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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Pe_2:9-10
9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1Pe_2:9 "But you" Notice the plural "you" and the contrast. The author uses a composite allusion from Exo_19:6 and then Exo_19:5.
▣ "a chosen race" This same descriptive title is found in Deu_7:6; Deu_10:15; Isa_43:20-21. Chosen for ministry! This is an OT title for elect servants.
▣ "a royal priesthood" This title is found in Exo_19:6; Isa_61:6; Isa_66:21. As Israel was chosen to bring the knowledge of YHWH to the world, now the church is called to inform and bring needy, sinful people to YHWH.
▣ "a holy nation" This same title is found in Exo_19:6; Deu_7:6; Deu_14:2; Deu_14:21; Deu_26:19. Israel was called to be uniquely holy and thus reveal a holy God (cf. Mat_5:48; 1Pe_1:15-16) to a fallen world.
▣ "a people for God's own possession" This same descriptive title is found in Exo_19:5; Deu_4:20; Deu_7:6; Deu_14:2; Deu_26:18; Mal_3:17. This passage speaks of the church as spiritual Israel (cf. Gal_6:16). These OT titles for the people of God are now applied to the NT Body of Christ (cf. Rom_2:28-29 : Gal_3:29; Gal_6:16; Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:13; Rev_1:6). In some ways the church has replaced Israel, as in the world mission mandate (cf. Mat_28:19-20; Luk_24:47; Act_1:8).
▣ "may proclaim the excellencies of Him" The purpose of God's people is to witness to the greatness of the one true creator/redeemer God! They are chosen and equipped to live and speak the gospel.
▣ "who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" Darkness and light are biblical metaphors of sin, rebellion, and evil versus hope, truth, healing, and goodness (cf. Joh_1:4-5; Joh_3:19-21; Joh_8:12; Joh_12:35-36; Joh_12:46; Act_26:18; 2Co_4:6; 1Jn_1:5; 1Jn_2:8). As the previous phrase might be an allusion to Isa_42:12, this phrase may allude to Isa_42:16.
1Pe_2:10 "for you once were not a people" This introduces a quote from Hos_1:10; Hos_2:23. The key term is lo ammi (the name of one of Hosea's children), which originally referred to Israel not being God's people because of their idolatry and covenant-breaking lifestyles. They were (1) trusting in political alliances and not in God and (2) worshiping Ba'al using YHWH's name.
▣ "but now you are the people of god" This is a further quote from Hos_2:23. This passage in its OT context affirms that though Israel had sinned and departed from their covenant God, He was ready to reestablish them to covenant status (i.e., marriage metaphor). This same loving and forgiving God now holds out His hand to wayward Gentiles.
This use of Hosea that originally addressed the wayward northern kingdom of Israel in the eighth century b.c. is now used by Peter to relate to pagan Gentiles. This extension of OT texts from a Jew/Gentile context to a unbeliever/believer context characterizes the NT! Believing Gentiles are now included in the covenant people of God (cf. Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:13).
▣ "you had not received mercy" The prophet Hosea had three children to whom he gave prophetic names
1. a boy named Jezreel, meaning "God makes fruitful"
2. a girl named Lo-Ruhamah, meaning "no compassion"
3. a boy named Lo-Ammi, meaning "not my people"
As the first part of 1Pe_2:10 uses the third child's name, the last part of 1Pe_2:10 uses the second child's name (cf. Hos_1:6; Hos_2:20; Hos_2:23). God fully receives sinners because He has compassion for them.
The grammatical forms found in 1Pe_2:10 are helpful in expressing the theological point. There was a stated objection on the part of the Gentiles, brought about by the agency of Satan (i.e., perfect passive participle), but the covenant God has decisively broken into history by means of His Messiah and brought about a new day of opportunity for covenant inclusion (i.e., aorist passive participle). This truth is similar to the mystery of God's plan, once hidden, but now disclosed (cf. Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:13).