Matthew 22:1-14 (CSB)
1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: See, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged, and he sent out his troops, killed those murderers, and burned down their city.
8 “Then he told his servants, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Go then to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’ 10 So those servants went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests. 11 When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Last week we looked at The Parable of the Wedding Banquet. There is so much being said within this parable that I want to look at it again, but this time, focusing on the last verse. At the end of this parable, Jesus says, “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” I don’t know of any other words that cause as much controversy as the words ‘invited’ and ‘chosen’ do. This verse is one of the most hotly debated Bible verses within Biblical commentaries and on the internet.
When we read the words of Jesus, there are many ways we might interpret them. The most popular seeming to be those of Calvinists who say this is proof that only the chosen are who are saved. Of course, they also have an additional problem they have to deal with first. They have to clarify that those who are the called or invited in this parable, are not the same people who are chosen. So, to begin with, let’s look at that word “invited.”
According to Strong’s Concordance, throughout the parable, whenever someone is called or invited to the wedding banquet, the word is kaleó. It means, “to call, call, summon, invite, call, or name.” In the last verse, the word is changed to klétos. It also means “called, invited, summoned.”
These two Greek words for called are debated and discussed to no end. People say that they have different meanings, and they use different verses within the New Testament to argue their points. Some people say that God is sometimes talking about a general call and other times an “effectual call” that people can’t resist. Sometimes they say that the effectual call is kaleo and that is why Paul uses it in Romans 9:23-24, which says, “And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory on objects of mercy that he prepared beforehand for glory— on us, the ones he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?” In that verse, they say, Paul is clearly not using that word in a general call, but specifically for those who are called to salvation. Some scholars say that “Jesus distinguishes between the general call that everyone receives by hearing the gospel and the effectual call that leads to salvation.” Yet, all throughout the parable, the word for invited is kaleo, and as we see, people ignore that call. So how could kaleo refer to an effectual call? Other times, they say that the effectual call is taught in passages such as Romans 1:6, where Paul greets the believers as those “who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” And also in Romans 8:28, which says, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” But the word in those passages is not kaleo, but kletos. So, if kletos is the word that means an effectual call, and it’s irresistible, then how can some who are “effectually called” not be chosen as Jesus states at the end of this parable? That doesn’t make any sense. So, all that to say, some scholars seem to pick and choose when that verb has a different meaning or not, depending on what they need the verse to convey in order to support their doctrine.
After studying those words, I think the meaning of those words is the same. I don’t know why Jesus used the different word in that last sentence, other than it blows apart the theology of the people who wrongly say Jesus is saying that “many are called to the kingdom, but only those who have been chosen will come.”
Again, this word for called is the same word we see in Revelation 17:14. It says, “These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
How can those who are kletos, called by God, not be chosen in the sense of predestination? Only a few of those who are “effectually called” are chosen? Those who believe in limited atonement, which is the belief that God has only called the elect to salvation, are not consistent in their “proofs.”
The thing they are missing, and what we shouldn’t forget, is all throughout the Bible, the people who are called the “chosen” are the Israelites. They are God’s chosen people. God chose Israel to be the nation through whom Jesus would come. So, with that in mind, we have to be really careful when we say it’s God’s chosen people who will be saved. There were, and still are, a lot of God’s chosen people who rejected God. That’s important to note, because so many people misuse that word and deduce that God has only chosen to save the people who are “effectually called.” And that therefore all the people He purposely does not “effectually call,” He has chosen to send to hell where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. That idea is a gross misrepresentation of the God who loved the world so much that He willingly died on the cross for us.
The other way to interpret Jesus’ words, and I think it is the correct way, is exactly what Jesus says: many are invited, but few are chosen. Meaning, many people hear the Good News, but few people say yes and follow Jesus, so only those few are given salvation and become part of the chosen. Only those few are made a part of the chosen of God. But like I said, that word chosen really trips a lot of people up, but it’s simple, really. Everyone is invited, but not everyone wants to be a part of God’s family. God chooses anyone who will answer the call. He doesn’t want to send anybody to hell, but despite being invited and called to be a part of the wedding celebration, they refuse to come. Or they say yes, but don’t leave their old way of life behind. They don’t change into the wedding garment.
People have a problem with this idea though, because they fear it means that we will then claim credit for being saved or not. But that is an unfounded fear. In the parable, the call went out to all people, evil and good, but only those who responded appropriately were chosen, or elected. Those people in no way earned that invitation. They did not merit it in any way. They just accepted it. Theologian Jacob Arminius gave this example, which I think accurately describes what happens: A wealthy man offers a beggar beside the road a large sum of money. The beggar can either accept the gift or reject the gift. If he accepts the gift, he can in no way claim any credit for that gift. All he did was accept it. He did not earn it. The wealthy man give it to him out of his generosity.
God is like that wealthy man. He elects to give a gift to all people. All we must do to receive the gift is not reject it. He places it in our hands. We do not earn this gift of salvation, we only must receive it. He electively gives it to us.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers explains it very well. He says, “The ‘calling’ answers, both verbally and in substance, to the ‘bidding’ or invitation of the parable. The ‘chosen’ are those who both accept the invitation and comply with its condition; those who, in the one parable, work in the vineyard, and in the other, array themselves with the wedding garment of holiness. The ‘choice,’ as far as the parable is concerned, appears as dependent upon the answer given to the calling. The further truth of an election ‘according to the foreknowledge of God the Father’ (1Peter 1:2) is not here within view, but it follows necessarily on the assumption of that foreknowledge. The ‘choice,’ which in the parable comes as the close of all, must be thought of as having been present to the mind of the All-knowing from all eternity. No one can fix time limits for the thoughts of God, and say that at such a time a purpose came into His mind as it comes into the minds of men. We are compelled in such matters to use anthropomorphic language, but we should remember, as we do so, its necessary limitations.”
God, in His infinite foreknowledge, knows which ones of us will receive His gift. Everyone who accepts the gift can be part of the chosen. As Ellicott said, the ‘chosen,’ are those who both accept the invitation and comply with its condition. It’s our response to the call that matters. We’ve over complicated the word chosen. Let me tell you how I explained it to my children during a discussion we had about it during homeschool. I said, “Here we are in class. I need a volunteer. Who would like to help me out today? I am calling for volunteers. I see some of you raised your hands. Of those who raised their hands, I will choose helpers. I called and then chose those whose hands were raised. If, instead, I was going to pick helpers, I would not have bothered to call for volunteers, I would have simply said, you, you and you are going to help me today. You are chosen for work. But issuing a call means you are asking for a response. An invitation is completely different than a command. If it was a command and the response was not voluntary, there would be no need for a call.”
Also, why would God mislead people into thinking that they are invited or called but in actuality are not? If we think that God has only called people that He has pre-selected to follow Him, and has pre-selected other people to go to hell, then God is toying with people by sending the message out to the whole world. Then God does not want all people to be saved, He only wants His “elect” to be saved. Why would He issue an invitation to all of humanity and say that “whosoever” believes in Him will be saved? God is either tricking people and does not want all to be saved, or people have misinterpreted what God is saying about calling and election. I’m going to go with what God expressly says in His word, and what Jesus describes in His many parables: everyone is invited.
In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” This word for “few” is the same word as Matthew 22:14.
The problem arises when people insist that people have no role in entering the narrow gate. Some people, in their well-meaning effort to make sure we don’t think we can earn our salvation, insist that salvation is given to us 100% apart from any work on our part. They say that salvation is given by faith alone and no action is needed on our part. But did you know that Paul never says that we are saved by “faith alone?” The only place in the Bible where it says that specifically is in James, but it actually says the opposite. James 2:24 says, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” Christians who believe in faith alone think that Paul teaches it. But Paul never says “faith alone” in any of his letters. What Paul says is actually the opposite of that. In Romans 2:6-11, Paul says, “He will repay each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For there is no favoritism with God.”
In no way do our works of righteousness earn our salvation. Our righteousness is like filthy rags compared to Jesus’ righteousness. But just as it was not enough for the Israelites to be saved because they were God’s chosen people, they had to have faith that was proven by their actions. Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going.”
Titus 2:11-13 tells us this, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
It is as Paul writes in Romans 2:13, which says, “For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”
But what about what Paul says in Romans 3:28? Doesn’t he say in that verse that we are not justified by the law but rather saved by faith alone? Let’s read the context of that verse. Romans 3:27-31 states, “Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”
Paul is talking about two different kinds of law: the law of works and the law of faith. When Paul says that we are justified, or saved, by faith apart from the works of the law, he is talking about the Law of Moses, and we are not justified by the works of the law. Just as he argued this all throughout the book of Galatians, he argues this same thing in the book of Romans. Circumcision, keeping the Sabbath, eating or not eating certain foods, following those laws cannot justify us or give us salvation.
That is because we cannot keep the law perfectly. None of us can. Not even once we are born again and given the power to overcome sin by the Holy Spirit. We will fail. God, in His great mercy, forgives us our sins. But if we have faith in God, we will not nullify God’s law, but will uphold it. We will no longer live lawless lives. We will be changed. We will obey His Word. And this is a daily struggle on our part. Paul talks about the struggle, but he does not give up. He knows that keeping a legalist set of laws does not justify him. It is not enough. We must be covered by the blood of Christ. But if we do not have works of righteousness, we do not have faith. Circumcision, keeping the sabbath, going to church, those things do not buy our way into heaven. But God is looking at our heart. Do we hear what God says and obey Him, or do we go our own way? That is why Paul says very clearly in verse 31, “Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.” We uphold the law of faith. The law of obedience. The law of loving God and loving other people.
Many are called, but few are chosen, because God has given the invitation of new life to all people, but He has chosen only those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Faith that is evident by changed hearts and actions.
The call or invitation goes out to all people, but God has chosen to choose as His own people, only those who wear the wedding clothes. He has chosen all those who accept the call and trust in Christ for the washing of their sins, and who are putting on those new garments of righteousness.
If we believe in Jesus, then we will live by faith. We won’t be living in lawlessness. We will obey the Lord and follow Him each day. We don’t have to fear judgment day, for we are already made new creations in Christ, having been forgiven of our sins and washed clean, wearing the wedding garments, so to speak. But if we willfully stop following Jesus and give in to sin, if we don’t repent, we will get hard hearts and could leave our faith behind. That is why we cannot fool around in sin. We must confess our sins, find forgiveness and do everything we can to lay off every sin.
In John 5:24-29, Jesus tells us, “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. And he has granted him the right to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.”
We who have been born again through our faith in Jesus, we will not come under judgement for we have passed from death to life. Our sins have been forgiven; we are covered by the blood of Christ. All the good works that we do for Jesus and that He has done through us, we will be rewarded accordingly. We do not have to fear the judgement that leads to condemnation. But, if you examine yourself today and worry that though you profess to follow Christ you will be judged for your wicked actions, then you better repent and cease doing those wicked things. We all must turn from sin and find healing and forgiveness. This statement that Jesus is making, He’s not talking about a judgement where if you’ve failed to live perfectly, then you will be found guilty. That would be each and every person who ever lived. We all are declared guilty of sin. That is why what Jesus has done for us is so amazing. He has died on the cross to cover our sins and declares us holy and perfect in Jesus. He imparts that gift of salvation to us when we believe in Him. That is why He says if you have faith in Him, then you are already covered. But if you claim to have faith and yet live a lawless, unrepentant, unchanged life, then you do not have faith; you do not actually believe in Jesus. If you believe in Jesus, and are following Him, then you are doing good works. You are loving God, worshiping Him, spending time in prayer, reading His Word, loving the people around you, and are being changed more and more by the power of the Holy Spirit, exhibiting more and more the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your character. If those “good works” aren’t happening in your life, then repent from your sinful living, find forgiveness, and start following Jesus. Submit to His leading. Obey His Word.
Many are called, but few are chosen. Many hear the invitation, but few people put on the garments of faith and follow Jesus. God chooses the people who are changed by His power. The people who do not bother to respond to the invitation, or say yes initially but then do not put on the wedding garment, they are not included among the chosen. Despite what some Christians believe, all people on earth are loved by God. He wants everyone to be saved, yet He cannot save the people who refuse to respond to His call or say yes and then refuse to change.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in The Cost of Discipleship, says, “Only he who believes is obedient, only he who is obedient believes” (p.69). If we think we believe but do not obey, we are deceiving ourselves. And if we obey the works of the law, but do not believe, we are trying to be saved by works. Both are wrong. Instead, let us follow the words of Jesus. Let’s accept His call, be changed, and follow Him in accordance with His Word, rejoicing all the while in His gift of salvation, freely offered to all.
Pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You that You loved the world so much that You sent us Jesus to die on the cross for us, giving the whole world the invitation to become part of Your chosen people. We rejoice that You have forgiven us of our sins and cleansed us so we may join the celebration. Help us to show our faith each day by following You and obeying Your word. Help us by Your Holy Spirit to live lives that glorify You, so we may lead others to You as well. We pray this in the name of Jesus; the one who saved us. Amen.
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