Day 22 – What Does it Mean, “Many are called, but few are chosen?”
~Matthew 22:1-14 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them]. 7 But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few [are] chosen.
This parable from Jesus is a beautiful depiction of the Gospel of Jesus Christ being preached to all. Whosoever believes the precious Gospel shall be saved.
~Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
It is no mystery that Israel is God’s chosen nation and the Jews are His chosen people.
Deuteronomy 7:6 For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that [are] upon the face of the earth.
Those who were first called to the wedding feast were the Jews. God’s special people were entrusted with His oracles:
~Romans 3:1-2 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
They were given every opportunity to believe in Jesus Christ. God’s word says that the Jews look for a sign and Christ gave them many miracles – He gave them every opportunity to recognize their Messiah spoke of in those same Oracles.
~1 Corinthians 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
Instead, most refused to believe and, therefore, they killed God’s messenger, Jesus Christ.
The parable continues on to say that because of this, God said to His servants to go into the highways and find as many as possible to come to the marriage. This a wonderful depiction of where God opened up salvation to all (Matthew 22:10).
~John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
~Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
~1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
~2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
~Revelations 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The wedding guests were all furnished with a wedding garment (Matthew 22:12). Through Christ’s shed blood, we are clothed in His righteousness in robes of white.
~Revelations 7:14b … and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
~Revelations 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Some try to come to salvation by another method, but cannot and, therefore, cannot wear the wedding garment. Only those whose robes are made white in the blood of the Lamb can wear these garments.
What happens if one doesn’t want to be saved? Matthew 22:13 says that those without the wedding garment, will be sent into outer darkness, where that shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 22:14 states, “For many are called, but few [are] chosen.” Only those who have the wedding garment on can enter in. There is only one way to Heaven and that way is not going to be walked by many.
~Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
There is only one way to Heaven and that is to wear that precious white robe, the wedding garment, that is washed in the blood of the Lamb.
~John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
~Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The way is narrow because there is only one way to Heaven and that is through repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ.
~Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
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