The presupposition of this series is that not only the status of Scripture as God-breathed (θεόπνευστος, theopneustos), but also its sound exegesis (including 2 Timothy 3:15), is what matters, not the social interest of an organization, including whether it has Scriptural warrant for identifying itself as ἐκκλησία (ekklesia).
By “social” I mean “pertaining to societies called ‘churches’ and the claims of spiritual authority they may assert.” Readers who regard Sellers’s negative conclusion as too outrageous to be entertained and rule out textual evidence to that effect are implicitly justifying eisegesis, that is, reading into the text of Scripture. Such readers may save their time by not reading any further.
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In “What Does Kaleo Mean?,” Sellers did not lead readers down a garden path to a conclusion that confirmed their presuppositions. His criterion of truth was the coherence of Scripture, not what the ecclesiology of his contemporaries required.
He started by citing a common definition of καλέω (kaleō) and then showing that it could not apply in two thirds of its occurrences in the New Testament. “It is my conviction,” he concluded, “that kaleō has never been accurately defined and that its full meaning has been deliberately stultified in order to maintain a certain traditional meaning of ekklesia.”
In most lexicons kaleō is said to mean “to call,” that is, “to invite or to summon.” One lexicon . . . gives as a complete definition of this word: “Call those within range of the voice for immediate action, invite those at a distance for a future occasion.” Another lexicon says it means: “To call, summon; to call to one’s house, to invite; to call, name, call by name.”[1]
But “while it is true that kaleō does mean in some occurrences ‘to call’ in the sense of inviting, summoning, or bidding, it is also true that in at least ninety-five occurrences of this word in the New Testament, it simply cannot have this meaning.”[2]
This word [kaleō] is found 146 times in the New Testament. . . . [I]n about two-thirds of its occurrences, it cannot have the meaning of “to call,” “to bid,” “to invite,” or “to summon,” while in one-third it does have this meaning and should be so translated. These facts alone are sufficient to show that “to call” is not the primary meaning of this verb, and another meaning must be discovered and fully recognized if we are to faithfully interpret all passages where it is found.
. . . In Luke 1, the word kaleō is found ten times; and in none of these occurrences can it be given the meaning of “to bid,” “to summon,” or “to invite.” (See Luke 1:13, 31, 35-36, 59, 60-62, 76.) In Luke 14, it is found eleven times; and in each occurrence it will be found to mean “to bid” in the sense of inviting; and it is correctly translated in the King James Version. (See Luke 14:7-10, 12-13, 16-17, 24.)
When all occurrences of this word are carefully considered in their context . . . it will be found by the law of usage that this word primarily means “appoint,” “place,” “position,” “designate,” or “name,” and that “call,” “summon,” “invite,” and “bid” are derived and secondary meanings.
“Many words have primary and secondary meanings,” Sellers notes, “and this is true of kaleō. However, when the secondary or derived meaning of a word is exalted to the preeminent place and the primary meaning is ignored and stultified, great confusion will be the result.”
Let’s explore that primary meaning.
The first occurrence of this word is found in Matthew 1:21 where it says, “And thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.” (The italicized words are kaleō.) The word Jehoshua (Jesus) meant “Savior,” and He was to bear this designation since this was the work He would do. His name described His position and work. And as the angel continued his message to Joseph, he declared: “And they shall call (kaleō) His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). This designation was a most proper one, for God had projected Himself and was present upon the earth in the person of Jesus Christ. God could do this without sacrificing one bit of His in finitude and universality. . . .
It should be carefully noted that while the word kaleō means “appoint,” “place,” “designate,” “position,” or “name” . . . as well as “invite,” “bid,” or “summon,” the Old English word “call” had both of these meanings. . . . Today, we would say, “The President has not yet named the Secretary of State.” If we would say, “The President has not yet called the Secretary of State,” it would mean something quite different. However, there was a time when the king’s call or invitation to serve was equal to appointment to the position, since none dared refuse the call of his monarch. This is how kaleō got the secondary meaning of “to call” in the sense of inviting or bidding.
. . . In Ephesians 4:1 we would have a much clearer communication if we would translate it, “order your behavior in a manner worthy of the position (klesis [i.e., κλήσεως, klēseōs]) in which you have been placed” (kaleō [i.e., ἐκλήθητε, eklēthēte]). This would preserve and emphasize the very close relationship that exists between klēsis and kaleō, and provide pertinent advice to all in Christian service or in government.
If the primary meaning of kaleō is seen to be “appoint,” “designate,” or “name,” it will be of immeasurable help in gaining clear and correct interpretations of passages where words occur that are derived from this verb. . . .
Matthew 22:14, which reads, “For many are called [κλητοὶ, klētoi], but few are chosen [ἐκλεκτοί, eklektoi] . . . .” This should read “For many are designated, but few are elected.” See Luke 6:13 for a clear example of this, where many were designated as disciples, but only twelve were elected (chosen), and these were named apostles.
This was not an “invitation”: it was the appointment of a King. We have space for only a few of Sellers’s illustrations:
The primary meaning of kaleō and of the two cognate words that come out of it klētos and klēsis is of great help in understanding 2 Timothy 1:9 which will read as follows:
Who saves us and places (kaleō) us in a holy position, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace.
Most important of all is the light that a true definition of kaleō and klētos sheds upon the difficult passage of Romans 8:28-30. . . . This portion begins with the familiar declaration:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.
This passage is quoted by many who have “things” working in their behalf instead of God Himself. Some go on to quote the rest of the passage, but disregard altogether what it says. In the King James Version this reads, “To them who are called according to His purpose.” But according to my understanding, it should read, “To them who are positioned in harmony with His purpose.”. . .
I consider the positions of the Acts period believers and know that, “God has set some in the outcalled, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:28). And yet none of these things is true of me; and all that I can claim to be is a sinner saved by grace. I fully believe that God worked all things together for good for men such as these, but far too many “things” have worked to my harm for me to recklessly apply Romans 8:28 to myself.
Paul continued:
Because whom He knew in advance [προέγνω, proegnō], He also designates beforehand [προώρισεν, proōrisen] to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He, the Son, might be sovereign among many brethren. Moreover, those whom He designated beforehand, them He also appointed [ἐκάλεσεν, ekalesen]; and whom He appointed, them He also declares righteous [ἐδικαίωσεν, edikaiōsen], and whom He declares righteous, He also glorifies. Romans 8:29-30. Resultant [i.e., Sellers’s] Version
This all has to do with the positions held and services performed by God’s saints. It has nothing to do with the salvation of a sinner.
To Be Continued
Notes
[1] Otis Q. Sellers, “What Does Kaleo Mean?,” Seed & Bread, No. 87. (ND, but late ‘70s). https://seedandbread.org/download/Seed-and-Bread/SB087KALEOMeaning.pdf. (Link will open a pdf of a digital scan of the text of the original leaflet.) In his transliterations of the Greek, Sellers rarely distinguished omega and omicron (the long and short “o”), but I’ve corrected that in my representation of his writings.
[2] Sellers, “What Does Kaleo Mean?” Emphasis added.