Commentary on First Peter (49)

Peter calls the Christians "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (v. 9). The Greek word translated "people" here is genos, which means "race" (NASB). We have already discussed the priesthood of believers (see also Revelation 1:6 and 5:10). So he asserts that God's people are not Abraham's physical descendants, but Christians are the chosen race. God's priests are not the sons of Aaron, but Christians are the royal priesthood. And God's nation is not the earthly Israel, defined according to geography, but the church is his holy nation (Exodus 19:6).

Then, Christians are "a people belonging to God" (v. 9). Similar expressions are found in Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2, Isaiah 43:21, and Malachi 3:17. It seems that Peter mainly has in mind the verse from Isaiah, since the next phrase "that you may declare the praises of him" parallels the Old Testament prophet, who says, "the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise." The sense here is that God has chosen the Christians to be a special treasure for himself. Hillyer notes, "The corresponding Hebrew term is twice used of the personal treasure of a king, as distinct from the national revenues that he controlled (1 Chron. 29:3; Eccl. 2:8)."

Peter is obviously applying the promises and blessings that God gave Israel to Christians, or to the church. Of course, God never changed his mind or altered his program, but as we noted earlier, it has always been true that a person is saved, not by becoming a Jew outwardly, but by becoming a Jew inwardly – he has to become a Christian (Romans 2:28-29, 9:7-8). This has been the case even since the beginning – every natural Jew who refuses to become a Christian is no Jew at all, and will suffer eternal damnation just as readily as any non-Christian Gentile (Galatians 3:7, 29; Romans 4:11-12). Christians are a chosen race of people, with exclusive blessings and privileges, not according to race, tradition, or geography, but according to faith. Verse 10 is an application of verses like Hosea 1:9 and 2:23, and reinforces the same idea.

It is not exactly correct to say that the Jews were the chosen people in the past, but now Christians are the chosen people. Rather, once we have defined our terms, it is more correct and precise to say that the chosen people – not the outward covenant community, but those chosen for salvation – have always consisted of Christians, and only Christians. The difference is that most Christians used to come from the Jews in the past, but now God makes Christians out of people from all races and all nations. In contrast, non-Christians have never been God's people, whether in the past or present, whether they are Jews or Gentiles, and even when some of them have infiltrated the covenant community.

Christians have been called "out of darkness into his wonderful light" (v. 9). Again, this reflects Peter's unflattering view toward the unbeliever's condition as well as the magnitude of the grace of redemption. The non-Christian dwells in darkness, both intellectually and morally. But God has brought the Christian out of darkness and into the light of knowledge and holiness. This is a recurring metaphor in the New Testament (Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6, 6:14; Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5).