Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ELECTION

Although the terms “elect” and “election” do not appear with great frequency in most English translations, the range of terms associated with them indicate their importance in biblical theology. While election is associated also with such words as “call/calling,” “covenant,” “predestine,” “foreordain,” and “people of God,” the primary word for expressing the concept of election is the Hebrew verb bḥr (Gk. eklégomai), commonly rendered “choose.” While the term can be used in the ordinary sense of human choice (cf. Gen. 13:11; 1 Sam. 17:40), it is employed primarily to describe God’s initiative in choosing a people or individuals for his purposes.

Old Testament

The classical formulation of the doctrine of election is Deut. 7:6-11. Israel is told: “You are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession” (v. 6). God chose Israel, not because of her superior numbers or morality, but because of his love. This election of Israel is expressed in God’s redeeming power and fidelity to the oath sworn to Israel’s fathers. Thus, as the author’s development of this theme throughout Deuteronomy demonstrates (cf. Deut. 4:19-24; 10:14-22; 14:2; 26:18-19), God’s election of Israel is the expression of his steadfast love and fidelity to the promises that he had sworn to the fathers. Indeed, Israel’s history and destiny — the promises to Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt, and the continuing promise of protection from enemies — are aspects of Israel’s election (7:8-10). As a consequence of God’s choice of Israel, those who are chosen are now required to keep the commandments of the One who has elected them (7:11), for the divine election demands the obedient response of God’s people.

The concept of election is most thoroughly developed in the prophetic literature, especially in the work of the anonymous prophet of the Babylonian Exile known as Second Isaiah. In a period of national despair over Israel’s defeat, the prophet offers a word of comfort (Isa. 40:9), indicating that Israel has not been rejected (41:9). Indeed, he refers to Israel as God’s “chosen” seven times (41:8-9; 43:10, 20; 44:1-2; 45:4), of which all but one reference (43:20) connect the term with the mission of the servant who will be a “light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (49:6). Thus the language of election in 2 Isaiah serves as the assurance to a despairing people that Israel has a future that involves, not only Israel’s survival, but a blessing to all nations.

Because election is associated with Israel’s covenantal obligations, the prophets occasionally reflect on the consequences of Israel’s failure to honor her special relationship to God. Amos appeals to the election of Israel when he announces Israel’s punishment (“You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you,” Amos 3:2; cf. 9:7). Isa. 65 distinguishes between a “rebellious people” (v. 2) who do not keep the covenant (vv. 2-8, 11-12) and God’s “chosen” (vv. 9, 15), who have remained faithful. God promises future blessings for his servants, but punishment for the rebellious people (cf. Isa. 65:15). This distinction between the promises for the “chosen” and the punishment for the disobedient reflects an initial stage in the distinction between “the chosen” and the remainder of Israel.

New Testament

The variety of NT witnesses which incorporate the vocabulary of election attests to the continuing significance of this concept in the early church. Common terms are the “elect” (eklektós), “election” (eklogḗ), and the verb “choose” (eklégomai) or terms that belong to the same semantic range (e.g., “call,” kaléō). Although it can be used for an individual who is chosen for a specific mission (e.g., Paul in Acts 9:15), the primary significance of election lies in its designation of both Jesus Christ and the community of faith.

Jesus Christ

According to 1 Pet. 2:4, 6 Jesus Christ is the “stone” that was rejected by men but chosen by God. Although NT writers only rarely describe Christ as the “chosen one” (cf. the comment of scoffers in Luke 23:35; John 1:34), this christological claim plays an important role nevertheless, for the NT frequently cites passages from the OT which resonate with the election theme. 1 Peter’s reference to Christ as the chosen one (2:4, 6) comes from Isa. 28:16 (cf. Matt. 21:42; Rom. 9:33; also Eph. 2:20). Similarly, numerous NT writers give a christological interpretation of the Servant Songs of Isa. 40–55 (Matt. 3:17 par.; 8:17; 20:28 par.; Acts 8:32-33; 1 Pet. 2:21-25), which describe the chosen one.

The Community of Faith

The NT most commonly employs election terminology to describe the community of faith. In the Synoptic tradition “the elect” are the faithful who appeal to God for vindication (Luke 18:7) and who withstand the eschatological tribulations (Matt. 24:22, 24) before the Christ comes to “gather his elect” (v. 31). Paul also employs election language to describe his communities. He reminds them of their election (1 Thess. 1:4; cf. Col. 3:12). Indeed, he appeals to the election tradition to explain to the Corinthians that such a community composed primarily of the lower classes is the result of God’s election of the weak and foolish things of the world (1 Cor. 1:27-28). The cross itself is nothing less than an example of God’s sovereign choice (1 Cor. 1:21).

The presence of the Gentiles in the Church and the rejection of the gospel by Jews provide Paul the occasion for his most thorough development of the concept of election in Rom. 9–11. The question that dominates chs. 9–11 is: Has God’s election of Israel failed? In his answer, Paul affirms in 9:6-29 that the present situation, in which Gentiles predominate, is a result of God’s sovereign choice. Just as Israel’s entire history rests on God’s election, the presence of Gentiles is a manifestation of God’s choice. According to 9:30–10:21 the gospel has gone out to Israel, which bears the responsibility for its own disobedience. According to ch. 11 the present situation is not final, for the same God who elected Gentiles by grafting them onto the olive tree will also act to bring salvation to Israel. Thus God’s election of Israel has not failed, for “all Israel will be saved” (11:26).

Israel’s election terminology is pervasive in the NT. 1 Peter is addressed to the “elect exiles” (1 Pet. 1:1-2). This author reminds this community of Gentiles that they are “a chosen race” (2:9) insofar as they follow the stone that was chosen by God (2:4-8). The readers of 2 Peter are challenged to make their “calling and election” sure (2 Pet. 1:10). 2 John is addressed to the “elect lady” (2 John 1). Thus Israel’s election language played an important role in shaping the identity of the early Church.

Bibliography. B. S. Childs, Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Minneapolis, 1992); W. G. Kümmel, The Theology of the New Testament (Nashville, 1973).

James W. Thompson

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ELECTION

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)