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1 Peter 2:2-3 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

²like newborn infants, long for the spiritual unadulterated milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, ³if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

Like newborn babes. The phrase here used would properly denote those who were just born, and hence Christians who had just begun the spiritual life. See 2 Tim. 3:15. It is not uncommon, in the Scriptures, to compare Christians with little children. See Matt. 18:3, for the reasons of this comparison. Comp. 1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12, 14.

Long for the spiritual unadulterated milk of the word. The pure milk of the word. On the meaning of the word sincere, see Eph. 6:24. The Greek word here (ἄδολον) means, properly, that which is without guile or falsehood; then unadulterated, pure, genuine. The Greek adjective rendered ‘of the word,’ (λογικὸν) means properly rational, pertaining to reason or mind; and, in the connection here with milk, means that which is adapted to sustain the soul. Comp. Notes, Rom. 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 newborn 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.

So that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. 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 for the injunction of the Savior to Peter, to ‘feed his lambs,’ John 21:15; 1 Pet. 2:1, 2. Young Christians strongly resemble children, babes, and they need watchful care, and kind attention, and appropriate aliment, as much as newborn 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 that 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 evident that we have spiritual life, as really as the desire for appropriate nourishment is evidence that an infant has natural life. The newborn 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. Comp. Heb. 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 that lie at the foundation of all true Christianity and which can be comprehended by children. True Christianity makes everyone docile and humble as a child. 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.