ē̇ -lekt ´: That is, "chosen," "selected." In the Old Testament the word represents derivatives of בּחר , bā̄ḥar , elegit ; in the New Testament ἐκλεκτός , eklektós ̌ . 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 .
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) was edited by James Orr, John Nuelsen, Edgar Mullins, Morris Evans, and Melvin Grove Kyle and was published complete in 1939. This web site includes the complete text.
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