Elect

Elect
Elect
Denotes in general one chosen or taken by preference from among two or more; as a theological term it is equivalent to 'chosen as the object of mercy or Divine favour, as set apart for eternal life'

Catholic Encyclopedia. . 2006.

Elect
    Elect
     Catholic_Encyclopedia Elect
    Denotes in general one chosen or taken by preference from among two or more; as a theological term it is equivalent to "chosen as the object of mercy or Divine favour, as set apart for eternal life". In order to determine the meaning of the word more accurately, we shall have to study its usage both in the Old Testament and the New.
    I. THE OLD TESTAMENT
    The Old Testament applies the term elect, or chosen, only to the Israelites in as far as they are called to be the people of God, or are faithful to their Divine call. The idea of such an election is common in the Book of Deuteronomy and in Is., xl-lxvi. In Ps. civ, 6 and 43, and cv, 5, the chosen ones are the Hebrew people in as far as it is the recipient of God's temporal and spiritual blessings; in Is., lxv, 9, 15 and 23, they are the repentant Israelites, as few in number "as if a grain can be found in a cluster" (ibid., 8); in Tob., xiii, 10, they are the Israelites remaining faithful during their captivity; in Wisd., iii, 9, and iv, 15, they are God's true servants; in Ecclus., xxiv, 4, 13, and xlvi, 2, these servants of God belong to the chosen people.
    II. THE NEW TESTAMENT
    The New Testament transfers (excepting perhaps in Acts, xiii, 17) the meaning of the term from its connection with the people of Israel to the members of the Church of Christ, either militant on earth or triumphant in heaven. Thus I Pet., I, 1, speaks of the elect among the "strangers dispersed" through the various parts of the world; I Pet., ii, 9, represents them as "a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people", called from darkness into God's marvellous light. St. Paul, too, speaks of the elect (Rom., viii, 33) and describes the five degrees of their election: they are foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified (loc. cit., 29, 30). He returns to the idea gain and again: II Thess., ii, 12 sq.; Col., iii, 12; Tit., I, 1, 2; II Tim., ii, 10. St. John gives the title of elect to those who fight on the side of the Lamb against the powers of darkness (Apoc., xvii, 14). According to St. Luke (xviii, 7), God hears the cries of his elect for vengeance; according to the first two Evangelists he will shorten the last days for the sake of the elect (Matt., xxiv, 22, 24, 31; Mark, xiii, 20, 22, 27).
    If it be asked why the name elect was given to the members of the Church Militant, we may assign a double reason: first, they were freely chosen by God's goodness (Rom., xi, 5-7, 28); secondly, they must show in their conduct that they are choice men (Ephes., iv, 17). In the sentence "many are called, but few are chosen", the latter expression renders a word in the Greek and Latin text which is elsewhere translated by elect (Matt., xx, 16; xxii, 14). It is agreed on all sides that the term refers to members of the Church Triumphant, but there is some doubt as to whether it refers to mere membership, or to a more exalted degree. This distinction is important; if the word implies mere membership in the Church Triumphant, then the chosen ones, or those who will be saved, are few, and the non-members in the Church Triumphant are many; if the word denotes a special degree of glory, then few will attain this rank, and many will fail to do so, though many are called to it. The sentence "many are called, but few chosen" does not, therefore, settle the question as to the relative number of the elect and the lost; theologians are divided on this point, and while Christ in the Gospels urges the importance of saving one's soul (Luke, xiii, 23, 24), he alternately so strengthens our hope and excites our fear as not to leave us any solid ground for either presumption or despair.
    LESêTRE in Dict. de la Bible (Paris, 1899), II, 1708 sqq.; MURRAY, Dict. of the Bible (New York, 1900), I, 678 sqq.; KNABENBAUER, Evang. secundum Matthæum (Paris, 1893), II, 178, 247; MONSABRÉ Conférences de Notre-Dame (1899), Conference VI.
    A.J. MAAS
    Transcribed by Steve Fanning

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. . 1910.


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  • Elect — E*lect , a. [L. electus, p. p. of eligere to elect; e out + legere to choose. See {Legend}, and cf. {Elite}, {Eclectic}.] 1. Chosen; taken by preference from among two or more. Colors quaint elect. Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. (Theol.) Chosen as… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • elect — vt 1: to select by vote for an office, position, or membership 2: to make a selection of elect ed her statutory share over the gift under the will vi: to choose an elective share the right of a spouse to elect against the will …   Law dictionary

  • elect — [ē lekt′, ilekt′] adj. [ME < L electus, pp. of eligere, to pick out, choose < e , out + legere, to pick, choose: see LOGIC] 1. chosen; given preference 2. elected but not yet installed in office: usually used in combination [the mayor… …   English World dictionary

  • Elect — E*lect , n. 1. One chosen or set apart. [1913 Webster] Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. Is. xlii. 1. [1913 Webster] 2. pl. (Theol.) Those who are chosen for salvation. [1913 Webster] Shall not God avenge… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Elect — E*lect , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Elected}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Electing}.] 1. To pick out; to select; to choose. [1913 Webster] The deputy elected by the Lord. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To select or take for an office; to select by vote; as, to elect a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • -elect — suffix ► used after the title of an official job to refer to someone who has been chosen by vote to do that job, but who has not yet started doing it: »Mr Theroux is chairman elect of the Promotion Marketing Association. → Compare DESIGNATE(Cf.… …   Financial and business terms

  • elect — adj picked, *select, exclusive Analogous words: *choice, exquisite, rare: selected, preferred, chosen, singled out (see CHOOSE): redeemed, saved, delivered (see RESCUE vb) Antonyms: reprobate (in theology) Contrasted words: rejected, repudiated,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • elect — ► VERB 1) choose (someone) to hold public office or another position by voting. 2) opt for or choose to do something. ► ADJECTIVE 1) chosen or singled out. 2) elected to a position but not yet in office: the President Elect. DERIVATIVES electable …   English terms dictionary

  • Elect — Elect., Abbreviatur auf Recepten: Electuarium …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • ELECT — ELECT., сокращение лат. слова electua rium кашка, употребляемое в рецепте …   Большая медицинская энциклопедия

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