catalogue of Sins to be AvoidedN. Byfield.1 Peter 2:1-3
A Gracious Experience of GodAbp. Leighton.1 Peter 2:1-3
A Sermon for Men of TasteC. H. Spurgeon.1 Peter 2:1-3
Appetite for Divine Things WantedC. Rogers, LL. D.1 Peter 2:1-3
Appropriate AlimentJ. Halsey.1 Peter 2:1-3
Christian Childhood and its Appropriate NourishmentJ. Leifchild.1 Peter 2:1-3
Christian Experience ExemplifiedEssex Remembrancer1 Peter 2:1-3
Christian GrowthJ. Lillie, D. D.1 Peter 2:1-3
Deep Christian Knowledge to be DesiredJ. Halsey.1 Peter 2:1-3
DesireJ. Trapp.1 Peter 2:1-3
Experience in ReligionN. Caussin.1 Peter 2:1-3
God's Newborn Babes and Their FoodF. B. Meyer, B. A.1 Peter 2:1-3
Growth by the WordW. L. Alexander, D. D.1 Peter 2:1-3
GuileJohn Rogers.1 Peter 2:1-3
Guile in Small Matters as Well as Great to be AvoidedJohn Rogers.1 Peter 2:1-3
HypocrisyJ. Spencer.1 Peter 2:1-3
Hypocrisy IneffectiveC. H. Spurgeon.1 Peter 2:1-3
MaliceJohn Rogers.1 Peter 2:1-3
Malice Laid AsideJohn Rogers.1 Peter 2:1-3
Pernicious and Evil Speaking AbundantW. Arnot.1 Peter 2:1-3
Preservatives Against HypocrisyN. Byfield.1 Peter 2:1-3
RenovationH. Verschoyle.1 Peter 2:1-3
Retaining Infantile IdeasJ. Halsey.1 Peter 2:1-3
Rules Against Evil SpeakingN. Byfield.1 Peter 2:1-3
Soul EvolutionD. Thomas, D. D.1 Peter 2:1-3
Soul GrowthHomilist1 Peter 2:1-3
Spiritual ChildhoodU.R. Thomas 1 Peter 2:1-3
Spiritual DevelopmentJ. J. S. Bird, B. A.1 Peter 2:1-3
Spiritual Growth to be SoughtJ. Halsey.1 Peter 2:1-3
TastingJ. A. Bengel.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Christian Life in Some of its CharacteristicsC. B. Hulbert.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Experimental TestJ. R. Pentecost.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Hatefulness of EnvyN. Byfield.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Influence of Food on Spiritual GrowthJ. Halsey.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Milk of the WordJ. C. Jones, D. D.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Possession of Christian Life Summoning to Spiritual GrowthC. New 1 Peter 2:1-3
The Simultaneous Outgoing of Evil and Incoming of GoodW. Arnot.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Sincere Milk of the WordJ. Trapp.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Test of TasteC. H. Spurgeon.1 Peter 2:1-3
The Venomous DispositionScientific illustrations1 Peter 2:1-3
The Word Compared to MilkJohn Rogers.1 Peter 2:1-3
Thinking Aids GrowthJ. Halsey.1 Peter 2:1-3
Newborn Babes and the Higher IsraelR. Finlayson 1 Peter 2:1-10
People
Peter
Places
Asia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Pontus, Zion
Topics
Experience, Goodness, Grace, Gracious, Indeed, Kindness, Taste, Tasted
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Peter 2:3

     1050   God, goodness of
     5187   taste
     5854   experience, of God

1 Peter 2:1-3

     6745   sanctification, nature and basis
     8767   hypocrisy
     9313   resurrection, spiritual

1 Peter 2:2-3

     5652   babies
     5665   children, attitudes to
     6746   sanctification, means and results

Library
Under the Shepherd's Care.
A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS. "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."--1 Peter ii. 25. "Ye were as sheep going astray." This is evidently addressed to believers. We were like sheep, blindly, willfully following an unwise leader. Not only were we following ourselves, but we in our turn have led others astray. This is true of all of us: "All we like sheep have gone astray;" all equally foolish, "we have turned every one to his own way." Our first
J. Hudson Taylor—A Ribband of Blue

The Jewish Rebellions
1 PETER ii. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. I think that you will understand the text, and indeed the whole of St. Peter's first Epistle, better, if I explain to you somewhat the state of the Eastern countries of the world in St. Peter's time. The Romans, a short time before St. Peter was born, had conquered all the nations round them, and brought them under law and regular government. St. Peter now tells those
Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other Sermons

Christ the Exemplar
'For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.'--1 Peter ii. 21. These words are a very striking illustration of the way in which the Gospel brings Christ's principles to bear upon morals and duty. The Apostle is doing nothing more than exhorting a handful of slaves to the full and complete and patient acceptance of their hard lot, and in order to teach a very homely and lowly lesson to the squalid minds of a few captives,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Transcriber's Note:
List of corrections and amendments made: Ephesians: Page 36: added closing quote after "the event of our inheritance" (line 3) 102: "gentle words ot" to "to" 154: "it" added in "what it is to hear" 263: [Preached on Whitsunday] was a footnote. 286: (R.V.) to (R.V.). for consistency with other references. 286: "please to understand" to "do" 287: "we shoud be entitled" to "should" 391: added -- and changed Ephes. to Eph. for consistency with other headings 391: added colon after "Mark its
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Spiritual Sacrifices
'... Spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.'--1 Peter ii. 5. In this verse Peter piles up his metaphors in a fine profusion, perfectly careless of oratorical elegance or propriety. He gathers together three symbols, drawn from ancient sacrificial worship, and applies them all to Christian people. In the one breath they are 'temples,' in the next 'priests,' in the third 'sacrifices.' All the three are needed to body out the whole truth of the relationship of the perfect universal
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Mirrors of God
... That ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness ...'--1 Peter ii. 9. The Revised Version, instead of 'praises,' reads excellencies--and even that is but a feeble translation of the remarkable word here employed. For it is that usually rendered 'virtues'; and by the word, of course, when applied to God, we mean the radiant excellencies and glories of His character, of which our earthly qualities, designated by the same name, are but as shadows. It is, indeed,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Living Stones on the Living Foundation Stone
'To Whom coming, as unto a living stone ... ye also, as living stones, are built up.'--1 Peter ii. 4, 5. I wonder whether Peter, when he wrote these words, was thinking about what Jesus Christ said to him long ago, up there at Caesarea Philippi. He had heard from Christ's lips, 'Thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church.' He had understood very little of what it meant then. He is an old man now, years of experience and sorrow and work have taught him the meaning of the words, and he
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Christ Precious to Believers
This remark is uttered by way of introduction, it may seem egotistical, but that I cannot help. I must give glory to God in the midst of the great congregation, and pay my vows to the Lord now in the midst of all his saints, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. My text states a positive fact, namely, that Christ is precious to believers. This shall be the first part of our discourse; then in the second we will try to answer the question, why is Jesus Christ so precious to his believing people? And
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

Coming to Christ
"To whom coming."--1 Peter 2:4. IN THESE three words you have, first of all, a blessed person mentioned, under the pronoun "whom"--"To whom coming." In the way of salvation we come alone to Jesus Christ. All comings to baptism, comings to confirmation, comings to sacrament are all null and void unless we come to Jesus Christ. That which saves the soul is not coming to a human priest, nor even attending the assemblies of God's saints; it is coming to Jesus Christ, the great exalted Saviour, once slain,
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 62: 1916

The Lively Stones. Rev. W. Morley Punshon.
"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."--1 PETER ii. 5. There is a manifest reference in the fourth verse to the personage alluded to in Psalm cxviii. 22, 23: "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes." And this passage is applied by Christ to himself in Matthew xxi. 42: "Jesus saith unto them, Did
Knowles King—The Wesleyan Methodist Pulpit in Malvern

The Sin-Bearer.
A COMMUNION MEDITATION AT MENTONE. "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."--1 Peter ii. 24, 25. THE SIN-BEARER. THIS wonderful passage is a part of Peter's address to servants; and in his day nearly all servants were slaves. Peter begins at the eighteenth verse: "Servants, be subject
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come

That the Grace of God Doth not Join Itself to those who Mind Earthly Things
"My Son, precious is My grace, it suffereth not itself to be joined with outward things, nor with earthly consolations. Therefore thou oughtest to cast away all things which hinder grace, if thou longest to receive the inpouring thereof. Seek a secret place for thyself, love to dwell alone with thyself, desire the conversation of no one; but rather pour out thy devout prayer to God, that thou mayest possess a contrite mind and a pure conscience. Count the whole world as nought; seek to be alone
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

"For Hereunto were Ye Called; Because Christ Also Suffered for You...
"For hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow in his steps." It was Friday morning and the Rev. Henry Maxwell was trying to finish his Sunday morning sermon. He had been interrupted several times and was growing nervous as the morning wore away, and the sermon grew very slowly toward a satisfactory finish. "Mary," he called to his wife, as he went upstairs after the last interruption, "if any one comes after this, I wish you would
Charles M. Sheldon—In His Steps

Defective Learning.
"He that believeth on Him shall not be confounded."--1 Peter ii. 6. St. Paul declares that faith is the gift of God (Ephes. ii. 8). His words, "And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God," refer to the word "faith." A new generation of youthful expositors confidently assert that these words refer to "by grace are ye saved." The majority of them are evidently ignorant of the history of the exegesis of the text. They only know that the pronoun "that" in the clause "and that not of yourselves"
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

From Gallienus to the End of the Last Persecution (Ad 261-313)
Valerian, who had treated the Christians so cruelly, came to a miserable end. He led his army into Persia, where he was defeated and taken prisoner. He was kept for some time in captivity; and we are told that he used to be led forth, loaded with chains, but with the purple robes of an emperor thrown over him, that the Persians might mock at his misfortunes. And when he had died from the effects of shame and grief, it is said that his skin was stuffed with straw, and was kept in a temple, as a remembrance
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification, by Faith in Jesus Christ;
SHEWING, TRUE GOSPEL-HOLINESS FLOWS FROM THENCE; OR, MR. FOWLER'S PRETENDED DESIGN OF CHRISTIANITY, PROVED TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN TO TRAMPLE UNDER FOOT THE BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD; AND THE IDOLIZING OF MAN'S OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS AS ALSO, HOW WHILE HE PRETENDS TO BE A MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, HE OVERTHROWETH THE WHOLESOME DOCTRINE CONTAINED IN THE 10TH, 11TH, AND 13TH, OF THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES OF THE SAME, AND THAT HE FALLETH IN WITH THE QUAKER AND ROMANIST, AGAINST THEM. BY JOHN BUNYAN
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Justification by an Imputed Righteousness;
OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This is one of those ten excellent manuscripts which were found among Bunyan's papers after his decease in 1688. It had been prepared by him for publication, but still wanted a few touches of his masterly hand, and a preface in his characteristic style. He had, while a prisoner for nonconformity, in 1672, published a treatise upon this subject, in reply to Mr. Fowler, who was soon after created Bishop of Gloucester; but that was
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

God's Peace Obtained in Answer to Prayer
GOD'S PEACE OBTAINED IN ANSWER TO PRAYER ". . . Let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." -- Phil. 4:6, 7. When we make our requests known unto God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we are assured of receiving His peace through Christ Jesus. When we enter into the sacred Presence of the Prince of Peace, we enter into the place of perfect peace. The house of prayer is the sanctuary
T. M. Anderson—Prayer Availeth Much

The First Wall.
Let us, in the first place, attack the first wall. It has been devised, that the Pope, bishops, priests and monks are called the Spiritual Estate; Princes, lords, artificers and peasants, are the Temporal Estate; which is a very fine, hypocritical device. But let no one be made afraid by it; and that for this reason: That all Christians are truly of the Spiritual Estate, and there is no difference among them, save of office alone. As St. Paul says (1 Cor. xii.), we are all one body, though each member
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Some Other Writers of the New Testament
[Illustration: (drop cap L) Ancient engraving of man reading scroll] Let us now look at the rest of the books which make up the New Testament. In the days when Paul preached at Athens, the old capital of Greece, much of the ancient splendour and power of the Greek people had passed away, for the Romans had conquered their country, and they were no longer a free nation. Yet, although the Greeks had been forced to yield to Rome, their conquerors knew that the Grecian scholars and artists were far
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

Of the Primacy of the Romish See.
1. Brief recapitulation. Why the subject of primacy not yet mentioned. Represented by Papists as the bond of ecclesiastical unity. Setting out with this axiom, they begin to debate about their hierarchy. 2. Question stated. An attempted proof from the office of High Priest among the Jews. Two answers. 3. Arguments for primacy from the New Testament. Two answers. 4. Another answer. The keys given to the other apostles as well as to Peter. Other two arguments answered by passages of Cyprian and Augustine.
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

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