Chapter I

Call in General

There is no systematic study that deals all the call narratives of the Bible
systematically at least in English 1 though there are many individual articles
on the call of the individuals or the Israelites as a whole. The different
articles that come out on the theme vocation in different languages show
the importance of the theme and the interest that it arouses through out the
world.
Vocation or call is one of the themes that is so popular and fascinating in
the NT but it is to be added immediately that it has its root in the OT 2. So it
is not possible to understand NT call narratives without knowing the call
narratives of the OT. It is necessary rather essential to have the knowledge
of the call in the OT to know better NT call narratives (mention of the
relationship between both the testaments). Before actually entering into the
call narratives proper, let us deal some introductory issues which are
essential for the full grasp of the theme in which we are interested in.

1. Terminology
1.1 In the Hebrew Bible
In the OT, the call of God directed to human being is almost always
expressed by the Hebrew verb qārā’, ar'q' and its derivatives. The verb is
1
There is an Italian work by Zedda who has the collection of meditations of some
individual vocation of the OT: S. ZEDDA, La vocazione. Brevi meditazione alla luce
della Bibbia, Torino 1969. Bieder deals with NT vocations: W. BIEDER, Die Berufung
im Neuen Testament, Zurich 1961. Graganti studies individual vocations in the NT:
G. GRAGANTI, La vocazione individuale nel Nuovo Testamento. L’uomo di fronte a
Dio, Rome 1969; M. CONTI, La vocazione e le vocazioni nella Bibbia, Rome 1985.
2
C. ROMANIUK, La vocazione nella Bibbia, 7.
16 CALL NARRATIVES IN THE BIBLE

used 88 times in OT. The verb means “to call”, “to call out” and “to recite”.
The verb can also represent the specification of name. Naming in the OT is
the assertion of sovereignty over the thing named. God’s creating entailed
naming and numbering the stars (Ps 147:4), the darkness (Gn 1:5), indeed
all things (Is 40:26). God presented the animals to Adam to assert his
relative sovereigntiy over them (Gn 2:19). This verb connotes also calling
one to a specific task. The maidservant of Pharaoh’s daughter asked if she
is to go and “summon” a nurse (Ex 2:7). It also refers to people calling God
(Ps 34:6; 81:7; Gn 4:26). In fact God responds to all who call him (Ps
145:18). In the coming of the day of the Lord, God will call even those
cursed Gentiles into his kingdom (Is 55:5) and they will run to him.
But very rarely they use other verb rx;B' bāhar, to express the same.
Bāhar means “to choose”, “to elect”, “to decide for” and “to prefer a thing
for another”. The root and its derivations occur 198 times with this
meaning. The root idea seems to be “to take a keen look at”, thus
accounting for the connotation of “testing or examining” (Is 48:10; Pr
10:20. The usage of this verb always indicates a careful, well-thought out
choice (1S 17:40; 1K 18:25; Is 1:29; 40:20). It expresses that the choosing
has ultimate and eternal significance. On the one hand God chooses a
people (Ps 135:4), certain tribes (Ps 78:68), specific individuals (lK 8:16;
1Ch 28:5; 1S 10:24; 2S 6:21) and a place for his name (Dt 12:5). In all
these cases, what is implied is service. YHWH chose Israel to be holy and
thereby to serve as his witness among the nations (Dt 14:6). But her
election is not based on her own greatness but on the greatness of the
Lord’s love (Dt 7:7f). Since God carefully chooses certain ones for a
specific task, he can also reject them if they deviate from that purpose (1S
2:27f).
When a person is selected, he called for a function, for a responsibility
(Is 41:9; Dt 4:5; 7:6; 10:15; 14:2; 18:5). So the verb bāhar refers to a
concrete vocation, more precise than qārā. Normally qārā refers to
individual vocation where as bāhar refers to the nation, the totality. In
some cases, when the individual is selected (bāhar) as the case was with
Abraham (Ne 9:7), Moses (Ps 106:23), Aaron (Ps 105:26), David (Ps
78:70; 89:4), Zorobabele (Ag.. Hag 2:23), it indicates that they are part of
the nation or they represent the nation.
Then there are some group of verbs which indicate sometime the idea of
vocation or a concrete function or responsibility or a particular form of life.
They are bādal (ld;B': to separate), jada (to compare), lāqah (xq;l': to
 CH. I: CALL IN GENERAL 17

take); šā‛ah (h['v': to look), rā’āh (ha'r': to see), gā’al (la;G": to

liberate), etc. The people who are the object of vocation is defined as the
people of Yahweh or the people taken as God’s possession3.
LXX is a pure and simple translation of Hebrew Bible. It translates
Hebrew qārā into kalein means “to call” or “to invite”. From this verb
comes other two words: klēsis (“calling”, “vocation”; “invitation”: Jr 38:6;
Judith 12:10;) and klētos (“called”; “invited”: Lv 23:2; 23:37) which
expresses also the idea of religious vocation. Bāhar corresponds to eklegein
eklelegmai with its derivatives. These have the primary sense of selecting
and only secondarily they indicate vocation. It is to be noted that the
Hebrew terms are richer than Greek4.

1.2 In the NT
The NT written in Greek, uses the verb kalein and eklelegmai. Here
kalein has more of religious sense than secular meaning. Normally kalein is
constructed with the accusative without pronoun but sometimes it is also
found with the preposition of finality that expresses the finality and
objective of the vocation (Mt 22:3,9; Lk 2:21; 7:11; 9:10; Col 3:15; 1Th
2:12; 2Th 2:14; 1Tm 6:12, etc). This verb is used so often by the synoptic
evangelists especially Lk. It is also found in the letters of Paul and Peter5.
Kalein means “to call aloud” or “to utter in a loud voice” (Hb 3:13; Mt
20:8; 22:3; 25:14; Mk 3:31; Lk 19:13; Jn 10:3. It also used of Jesus, calling
certain persons to be his disciples and constant companions (Mt 4:21; Mk
1:20); to order one to be summoned (Mt 2:15). Metaphorically, it means to
cause to pass from one state into another (1P 2:9).
The verb means also “to invite” (Mt 22:3, 9; Lk 14:8f; Jn 2:2; Lk 14:16;
1Co 10:27. Metaphorically, it means to invite one to something i.e. to
participate in it, to enjoy it. It is used thus in the Epistles of Paul and Peter
of God as inviting men by the preaching of the Gospel (2Th 2:14) to the
blessings of the heavenly kingdom (1Th 2:12; 1Tim 6:12; 1P 5:10; 1Co
1:9)
It also means to call i.e. to name, to call by name, to give a name (Mt
10:25); to receive the name of, to receive as a name (Mt 2:23; 27:8; Luke
1:32,60,62; 2:4).
The verb eklelegmai (Lk 9:35) expresses first of all selection, the
concrete form of vocation. Klētos (called) is used often by Paul when he
3
C. ROMANIUK, La vocazione nella Bibbia, 7-8.
4
C. ROMANIUK, La vocazione nella Bibbia, 9.
5
C. ROMANIUK, La vocazione nella Bibbia, 9.
18 CALL NARRATIVES IN THE BIBLE

speaks of his own vocation and sometime even that of the Christians (Rm
1:1; 1Co 1:1; Rm 1:6).
Sometime in the place of simple kalein, we find the composed verb en-
kalein. This indicates the collective call to assemble together, often
expressed by ekklēsia (33 times in the NT).
All the Christians are sometime said to be “elected” (eklektoi: Mt 22:14;
Col 3:12; Rv 17:14:). All the two past participle (klētos; eklektos) indicates
certain historical fact by the virtue of which men were called and elected by
God.
An important point in all the biblical call is the command to abandon
everything, house and possession and depart: this command was given to
Abraham (Gn 12:1), Moses (Ex 3:10), Josuha (Nm 27:18; Dt 31:7),
Gedeon (Jg 6:14); David (1S 16:11); Elijah (1K 17:3), Amos (7:15),
Jeremiah (Jr 1:17), Ezekiel (3:4), disciples of Jesus (Jn 1:39; Mk 1:17; Jn
1:43), Apostles (Mk 16:15). The order to “go” is repeated almost in all the
vocational narratives.
One who calls is always God but sometime he needs mediators be it men
or angel to communicate his call. But definitely the initiative is from God
and also it depends on God to whom to choose 6. With the vocation comes
also divine promise; sometime material benefits for the individual or to a
family (Gn 12:1-3; 17:1-8; 22:17; Ex 3:8; 13:5; Dt 6:3; 11:8; 26:8f.; Jos
5:6f.; 21:43f.).

2. The Form and Significance of the Call Narratives or call Gattung

2.1 Literary Genre and Literary Form
There are lot of confusions between literary genre and form even among
the scholars. While you read some commentaries or articles, you may be
confounded. Hence, let us explain once and for all literary genre and
literary form from the biblical point of view.
Normally we identify at once even without being aware of different
literary genres from what we read: no one confuses a romance with a
biography, a poem with a love letter, a recipe for cooking with a
bibliography, an wedding invitation with an electricity bill.
It is good to repeat once again that, even if the Bible is often published in
only one volume, it is formed of many books, not only writings from
different authors, but also with various intentions and for different uses.
The psalms are a collection of liturgical hymns, while the books of the
6
Cf. G. GREGANTI, La vocazione individuale nel Nuovo Testamento, 33f.
 CH. I: CALL IN GENERAL 19

Kings are historical; the book of Jonah is a parabolic narrative, while the
writings of Paul are real and proper letters sent to the precise collective
addressees, to deal with specific problems that were springing up in
respective communities.
To understand a text fully it is important to know its literary genre. It is
not always that easy. Two books of Samuel are historical and they narrate
the story of king David. In 2S 12:1-5 prophet Nathan narrates to David, a
story of a rich man, who takes the only sheep of his poor neighbour instead
of slaughtering one from his numerous flocks to offer a banquet to his
guest. This short narrative evidently does not have anything to do with the
narratives that refer the encounters of David with his predecessor Saul. It is
not an historical account, but an invented story, a parable, with the
intention of leading the king to be aware of the crime that he has
committed, the crime of killing the husband of a woman with whom he
committed adultery and who is now pregnant. In other words, a person who
was certainly not lacking wives subtracted the only wife of a poor
neighbour. The good thing is that the king falls into the trap: he takes the
parable for a real story, is furious against the rich man and declares that he
deserves death. At this point the prophet can remove the veil and say: “You
are that man!” The story narrated by Nathan is not real. It does not refer a
fact that happened in a precise time and place. Yet it is true in the sense that
it narrates a story, unfortunately a true one that happened between David
and Bathsheba. As the result, Uriah the Hittite, the real husband was
deceived and killed. It is true because it brings out the truth and at the end
it will lead the king to repent.
The author of the Letter to the Colossians, to express his faith in the
divinity and pre-existence of Christ, uses the literary genre of hymn
(1:15-20); it is a poetical mode of collective expression, known and used
for a long time, particularly in the Psalms. John precedes the account of the
life of Jesus in his Gospel by an analogous hymn (1:1-18). Even Luke
begins his Gospel with similar texts (1–2), but he does it using other
literary genres also, one of which is the “annunciation narrative”. He brings
in angel Gabriel to announce to Maria the birth of a son, of whom he
indicates already the name Jesus, précising those will be the titles of this
child: “Son of David” and “Son of God”. Clearly this account was written
retrospectively, at the light of the life and death and above all the
resurrection of Jesus, to express the faith of the Christians in Christ, Son of
God.
20 CALL NARRATIVES IN THE BIBLE

This is the intention of the author. The literary genre, annunciation

narrative, selected by him is simply what the tradition provided to him. The
pre-text of the account of Lk 1:26-38 is the habitual mode of biblical
expression to say how God has prepared a certain person already before his
birth to an extra-ordinary destiny, for the salvation of the people.
The same happens when through the mouth of prophet Nathan, God
preannounces to David that he will have a successor and his dynasty will
never end (2S 7:12-16). In Gn 16:7-12 it is not a prophet, but the angel of
the Lord who announces to Hagar the birth of a son. In Gn 17:15-19 it is
God himself who appears to Abraham to announce to him that he will have
a son, Isaac.
All these narratives belong to the same literary genre. These texts and
that of Luke which was inspired by them, are not intended as narratives of
historical type, as for example the accounts of Ac 27–28.

Literary Form
Today one who wants to announce a death drafts a notice of death that
he will publish on a newspaper. Similarly, one who wants to express his
condolences does the same that he will send by post. The form of these
writings is fixed by the usage and generally leaves little space for personal
fantasy. Major part of the text is already printed and cannot be changed.
There is no choice than just to fill in the blank spaces. A virgin form is the
pre-text of the form duly filled.
Literary forms are known by their stereotype characters. The
annunciation narrative contains a certain number of fixed elements that
follow a determined order: 1) appearance of a celestial being, who 2)
announces the birth of a son, 3) he reveals the name of the child and 4) he
foretells who he will be and what he will do. Even in their diversity,
majority of the narratives of annunciation follow this schema.
Not all the forms are simple and pure; there are also mixed forms. The
first two accounts of the Gospel of Luke combine the schema of
annunciation narrative and vocational or mission narrative: at the
annunciation of angel Gabriel, Mary objects, but her objection is rejected
and she is given a sign of her cousin Elisabeth who was considered barren
till that moment is pregnant now in her old age. Zechariah himself, the
future father of John the Baptist, asks for a sign to angel Gabriel and the
sign that will be given to him is that he will remain dumb, because he did
not believe the words addressed to him by God.
 CH. I: CALL IN GENERAL 21

From 19th century onwards, the exegetes are engaged in cataloguing and
describing minutely the numerous forms that the texts of OT more than the
NT follow. Beginning from different actualisations of the same form, they
point out common elements to abstract a valid model for all the texts. One
of the principal scopes of this study consists in going back to the primitive
or original form, from which its different concrete attestations would have
been derived.
Yet their effort is not limited to the description of the constitutive
elements of each form, and to the reconstruction of the original form. For
the school of “history of forms”, it is also to determine the vital background
(Sitz im Leben) that has given birth to each of these forms. For the majority
of the Psalms, for example, it is recognised, on the base of a certain number
of formal indications, that they were originated in a liturgical ambit. The
particular form of the ascension Psalms is the pilgrimage towards
Jerusalem temple. Some narratives of the OT find their vital background in
the sanctuary. They narrate the circumstances of its origin and the saga of
the personages who have founded it.

2.2 Call Narratives and Its Form

The literary genre is narrative and if we want to specify it, it is call
narrative as there are other narratives such as annunciation narrative,
mission narrative, healing narrative, exorcism narrative, etc.
The form of call narratives is much studied and it is also very evident be
it the OT accounts or the NT accounts. The pattern proposed by different
scholars is more or less the same with some slight variation here and there.
Let me begin with the proposal of Betty Jane Lillie. 1) call; 2) hesitation;
3) assurance; 4) acceptance.
Call: It is God’s word to a faithful servant who is designated for a
particular mission (Jr 1:5). Sometimes all the details of a call are not
described with precision.
Hesitation: Hesitation by the person called is not a mark of infidelity or
distrust. It marks the feelings of inadequacy in the face of an overwhelming
task.
Assurance: God’s assurance gives the person confidence in God’s help and
power in the ministry (Jr 1:8-10). This assurance is also the grace of God
enabling the fulfilment of the prophetic mission.
Acceptance: Acceptance of God’s will follows discernment and the grace
to cooperate in God’s call.
22 CALL NARRATIVES IN THE BIBLE

The form is not always fully developed in every call narrative (Ex 3:4-
22; Jg 6; Is 6:1-11). Some elements can be assumed from the succession of
events as the story unfolds7.
A rather elaborate pattern is proposed by Habel: 1. Divine confrontation;
2. Introductory word; 3. commission; 4. Objection; 5. reassurance; 6. sign.
This literary sequence or form does not exclude the incorporation of
smaller secondary literary forms at appropriate places8.
According to T.A. Lenchak, it has the following pattern: 1) a religious
experience or encounter with the divine; 2) a commission or command to
do something; 3) an objection or hesitancy on the part of the one called; 4)
divine reassurance and affirmation of the call, often accompanied by a
sign9.
According to Meynet, it has the following pattern: 1) God calls a
person for a mission; 2) The person called responds with an objection, that
3) God rejects presenting an affirmation and 4) giving a sign that proves the
truth of what he affirms10.

3. Types of Calls in the Bible

Scholars who have made an attempt to study the call narratives in the
Bible see two general type of calls. Interestingly, it is reflected in both the
testaments: Collective and Individual. In the OT, the collective call is
represented by the Israelites as the whole and when they failed to keep the
covenantal obligations, it was the turn of the remnant Israel. In the NT, all
are called to lead a life according to the Good News preached by Jesus.
Then individuals were called both in the OT and NT but always at the
service of the collective call.

7
B.J. LILLIE, “The Vocations of Elijah and Elisha”, The Bible Today 33 (1995).
8
N. HABEL, “The Form and Significance of the Call Narratives”, ZAW 77 (1965)
297-323.
9
T.A. LENCHAK, “Jeremiah’s Vocation”, The Bible Today 33 (1995).
10
R. MEYNET, Una nuova introduzione ai Vangeli sinottici, 31.