1 Peter 2:2

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) As newborn babes.—The word “newborn” is, of course, newly, lately born, not born anew, although the birth meant is the new birth of 1Peter 1:23. They are said to be still but newborn because they are still so far from maturity in Christ, as these sins testified. The metaphor is said to be not uncommon in Rabbinical writers to denote proselytes. St. Peter would, therefore, be describing Jews who had newly received the word of God, as proselytes of the new Israel. “As” means “in keeping with your character of.” (Comp. 1Peter 1:14.)

Desire the sincere milk.—The word for “desire” here is a strong word—get an appetite for it. Bengel is perhaps right when he says on “newborn babes,” “It is their only occupation, so strong is their desire for it.” St. Peter here again seems to lend a thought to the writer to the Hebrews (Hebrews 5:12-14). In both places Jewish Christians are beginning to rebel against the Gospel instructions, and in both places they are warned that they have not yet outgrown the need of the very simplest elements of the Gospel. The epithet “sincere” should have been rendered guileless, as it contains a contrast with “guile” in the verse before; perhaps the intention of the epithet may be to rebuke the attempt to deal deceitfully with the Old Testament Scriptures after the example of the Septuagint passage quoted above.

Of the word.—This translation of the original adjective cannot possibly be right. The only other place in the New Testament where it is used, Romans 12:1, will show clearly enough its meaning here. There it is rendered “your reasonable service”—i.e., not “the service which may be reasonably expected of you,” but “the ritual worship which is performed by the reason, not by the body.” So here, “the reasonable guileless milk” will mean “the guileless milk which is sucked in, not by the lips, but by the reason.” The metaphor of milk (though used by St. Paul, 1Corinthians 3:2) was not so hackneyed as now; and the Apostle wished to soften it a little, and explain it by calling it mental milk,” just as (so Huther points out) he explained the metaphor in 1Peter 1:13, by adding “of your mind.” It is needless to add that the “mental milk” would, as a matter of fact, be “the milk of the word,” and that the Apostle is pressing his readers to cling with ardent attachment to the evangelical religion taught them by the Pauline party.

That ye may grow thereby.—All the best manuscripts and versions add “unto salvation,” which may confidently be adopted into the text. “Grow” is, of course, said in reference to the infant state of the converts as yet, and the maturity set before them (children long to be grown up) is spoken of as “salvation.” When we compare this with 1Peter 1:18, we see that the perfect emancipation from Jewish superstitions is a main part of the “salvation” to which they are to grow up.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:1-10 Evil-speaking is a sign of malice and guile in the heart; and hinders our profiting by the word of God. A new life needs suitable food. Infants desire milk, and make the best endeavours for it which they are able to do; such must be a Christian's desires after the word of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ is very merciful to us miserable sinners; and he has a fulness of grace. But even the best of God's servants, in this life, have only a taste of the consolations of God. Christ is called a Stone, to teach his servants that he is their protection and security, the foundation on which they are built. He is precious in the excellence of his nature, the dignity of his office, and the glory of his services. All true believers are a holy priesthood; sacred to God, serviceable to others, endowed with heavenly gifts and graces. But the most spiritual sacrifices of the best in prayer and praise are not acceptable, except through Jesus Christ. Christ is the chief Corner-stone, that unites the whole number of believers into one everlasting temple, and bears the weight of the whole fabric. Elected, or chosen, for a foundation that is everlasting. Precious beyond compare, by all that can give worth. To be built on Christ means, to believe in him; but in this many deceive themselves, they consider not what it is, nor the necessity of it, to partake of the salvation he has wrought. Though the frame of the world were falling to pieces, that man who is built on this foundation may hear it without fear. He shall not be confounded. The believing soul makes haste to Christ, but it never finds cause to hasten from him. All true Christians are a chosen generation; they make one family, a people distinct from the world: of another spirit, principle, and practice; which they could never be, if they were not chosen in Christ to be such, and sanctified by his Spirit. Their first state is a state of gross darkness, but they are called out of darkness into a state of joy, pleasure, and prosperity; that they should show forth the praises of the Lord by their profession of his truth, and their good conduct. How vast their obligations to Him who has made them his people, and has shown mercy to them! To be without this mercy is a woful state, though a man have all worldly enjoyments. And there is nothing that so kindly works repentance, as right thoughts of the mercy and love of God. Let us not dare to abuse and affront the free grace of God, if we mean to be saved by it; but let all who would be found among those who obtain mercy, walk as his people.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As new-born babes - The phrase used here would properly denote those which were just born, and hence Christians who had just begun the spiritual life. See the word explained in the notes at 2 Timothy 3:15. It is not uncommon, in the Scriptures, to compare Christians with little children. See the notes at Matthew 18:3, for the reasons of this comparison. Compare the 1 Corinthians 3:2 note; Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 5:14 notes.

Desire the sincere milk of the word - The pure milk of the word. On the meaning of the word "sincere," see the notes at Ephesians 6:24. The Greek word here (ἄδολον adolon) means, properly, that which is without guile or falsehood; then unadulterated, pure, genuine. The Greek adjective rendered "of the word," (λογικὸν logikon,) means properly rational, pertaining to reason, or mind; and, in the connection here with milk, means that which is adapted to sustain the soul. Compare the notes at Romans 12:1. There is no doubt that there is allusion to the gospel in its purest and most simple form, as adapted to be the nutriment of the new-born soul. Probably there are two ideas here; one, that the proper aliment of piety is simple truth; the other, that the truths which they were to desire were the more elementary truths of the gospel, such as would be adapted to those who were babes in knowledge.

That ye may grow thereby - As babes grow on their proper nutriment. Piety in the heart is susceptible of growth, and is made to grow by its proper aliment, as a plant or a child is, and will grow in proportion as it has the proper kind of nutriment. From this verse we may see:

(1) the reason of the injunction of the Saviour to Peter, to "feed his lambs," John 21:15; 1 Peter 2:1-2. Young Christians strongly resemble children, babies; and they need watchful care, and kind attention, and appropriate aliment, as much as new-born infants do. Piety receives its form much from its commencement and the character of the whole Christian life will be determined in a great degree by the views entertained at first, and the kind of instruction which is given to those who are just entering on their Christian course. We may also see,

(2) that it furnishes evidence of conversion, if we have a love for the simple and pure truths of the gospel. It is evidence that we have spiritual life, as really as the desire of appropriate nourishment is evidence that an infant has natural life. The new-born soul loves the truth. It is nourished by it. It perishes without it. The gospel is just what it wants; and without that it could not live. We may also learn from this verse,

(3) that the truths of the gospel which are best adapted to that state, are those which are simple and plain. Compare Hebrews 5:12-14. It is not philosophy that is needed then; it is not the profound and difficult doctrines of the gospel; it is those elementary truths which lie at the foundation of all religion, and which can be comprehended by children. Religion makes everyone docile and humble as a child; and whatever may be the age at which one is converted, or whatever attainments he may have made in science, he relishes the same truths which are loved by the youngest and most unlettered child that is brought into the kingdom of God.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. new-born babes—altogether without "guile" (1Pe 2:1). As long as we are here we are "babes," in a specially tender relation to God (Isa 40:11). The childlike spirit is indispensable if we would enter heaven. "Milk" is here not elementary truths in contradistinction to more advanced Christian truths, as in 1Co 3:2; Heb 5:12, 13; but in contrast to "guile, hypocrisies," &c. (1Pe 2:1); the simplicity of Christian doctrine in general to the childlike spirit. The same "word of grace" which is the instrument in regeneration, is the instrument also of building up. "The mother of the child is also its natural nurse" [Steiger]. The babe, instead of chemically analyzing, instinctively desires and feeds on the milk; so our part is not self-sufficient rationalizing and questioning, but simply receiving the truth in the love of it (Mt 11:25).

desire—Greek, "have a yearning desire for," or "longing after," a natural impulse to the regenerate, "for as no one needs to teach new-born babes what food to take, knowing instinctively that a table is provided for them in their mother's breast," so the believer of himself thirsts after the word of God (Ps 119:1-176). Compare Tatius' language as to Achilles.

sincere—Greek, "guileless." Compare 1Pe 2:1, "laying aside guile." Irenæus says of heretics. They mix chalk with the milk. The article, "the," implies that besides the well-known pure milk, the Gospel, there is no other pure, unadulterated doctrine; it alone can make us guileless (1Pe 2:1).

of the word—Not as Alford, "spiritual," nor "reasonable," as English Version in Ro 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." Jas 1:21, "Lay apart all filthiness … and receive with meekness the engrafted WORD," is exactly parallel, and confirms English Version here.

grow—The oldest manuscripts and versions read, "grow unto salvation." Being BORN again unto salvation, we are also to grow unto salvation. The end to which growth leads is perfected salvation. "Growth is the measure of the fulness of that, not only rescue from destruction, but positive blessedness, which is implied in salvation" [Alford].

thereby—Greek, "in it"; fed on it; in its strength (Ac 11:14). "The word is to be desired with appetite as the cause of life, to be swallowed in the hearing, to be chewed as cud is by rumination with the understanding, and to be digested by faith" [Tertullian].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Pursuant to his discourse, 1 Peter 1:23, where he speaks of their new birth, he here calls them new-born babes; but that not in opposition to those that are adult, or of fall age, as Hebrews 5:14 1 Corinthians 3:1, but in opposition to their former corrupt and unregenerate state, in which they were destitute of all spiritual life; and so this agrees, not only to young converts, but generally to all regenerate persons.

Desire; being new-born babes, act as such in earnestly desiring and longing for that spiritual nourishment, which is so needlul for you, even as children, as soon as they come into the world, are lingering after the breast.

The sincere milk of the word: the Greek may be rendered (and is by some) reasonable milk, viz. such as is for the soul, not for the body; that whereby the mind is nourished and strengthened; or, wordy milk, the substantive from which it is derived properly and first signifying word, or speech, and being used for the word of God, Hebrews 4:12. But this not being proper English, our translation renders it best, the milk of the word, i.e. the word which is milk. The apostle useth an adjective for a substantive, but that adjective doth not signify the quality of the subject, milk, as the other, sincere, doth, but the subject of itself. The like phrase we have, 1 Peter 3:7; Greek, female, or wifeish, weaker vessel, which we turn by the substantive, wife, who is said there to be the weaker vessel. So that the doctrine of the gospel is here to be understood, as Isaiah 55:1, and believers are to be nourished by the same word, as their food, by which, as the seed, they are said to be begotten, 1 Peter 1:23. This milk of the word is said to be sincere, i.e. pure, without mixture or adulteration, not blended, or diluted, (as vintners do by their wine, to whose practice Paul alludes, when he speaks of men’s corrupting the word, 2 Corinthians 2:17 4:2), with human fictions or traditions. Infants love the sweetness of their mothers’ milk, and desire it pure, as it is: believers should desire the word pure, as it is in itself, not mixed with any thing that may lessen its sweetness and hinder its efficacy.

That ye may grow thereby; that by the word, as your spiritual nourishment, ye may grow more in spiritual life and strength, till ye come to be perfect men, Ephesians 4:13.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

As new born babes,.... The Syriac version renders it, "be ye simple as infants"; and as if it was a distinct exhortation of itself, and from that which follows; though it seems rather to be descriptive of the persons spoken to, and a character of them, under which the apostle addresses them; which carries in it a reason strengthening the exhortation after given: he takes it for granted that they were begotten again, according to the abundant mercy of God, and born of incorruptible seed, by the word of God, and that they were just, or lately born; and which is to be understood of them all in general, and not of younger converts among them, who might be called little children with respect to others who were young men or fathers; but that, comparatively speaking, those that had been of the longest standing were but as it were newly born, it being at most but a few years since they were called by grace: and they were as "babes", not on account of their want of knowledge, or unskilfulness in the word of righteousness; or of nonproficiency in the learning of divine truths, and their great dulness, backwardness, and imperfection; or because of their incapacity in taking in, and digesting the strong meat and sublimer doctrines of the Gospel; or for their instability and simplicity, being easily deceived and beguiled; nor for their weakness in faith, not being able to walk alone, and their insufficiency to defend, or provide for themselves; but because of their harmlessness and innocence, meekness and humility; and for the sincerity of their faith and love, obedience and profession. The proselytes to the Jews' religion are often said (m) to be , "as an infant just born", or a new born babe; to which the allusion may here be made:

desire the sincere milk of the word; this is not a declaration that these new born souls did do so, though that might be true, but an exhortation to them so to do, as it became them: by "the sincere milk of the word" is meant the Gospel, even the whole of it, and not, as elsewhere, the more plain and easy truths of it; which is compared to milk for its purity in itself, for every word of God is pure and for its purifying nature, as used by the Spirit of God; and for its sweetness and agreeable taste to a regenerate man; and because easy of digestion to a spiritual one; and because it is nutritive to him, by it he is nourished up unto eternal life; and because, as milk is of a cooling nature, so the Gospel is a means, in the hand of the Spirit of God, of assuaging those inflammations, and of allaying that wrath and fiery indignation, raised in the conscience of a sinner by the law; and because as milk, medicinally used, is a restorative in consumptive disorders, so the Gospel is not only the means of helping a declining person, and who is wasted and consumed by sin, but even of quickening such as are dead in sin; it is the savour of life unto life. The Jewish writers speak of , "the milk of the law" (n), of which they generally interpret (o) the passage in Isaiah 55:1 but it is much better applied to the Gospel, which is the milk of the word, or "rational milk": not that the Gospel is a scheme according to the carnal reason of men; it is contrary to that, and above sound reason, though not repugnant to it; but it is what is calculated for faith, the spiritual reason of men, and for such who have their spiritual senses exercised, to discern between good and evil; it is a spiritual drink, and is made up of spiritual things, and suited to the spiritual man; it is milk, not in a natural, but in a mystic and spiritual sense: the Syriac version renders it, "the word which is as milk, pure and spiritual": and it is "sincere"; without mixture, unadulterated with the inventions and doctrines of men, Jews or heretics: or "without deceit"; being neither deceitfully handled by the faithful ministers of it, nor causing deceit, or deceiving those that cordially receive it. Now, this it becomes regenerate person, to "desire"; and vehemently long after, as a new born babe does after its mother's milk; for the Gospel is that to one that is born again, as the breast is to a babe: desire after it supposes knowledge of it; and where there is an experimental knowledge, there will be a value and esteem for it, even above necessary food, and, at times, an hungering and thirsting after it, an impatient longing for, and desire of it; when such souls will labour after it, and diligently observe and attend every opportunity of enjoying it, and think long ere the seasons of meeting with it return; for it is suitable food for them, savoury food, such as their souls love, and which indeed they cannot live without: now the end of this exhortation, and of such a desire, and of feeding on the words of faith and sound doctrine, is,

that ye may grow thereby: regenerate persons are not at their full growth at once; they are first children, then young men, and then fathers in Christ; the Gospel is appointed as a means of their spiritual growth, and by the blessing of God becomes so, and which they find to be so by good experience; and therefore this milk of the word is desirable on this account, for the increase of faith, and the furtherance of the joy of it; for their growth in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and in an experience of spiritual strength from him, and unto him, as their head in all things; not merely in the leaves of a profession, but in the fruits of grace, righteousness, and holiness. The Alexandrian copy, and several others, and also the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, add, "unto salvation": that is, until they come to a perfect knowledge of Christ, and to be perfect men with him, being arrived to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, and in the possession of that salvation he has obtained for them,

(m) T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 22. 1. & 48. 2. & 62. 1. & 97. 2. Maimon. Hilch. Issure Bia, c. 14. sect. 11. & Eduth, c. 13. sect. 2.((n) Jarchi in Cant. 5. 12. (o) Jarchi, Aben Ezra, & Kimchi, in Isaiah 55.1. Abarbinel, Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 26. 1.

Geneva Study Bible

{2} As {a} newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

(2) The second is, that being newly begotten and born of the new seed of the incorrupt word, drinking and sucking greedily the same word as milk, we should grow more and more in that spiritual life. And he calls it, sincere, not only because it is a most pure thing, but also that we should take heed of them which corrupt it.

(a) As it becomes new men.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

1 Peter 2:2. ὡς, inasmuch as you are newborn babes: cf. ἀναγεγεννημένοι (1 Peter 1:23). The development of the metaphor rests upon the saying, unless ye be turned and become as the children (ὡς τὰ παιδία) ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).—βρέφη (only here in metaphorical sense) is substituted for παιδία (preserved by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:20) as = babes at the breast. A παιδίον might have lost its traditional innocence but not a βρέφος (= either child unborn as Luke 1:41, or suckling in classical Greek). For the origin of the metaphor, which appears also in the saying of R. Jose, “the proselyte is a child just born,” compare Isaiah 28:9, Whom will he teach knowledge?.… Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts, which the Targum renders, To whom was the law given?.… Was it not to the house of Israel which is beloved beyond all peoples?—τὸ … γάλα. The quotation of 1 Peter 2:3 suggests that the milk is Christ; compare St. Paul’s explanation of the tradition of the Rock which followed the Israelites in the desert (1 Corinthians 10:4) and the living water of John 4:14. Milk is the proper food for babes; compare Isaiah 55:1, buy … milk (LXX, στέαρ) without money (cf. 1 Peter 1:18). This milk is guileless (cf. δόλον of 1 Peter 2:1) pure or unadulterated (cf. μηδὲ δολοῦντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, 2 Corinthians 4:2). The interpretation of λογικόν (pertaining to λόγος) is doubtful. But the use of λόγος just above (1 Peter 1:23) probably indicates the sense which St. Peter put upon the adjective he borrowed (?) from Romans 12:1, τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν. There and elsewhere λ. = rationabilis, spiritual; here belonging to contained in the Word of God, delivered by prophet or by evangelist. St. Paul in his use of λ. and of the metaphor of milk (solid food, 1 Corinthians 3:1 ff.) follows Philo and the Stoics.—ἵνα … σωτηρίαν, that fed thereon ye may grow up (cf. Ephesians 4:14 f.) unto salvation; cf. Jam 1:21, “receive the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls”.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. as newborn babes] The Greek noun, like the English, implies the earliest stage of infancy. See Luke 1:41; Luke 1:44; Luke 2:12; Luke 2:16.

the sincere milk of the word] The English version tries to express the force of the original but has had recourse to a somewhat inadequate paraphrase. Literally, the words may be rendered as the rational (or intellectual) milk, the adjective having very nearly the force of “spiritual” in such passages as 1 Corinthians 10:3-4. The “milk” of which he speaks is that which nourishes the reason or mind, and not the body, and is found in the simpler form of the Truth as it is in Jesus which was presented by the Apostolic Church to the minds of its disciples. Looking to the other instances of parallelism between St Peter’s language and those of the Epistles of St Paul, we can scarcely be wrong in thinking that here also he more or less reproduces what he had read in them. The word for “rational” meets us in Romans 12:1 (“reasonable” in the English version), in the same sense as here, and is not found elsewhere in the New Testament. The thought that those who are as yet in spiritual childhood, must be fed with the spiritual milk adapted to their state, is found in 1 Corinthians 3:2. Comp. also Hebrews 5:12-13. There is almost as striking a coincidence in the adjective sincere (better, pure or unadulterated), which expresses precisely the same thought as that of St Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 2:17 (“we are not, as the many, adulterators of the word of God”) and 2 Corinthians 4:2 (“not dealing with the word of God deceitfully”). The thought implied in the word is that, however simple may be the truths which men teach, according to the capacities of their hearers, they should at all events be free from any admixture of conscious falsehood. The words fix the sentence of condemnation on the “pious frauds,” on the populus vult decipi et decipiatur, on which even Christian teachers and Churches have too often acted. In the word “desire,” or long after (the word expressing an almost passionate yearning), we have a sad reminder that the spiritual appetite is not as spontaneous as the natural. Infants do not need to be told to seek the mother’s breast.

that ye may grow thereby] The better MSS. add the words unto salvation. Though not essential to the sense, they give a worthy completeness to it, and it is not easy to understand how they came to be omitted in the later MSS.

Bengel's Gnomen

1 Peter 2:2. Ὡς ἀρτιγέννητα, as new-born) who do nothing else, but only desire. The first age of the Church of the New Testament is marked out.—βρέφη, babes) who are free from all guile.—λογικὸν) Derived from λόγος, the Word, ch. 1 Peter 1:23. The milk of the Word is a periphrasis for the Word itself. Comp. Romans 12:1, note.—ἄδολον, without guile) The antithesis to guile in 1 Peter 2:1.—γάλα, milk) This is the same as that which is before called seed, ch. 1 Peter 1:23.—ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ αὐξηθῆτε εἰς σωτηρίαν, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation) We are born again unto salvation, ch. 1 Peter 1:3; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Peter 1:9; and we grow unto salvation, in this passage. The copies of greatest authority have long read,[13] ΕἸς ΣΩΤΗΡΊΑΝ: in the more recent ones, an hiatus has been introduced, the eye of one or two copyists having glided from ΕἸς to ΕἼΠΕΡ in the next verse. Peter had in his mind Psalms 34, which in 1 Peter 2:8, under those words which Peter repeats, holds out to us ΣΩΤΗΡΊΑΝ, salvation. Γεύσασθε καὶ ἴδετε, ὅτι χρηστὸς ὁ Κύριος. ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟΣ ἀνήρ, ὃς ἐλπίζει ἐπʼ αὐτόν. O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. The first tastes of the goodness of God are afterwards followed by more full and happy experiences.

[13] ABC Vulg. and almost all Versions, read εἰς σωτηρίαν. Rec. Text, with inferior authorities, omits the words.—E.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - As newborn babes. The words look back to 1 Peter 1:3, 23. God begat them again; they were new-born babes in Christ, they must remember their regeneration. The rabbis used the same metaphor of their proselytes; but the apostle was doubtless thinking of the Savior's words (Matthew 18:3; Mark 10:14, 15). Desire the sincere milk of the Word. Desire, long for it eagerly (ἐπιποθήσατε), as babes long for milk, their proper food, the only food necessary for them. It seems that in the adjective λογικόν (paraphrased in the Authorized Version "of the Word," rendered "spiritual" or "reasonable" in the Revised Version) there must be a reference to the Word of God (λόγος Θεοῦ), mentioned in 1 Peter 1:23 as the instrument of regeneration, and called by our Lord (Matthew 4:4, from Deuteronomy 8:3) the food of man (but the Greek in Matthew is ῤῆμα, as in 1 Peter 1:25). The paraphrase of the Authorized Version gives the general meaning; but the adjective means literally, "reasonable" or "rational." The apostle is not thinking of natural milk, but of that nourishment which the Christian reason can regard as milk for the soul - spiritual food, pure and simple and nourishing, capable of supporting and strengthening those newborn babes who not long ago had been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the Word of God. The adjective occurs only in one other place of Holy Scripture (possibly St. Peter may have read it there) - Romans 12:1, τὴν λογικὴν λατερείαν ὑμῶν, where it means the service of the sanctified reason as opposed to the mechanical observance of formal rites. It is explained by Chrysostom as ebony ἔχουσαν σωματικὸν οὐδὲν ταχὺ οὐδὲν αἰσθηνπ´ν Thus it seems nearly to correspond with the use of the word πνευματικός, spiritual, by St. Peter in ver. 5 of this chapter, and by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:3, 4. St. Paul also speaks of milk as the proper food of babes in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:2; comp: also Hebrews 5:12), though the thought is somewhat different; for St. Peter's words do not convey any reproof for want of progress. This spiritual milk is ἄδολον, pure, unadulterated (comp. 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 4:2). That ye may grow thereby; literally, therein, in the use of it. All the most ancient manuscripts add the words, "unto salvation." The soul which feeds upon the pure milk of the Word groweth continually unto salvation. 1 Peter 2:2

Vincent's Word Studies

New-born (ἀρτιγέννητα)

Peculiar to Peter, and only in this passage. Lit., born but just now (ἄρτι).

Babes (βρέθη)

The word signifying peculiarly a child at birth, or of tender years. See Luke 18:15; Acts 7:19. Of the infant Jesus, Luke 2:12, Luke 2:16. Here marking the recency of Christian life in the converts addressed.

Desire (ἐπιποθήσατε)

The compound is intensive; earnestly desire. So Rev., long for. Compare Philippians 2:26.

The sincere milk of the word (τὸ λογικὸν ἄδολον γάλα)

The A. V. has rendered λογικὸν, of the word; but wrongly. It describes the quality of the milk as spiritual or rational, as opposed to literal and ceremonial. In the only other place where it occurs (Romans 12:1) it is rendered reasonable; which Rev. gives here in margin.

Sincere (ἄδολον) is another epithet of the milk

Lit., without guile, unadulterated. Compare guile in 1 Peter 2:1. Laying aside guile, desire the guileless milk, etc. Hence Rev. renders the whole passage, Long for the spiritual milk which is without guile.

That ye may grow thereby

The best texts add, unto salvation.