Is there a reference to Christian adoption in the Old Testament?
ANSWER: The ancient civilizations of Egypt and Summer both had adoption as part of their law codes. Adoption meant that someone from outside a family could be legally brought into the family with all the benefits and responsibilities thereof. The Nuzu law tablets of Mesopotamia defined that a childless couple could adopt an adult son who would serve them in life and bury them at death. In return, this adopted son would receive the inheritance, unless a natural born son was later born to the couple.
There are examples of adoptions in the Old Testament. It seems Eliezer of Damascus was adopted by Abram because the Lord had not given them any offspring so Abram had taken it upon himself to set an heir (Gen. 15:2-4). The expression “let my name be named on them” is an example of the adoption formula (Wycliffe Bible Dictionary). Jacob adopts his two grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh into his family as sons, not grandsons (Gen. 48:5). But the account found in Exodus 2 that Moses was adopted by Pharaoh is the closest to the ancient practice in the Bible (Ex. 2:10).
But what about the adoption found in Paul’s writing in the New Testament? Can we find in the Abrahamic covenant, for example, the concept of adoption? I do not think so. The Abrahamic covenant simply declares a blessing and a real offspring (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:1-6; 17:1-7). The concept of a covenantal relationship is certainly found in the Old Testament, but the concept is a promise that “I will be your God and you will be my people” (Gen. 17:7; Jer. 7:23; 11:4; 30:22; Ezek. 36:28).
One finds in Exodus 4:22 that Israel is called a son, My firstborn. Israel was not the firstborn son, but this declaration sees Israel (Jacob) as the real heir through the legal act of adoption wherein the real firstborn son, Esau is removed from that position and Jacob is placed as the firstborn son (Rom. 9:4).
The New Testament concept of adoption is related to “sonship” and being born again. However, adoption is different from being born again. Being born again means we are placed in the family of God as a babe in Christ in need of spiritual growth and development (John 1:12; 3:3). Adoption means God places us into the family of God as an adult with all the rights and privileges thereof. In fact, the Greek word for adoption is the compound of “huios” son, and “tithemi” to set or place, literally, “to place as son.” Both adoption and being born again occur at the same time - at the moment of saving faith.
The metaphoric usage of adoption found in the New Testament means we are placed into the family of God to which we were not naturally born – we were children of the flesh (Rom. 9:8), children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). The result of this adoption means we have freedom from the former relationship of the former family. Adoption and our being chosen by God are related in that adoption is possible only because of a voluntary act of God who performs the adoption.
According the Ephesians chapter 1, our adoption was planned before the foundation of the world (1:4), the agent of our adoption is “by or through Jesus Christ” specifically, through His blood (1:7), and our adoption as sons is “to Him,” meaning we belong to Him, we are placed “in Christ” - we are set apart for service to Him.
Thanks for asking.
John Pappas, ThD
