A Hebraic Inkling: Election

I've been procrastinating on commenting on the next definition of Brazier as it clearly requires someone far more eloquent to properly outline a Jewish approach. Nevertheless, for the sake of finally moving onwards I'll write something.

In the next section of the Introduction, Brazier discusses several terms that he feels must be defined an qualified. The first such term is "Election". Brazier properly proposes the following three questions. Who elects? Who is elected? And to what is the elected, elected? 

God does the electing.

The Jews were elected by God through Abraham. 

The Jews were elected as a Chosen People to guide humanity.

Brazier then adds, the elected are elected to salvation, atonement, forgiveness, reconciliation with God after humanity's fall. Those not of the Chosen People can be enfolded into the elected through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Traditional Judaism will object to Brazier's addition in a number of ways:  

(1) Jewish theology of course rejects the importance of Jesus in the process of forgiveness and/or salvation. 

(2) While it is true that the mishna states, "All of the Jewish people have a share in the World-to-Come..." This seemingly universal statement is immediately followed by, "And these have no share in the World-to-Come..." Being a member of the Chosen People does not guarantee atonement or forgiveness. In fact, given the increased number of commands on the Chosen People, it might even be harder. 

(3) The Chosen People are chosen to guide humanity as a (Exodus 19:6), "Kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Just like not all priests deserve the ultimate reward, so too not all members of the Chosen People deserve such a reward. Furthermore, just as a goal of a priest is to guide his flock so that they can attain salvation, so too a goal of the Chosen People is to guide humanity so they can attain salvation. Finally, just like it is unnecessary to become a priest to achieve reward in the World to Come, so too it is unnecessary to join or be enfolded into the Chosen People to achieve reward in the World to Come. 

(4) With few exceptions, anyone can convert to become a full member of the Chosen People. But it's not necessary to achieve divine reward and it's not encouraged. 

So, already at this point we have an interesting twist that will follow us through Brazier's entire book. For Brazier, Lewis can be Hebraic if he sees gentiles enfolded into the election of the Jews. But for Jews, there is no need to enfold gentiles into Jews. Gentiles can stand on their own two feet and have a relationship with God without need for an intermediary.