Bible Lexicons

ἐκλεκτ-ός, ή, όν,

I

1. picked out, select, Ibyc. 22, Th. 6.100; τὸ τῶν ἐ. δικαστήριον Pl. Lg. 938b; ἐ. δικασταί, =Lat. iudices selecti, OGI 499.3 (ii A.D.). Adv. - τῶς interpol. in Suid.s.v. ἐπίλεκτος.

2. choice, pure, σμύρνη LXX Exodus 30:23; βοήθημα Ascl ap. Aët. 9.12; ἀνδρών PRein. 43.9 (ii A.D.); ἐκλεκτόν, = corn, Aq. Psalms 65:13(64).14.

II chosen of God, elect, LXX Isaiah 43:20, Mark 13:20, etc.

ἐκλεκτός, ἐκλεκτή, ἐκλεκτόν (ἐκλέγω), picked out, chosen; rare in Greek writ:, as Thucydides 6, 100; Plato, legg. 11, p. 938 b.; 12, 948 a., etc.; the Sept. for בָּחוּר and בָּחִיר; in the N. T.

1. chosen by God, and a. to obtain salvation through Christ (see ἐκλέγω); hence, Christians are called οἱ ἐκλεκτοί τοῦ Θεοῦ, the chosen or elect of God (cf. Winer's Grammar, 35 (34); 234 (219)), (יְהוָה בְּחִירֵי, said of pious Israelites Isaiah 65:9, 15, 23; Psalm 104:43 (), cf. Wis. 4:15): Luke 18:7; Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12; Titus 1:1; without the genitive Θεοῦ, Matthew 24:22, 24; Mark 13:20, 22; 1 Peter 1:1; with the addition of τοῦ Χριστοῦ, as the genitive of possessor, Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27 (T Tr omit the genitive); κλητοί καί ἐκλεκτοί καί πιστοί, Revelation 17:14; γένος ἐκλεκτόν, 1 Peter 2:9 (from Isaiah 43:20, cf. Additions to Esther 8:40 [Esther 8:368:12t] (Esth. 6:17, p. 64, Fritzsche edition)); ἐκλεκτοί, those who have become true partakers of the Christian salvation are contrasted with κλητοί, those who have been invited but who have not shown themselves fitted to obtain it (others regard the 'called' and the 'chosen' here as alike partakers of salvation, but the latter as the 'choice ones' (see 2 below), distinguished above the former; cf. James Morison or Meyer at the passage), Matthew 20:16 (here T WH omit; Tr brackets the clause); ; finally, those are called ἐκλεκτοί who are destined for salvation but have not yet been brought to it, 2 Timothy 2:10 (but cf. Huther or Ellicott at the passage).

b. The Messiah is called preeminently ὁ ἐκλεκτός τοῦ Θεοῦ, as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable: Luke 23:35, cf. Luke 9:35 L marginal reading T Tr WH; cf. Dillmann, Das Buch Henoch (übers. u. erkhärt;allgem. Einl.), p. 23:

c. Angels are called ἐκλεκτοί, as those whom God has chosen out from other created beings to be peculiarly associated with him, and his highest ministers in governing the universe: 1 Timothy 5:21; see ἅγιος, 1 b.; μαρτύρομαι δέ ἐγώ μέν ὑμῶν τά ἅγια καί τούς ἱερούς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Θεοῦ, Josephus, b. j. 2, 16, 4 under the end; (yet others explain by 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6; cf. Ellicott on 1 Timothy, the passage cited).

2. universally, choice, select, i. e. the best of its kind or class, excellent, preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians, 2 John 1:1, 13; with ἐν κυρίῳ added, eminent as a Christian (see ἐν, I. 6 b.), Romans 16:13; of things: λίθος, 1 Peter 2:4 (6) (Isaiah 28:16; 2 Esdr. 5:8; Enoch, chapter 8 Greek text, Dillmann edition, p. 82f).

ἐκ -λεκτός , -ή , -όν

(< ἐκλέγω ),

[in LXX for H977 (so prob. in Isaiah 28:16, Proverbs 17:3, for MT H974), H1277, etc.;]

1. choice, select (cl., rarely; Thuc., Plat., al.), hence, eminent: Romans 16:13 (cf. Ezekiel 27:24).

2. As in Inscr. (MM, Exp., xii), chosen; esp. as in LXX, of Israel, elect, chosen of God (Isaiah 65:9, Psalms 105:43, al.); so in NT;

(a) of Christ: Luke 23:35 (cf. Isaiah 42:1); fig., λίθος , 1 Peter 2:4-6 (LXX);

(b) of holy angels: 1 Timothy 5:21;

(c) of Christians: Matthew 24:22; Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:20; Mark 13:22; Mark 13:27, 2 Timothy 2:10, 1 Peter 1:1; τ . θεοῦ , Luke 18:7, Romans 8:33, Colossians 3:12, Titus 1:1; τ . Χριστοῦ , Matthew 24:31; ἐ . κυρία , 2 John 1:1; ἀδελφή , 2 John 1:13; γένος , 1 Peter 2:9 (LXX); κλητοὶ καὶ ἐ . κ . πιστοί , Revelation 17:14; opp. to κλητός (not so in Epp.; v. Lft. on Colossians 3:12), Matthew 20:16 (T, WH, txt., R, omit) Matthew 22:14 (Cremer, 405, 775).†