For the greater part of western history, monarchs ruled their countries. Kings and queens ruled over England, France, Spain, etc. These monarchs represented their peoples so thoroughly that they were in corporate solidarity with their nations. So extensive was the representation of the peoples they ruled that the monarch could simply be called by the name of the nation (England, for example).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Ephesians 1:6, Paul refers to Christ Jesus as ho \u0113gap\u0113menos<\/em>, \u201cthe Beloved,\u201d a term that describes Israel in the Hebrew Bible but does so with even more clarity in the Old Greek translations, popularly called the Septuagint. Paul uses a term that echoes or signals to his readers that Christ is the New Israel\u2014consequently, Gentile believers are incorporated into the New Israel since they have been chosen in him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To discern whether Paul intended to allude to Jeshurun\u2014an Old Testament term of endearment for Israel\u2014we must analyze the Greek term he used in Ephesians 1:6 against its usage in the Septuagint. While the discussion will be slightly technical, the results are significant, for they potentially add another layer to Christ\u2019s identity that further illuminates the identity of Gentile believers in Paul\u2019s theology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 1:3\u20136 says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 <\/sup><\/strong>Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ<\/em> with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 <\/sup><\/strong>even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 <\/sup><\/strong>he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 <\/sup><\/strong>to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved<\/em>. (ESV, emphasis added)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The church was blessed in Christ, chosen in Him, predestined through Jesus Christ to the praise of his glorious grace which God gave us in the Beloved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the original Greek, the discourse resumes in verse 7 with relative clauses until the end of verse 14, which perhaps marks vv. 3\u20136 as a unit. The Nestle-Aland 27 edition of the Greek New Testament deemed vv. 3\u20136 as a paragraph. Within this unit, the expressions \u201cin Christ\u201d (en Christ\u014d<\/em>) and \u201cin the Beloved\u201d (en t\u014d \u0113gap\u0113men\u014d<\/em>) are parallel with each other, since the former is at the end of the first line (indicating the location of all the spiritual blessings), while the latter is at the end of the final line (indicating the location of the glorious grace given to us). The intervening lines use pronouns referring to the first line and mention election and predestination. We will return to the significance of this parallelism below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s where we get slightly into the weeds, but it will be worth it. The latter term t\u014d \u0113gap\u0113men\u014d<\/em> is a perfect middle\/passive participle dative masculine singular from agapa\u014d<\/em>, \u201cto love,\u201d and it is used as a substantive to translate as \u201cthe one having been loved\u201d or \u201cthe beloved.\u201d In Greek, there are at least two other ways of communicating this idea: 1) a –t\u014ds<\/em> adjective agap\u0113tos<\/em>, which is how Paul describes Christians in a number of places (e.g., Eph. 5:1 \u201cbeloved children\u201d) and how Matthew describes Jesus at his baptism and his transfiguration [\u201cThis is my beloved Son\u201d; Matt. 3:17; 17:5] and 2) the use of a simple relative clause with an active verb [e.g., ho huios sou . . . , hon agapas<\/em>], \u201cyour son, whom you love\u201d in Old Greek Isaiah 3:25). Thus, it may be significant that Paul chose the participle rather than the other two constructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Septuagint, the perfect middle\/passive participle is used in two ways: 1) it renders Hebrew words for \u201clove\u201d or \u201cbeloved\u201d including references to Israel and individuals in Israel, and 2) significantly, it renders Hebrew Yeshurun<\/em>\/Jeshurun in four places, which is an unexpected translation as we shall see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In seven texts in the Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah 5:1) and the non-canonical Apocrypha (e.g., Baruch 3:37), the participle often translated as \u201cbeloved\u201d describes Israel or Judah as a whole.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In nine texts, the participle modifies individuals, tribes, or even a wife in Israel\u2019s case laws.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus, this participle refers either to Israel or to individuals within Israel\u2019s history in both texts of the Old Testament and Apocrypha. In all of the Old Testament examples, the Greek word renders the following Hebrew words for love\/beloved: yadid, yadiduth,\u2019ahab, sha\u2019ashu\u2019im<\/em>, which means the Greek translations were predictable in these instances and thus could not be used to determine whether the Septuagint translators were making distinct rhetorical or theological points. When translators use predictable equivalents, it is impossible to parse the theology of the Hebrew Bible from the theology of the Septuagint translators. But what if the translators went off script? What if they also used this perfect middle\/passive participle in unexpected ways? I believe that these translators did exactly this when they used this participle to render Jeshurun <\/em>in four places. Let\u2019s look at each of these in turn in the English Standard Version (which translates the Old Testament primarily from the Hebrew Masoretic Text) and the Lexham English Septuagint<\/em> (a new translation as of 2012 that translates the Old Testament from the Greek Septuagint).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deut 32:15<\/em> Deut 33:5<\/em> Deut 33:26<\/em> Isaiah 44:2<\/em> A few comments on these texts are in order. First, \u201cJeshurun\u201d is a nickname or pet name for Israel (a hypocoristicon) that is also a term of endearment and that refers to loyalty in the covenant relationship in its Hebrew root.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, the translation of the Septuagint is not a straightforward \u201cliteral\u201d translation of Jeshurun. The slightly later work of the Three Jewish Revisers (Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion) renders Jeshurun with Greek equivalents of a Hebrew word meaning \u201cstraight\u201d (Hebrew yashar<\/em>; see Deut. 32:15: Aquila: euthytatos<\/em> \u201crather straight\u201d; Symmachus & Theodotion: ho euth\u0113s<\/em> \u201cthe straight one\u201d [cp. t\u014d euthei<\/em> in Deut. 33:5]). The Three used a rather formal approach to translation\u2014 they often rendered Hebrew words with the same stereotypical Greek equivalents, sometimes even using one equivalent Greek root and derivatives for one Hebrew root and derivatives. They were not always<\/em> concerned with the most contextual rendering. In this case, the Three\u2019s word choice highlights the Septuagint\u2019s word choice for the Hebrew, for \u201clove\u201d for \u201cstraight\u201d is not immediately obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Third, there is no possibility of a Hebrew scribal error in this situation, and therefore, I conclude the translators diverge from the plain sense of their Hebrew parent text for rhetorical and theologizing purposes. Their contextual rendering of the pet name or term of endearment for Israel, but it emphasizes God\u2019s love for them in election (e,g., Deut. 7:8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fourth, the Greek Isaiah translator is likely dependent on the work of the Deuteronomy translator, who preceded him. LXX of Isaiah also provides a doublet for Jeshurun when he translates it ho \u0113gap\u0113menos Isra\u0113l<\/em>, \u201cThe Beloved Israel.\u201d It is also important to note the election of Israel (Jacob) in Isaiah 44:1\u20134, which could also have triggered Paul\u2019s allusion to Jeshurun in Ephesians 1:3\u20136.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The above analysis leads to the following conclusions for Paul\u2019s use of the Old Testament in Ephesians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, ho \u0113gap\u0113menos<\/em> (\u201cthe beloved\u201d) is used of both<\/em> individuals in Israel\u2019s history and of Israel itself. Since the LXX of Deuteronomy translates Jeshurun(a pet name for Israel) with this word and form, we can thus conclude the phrase \u201cBeloved Israel\u201d originated in the Greek of Deuteronomy, and that later books, both canonical and Apocrypha, borrowed the expression. As noted above, LXX of Isaiah combined the terms of Beloved Israel and election, and Paul was influenced by and aware of this connection, even as he now interprets Israel and Jeshurun in light of Christ\u2019s appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, Paul capitalizes on the term\u2019s meaning in the Septuagint. The term refers corporately to Israel and to individuals within Israel. He places it in parallel with en christ\u014d<\/em> \u201cin Christ\u201d in Ephesians 1:3, referring to an individual and the Messiah\u2019s people. Primarily via<\/em> the parallelism, Paul communicates that Christ is the true Beloved or Jeshurun. Paul also uses the terms christ\u014d<\/em> and \u0113gap\u0113menos<\/em> as incorporating (en <\/em>\u201cin\u201d) terms. Regarding \u201cin Christ,\u201d N.T. Wright rightly says, \u201cI suggest, in other words, that Paul uses \u2018Christ\u2019 here as a shorthand way of referring to that unity and completeness, and mutual participation, which belongs to the church that is found \u2018in Christ\u2019, that is, in fact, the people of the Messiah\u201d[3]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Third, regarding \u201cBeloved,\u201d that term was originally intended to be a title for God\u2019s people, Israel, and it expressed God\u2019s covenant love for them. Now, Paul applies it to Christ Jesus. This conclusion, of course, fits with Matthew\u2019s own use of the term in Matthew 3:17 and 17:5, where Jesus is called by the Father \u201cmy beloved Son.\u201d Matthew has already clarified that Jesus is the true Israel on a new exodus from his use of Hosea 11:1 in Matthew 2:15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fourth, \u201cin Christ\u201d (en christ\u014d<\/em>) and \u201cin the Beloved\u201d (en t\u014d \u0113gap\u0113men\u014d<\/em>), therefore, denote Christ as the true Israel and thus further define the new and true Israel with respect to one\u2019s incorporation into Christ. Believers in Christ are incorporated into Christ, the Beloved. Frank Thielman rightly concludes, \u201cIt seems likely, therefore, that when Paul calls Jesus, \u201cthe Beloved,\u201d in this passage he has in mind Jesus\u2019s embodiment within himself of the beloved and elect people of God\u201d.[4]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Given the overall context of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul\u2019s use of the Old Testament is astounding. Here, he comments on the status of Gentile believers and says they are elect in Christ, that is, incorporated into the true people of God, for whom the Messiah stands. By being incorporated into Christ, the Gentiles have become full and bona fide members of the people of God. In the Beloved, Israel\u2019s history has become ours. It is important to see that this text does not support supersessionism or a replacement theology in which the Church replaces Israel as God\u2019s people. Instead, Paul clearly identifies Christ Jesus as the true Israel, the Jeshurun or Beloved of old, and grounds one\u2019s membership in God\u2019s people in Christ himself. As Israel\u2019s king, Christ embodies and represents Israel, and one\u2019s faith-union with him tethers one to membership in the true Israel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In saying “in the Beloved” to the church, Paul signals that Christ is the New Israel. Digging into the original language unearths more\u2014another beautiful layer of His identity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20252,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"In saying \"in the Beloved\" to the church, Paul signals that Christ is the New Israel. Digging into the original language unearths more\u2014another beautiful layer of His identity.","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"[]","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1970,32,12,38],"tags":[1168,695,2076,217,653,823,57,282,1381,2077,1664,257,694,2006],"scripture-reference":[],"post_folder":[],"ppma_author":[2068],"class_list":["post-20248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-april-2025","category-article","category-concise","category-theme","tag-as-a-hebrew-scholar","tag-atonement","tag-beloved","tag-biblical-theology","tag-body","tag-christ","tag-christ-as-center","tag-christ-over-all","tag-cross","tag-ephesians-1","tag-greek","tag-messiah","tag-typology","tag-work-of-christ"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/John-Meade-Jeshurun-scaled-e1745889125523.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-01-13 11:40:14","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"authors":[{"term_id":2068,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"john-meade","display_name":"John Meade","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/John-Meade-Author-scaled.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/John-Meade-Author-scaled.jpg"},"author_category":"1","job_title":"","church_city_state":"","last_name":"Meade","first_name":"John","church_site":"","user_url":"","description":"John D. Meade<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>serves as professor of Old Testament at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary\u00a0and as co-director of the Text & Canon Institute. John is co-author with Peter Gurry of <\/span>Scribes and Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible<\/a><\/i>\u00a0(Crossway, 2022)<\/a><\/span>, and he edited <\/span>A Critical Edition of the Hexaplaric Fragments of Job 22\u201342<\/a><\/i><\/span>. He blogs at <\/span>Evangelical Textual Criticism<\/a><\/span>, and you can follow him on X.<\/span>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20248"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20258,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20248\/revisions\/20258"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20248"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-reference","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-reference?post=20248"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=20248"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=20248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Context of Ephesians 1:6<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
References to the Nation of Israel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. See 2 Chr. 20:7 (Abraham or seed of Abraham); Judith 9:4 (sons of Israel); Hos. 2:23(25) (variant reading and Paul\u2019s wording in Rom 9:25: \u201cI will love the one unbeloved\u201d); Isa. 5:1, 7 (Yahweh).<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
References to Individual Israelites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. See Deut. 21:15-16 (beloved wife in contrast to a hated one); Deut. 33:12 (tribe of Benjamin); 2 Sam. 1:23 (Saul and Jonathan are called beloved); 2 Esdras 23:26 (Neh. 13:26; Solomon is \u201cbeloved to God\u201d); Jer. 12:7 (Jeremiah\u2019s soul is \u201cbeloved;\u201d Sirach 24:11 (the beloved city in the A line and Jerusalem is the city mentioned in the B line); Sirach 45:1 (Moses is beloved by God and men); Sirach 46:13 (Samuel is beloved by the Lord); LXX Dan. 3:35 (Abraham beloved by God).<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
References to Jeshurun as \u201cBeloved\u201d by the Septuagint Translators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\u201cBut Jeshurun (Yeshurun<\/em>) grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation. (ESV)
\u201cAnd Jacob ate and was filled, and the beloved one (ho \u0113gap\u0113menos<\/em>) kicked; he grew fat, he grew thick, he became large. And he forsook the God who made him, and he drew away from God his Savior.\u201d (LES)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun (Vishurun<\/em>) when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together. (ESV)
And he [the Lord] shall be a ruler with the beloved one (en t\u014d \u0113gap\u0113men\u014d<\/em>); rulers of people have been gathered with the tribes of Israel. (LES)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is none like God, O Jeshurun (Yeshurun<\/em>), who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty. (ESV)
There is none like the God of the beloved (tou \u0113gap\u0113menou<\/em>), who goes upon the heavens as your helper, and the glorious one of the firmament. (LES)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun (Vishurun<\/em>) whom I have chosen. (ESV)
This is what the Lord, the God who made you and who formed you from the belly, says, \u201cYou will still receive aid; do not be frightened, my servant Jacob, and beloved (ho \u0113gap\u0113menos<\/em>) Israel, whom I have chosen,\u201d (LES)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nPaul\u2019s Use of \u201cBeloved\u201d in Ephesians 1:3\u20136<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. N.T. Wright, The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology<\/em> (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993), 54. <\/h6>\n\n\n\n
4. Frank Thielman, Theology of the New Testament: A Canonical and Synthetic Approach<\/em> (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010), 54.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n