But this last admission seems to grant what Broadus had before denied. See Thayer, Lex. N. T., on γινώσκω: “With acc. of person, to recognize as worthy of intimacy and love; so those whom God has judged worthy of the blessings of the gospel are said ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ γινώσκεσθαι (_1 Cor. 8:3; Gal. 4:9_); negatively in the sentence of Christ: οὐδἐποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς, ‘_I never knew you,_’ never had any acquaintance with you.” On προγινώσκω, _Rom. 8:29_—οὒς προέγνω, “_whom he foreknew,_” see Denney, in Expositor’s Greek Testament, _in loco_: “Those whom he foreknew—in what sense? as persons who would answer his love with love? This is at least irrelevant, and alien to Paul’s general method of thought. That salvation begins with God, and begins in eternity, are fundamental ideas with him, which he here applies to Christians, without raising any of the problems involved in the relation of the human will to the divine. Yet we may be sure that προέγνω has the pregnant sense that γινώσκω often has in Scripture, _e. g._, in _Ps. 1:6; Amos 3:2;_ hence we may render: ‘those of whom God took knowledge from eternity’ (_Eph. 1:4_).” In _Rom. 8:28‐30_, quoted above, “_foreknew_” = elected—that is, made certain individuals, in the future, the objects of his love and care; “_foreordained_” describes God’s designation of these same individuals to receive the special gift of salvation. In other words, “foreknowledge” is of persons: “foreordination” is of blessings to be bestowed upon them. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., appendix to book v. (vol. 2:751)—“ ‘_whom he did foreknow_’ (know before as his own, with determination to be forever merciful to them) ‘_he also predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son_’—predestinated, not to opportunity of conformation, but to conformation itself.” So, for substance, Calvin, Rückert, DeWette, Stuart, Jowett, Vaughan. On _1 Pet. 1:1, 2,_ see Com. of Plumptre. The Arminian interpretation of “_whom he foreknew_” (_Rom. 8:29_) would require the phrase “as conformed to the image of his Son” to be conjoined with it. Paul, however, makes conformity to Christ to be the result, not the foreseen condition, of God’s foreordination; see Commentaries of Hodge and Lange. (_c_) With assertions that this choice is matter of grace, or unmerited favor, bestowed in eternity past: