People, because you can't put one nation there in place of the nation Israel, because it (the Christian following) was going to be from many nations.
I know of no place where 'ethnos' is tied to geography (in Jn 11 Caiaphas is concerned that the Jewish people would be destroyed. Notice how the TEV adds Jewish (that's fine) but does not say place/country/land. A people may be scattered widely and still be a people; we as Christians are. The death of Christ mentioned in v53 there does not put every one in the same location when it says it makes them one ('hen') but that they are unified.
Odd, the difference between actual Bible students and book readers.
And this is a practice I have often observed over the years.
Those who actually invest a heavy amount of time in Scripture, behave much like the Bereans of Acts 17: 11, 12 when going back and forth with one another about "the things of God."
"Comparing spiritual things with spiritual" to one another.
In other words, speaking forth "the things of God...not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but that the Holy Ghost teacheth" to one another, due to their heavy amount of time in His Word Itself.
They tend to be that way and to expect that of any one professing to be "of the Book."
For that is how "the things of God...are spiritually discerned" - through - HIS - words - in HIS - WORD - "as - IT - is WRITTEN."
Why?
Is it that such are rabid or something?
Not necessarily. Theirs is just as likely to be the joy of...
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
In stark contrast to that, heavy book readers tend to speak to one another and others in the word imagery or "writer-eez" of their favorite writers; a part of one passage of Scripture or another (if that much) often misquoted, and or proven having been understood from a context other than its own.
And such take great offense the obvious their study approach so clearly points to but to for them; given their having come to so enjoy the long robes their books based words so adorn them in before the less informed.
Took some getting used to, back when I first began dealing with other Believers and or was visiting various assemblies.
And rattling off a few passages verbatim due to time actually heavily invested in Scripture, and as the basis of what one holds to, throughout a conversation with such, is often a good way to find that conversation abruptly ended with one excuse or another, just before that odd look the book reader gives such, after which the thing often ends with the empty platitude "God bless..."
Acts 7:1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 7:2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 7:3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee...
Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Now there is a way to go out - OVER relyers on their endless books "about" and their "traditions of men" be damned.
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Amen, brothers Stephen and Paul!
Rom. 5: 6-8.
