now that you have tastedThis phrase suggests a personal experience and encounter with the divine. The metaphor of "tasting" implies an intimate and firsthand experience, similar to
Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the LORD is good." This connection emphasizes the experiential nature of faith, where believers are invited to personally encounter God's goodness. The use of "tasting" also reflects the cultural context of the time, where meals and shared food were central to community and fellowship, symbolizing the deep relationship between God and His people.
that the Lord is good
The goodness of the Lord is a central theme throughout Scripture, affirming God's benevolent nature and His desire for the well-being of His creation. This phrase echoes the Old Testament understanding of God's character, as seen inExodus 34:6, where God is described as "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." The goodness of the Lord is also a type of Christ, who embodies God's goodness through His life, death, and resurrection. In the New Testament, Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God's goodness, offering salvation and eternal life to those who believe. This phrase reassures believers of the trustworthiness and faithfulness of God, encouraging them to continue in their faith journey with confidence.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
PeterThe 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 RecipientsEarly Christians scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, facing trials and persecution for their faith.
3.
The LordRefers to Jesus Christ, whose goodness and grace are central to the Christian experience and salvation.
Teaching Points
Experiencing God's GoodnessThe 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 MaturityJust 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 WitnessesHaving 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 TrialsThe 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 and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 1 Peter 2:3?
2.How does "tasted that the Lord is good" influence your daily spiritual walk?
3.In what ways can you seek to "grow up in your salvation"?
4.How does 1 Peter 2:3 connect with Psalm 34:8 about God's goodness?
5.What practical steps can you take to experience God's goodness more fully?
6.How can recognizing God's goodness help you face trials and challenges?
7.What does "if you have tasted that the Lord is good" mean in 1 Peter 2:3?
8.How does 1 Peter 2:3 relate to spiritual growth and maturity?
9.What historical context influenced the writing of 1 Peter 2:3?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Peter 2?
11.What is the Bible's perspective on excellence?
12.How can Psalm 34:8 state “taste and see that the Lord is good” when there is no empirical way to measure spiritual experiences?
13.How can God's conversation with Satan, suggesting further suffering, be reconciled with the Bible's portrayal of God's goodness? (Job 2:1-6)
14.Does God desire universal salvation?What Does 1 Peter 2:3 Mean
Now• The adverb anchors the exhortation of verse 2 in the present moment. “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk… now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
• Scripture often presses believers to act on grace they already possess (2 Corinthians 6:2: “Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!”).
• “Now” highlights the shift from past estrangement to present fellowship (Ephesians 2:13). Because salvation is real and current, growth must be immediate and continuous.
You Have Tasted• Peter assumes a personal encounter, not second-hand information. “Tasted” speaks of firsthand experience— believers have taken in God’s goodness like food.
•Psalm 34:8 declares, “Taste and see that the LORD is good,” an invitation Peter says has already been accepted.
• The word also pictures ongoing nourishment:Hebrews 6:4-5 recalls those who “have tasted the heavenly gift” and “the goodness of the word of God.” This isn’t a casual sample but a life-altering intake that whets the appetite for more.
• Practical implication: because we have truly experienced Christ, we reject anything that dulls spiritual taste buds—malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander (1 Peter 2:1).
The Lord Is Good• Peter names Jesus as “the Lord,” affirming His deity and covenant faithfulness. The goodness tasted is specifically the goodness of Christ.
• Old Testament testimony:Exodus 34:6 presents the LORD as “compassionate and gracious… abounding in loving devotion,” whileNahum 1:7 assures, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble.”
• New Testament confirmation:James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above,” flowing from the unchanging character of God revealed in Christ.
• For believers, this goodness is:
– Saving—He rescues us from sin.
– Sustaining—He provides daily grace (John 6:57).
– Satisfying—He alone fulfills the deepest hunger of the soul (Psalm 16:11).
summaryPeter’s phrase “now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” reminds Christians that the present reality of salvation propels growth. Because we have personally experienced the goodness of Jesus, we are to crave His Word, lay aside sin, and pursue maturity. The goodness we have tasted is not abstract but the living, covenant goodness of the Lord Himself, sufficient to save, sustain, and satisfy every believer.
(3)
If so be ye have tasted.--The "if so be," as elsewhere (
2Thessalonians 1:6, Note), constitutes a strong appeal to the readers to say whether it were not so. St. Peter confidently reckons that it is so. It should rather be
ye tasted,looking back to a quite past time, probably that of the first conversion, when the taste of spiritual things is the most delicious. How sad to be past the relish for evangelical truth! The quotation, or rather adaptation, from
Psalm 34:8 is, no doubt, suggested by the metaphor of "milk." A curious little point about our translation here is that the word "gracious" has been adopted to suit the Prayer Book version of the Psalm. It is scarcely suitable to the Greek word, which, originally signifying "usable," "serviceable," passes on to be used of anything mild and pleasant, as, for instance, in
Luke 5:39, of the mellowness of old wine. Here, therefore, the word seems to be peculiarly used with reference to the sense of taste. A more important point, doctrinally, is that St. Peter is here applying to Jesus Christ (as the next verse shows) a passage which otherwise we might not have thought of applying to Him in particular. It gives quite a new complexion to the 34th Psalm, when we see that in St. Peter's view the Psalmist was speaking prophetically of our Lord. We shall find him quoting the same Psalm in the same sense again in
1Peter 3:10.
Verse 3. -
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious; rather,
if ye tasted. If ye once tasted the good Word of God (
Hebrews 6:4, 5), if ye tasted of the heavenly gift which comes through that Word (
1 Peter 1:23), long after it that ye may g-row therein. The "if" does not imply doubt; the apostle supposes that they have once tasted, and urges them, on the ground of that first taste, to long for more. The first experiences of the Christian life stimulate God's people to further efforts. The words are a quotation from
Psalm 34:8, "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!" This makes it less probable that St. Peter is intentionally playing, as some have thought, on the similarity of the words
χρηστός and
Ξριστός. The confusion was common among the heathen; and Christian writers, as Tertullian, sometimes adopted it;
Christus, they said, was
chrestus, "
Christ was good;" and Christians, followers of the good Master, followed after that which is good. But St. Peter is simply quoting the words of the psalm, and applying them to the metaphor of milk. It is possible that there may be an under-current of allusion to the Lord's teaching in
John 6. The Lord himself is the Bread of life, the food of the soul. The epithet
χρηστός is not infrequently used of food (see
Luke 5:39).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
now thatεἰ(ei)Conjunction
Strong's 1487:If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.you have tastedἐγεύσασθε(egeusasthe)Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1089:(a) I taste, (b) I experience. A primary verb; to taste; by implication, to eat; figuratively, to experience.thatὅτι(hoti)Conjunction
Strong's 3754:Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.theὁ(ho)Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.LordΚύριος(Kyrios)Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962:Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.[is] good.χρηστὸς(chrēstos)Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5543:Useful, gentle, pleasant, kind. From chraomai; employed, i.e. useful.
Links
1 Peter 2:3 NIV1 Peter 2:3 NLT1 Peter 2:3 ESV1 Peter 2:3 NASB1 Peter 2:3 KJV
1 Peter 2:3 BibleApps.com1 Peter 2:3 Biblia Paralela1 Peter 2:3 Chinese Bible1 Peter 2:3 French Bible1 Peter 2:3 Catholic Bible
NT Letters: 1 Peter 2:3 If indeed you have tasted that (1 Pet. 1P iP i Pet)