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How did Jewish interpretations of the covenant differ from Christian claims about the elect of God?

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Jerusalem: Western Wall, Temple Mount — Judaism The Western Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, all that remains of the retaining wall surrounding the Temple Mount.

In Judaism, the concept of the covenant (berit) evolved to identify the community as an ethnic group defined by direct lineal descent from Abraham. Following the post-Exilic period, this covenant became permanently linked to the law of Moses, requiring male members to undergo circumcision as a sign of their obligation to observe the divine law.1

In contrast, Christian claims regarding the "elect" of God are often rooted in the doctrine of predestination. While Jewish identity is tied to communal heritage and adherence to legal-ritual tradition, Christian theology—particularly within the Reformed tradition—emphasizes that God has eternally chosen specific individuals for salvation based on divine decree rather than ethnic lineage or ritual observance alone. Christian interpretations often focus on the Apostle Paul's writings, which describe a divine plan where those whom God "foreknew" are predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Thus, while the Jewish covenant emphasizes a collective, ancestral obligation to the law, Christian predestination centers on the individual’s status within a divine plan of grace.21