many are called but few are chosen

[lovingugod]

Can anyone explain this verse to me?
Doesn't God offer everyone salvation and it is up to them to decide? Does God have to call you first before you can accept?
Why would he call some and not others?:hat

[MsSophie]

duplicate post

[MsSophie]

I've had questions about that particular verse too.
We are studying Matthew right now and this week we are on those verses. I have an understanding of the wedding banquet but I don't understand verse 14. I've been googling it this week but most of the commentary concentrates on the first twelve or thirteen verses but makes no comment about verse 14. I know some will want to comment on the entire section but it's verse 14 which I would like some commentary on too.

Matthew 22:1-14 (New International Version)


The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

5"But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

13"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

[Emily Ruth]

God is outside of time. He also knows each person's heart and the end result of their choices.

He calls everyone (the many) and choses those who accept His gift.

I heard Dave Hunt explain it one time like a situation with a man and woman.

They meet, they each like each other - but both parties have to agree to the relationship. A man proposes (he chooses her) and she either accepts or rejects. But she had to be a willing participant in the relationship before he would offer the proposal.

The same is true with an employer and employee. The Employer puts an ad in the paper.
The potential employee responds to the ad. The person reviews the job details and makes application with their credentials (in our case we respond with a contrite and repentant heart) and if the employer sees the sincerity and correctness of the credentials - they are accepted.

Dave explained it better but it is basically the same with God in that all relationships are two way exchange.

[CelticMist]

I think He calls everyone... but everyone will not heed to the calling.

This is primarily talking about the "wedding marriage" that is coming. verses 1, 2, and 3 are the preparation for the wedding. Talkiing about "the kingdom of heaven which many believe is referring to the church viewed as the kingdom in the church age. The king is the Father and Christ is the son. The marriage must be taken in full aspect of salvation.. includes union with Christ.... culminating in glorification at the marriage supper, which inaugurates the millennial age. Rejection of this displays disloyality and is discourtesy to the Son. This is why severe treatment of the rebels (v 6 and 7)."

v 4-14 "The bidden guests are the people of Israel, whereas those in the highways are the Gentiles. Both bad and good refer to moral and immoral sinners who alike need God's gracious invitation. The man without the "wedding garment" came in the feast but had disregarded the properity of the king's provision, since such garments were normally supplied by the host. The reference seems to be to the "robe of righteousness," which we must receive from the Lord in order to attend the marriage feast. Casting the unclad guest into outer darkness symbolizes the eternal judgment of the lost."

Taken from the King James Version Bible Study copyright 1988

Here is a explanation on verse 14 http://www.ctsp.co.il/few_chosen.htm

[BlessedinHim]

this is probably not a good interpretation, but in my mind I think of it like this,
God chooses many, but not many choose him back.

[CelticMist]

this is probably not a good interpretation, but in my mind I think of it like this,
God chooses many, but not many choose him back.
You are right though... very simple :thumb

[SumSam]

Thanks for the explanations, I had wondered about this too. :)

[Racheal59]

just pray

[readytofly]

That's pretty much how I see it too Emily Ruth. :thumb