Daily Bread 2/21/2023

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    Daily Bread – February 21, 2023 (The Third Day – Genesis 1:9-13) 1 Peter 2:9 – But you are an elect family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession that you may announce the excellencies of the One Who called you from darkness into His marvelous light. There are some amazing treasures to understand from this verse when we look closely at the words Peter uses to describe who we are in Jesus and what He has done for us. When Peter tells us we are an ‘elect family’, he is referring to the family of God that is born of the Spirit described in 1 Peter 1:23. The Greek phrase is ‘genos eklekton’, which literally means ‘elect family’ or ‘chosen family’, referring to the descendants of a common ancestry. The idea of the redeemed child of God being made part of the family of God is highlighted by the fact that Jesus refers to us as His brothers, and describes how His Father is also our Father (Hebrews 2:12,17; Ephesians 3:14-15; John 20:17). Additionally, Paul used the word ‘genos’ in Acts 17:28-29 describing all of mankind as the offspring of God. He then describes us as “a royal priesthood and a holy nation.” God had made this promise to Israel as a nation in Exodus 19:5-6. As Peter reports here, the promise is now fulfilled in those belonging to the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. As those who are in Christ Jesus having been born of the Spirit, we find all our inheritance and identity in Jesus Christ, and He has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father (Galatians 2:20; Revelation 1:5-6). The Greek word ‘peripoiesis’, translated ‘possession’ is defined as “saving, acquiring, possession” in Langenscheidt’s Classical Greek Dictionary. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown also argue the literal rendering of this word would be “acquired”. A.T. Robertson understands this phrase as a possession in a special sense, “over and above the others.” This fact is also emphasized by Paul who says we are “bought with a price” in 1 Corinthians 6:20, and describes the ransom payment for the purchase in Ephesians 1:13-14. Again, this passage recalls the promises God made to Israel in Exodus 19:5-6. In verse five where the Authorized version says ‘peculiar treasure’, the Hebrew word used is ‘segullah’ which means “treasured possession” referring to a valued special property to which the owner holds special affection and value. Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen