Elect Lady
TextsWhat is the meaning of Elect Lady in the Bible?
The phrase 'elect lady' appears in the salutation of the Second Epistle of John, where the author addresses a recipient identified as 'Eklekte' or 'Electa'. Scholarly consensus generally interprets this as a personification of a specific church community, though some historical analyses consider the possibility of it referring to a specific female leader or patron within the early Christian movement.
TEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing 'elect lady' as a metaphor for a church community clarifies the epistle's pastoral intent and reveals how early Christian writers utilized familial and gendered language to establish authority and define communal boundaries within the broader network of early Christian groups.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.