Study of First Peter Chapter 2 Lesson 26
Review:
2:9b Here Peter states
the purpose for the honored position of being royal priests
so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has
called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
What are we to
proclaim? the
excellencies of Him who has called you
- Since excellencies is used here of God therefore it is referring
to the glory of God, that is, His essence manifested through His deeds what He
has done;
We should be ready to give praise
to Him for them, Psa 150:2
of Him who has called you (aor act ptc of kalew) this
action precedes the MV proclaim;
out of darkness into His marvelous light;
- out
of darkness evk sko,touj often used of
literal darkness; here its used metaphorically of spiritual ignorance that is
in the time of our ignorance (
- marvelous qaumasto,j an adjective;
when used of things relating to God as here,
it speaks of those things that
are beyond human comprehension wonderful, marvelous, remarkable;
2:9b in order that
you may proclaim the virtues (manifest His character) of Him who called
you out from darkness into His marvelous light.
Summary
1. We are to be holy
priests, (2:5) and here we are to be royal priests (2:9). These are complementary aspects of our
priesthood.
2. As a holy priest we
have the privilege of entering the sanctuary of heaven by prayer to worship and
bring our petitions.
3. As royal priests
living in a sin cursed world we have the privilege of functioning as
ambassadors revealing the righteousness of Christ as we live our lives in a
manner that honors the King of Kings.
4.
It is God's purpose in saving us to reveal Himself to
others through us as we walk worthy of our calling.
5. As a priest nation
6. Darkness clearly describes the state of the
unbeliever due to sin and the dominance of the sin nature in their life.
7. Peter reminds us that at salvation we were
transferred out of a sphere of darkness into His marvelous light which takes us
positionally to where He is!
8. Being called into (eij) this light indicates that we
have been brought into and made partakers of this "light" which is
expressive of His very character. 1 John 1:5; 2 Pet 1:3-4
9. As believers we live in between the darkness
of the past and the light of the eschatological future. Alienated from the one
and not yet home in the other. We are truly as Peter described these believers
he was writing "strangers and pilgrims" here.
To make his point clear Peter
points out once again the uniqueness of their relationship now verses their
past as unbelievers.
The 2 phrases NOT A
PEOPLE and THE PEOPLE OF GOD take us back
to Hosea.
They are found in 1:9-10 and
Background:
2:2:10b
Once again reminds them of their
status before salvation. Then immediately shifts to their status now in
Christ. but now you have
RECEIVED MERCY
Summary
1. From the first part
of the verse there are three relationships with God implied.
2. The first one is
from the quote in Hos. 2:23, (also 1:9) which speaks of
3. The second
reference is to the Gentiles who under the M/L were not a part of the covenants
which were reserved for
4. The third category
is by application anyone who in the Church age is an unbeliever is not a people
of God by their continual refusal to believe the message of the Gospel. That can all be changed by faith in Jesus
Christ and then they would become like those Peter is writing to a people of
God.
5. Because of
- But know that all of
the unconditional covenants will be carried out to the letter because that
promise is backed by God's essence.
6. Historically this
took place, the setting aside of Israel first when the curtain separating the
Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was rent from top to bottom and made clear
at the day of Pentecost.
7. This time of being
set aside will continue until the Anti-Christ makes a covenant with
8. Receiving mercy, or
grace in action for
9. For the Church, receiving mercy, grace in action refers to being blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ, all the unique provisions that are ours being in Him.