ELECT

e-lekt': That is, "chosen," "selected." In the Old Testament the word represents derivatives of bachar, elegit; in the New Testament eklektos. It means properly an object or objects of selection. This primary meaning sometimes passes into that of "eminent," "valuable," "choice"; often thus as a fact, in places where the King James Version uses "chosen" (or "elect") to translate the original (e.g. Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 2:6). In the King James Version "elect" (or "chosen") is used of Israel as the race selected for special favor and to be the special vehicle of Divine purposes (so 4 times in Apocrypha, Tobit and Ecclus); of the great Servant of Yahweh (compare Luke 23:35; the "Christ of God, his chosen"); compare eminent saints as Jacob, Moses, Rufus (Romans 16:13); "the lady," and her "sister" of 2 Jn; of the holy angels (1 Timothy 5:21); with a possible suggestion of the lapse of other angels. Otherwise, and prevalently in the New Testament, it denotes a human community, also described as believers, saints, the Israel of God; regarded as in some sense selected by Him from among men, objects of His special favor, and correspondingly called to special holiness and service. See further under ELECTION . In the English versions "elect" is not used as a verb: "to choose" is preferred; e.g. Mark 13:20; Ephesians 1:4.

Handley Dunelm

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.