ἐκλέγομαι

Summary

ἐκλέγομαι ("to choose, to elect") in its OT background overwhelmingly refers to corporate election — God choosing a people, a nation, a place — not unconditional individual selection for salvation. The "in Him" qualifier in Ephesians 1:4 makes election christological and corporate: God chose a people-in-Christ, not isolated individuals apart from faith. Individuals participate in the elected body by believing.

Morphology

Middle voice of ἐκλέγω. The middle voice is significant: it indicates the subject's personal interest in the action — God chooses for Himself, selecting what belongs to Him.

Semantic Range

1. To pick out, choose, select for oneself (general usage)
2. To choose, elect — specifically of God's choosing of persons or groups for a purpose
3. In the LXX, used of God's election of Israel as a people (Deut 7:6-7), of Jerusalem as a city (1 Kings 11:13), and of individuals for particular roles (1 Sam 10:24)

Key Theological Observations

Corporate vs. individual usage: In the Old Testament background, ἐκλέγομαι overwhelmingly refers to corporate election — God choosing a people, a nation, a place. Individual election in the OT is primarily to roles and offices (king, priest, prophet), not to individual salvation. This corporate background informs the New Testament usage.

Ephesians 1:4: "He chose (ἐξελέξατο) us in Him before the foundation of the world." The aorist middle indicative — God chose for Himself, in Christ. The "in Him" qualifier makes this a christological, corporate election: God chose a people-in-Christ, not isolated individuals apart from Christ.

John 15:16: "You did not choose Me but I chose (ἐξελεξάμην) you." Context: Jesus is addressing the Twelve specifically about their apostolic commission ("I appointed you that you would go and bear fruit"). This is election to mission/office, parallel to OT election of individuals to roles.

1 Corinthians 1:27-28: "God has chosen (ἐξελέξατο) the foolish things... the weak things... the base things." The objects of election are categories (the foolish, the weak, the base), not named individuals. God's pattern of choosing is to select from unexpected categories — the non-prestigious, the non-powerful — to accomplish His purposes.

Provisionist Significance

The word itself does not require unconditional individual election. The OT usage, the "in Him" qualifier in Ephesians, and the categorical language in 1 Corinthians all support a corporate/vocational understanding of election. God chooses a people and a purpose; individuals participate by faith.

Source

• Cheryl Schatz, articles on predestination and election from The Giving blog
• BDAG, Thayer's, LXX usage patterns