Peter describes the Saints
“Ye are a chosen generation,” Peter wrote to the Saints scattered throughout the Roman empire, “a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people…”
This is an oft-quoted
seminary scripture. Have you ever taken the time to look up the words? I did
and it was awesome to see the larger picture that emerged from examine the
minuscule.
A Chosen Generation
Chosen “God does not have a
list of favorites to which we must hope our names will someday be added,” Elder
Bednar tells us in the talk Tender Mercies, “He does not limit “the chosen” to a
restricted few. Rather, it is our hearts and our aspirations and our
obedience which definitively determine whether we are counted as one of God’s
chosen.”
Generation Thus Peter reminded the
Saints in his generation that they had chosen to rely upon the mercy of their
Saviour and follow him.
A Royal Priesthood
Having made that choice
and accepted the covenant to become a member of the Saviour`s church they were
granted the ‘royal priesthood’.
Royal, “right belonging to a
King or granted by a sovereign”.
Priesthood, the etymology suggests
that `priest`comes from the root `divine, holy, sacred`. `Hood`means `state or
condition of being`and before that (no longer surviving in our day) it meant
`bright and shining’.
I like the image this
definition gives—granted a divine state of being, a light, from the King of
Kings—as James said this good gift comes down from `the Father of Lights`. And
as Peter reminded the Saints they were called into light.
A Holy Nation
Holy, a title all members of
the Godhead claim, generally means consecrated, godly or set apart as sacred.
The old English root means “healthy, happy and whole.”
A holy person has being defined as ‘that which must
be preserved whole or intact, that cannot be transgressed or violated,’ perhaps
one reason Adam termed his Father the ‘Man of Holiness’.
Nation means ‘large group of
people with common ancestry’.
A Peculiar People
Was Peter calling the
Saints ‘odd’ when he referred to them (in the King James Bible) as peculiar?
No. At the time the KJV was translated peculiar had another meaning—private or
special property. Thus it would be more correct to say the Saints are the Lords
property, even his treasure. As the Lord told the Saints of latter-days: “Yet I
will own them, and they shall be mine in that day when I shall come to make up
my jewels.”
(Why are we ‘jewels’ not
‘gems’—don’t they mean the same thing? Etymology
of ‘jewel’ suggests the root means an “article of value used for adornment”
also that “which causes joy” whereas ‘gem’ is from word meaning ‘precious stone
or bud’)
Summary
Having chosen to rely on
the Saviour and entered into covenant the Saints were set apart as a nation, or
family, different from the world. They were
gifted the condition of divine light originating with their royal King, light
whose use was authorized by Him, as they continued to live their covenant. As
the King’s own personal treasure, they were to shine reflecting his light, as
jewels reflect the sunlight.
Thanks to http://www.etymonline.com
for a good treasure hunt in this verse.
