The Chosen People in Covenant History and Theology
The concept of a "chosen people" in biblical theology is intrinsically linked to the idea of a covenant, a formal agreement or promise established by God [1]. This covenant relationship is foundational to understanding God's interaction with humanity throughout salvation history.
The Old Testament introduces the Israelites as God's chosen people, a status conferred through the covenant made at Sinai. This covenant, detailed in Exodus, involved God's promise to be with them, and their commitment to obey His laws [5]. The "book of the covenant" contained these laws, and its ratification involved sacrifices, with half the blood sprinkled on the altar (representing God) and half on the people, signifying mutual obligation [7]. God promised to support them, and they were bound to Him [7]. This election was not merely for their benefit but also for a broader redemptive purpose, as seen in passages like Exodus 19:5-6, where Israel is called a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" [3, 5].
However, the Old Covenant was not without its limitations. The author of Hebrews notes that the first covenant, made at Sinai, was "not faultless" and "was not the end of God’s plan, because it didn’t solve human weaknesses" [2]. This points to the need for a new covenant, prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34 [2, 4]. This new covenant, realized through Jesus Christ, addresses the shortcomings of the old [4].
In the New Testament, the concept of a chosen people expands beyond ethnic Israel to include all who believe in Christ. Peter, for instance, applies descriptions originally given to Old Testament Israel (such as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession" from Exodus 19:5-6) to his primarily Gentile audience [6]. This indicates that in the new covenant era, all Christians are considered God's people [6]. This transition signifies that the "chosen people" are now defined by their faith in Christ and participation in the new covenant, rather than by ethnic lineage alone.
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Berith — covenant”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 8:7: 8:7-13 The author quotes Jer 31:31-34, an Old Testament prophecy concerning the new covenant that includes a number of striking promises. Establishing the superiority of the new covenant lays a foundation for the argument in Heb 9:1–10:18 that the Son’s offering under the new covenant was superior to the offerings of the old covenant. 8:7 The first covenant, made at Sinai, was not faultless. It was not the end of God’s plan, because it didn’t solve human weaknesses (see 7:11-28; 8:9).”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 53.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:1 1:27 1:27 3:17 3:17 3:18 4:11 4:13 4:14 6:5 7:11 8:1 10:4 10:11 11:29 11:31 11:31 12:1 12:1 12:17 14:6 14:16 15:1 17:7 17:7 19:24 19:37 20:2 20:8 20:14 21:2 21:5 25:1 25:14 25:14 27:38 27:38 32:3 32:10 32:12 36:8 36:9 Exodus 3:8 7:13 8:15 13:3 13:5 13:8 13:14 13:17 14:14 14:21 14:22 15:10 17 18:21 19:5 19:6 19:6 19:6 19:6 20:1 20:2 20:24 20:25 23:32 27:1 29:45 33:3 34:6 34:6 34:15 34:30 Leviticus 19:9 19:10 26:3-13 26:8 26:12 26:12 26:16 Numbers 3:1-4:49 10:36 12:6 13:22 23:19 24:13 30:3 32:34 Deutero”
- Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 31:31: 31:31 The day of the new covenant was realized when Jesus Christ accomplished his redemptive mission on earth (see Heb 8:8-12).”
- Haggai (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Haggai 2:5: According to the word that--literally, "(I am with you) the word (or thing) which I covenanted"; that is, I am with you as I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt (Exo 19:5-6; Exo 34:10-11). The covenant promise of God to the elect people at Sinai is an additional motive for their persevering. The Hebrew for to "covenant" is literally "to cut," alluding to the sacrificial victims cut in ratification of a covenant. so--or, "and." my Spirit remaineth among you--to strengthen you for the work (Hag 1:14; Zac 4:6). The inspiration of Haggai and Z”
- 1 Peter (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Peter 2:9: 2:9 Peter applies descriptions of the Israelites in the Old Testament (see, e.g., Exod 19:5-6) to his primarily Gentile audience, indicating that they—like all Christians—are truly God’s people in the new covenant era.”
- Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 24:7: The book of the covenant - The writing containing the laws mentioned in the three preceding chapters. As this writing contained the agreement made between God and them, it was called the book of the covenant; but as no covenant was considered to be ratified and binding till a sacrifice had been offered on the occasion, hence the necessity of the sacrifices mentioned here. Half of the blood being sprinkled on the Altar, and half of it sprinkled on the People, showed that both God and They were mutually bound by this covenant. God was bound to the People to support, d”