Why Are Many Called But Few Chosen? - Matthew 22

Matthew 22 - NIV  

Enduring Word Commentary

Verse For the Day

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22;14

Comment

This is the last verse in Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet.  Per usual Jesus started by saying, “The kingdom is like”, meaning this is how things work when God is ruling or reigning. 

So he tells the story of a father who throws a wedding banquet for his son.  In Jesus’ day weddings were a huge deal.  One of the most important tasks was to select who was on the invite list.  

 "A wedding was (and often is today) the most significant social event of a person’s life. The wedding of a prince would be a spectacular event, and an invitation would normally be prized." - Guzik

The wedding list was put together, and the servants delivered the invitations personally to each guest. The important thing was the king wanted his banquet hall full. Initially he must have felt like he put out enough invites to fill the banquet hall, but the responses of the guests changed his mind. 

It is important to note the responses of the guests. Some refused to come. Some had more important things to do. Some mistreated the servants and killed them. As a result of those who failed to show up, the king sent his servants out to the streets to find those who might come. He invited the good and the bad and the ugly. 

If this is a parable about the kingdom of God, how do we interpret, and why is it important for us today? 

The widely held interpretation is the the invited guests were the Jewish people. The bible says, "He came to his own and his own accepted him not."  John 1:11 Jesus was Jewish, so his own would be the Jewish family he was born into. The servants were his prophets who were sent to call people back to a relationship with Yahweh. But some of the Jews killed the prophets. Being a prophet of the Most High was a dangerous job. 

Did all the Jews reject Jesus, as the parable might suggest? We know some Jewish people accepted Jesus, so all Jews did not reject Jesus. So who is he referring to? We know these parables were an indictment on the Jewish leaders. 

Rebuke of Leadership: Many scholars emphasize that Jesus specifically directed this at the chief priests and Pharisees who challenged his authority. Some interpretations clarify that it was not a diatribe against all Jewish people, but specifically those leaders who prioritized their own traditions over God's heart. - Guzik

Finally, the king sent the servants out to the streets to invite both "The good and the bad". This is universally thought of as the gospel being preached to the all nations. In Luke, the master sent out his servants and told them to, "Compel them to come in". He wanted them to make a compelling case for the gospel.  

The parable ends with the words, "Many are invited but few are chosen." What does this mean? 

We know that God has invited all people and wants them to be part of his kingdom of heaven. "God isn't willing that any would perish but all to come to a knowledge of the truth!" - 2 Peter 3:9

God has created everyone equally. God loves everyone equally. Jesus died for everyone equally. And God has given salvation through Jesus to everyone equally. 

So why are few chosen if God has this magnanimous love for everyone? 

Though God desires all men and women to be saved, some don't want to be saved. They say, "Thanks God for sending for sending your only Son to die on the cross for my sin, but I don't really need him." 

God is a gentlemen, God will never force himself on anyone. Only a few are chosen because many don't want to be chosen. They choose to reject the one gift which will only give them abundant life now and eternal life when they die.

Application:

Realizing God's wants heaven full, are you busy inviting people to master's banquet? 

Who is someone you can invite to Your church to share the gospel with them? 

Prayer of the Day

Father, thank you for sending Your only Son to earth to show us the great love you have for us and all humankind. We know you desire all people to be saved because you love everyone equally. Help us to invite our friends and neighbors to the banquet so heaven will be full. Amen.  



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