# Matthew 22:14



## Christopher88 (May 31, 2010)

14For many are called, but few are chosen.

What does it mean to be called but few chosen?


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## rbcbob (May 31, 2010)

"The parable is concluded with that remarkable saying which we had before (ch. xx. 16), Many are called, but few are chosen, v. 14. Of the many that are called to the wedding feast, if you set aside all those as unchosen that make light of it, and avowedly prefer other things before it; if then you set aside all that make a profession of religion, but the temper of whose spirits and the tenour of whose conversation are a constant contradiction to it; if you set aside all the profane, and all the hypocritical, you will find that they are few, very few, that are chosen; many called to the wedding feast, but few chosen to the wedding garment, that is, to salvation, by sanctification of the Spirit. This is the strait gate, and narrow way, which few find." MATTHEW HENRY


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## InSlaveryToChrist (May 31, 2010)

"For many are called, but few are chosen." [Matthew 22:14]

The word 'called' used here comes from the Hebrew word 'klētos' which appears only 11 times in the entire Bible: Matt. 20:16; 22:14, Rom. 1:1,6,7; 8:28, 1 Cor. 1:1,2,24, Jude 1:1, Rev. 17:14.

There are a couple of verses I find necessary to point out regarding the usage of the word 'called' in the Bible: 

First, consider Romans 8:29,30, where it says, "For whom he did *foreknow*, he also did *predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son*, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did *predestinate*, them he also *called*: and whom he *called*, them he also *justified*: and whom he *justified*, them he also *glorified*."

To clarify the issue: Whom God foreknew (the 'fore' meaning 'before the foundation of the world' [1] and the 'knew' meaning 'set favor upon' [2]), them He also predestined to the likeness of Christ, and whom He predestined to this purpose, them He also called (let's leave it unexamined), and whom He called, them He also justified (declared right with Himself), and whom He justified, them He also glorified (made to dwell in His holy courts).

Now you might have already realized that according to these verses God glorifies those, whom He calls. In other words, all who are called are saved. But this really doesn't make any sense, if constrasted to Matthew 22:14, "For many are called, but few are chosen." If we took the 'called' in Romans 8:29,30 to mean the same as the 'called' in Matt. 22:14, then it would mean, "For many are [glorified], but few are [glorified]." Yep, doesn't make any sense at all.

Secondly, let's look at 2 Peter 1:10, where it says, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your *calling* and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:"

Now let's suppose that 'calling' here means the same 'calling' as in Matt. 22:14, that is, a universal call. Tell me, if this sounds rational to you, "...brethren, give diligence to make sure that you really were called to glorify God by those Christians, from whom you heard the Gospel..." What sort of madness would that be?!

Thus, I conclude that Matthew 22:14 talks about a universal call which is brought to everyone in every nation before Christ comes back (Matt. 24:14) and those few, whom God has chosen will be saved because they were called by God in the same manner as Lazarus was called by Jesus–from death to life (Eph. 2:1).

Footnotes (*OUT OF TOPIC*):

[1] "Just as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to his good pleasure and will," [Eph. 1:4,5]

[2] The words "know" and "foreknow" in the Bible commonly mean "choose" or "set favor upon" or "acknowledge." Therefore we do not need to add any phrase to limit whom God foreknows, because the word itself limits the group—it is those whom he chose or set his favor upon. Here are some texts to show this meaning of "knowing". 

Romans 11:1-2: 

"I ASK, THEN, HAS GOD REJECTED HIS PEOPLE? BY NO MEANS! I MYSELF AM AN ISRAELITE, A DESCENDANT OF ABRAHAM, A MEMBER OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN. GOD HAS NOT REJECTED HIS PEOPLE WHOM HE FOREKNEW." 

Amos 3:1-2: 

"Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel . . . You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." 

Genesis 18:17-19: 

"The Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do...? No, for I have chosen [literally: "known"] him, that he may charge his children . . . to keep the way of the Lord . . . so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised." 

Hosea 13:4-5: 

"I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior. It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought." 

Psalm 1:6: 

"FOR THE LORD KNOWS THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THE WAY OF THE WICKED WILL PERISH." 

Matthew 7:23: 

"AND THEN I WILL DECLARE TO THEM, I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU EVILDOERS." 

1 Corinthians 8:3: 

"If one loves God, one is known by God."

Galatians 4:8-9: 

"FORMERLY, WHEN YOU DID NOT KNOW GOD, YOU WERE IN BONDAGE TO BEINGS THAT BY NATURE ARE NO GODS; BUT NOW THAT YOU HAVE KNOWN GOD, OR RATHER BEEN KNOWN BY GOD, HOW CAN YOU TURN BACK AGAIN TO THE WEAK AND BEGGARLY ELEMENTAL SPIRITS?" 

2 Timothy 2:16-19: 

"AVOID SUCH GODLESS CHATTER, FOR IT WILL LEAD PEOPLE INTO MORE AND MORE UNGODLINESS . . . AMONG THEM ARE HYMENAEUS AND PHILETUS, WHO HAVE SWERVED FROM THE TRUTH BY HOLDING THAT THE RESURRECTION IS PAST ALREADY. THEY ARE UPSETTING THE FAITH OF SOME. BUT GOD'S FIRM FOUNDATION STANDS, BEARING THIS SEAL: 'THE LORD KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS," AND, "LET EVERYONE WHO NAMES THE NAME OF THE LORD DEPART FROM INIQUITY.'" 

Conclusion: "Whom he foreknew, he also predestined" means that God's appointment of the destiny of his people is based on his prior election, and this election is not based on any foreseen faith that we could produce by some power of self-determination. The plan of redemption was never conceived to include the saving power of human self-determination.


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## Christopher88 (Jun 1, 2010)

So in Matthew 22 those invited refused to come, that makes sense considering they are dead in sin. Now we go on and the invitation is is sent to every one on the street, a man shows up with out a wedding garment and is kicked out. 
Two questions about this:
Why did God not give this man a wedding garment. (Restore His soul) 
What would be the point to invite the non elect to the wedding?


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Jun 1, 2010)

Sonny said:


> So in Matthew 22 those invited refused to come, that makes sense considering they are dead in sin. Now we go on and the invitation is is sent to every one on the street, a man shows up with out a wedding garment and is kicked out.
> Two questions about this:
> Why did God not give this man a wedding garment. (Restore His soul)
> What would be the point to invite the non elect to the wedding?


 
“*Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth*.” [1 Tim. 2:4]

Could the word “*all*” here refer to all the people of the Earth?

All shall be saved whom God will have to be saved; this we dare not deny:

“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, *My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure*: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, *I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it*.” [Is. 46:10-11]

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him *who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will*:” [Eph. 1:11]

“And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and *he doeth according to his will* in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and *none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?*” [Dan. 4:35]

“But *he is in one mind*, and *who can turn him?* and *what his soul desireth, even that he doeth*.” [Job 23:13]

“—*For who hath resisted his will?*” [Rom. 9:19]

“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, *nor of the will of man, but of God*.” [John 1:13]

“So then *it (salvation) is not of him that willeth*, nor of him that runneth, *but of God that showeth mercy*.” [Rom. 9:16]


God would have no more to be “*saved*” than he would have “*come to the knowledge of the truth.*” These two things are of equal latitude, and conjoined in the text. But it is not the will of the Lord that all and every one, in all ages, should come to the knowledge of the truth. Of old, 

“He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. *He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them.* Praise ye the LORD.” [Ps. 147:19-20]


If He would have had them all come to the knowledge of the truth, why did He show His word to some and not to others, without which they could not attain thereunto? 

“*Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.*” [Acts 14:16]

“*And the times of this ignorance God winked at*; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” [Acts 17:30]

“*Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints*:” [Col. 1:26]

“At that time *Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father*, Lord of heaven and earth, *because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.* Even so, Father: *for so it seemed good in thy sight.*” [Matt. 11:25-26]


“He suffered all nations” in former ages “to walk in their own ways,” and “winked at the time of this ignorance,” hiding the mystery of salvation from those former ages, continuing the same dispensation even until this day in respect of some; and that because “so it seemeth good in his sight,”. It is, then, evident that God doth not will that all and every one in the world, of all ages and times, should come to the knowledge of the truth, but only all sorts of men without difference; and, therefore, they only are here intended.



Sonny said:


> Why did God not give this man a wedding garment. (Restore His soul)



"Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, *willing to shew his wrath*, *and to make his power known*, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: *And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy*, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" [Rom. 9:21-24]

"WHY WOULD GOD NOT SAVE EVERYBODY?” God has, in His word, revealed three main reasons for which He will not do so: (1) HE WANTS TO SHOW HIS WRATH, (2) HE WANTS TO MAKE HIS POWER KNOWN, and (3) HE WANTS TO MAKE KNOWN THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY. (Rom. 9:22,23)

In other words, the first reason for reprobation is that God wants to demonstrate, by pouring His wrath on the reprobate (“the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction”), just how much He hates sin. “Now wait a second… Didn’t He do the exact same thing to Christ on the cross?” Most certainly He did. “Well, why then would He demonstrate His wrath twice?” Well, not everybody was watching. For God’s righteousness to be fully glorified, His justice must be seen by all men. The second reason for reprobation is that God wants to make His power known by raising people up (like He did with Pharaoh–Ex. 9:16) by first giving them power (that is, freedom to fulfil their own carnal desires) and then taking it from them (causing them harden their own hearts against God). From Psalm 2 becomes evident that there are people in the world, who, in their arrogance, think they can actually oppose God by their devices, to which God simply laughs in heaven. In other words, God has done to them the exact same thing that He did to Lucifer in the eternity past. This is called “PASSIVE hardening”. Finally, the third reason for reprobation is that God desires to "make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy". An unbeliever, in his man-centered state of mind, always ponders, "Why would God not save everybody?" Do you see the arrogancy of this argument?! We who are awakened to the truth by the power of God's word would never think like that! Our question is, "Why would God save ANYBODY?" Sadly enough, being blinded by their own sinfulness, the reprobates cannot see the glorious mercy of the cross of Christ. HOWEVER, one day the purpose of reprobation will be fulfilled, when the reprobate come to realize the truth about God's mercy on sinners, to which their evil eyes were totally ignorant!



Sonny said:


> What would be the point to invite the non elect to the wedding?



"that *whosoever* believeth in [Christ] should not perish, but have everlasting life!" [John 3:16]


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## Pilgrim Standard (Jun 1, 2010)

I view this in context of a general calling vs. effectual calling.
The general call of the gospel has been sent out to many. But there are fewer that wear the wedding garments or "possess the imputed righteousness of Christ" and are allowed into the wedding feast. (An attack against hyper-calvinism?)

If my understanding is a lacking in any aspect please let me know.


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## au5t1n (Jun 1, 2010)

I'm reading _A Body of Divinity_ by Thomas Watson. He has quoted this verse and explained it to mean the same as Joshua said -- of those who hear the gospel call, few are chosen.


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