MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN

MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 22:14 14"Formany are invited, but few are
chosen."
New Living Translation
“Formany are called, but few are chosen.”
English StandardVersion
For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Berean Study Bible
For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Berean Literal Bible
For many are called, but few chosen."
New American Standard Bible
"For many are called, but few are chosen."
New King James Version
“Formany are called, but few are chosen.”

BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Wilfulness Spoiling Our Blessings
Matthew 22:12
R. Tuck
Not having a wedding garment. The incident is a distinctly Easternone. So
motley a crowdwould be very out of place in a king's palace. It was not only
kindly considerationwhich provided an all-covering, handsome robe for
guests whose ownclothes were shabby; it was a sense of appropriateness
which required all the guests to be suitably arrayed. In treating this parable it
should be kept in mind that he who gave the feastwas a king, and so sent his
invitations, and made his arrangements and conditions, with an authority
which all were bound to respect. As illustration of this custom, it may be
mentioned that, "every guestinvited to the wedding at the royal marriage of
Sultan Mahmoud, had made expresslyfor him, at the expense of the sultan, a
wedding garment. No one, howeverdignified his station, was permitted to
enter into the presence-chamberof that sovereignwithout a change of
raiment. This was formerly the universal custom in the East."
I. THE REASON FOR BRINGING IN THIS PARTICULAR MAN. It is an
unexpected addition to the parable, and at first one does not see how its point
of teaching bears on, or runs in harmony with, the things our Lord is
enforcing. It seems as if it suddenly struck our Lord that what he had been
saying was opento misconstruction. "The perceptionof the absolute,
unconditioned freedom of entrance, the sense borne in on their mind that they
were the objects ofGod's love and invitation, might possibly lead them to
overlook the greatmoral change requisite in all who enter God's presence and
propose to hold intercourse with him." It is true that salvationis freely

offered, but a man must be in a certainframe of mind to receive it. One so
unresponsive to the kindness and authority of the king as this man, who would
not have the wedding garment, was clearlyunfitted for and unable to receive
the king's grace.
II. THE REASON FOR THE BEHAVIOUR OF THIS PARTICULAR MAN.
Nothing explains his actbut the uppishness of self-will. He was not going to be
ordered about - to be made to do what somebodyelse wished. If the king
wanted him at the feast, he must take him just as he was. See in this no sense
of gratitude for the king's kindness; no sense ofsubmissive obedience to the
king's will; no lowly estimates of his own unfitness. So the man who was just
upon getting a big blessing lost it altogetherthrough his own stubborn
wilfulness. - R.T.
Biblical Illustrator
He saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment.
Matthew 22:11-13
The wedding garment
J. Burns, LL. D.
We must considerwhat we are to understand.
I. BY THE WEDDING GARMENT. Itis the costume or spiritual dress
necessaryfor the enjoyment of heaven — holiness often describedas a
garment (Job 29:14;Isaiah 61:10;Psalm 45:13;Revelation3:18;. 7:9).
II. THE SOLEMN SCRUTINY.
1. Was Divine.
2. Was personal, Religionis a personalconcern.
III. THE AWFUL DETECTION.We may form three conjectureS as to this
robeless character.

1. It might have resulted from carelessness.He did not attend to the
requirements of the king, etc. How many like him, etc. 2.:From
procrastination. How many Such are always in God's house.
3. From proud and wickedpreference. Perhaps thought it not essential;had
other views; would trust in the mercy of the king, or his own beautiful
habiliments. How many of this class are there!
IV. THE AWFUL INVESTIGATION.
1. It was public. Before all the guests. The enemies of Christ will be publicly
confounded at the last day; clothed with shame and contempt.
2. It was reasonable.It gave an opportunity for the exhibition of
righteousness. Godwill allow the sinner to plead.
3. It was overwhelming. He had no reasonto assign, hence he was confounded.
V. THE DREADFULPUNISHMENT.
1. The removal.
2. The sentence.
3. The misery.Application.
1. Now, all that is necessaryfor heavenmay be obtained, and that by all.
2. Let professors examine themselves, etc.
3. Let sinners be entreated. Listen to the voice of the gospeland live.
(J. Burns, LL. D.)
The wedding garment
R. Griffin.
I. AT THIS FEAST THERE WAS BUT ONE CONDITION OF
ACCEPTANCE — the wearing of a particular garment, Faith in Christ.

1. The wedding garment had no merit in itself: faith has no intrinsic worth.
2. It was all-important because commandedby the king: the fact that faith, as
the instrument of justification, is ordained of God endows it with importance.
3. It was no arbitrary symbol.
4. It was highly significant.
II. THERE WAS ONE WHO FAILED TO COMPLYWITH THIS
CONDITION. Ofwhom is he the type?
1. He was in the guest-chamber.
2. He desired to eat of the feast.
3. He remained in the guest-chamberuntil the king came.
4. He may have been highly esteemedby the rest.
III. THE PROBABLE REASONS OF HIS NON-COMPLIANCE. Pride, self-
deception, pride of intellect.
(R. Griffin.)
The hypocrite self-condemned
Studies.
The guestreferred to was speechlessbecause —
I. He could not plead ignorance of the will of the king who had invited him to
the feast.
II. He could not plead that in his case the wedding garment was not necessary.
III. He could not plead that a wedding garment was not placed within his
reach.
IV. He had despisedthe wedding garment.

V. He was overwhelmed with a sense ofguilt. Learn the worthlessness ofmere
profession, and the necessityof being prepared for coming judgment.
(Studies.)
The wedding garment
A. Weston.
Betweenthis man and the other guests there are some points of resemblance,
and some of difference. Let us trace —
I. The points of RESEMBLANCE.
1. He Was an invited guest. We are all calledto the greatfeast.
2. He was a needy guest. All equally needy.
3. He was an expectant guest.
II. The points of DIFFERENCE.
1. They differed in their appearances.
2. They not only differed in appearances, but in their principles, in their
states, in their conduct. He had neglectedto observe the conditions on which
admission was granted, etc.
III. THE CAUSES OF THE DIFFERENCE.Perhaps it was carelessness,
pride, mind pre-occupied, etc.
IV. The consequences to which it led.
1. Detection.
2. Overwhelming confusion.
3. Destruction.
(A. Weston.)

The wedding garment
D. Moore, M. A.
I. THE SCRUTINYOF THE KING.
1. The manner of his discovery. He was not discoveredtill the king came in.
Though the Lord knoweththem that are His, they that are His do not always
know eachother.
2. The language of the address, "Friend," etc. God's judgments proceedupon
our self-assumedcharacter. The man was not obliged to acceptthe king's
invitation. "Nothaving a wedding garment." This was the affront.
II. THE CONFUSION OF THE CRIMINAL "He was speechless."There was
no excuse. Conscious guiltstruck him dumb. Before the bar of God man will
not be able to plead — the soul's inborn sin. He could not plead inability to
procure the garment.
(D. Moore, M. A.)
The wedding garment
C. Bradley.
I. THE POINTS OF RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN THIS MAN AND THE
OTHER GUESTS.
1. He was an invited guest.
2. He was a needy guest.
3. He was an expecting guest.
II. THE POINT OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAN HERE SPOKEN
OF AND THE OTHER GUESTS. The wedding garment is, in short, a
wedding spirit.

III. To WHAT CAUSES MUST WE TRACE THIS DIFFERENCE
BETWEENHIM AND THEM. It must be traced to himself.
1. Perhaps carelessness, mere inconsideration, led to his refusal.
2. It may have been pride.
3. There was greatirreverence in his conduct.
IV. THE CONSEQUENCES TO WHICH IT LED.
1. Detection.
2. Confusion.
3. Destruction.
(C. Bradley.)
The dreadful consequence ofbeing found at last without the wedding garment
T. Drummond.
I. THE DISCOVERY.
II. THE TRIAL.
III. THE CONDEMNATIONOF THIS MAN.
(T. Drummond.)
The rejectedguest
C. J. P. Eyre, M. A.
1. The folly of the human heart as seenin the way in which men attempt to
impose upon God.
2. Though only one rejected, the guests admitted far less numerous than those
invited.

3. It was the man's ownfault that he had not the wedding garment.
4. The wedding garment is something more than outward conduct, for it
escapedhuman observation. It was something which the king could alone
discover.
(C. J. P. Eyre, M. A.)
Speechless
A. Gilmour.
1. You cannotsay that the gospelplan is unworthy of your acceptance as a
rational and immortal being.
2. You will be speechless becauseyou cannotplead ignorance ofthe plan of
salvation.
3. You cannotplead as an excuse for your wickednessthe necessityof an
irreligious life from the decrees ofGod.
(A. Gilmour.)
The garment of life
MorganDix, D. D.
Old stories and strange chronicles of other days come into the thoughts as we
listen to the words of Christ. For instance, they tell us of one who sat, day
after day, in her fair house, past which a strong river flowedtoward the sea,
and she ever wove and wove, and never lookedup, nor heeded aught beyond
that task;till, on one fatal day, there came by a vision of the pride and beauty
of this world: then she lookedup, and left her work, and was lost, and undone.
And so may it be in many a life: there is work for us to do, and do it we must;
here is a garment to be woven, and God has told us what is coming, and has
setus at the task, here beside the greatriver of time, which shall become for

each, ere long, the river of death. What are we at? Are our hearts in the task?
Or are the eyes wandering, and is the thing like to be left for ever undone?
(MorganDix, D. D.)
The wedding garment is essentiallya habit of holiness and righteousness
MorganDix, D. D.
It differs, specifically, from those vanities in which we take so much delight, in
the following respects:
1. It is a clothing of humility; no robe of pride to dress up the sinner.
2. It truly corresponds to what the weareris; no masquerade dress disguising
the idle reveller or the stealthy conspirator.
3. It is a habit of the inner as well as of the outer man. A dress of the soul, the
everyday costume of the devout and religious spirit, the inner habit which
goes togetherwith the outer, orderly, and soberlife.
(MorganDix, D. D.)
The wedding garment: the makerand the materials
MorganDix, D. D.
I. THE MAKER. It must be woven by our own hands, if ever wovenat all. No
such thing as getting it made for you. Every man is his own artisan: there are
no workshops, and no workmen, here or elsewhere, to fit for heaven the souls
of those who will not make themselves ready. We can buy, according to our
means, sufficient, or more than sufficient, of lavish or gorgeous apparel, for
this world and this life; but not one thread or one finger's breadth of that
which we need for the life to come.
II. THE MATERIALS. These are from God. They are the redeeming work of
Christ, His perfectrighteousness, and absolute holiness, His merits, the

benefits of His cross and passion, His mighty resurrectionand glorious
ascension. To weave these materials into a garment, skilled and industrious
fingers are needed: faith, hope, love. We must weave a true Christian habit by
Christian acts;we must take what the Lord has done for us, and of it we must
work a holy life; we must become like Him.
III. WE SHALL HAVE HIS HELP IF WE WORK HARD. If we do our best,
God will supply all the defects in our work, and make it good;sufficient for
every need. Such garment as the child of God tries to make, in accordance
with God's will, may need much altering and setting right; it shall need to be
shaped, and washed, and made white, till it become that radiant dress which
the King shall see with pleasure.
(MorganDix, D. D.)
The wedding garment a festive robe
W. Archer Butler, M. A.
The garment must, surely, from the very nature of the image, have been
intended to signify something public and visible, in which eachwearer
harmonises with all, and all with the spirit of the peculiar scene into which
they are introduced, and to which the dress is appropriate. I would say, then,
that by this remarkable symbol our Lord did not intend merely the inward
principle of faith exclusivelyconsidered, nor yet merely the mysterious
imputation of righteousness through identification with Christ (though these
are, no doubt, necessaryconditions and first steps to its possession);for
apparel is, of all things, the most manifest and visible, and the wedding
apparel is especiallythe apparel of joy. This festal garment of heaven, then,
which eachman must bring with him into the high presence ofGod, seems to
be no other than that celestialtemperwhich manifests itself by the infallible
indications of a holy joy — that spiritual sympathy with the things of the
spiritual world, which exhibits itself in cordial, irrepressible demonstration of
the blessednesswithin; holy happiness, public and expressed;the "joy in the
Holy Ghost" — no longera secret, timid, half-uttered delight, but sparkling in

the eye, and fearless in the voice; the "life" no longer"hid with Christ in
God," but "apparentwith Him in glory." I repeatit- inward, spiritual
happiness, developed by the presence ofGod, and the consciousnessofheaven,
into visible manifestation — this is the wedding garment which Christ beholds
and approves in "the saved."
(W. Archer Butler, M. A.)
Grace a garment
T. Manton.
'Tis usual in Scripture to setforth sin by nakedness, andgrace by a garment.
Graces are a beautiful ornament to the soul as garments are to the body.
(T. Manton.)
False pretences in religion
S. Clarke.
I. THE ORIGINAL AND GROUND OF THIS FIGURATIVE EXPRESSION,
of having on the wedding garment. The constantand prevailing temper or
disposition of any man's spirit, can no way be Set forth more expressively
than under the similitude of bodily garments, so investing the person as to be
his proper and distinguishing attire.
II. USEFUL AND PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
1. How absolutelyand indispensably God expects and requires, that every
man who hopes to be admitted into the kingdom of heaven, should have his
mind endued, and as it were clothed, with those habitual virtuous
qualifications, which canno otherwise be acquired than by righteous practice.
2. There is such a thing as a false or ill-grounded hope; there are deceitful
expectations, whichmay betray men into perdition.

3. The judgment of God will be according to right, in the sense that we
understand just and right; in the sense, thateven the wickedestof men shall
not be able to deny, is according to righteousness andjustice. The man
convictedwas speechless.
4. The reality of the concernGod has for the salvation of men.
5. A very moving admonition, how dreadful at last will be the state of those
whom the greatgoodness andlong-suffering of God have not been able to
bring to repentance, and to effectualamendment of life and manners.
(S. Clarke.)
Personaldealings with individuals
J. T. Woodhouse.
The professors ofthe gospelwill be personallyexamined.
1. There is a personalvisit, "When the king came."
2. There is a personalscrutiny, "He saw a man."
3. There is a personalinterrogation, "'Friend, how camestthou in?"
4. There is a personalconviction, "He was speechless."
5. There is a personalbondage, "Bind him."
6. There is a personalexclusion, "Casthim into outer darkness."
7. There is a personaltorment, "Weeping and gnashing of teeth."
(J. T. Woodhouse.)
Providing festalgarments
DeanPlumptre.

The framework of the parable probably pre-supposes the Oriental customof
providing garments for the guests who were invited to a royal feast.
Wardrobes tilled with many thousand garments formed part of the wealth of
every Easternprince (Matthew 6:19; James 5:2), and it was part of his glory,
as in the case ofthe assemblywhich Jehu held for the worshippers of Baal(2
Kings 10:22), to bring -them out for use on state occasions. Onthis
assumption, the act of the man who was found " not having a wedding
garment" was one of wilful insult. He came in the "filthy rags" (Isaiah64:6),
of his old life, insteadof putting on the "white linen " meet for a kingly feast
(Ecclesiastes 9:8;Revelation3:4, 5), which had been freely offered him.
(DeanPlumptre.)
The wedding garment given
American Paper.
A colouredminister was once discoursing on salvation, which he illustrated as
follows:— "Suppose," saidhe, "any of you wanteda coat, and should go to a
white gentleman to purchase one. Well, he has one that exactly fits you, and in
all respects is just what you need. You ask the price; but, when told, find that
you have not enough money, and shake your head — 'No, massa;I am too
poor; must go without,' — and turn away. But he says, 'I know you cannot
pay me; I have concluded to give it you. Will you have it?' What would you do
in that case? Wouldyou stop to hem and haw, and say, 'Oh! he's just laughing
at me; he don't mean it?' No such thing. There is not one of you who would
not take the coat, and say, 'Yes, massa, and thank you, too.'Now, my dear
friends, God's salvationis offered to you as freely as that. Why won't you take
it as freely? You are lost, undone sinners, and feelthat you need a covering
from His wrath. If you could keepHis holy law blameless, you might purchase
it by good works;but ah! you are full of sin. Prayers and tears are worthless.
You are poor indeed, and if this is all your dependence I don't wonder that
you are turning off in despair. But stop! look here! God speaks now, and
offers you the perfectrobe of Christ's righteousness that will coverall your

sins, and fit all your wants, and He says that you may have it without money
and without price."
(American Paper.)
Highways and hedges
We might do better if we went further afield. Our invitations to Christ, which
fall so feebly on the ears of those who regularly hear us, would be welcomed
by those to whom we never deliver them. We are fools to waste time in the
shallows ofour churches and chapels, when the deep outside teems with
waiting fishes. We need fresh hearers:the newer the news to any man, the
more likely is he to regard it as goodnews. Music-hall work, out-door
preaching, house-to-house visitation have virgin soil to deal with, and there is
none like it. Invite the oft-invited — certainly; but do not forgetthat those
who have never been invited as yet cannothave been hardened by refusals.
Beggarsin the highways had never been bidden to a marriage-feastbefore;
and so, when they were surprised with an invitation, they raisedno questions,
but gladly hastenedto the banquet.
Lack of the wedding garment
Marcus Dods, D. D.
Is there any common way of dealing with God's invitation than that which this
man adopted? He had no deep love for his king, no grateful and humbling
sense ofhis kindness, no perception of what was due to him; but with the
blundering stupidity of godlessness,thought selfishness wouldcarry him
through, and ran right upon his doom. What is commoner than this self-
complacency, this utter blindness to the fact that God is holy, and that
holiness must therefore be the rule everywhere;what is commoner than the
feeling that we are well enough, that we shall somehow pass muster, that as we
mean to take our places among the heavenly guests we shall surely not be
rejected? How hard it is for any of us fully to graspthe radical nature of the

inward change that is required if we are to be meet for the inheritance of the
saints in light. Conformity to God, ability to rejoice with God and in God,
humble and devoted reverence, a realwillingness to do honour to the King's
Son — these are greatattainments; but these constitute our wedding garment,
without which we cannotremain in His presence nor abide His searching
gaze. It is the heart that you bear towards Him that will determine your
destiny. No mere appearance ofaccepting His invitation, no associating of
yourself with those who love Him, no outward entrance into His presence, no
making use of the right language is anything to the purpose. What is wanted is
a profound sympathy with God, a real delight in what is holy, a radical
acceptanceofHis will — in other words, and as the most untutored conscience
might see, what is wanted is a state of mind in you which God can delight in,
and approve of, and hold fellowship with.
(Marcus Dods, D. D.)
Refusalof the wedding garment
Marcus Dods, D. D.
Had the man any means of obtaining a dress more in keeping with the
occasion? Was he not perhaps so poor that he could afford no preparation of
any kind? Had this been so, it would have been pleaded in excuse. But no
doubt the parable supposes that the not unusual custom of providing for the
guests the needed garment had been adopted; a provision which this guest had
despisedand refused; he had pushed past the officious servants who would
have clothed him. It is this that constituted the man's audacity and guilt.
Similar audacity in entering the king's presence without putting on the robe
sent by The king for that purpose, has been knownto costa prime minister
his life. A traveller who was invited, with the ambassadors he accompanied, to
the table of the Persianking, says:"We were told by the officerthat we,
according to their usage, must hang the splendid vests that were sentus from
the king overour dresses, andso appearin his presence. The ambassadorsat
first refused, but the officerurged it" so earnestly, alleging, as also did others,
that the omission would greatly displease the king, since all other envoys

observedsuch a custom, that at lastthey consented, and hanged, as did we
also, the splendid vests over their shoulders." So at this, marriage, dresses had
been provided by the king. The guests who had been pickedoff the streets
were not told to go home and do the best they could for their dress, but in the
palace, in the vestibule of the banquet-hall, eachman was arrayed in the dress
the king wishedto see worn. Possiblythe man who declined the offered
garment had a dress of his own he grudged to cover. Possiblybe thought he
was as well dressedas need be. He would stroll in superciliously as a patron or
spectator, thinking it very fit for those poor, coarse-clothedanddirty people
to make use of the king's wardrobe, but conscious ofno speck or uncleanliness
in his own raiment that should cause him to make any alteration of it.
(Marcus Dods, D. D.)
The wedding garment
I. The multitude of guests.
II. The unfitted one.
III. The merciless end.
Piety outwardly manifested
R. Davey.
All organizedbeings are sustained by an inner economyof life, which is made
manifest by an outer life. There is in us an inner life of thoughts, opinions,
beliefs, emotions, and desires. These shouldbe brought in conformity with the
mind and Spirit of Christ. They correspondwith the root of the tree, or with
the seedwhich you hide end bury in the ground. Now, you are not satisfied
with the rootand the sapof the tree, or the germ powerin the seedthat you
have hid in the earth. These hidden, buried, and unrevealed powers do not
suffice. You want them to come forth and put on their gaygarments, that
your eye may be delighted and gladdened by their beauty. And you cut down

the tree, you plough up the seed, if it puts on no wedding garment of blossom
and fruit. So, say not my faith is right, my opinions are correct, my emotions
are warm; for God wants more than these. He looks for fruit, for the beautiful
wed. ding garment of a pure, sweet, loving, unselfish, and Christ-like life. The
outward beauty, it is true, grows out of the hidden life. It is not put on. ,The
beauty of the lily is not put on the flower, as a man puts on his coat. It grows
out of the lily-like nature of the flower, many put on the manners of the
Christian; but when they are only put on they drop off and expose the
nakedness ofthe wearerwhen temptation comes, or when there is no end to be
answeredby keeping them on. Let us train ourselves, day by day, into the
habit and feeling of the Christian spirit and temper, so that acts of Christian
love, nobleness, and self-denial may grow out of us, as the beautiful form and
colourgrow out of the lily, and the sweetfragrance outof the rose.
(R. Davey.)
The wedding garment
C. H. Spurgeon.
1. An enemy at the feast.
2. The king at the feast.
3. The judge at the feast.
4. The criminal at the feast.
5. The executioner.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Speechlessatthe judgment
H. Melvill, B. D.

There is no speechlessnessatpresent, when we ply men with questions as to
their being unprepared for eternity: they have all some specious excuse to
plead, or some empty promise to make. But there will be no death-like silence
hereafter, throughout the company of those who come up from the grave
unclothed for eternity. Every particular of their lives will have crowdedin
upon the memory, and the consciousness ofwhat they might have been will
repress all murmuring at what they are. I have read the singular accountof
some who have been recoveredfrom apparent death by drowning, and they
say, that, as life went away, every action, every occurrence from infancy
upwards, presenteditself to the mind with overpowering vividness, so that the
close was as it were the resurrectionof their existence;they seemedto
themselves to have lived the whole of life over again, in those fearful moments
when they were grappling with death, so energeticallyand with so marvellous
an accuracydid long-forgottenthings pass before them, and the picture of
their every day, and every week, andevery hour, paint itself on the mental
retina. And if there is to come at last this resuscitationof memory, oh! we
cannot wonderat the speechlessnessofthose who are condemned at the
judgment.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
"Called, but not chosen
J. Vaughan, M. A.
What of necessitymust be the characterofthat man who has put on that
robe?
1. He must be a humble man.
2. He may walk into the feastboldly in his confidence.
3. He must be joyous. It is a feast.
4. He must be loving. It is a feastto commemorate love.
5. The Christ that is on him will be the Christ that is in him.

(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Many are called, etc. - This verse is wanting in one of Colbert's MSS., marked
33 in Griesbach. See the note on Matthew 20:16. Many are called by the
preaching of the Gospelinto the outward communion of the Church of Christ;
but few, comparatively, are chosento dwell with God in glory, because they
do not come to the master of the feastfor a marriage garment - for that
holiness without which none can see the Lord. This is an allusion to the
Roman custom of raising their militia; all were mustered, but only those were
chosento serve, who were found proper. See the note on Matthew 20:16.
Reader!examine thy soul, and make sure work for eternity!
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Many are called, but few are chosen - Our Saviour often uses this expression.
It was probably proverbial. The Jews had been called, but few of them had
been chosento life. The greatmass of the nation was wicked, and they showed
by their lives that they were not chosento salvation. The Gentiles also were
invited to be saved, Isaiah 45:22. Nationafter nation has been called; but few,
few have yet showedthat they were real Christians, the electof God. It is also
true that many who are in the church may prove to be without the wedding
garment, and show at last that they were not the chosenofGod. This remark
in the 14th verse is the inference from the “whole parable,” and not of the
part about the man without the wedding garment. It does not mean, therefore,
that the great mass in the church are simply called and not chosen, or are
hypocrites; but the greatmass in “the human family,” in the time of Christ,
who had been “called,” hadrejectedthe mercy of God.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
For many are called, but few chosen.
Sitting down at the marriage feastwas not alone sufficient to insure the favor
of the king. Membership in the church, and acceptanceofits privileges, are
not enoughto assure eternallife. Every diligence to appear before God, not
naked, but clad in the garments of righteousness, shouldbe exerted by all who
hope to enter eternal fellowship with God (Revelation3:18).
AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE THREE PARABLES
(a) The Parable of Two Sons; (b) of the WickedHusbandmen; and (c) the
Marriage of the King's Son
There is a remarkable progressionin this series ofthree parables.
I. There is progressionin the obligations violated. In (a), it is the respectand
honor due a father; and in (b), it is the legaland binding requirements of a
commercialcontract;and in (c), it is the honor, loyalty, and submission due to
a greatand noble king on the part of his servants.
II. There is a progressive aggravationof the guilt incurred. In (a), it is the
rejectionof a loving father's request. In (b), it is murder to escape a legaldebt.
In (c), it is a hateful and insulting degradationof the king himself, in the
person of his messengers,not to escape anobligationbut to deliver an insult,
againstall reason, againstthe highestgovernment of the land, and upon an
occasionwhenthe king, far from exacting a tax or requiring a benefit, was in
the gracious attitude of bestowing honor and privilege upon them. Moreover,
their guilt reachedsuch a climax of wickednessthat it appearedon the
occasionofthe royal wedding and in such a way as to dishonor the most
important and sacredevent possible, the marriage of the king's son!
III. There is a progressionin the penalties exacted. In (a), the father
disapproves. In (b), the wickedhusbandmen are destroyed, their contract
canceled, and the vineyard let out to others. In (c), the offenders are not only

destroyedbut their city is razed and burned, and greatarmies of the king
move upon them for swift and total vengeance.
IV. There is a progressionin the duration of the offenses. In (a), the conduct
of the sons, while serious enough, is a matter of only one day's disobedience.
In (b), the wickedhusbandmen rejectedtheir duty over an extended period of
time. In (c), the hatred of the king had become a permanent part of the lives of
the offenders. This is seenin the fact that they could not have rejectedsuch an
invitation except from reasons ofprior hatred in their hearts. Their
mistreatment of the king's messengers, shamefulas it was, was only the
symptom of a far more terrible offense within themselves, namely, their
hatred and animosity againstthe king. As Drummond said concerning such a
thing, "It was the occasionalbubble rising to the surface, that betrayed the
rotting carcass atthe bottom of the lake."[3]
ENDNOTE:
[3] Henry Drummond, Sermon, The GreatestThing in the World.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
For many are called, but few chosen. See Gill on Matthew 20:16
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For many are called, but few are chosen— So Matthew 19:30. See on
Matthew 20:16.
People's New Testament
For many are called, but few are chosen. "The many called" embrace all who
hear the gospel;the whole Jewishnation, and the Gentiles of every land where
the gospelis preached. The chosenare those who choose to accept.

Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
For many are called, but few chosen (πολλοι γαρ εισιν κλητοι ολιγοι δε
εκλεκτοι — polloi gar eisin klētoioligoide eklektoi). This crisp saying of
Christ occurs in various connections. He evidently repeatedmany of his
sayings many times as every teacherdoes. There is a distinction betweenthe
called(κλητοι — klētoi) and the chosen (εκλεκτοι — eklektoi)calledout from
the called.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Many are called; few chosen — Many hear; few believe. Yea, many are
members of the visible, but few of the invisible Church. Matthew 20:16.
The Fourfold Gospel
For many are called, but few chosen1.
For many are called, but few chosen. Many guests are invited, but few are
accepted;because some neglectand despise the invitation, and others cast
dishonor upon the one who invites, by the self-willedand irreverent wayin
which they accepthis invitation. In this parable the first parties invited
representthe Jews;the city of murderers is Jerusalem;the persons called
from the highways are the Gentiles;the entrance of the king is the coming of
the Lord to final judgment; and the man without the wedding-garment is
anyone who will be found in the church without a suitable character. The
characterof Christ is our wedding-garment, and all the regeneratedmust
wearit (John 3:5 Ephesians 4:24; Galatians 3:27;Colossians3:10;Revelation
19:8,9).

Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
Few are chosen;chosenand led to come.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
14.Formany are called, but few are chosen. The objectof the parable is
pointed out by the conclusion, that few are chosen, though many are called;
from which we infer, that we ought not to attempt an ingenious explanation of
every minute clause. But lately, Christ did not threaten that the greaterpart
would be thrown out, but mentioned one man only; and now we learn from
him, that out of a large number few will be retained. And certainly, though in
the presentday a more numerous body of men is collectedinto the Church by
the Gospelthan was formerly collectedby the Law, it is but a small portion of
them whose faith is evinced by newness oflife. Let us not flatter ourselves with
the empty title of faith, but let every man seriouslyexamine himself, that at
the final review he may be pronounced to be one of the lawful guests;for, as
Paul reminds us, that the vessels in the Lord’s house are not all of the same
kind, so
let every one that calleth on the name of the Lord
depart from iniquity, (2 Timothy 2:19.)
I enter no farther, at present, into the question about the eternal electionof
God; for the words of Christ mean nothing more than this, that the external
professionof faith is not a sufficient proof that God will acknowledgeas his
people all who appear to have acceptedofhis invitation. (293)
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

CLAD IN THE GARMENT
‘For many are called, but few are chosen.’
Matthew 22:14
These words have no reference to ‘election.’ The guestneglectedto put on the
wedding garment, and so while ‘called,’ he was not chosen.
I. The marriage garment.—Byuniversal consent, ‘the marriage garment’
represents the spiritual robe in which we must all appear before God, without
which we cannot be ownedand accepted;and this spiritual robe is the
righteousness ofChrist. (See Psalms 45;Isaiah 61;Romans 3; Romans 13)
II. What follows putting on the robe.—Whatof necessitymust be the
characterof a man who has put on that robe?
(a) He must be a humble man, for the beauty is a borrowedbeauty.
(b) He must have confidence. He may take of the Master’s bounties of that
feastwithout fear.
(c) He must be joyous. It is a feast. It is the very intention and condition of the
gift—mirth and gladness.
(d) He must be a loving man. Is not it a feastof love? One unloving thought
would be out of place.
(e) He must have Christ within him. He will take something himself of the
characterof the robe he wears. He cannot look at that robe, and not think of
Him to whom he owes it all.
III. The distinction betweenthose who are only ‘called,’ and those who are
‘chosen,’is simply this—the one had not put on the wedding garment, and the
other had. The electionall turns upon one point:—‘Have you on the wedding
garment?’
The Rev. James Vaughan.
(SECOND OUTLINE)

SELECTION AND ELECTION
One of the chief causes whichgovernevolution is selection. It is often called
natural selection. I prefer to leave out the ‘natural.’ You must not think for a
moment that this selectionis in any way opposedto Christianity. It is the
Christian doctrine, only with a letter changed. Christians believe in election;
scientific people believe in selection. The idea in both cases is the same, that it
pleases the Almighty God, of the many forms of life that He creates,to select
those that are suited for the purpose for which they are created, or, to put it in
a scientific phrase, that are suitable to their environment. That is the
universal principle. Your scientific man will show it to you in almostevery
branch of nature.
I. The principle in the parable.—Manypeople were to be called, but only
certain people were to be chosen. The selectiongoesonfurther than that.
There comes into that feastsome one without the marriage garment, and he is
castout, our Lord teaching His disciples to expectthat even among that
number some will be selectedand some refused. The word ‘chosen’is the
word which will take us through the whole of religion.
II. The principle in history.—Looking back into history, we find the same
principle written very large on it. The offer has been repeatedto greatnations
that they should become greatinstruments of God for doing His work, and
constantly they have been found unsuited for their environment. They have
not been selected, and therefore have been destroyed.
III. The principle in government.—I need not remind you that we who speak
so easily about empire now are only one of many, but those who have gone
before us have found the weightof empire too heavy for them. The thought of
selectionmakes one very prudent when one speaks aboutthe greatnessof
England. England is calledto rule over a fifth of the world. Can we say that
she is chosen? She is on her trial.
IV. The principle in our own lives.—Has it any individual application? ‘Many
are called, but few are chosen.’We see it all around. We see the advance
marked by the destruction of the unfit. It is only the fittest that remain, and it
is only those souls that shall be fit for the greatpurpose for which they were

created, the praise and honour of God, who shall be selectedto remain to
eternity.
—The Rev. Lord William Cecil.
Hawker's PoorMan's Commentary
"Formany are called, but few are chosen."
This close ofthe parable is the same with which Jesus closedthe one of the
Laborers in the Vineyard, and is very striking and solemn, but very obvious
and plain upon the pure principles of the gospel. Calling, by the outward
sound of the word, and the being chosenby the eternal purpose of sovereign
grace, are very distinct things. In preaching the Gospel, to a mixed multitude
of hearers, everyone within the sound hears the gracious invitation which the
Lord gives to his Church; and, in one sense, it may be saidthe call to the
duties of life goes forth to the whole world, and is a command from God, as a
Sovereign, to hear and obey. But this outward call, differs widely from the
inward work, wrought by the Holy Ghostin the hearts of the redeemed, and
which comes not in word only, but in power. Paul, the Apostle, beautifully
describes the difference; when speaking to the Church, he saith, We are
bound to give thanks alway to God, for you brethren beloved of the Lord,
because Godhath, from the beginning, chosenyou to salvation, through
sanctificationof the Spirit and belief of the truth, where unto he calledyou, by
our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Provision is
made for this effectual calling of the Lord's people in time, 2 Thessalonians
2:13-14 from their being chosen, in Christ, before the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 1:9. So that the whole process ofgrace, fromthe
first awakeningsofthe soul, until grace is consummatedin glory, while all
these prove the everlasting love of God to his redeemed, in Christ, they
become no less the fruit of that love, and are the sure earnestof eternalglory.
Romans 8:29-30.

John Trapp Complete Commentary
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Ver. 14. For many are called, &c.]With an outward calling; but outward
privileges profit not, where the hidden man of the heart is not right, where the
powerand practice of godliness is wanting. Many a ship hath been called
Safeguardand Goodspeed, whichyet hath split upon the rocks, orfallen into
the hands of pirates.
Sermon Bible Commentary
Matthew 22:14
We have to do in the text not with an arbitrary call and an arbitrary choice, as
if God calledmany in mockery, meaning to choose outof them only a few, and
making His choice independently of any exertion of theirs. The picture is very
different; it is a gracious callto us all to come and receive the blessing;it is a
reluctant casting out the greatestpart of us, because we would not render
ourselves fit for it.
I. We have all been called, in a Christian sense, inasmuch as we have all been
introduced into Christ's Church by Baptism; and a very large proportion of
us have been called againat our Confirmation. We have been thus calledto
enter into Christ's kingdom; we have been calledto lead a life of holiness and
happiness from this time forth even for ever.
II. Now, if this be the prize to which we are called, who are they who are also
chosento it? (1) In the first and most complete sense, no doubt, those who
have entered into their rest; who are in no more danger, howeverslight; with
whom the struggle is altogetherpast, the victory securelywon. (2) Those we
may call chosenwho, having heard their call, have turned to obey it, and have

gone on following it. (3) Those are chosenwho, having found in themselves the
sin which did most easilybesetthem, have struggledwith it, and wholly, or in
a greatmeasure, have overcome it.
III. What is the proportion betweenthose who are chosenand those who are
calledonly? This I dare not answer;there is a goodas wellas an evil which is
unseen by the world at large, unseen even by all but those who watch us most
nearly and most narrowly. All we can say is, that there are too many who, we
must fear, are not chosen;there are too few of whom we canfeel sure that
they are.
T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. iv., p. 101.
References:Matthew 22:14.—H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, Waterside Mission
Sermons, vol. ii., No. 18. Matthew 22:15-22.—HomileticQuarterly, vol. i., p.
468. Matthew 22:15-46.—Parker, Inner Life of Christ, vol. iii., p. 131.
Matthew 22:16.—W. M. Statham, Christian World Pulpit, vol. i., p. 458.
Matthew 22:16-22.—Clergyman's Magazine, vol. ii., p. 336. Matthew 22:20.—
A. Murray, With Christ in the Schoolof Prayer, p. 133. Matthew 22:20,
Matthew 22:21.—A. P. Stanley, Church Sermons, vol. i., p. 10.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Matthew 22:14. For many are called, &c.— These words are proverbial, and
must be referred first to the Jews, who, though they were calledin great
numbers by the preaching of the Gospel, few were chosen;for they did not
believe. See on ch. Matthew 20:16. They must be referred also to the Gentiles,
too many of whom, though they embracedthe Gospelin speculation, rejected
the wedding-garmentwhen it was offeredto them, and refused the gracious
inspiration of God's good Spirit to perfect holiness in the fearof the Lord. The
parable is concluded in this manner, to shew us, that the professionof the
Christian religion will avail a man nothing, unless he lives in a manner worthy
of that religion; that not they who say Lord, Lord! but they who do the will of
that Lord, shall enter into the joys of his kingdom. See the Inferenc

Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
This is our blessedSaviour's application of the foregoing parable to the Jews;
he tells them, that many of them, indeed all of them were called, that is,
invited to the gospel-supper;but with few, very few of them, was found that
sincere faith, and that sound repentance, which doth accompanysalvation.
Learn hence, That amongst the multitude of those that are called by the
gospelunto holiness and obedience, few, very few comparatively, do obey that
call, and shall be eternally saved.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
Matthew 22:14. γάρ] introduces the reasonof the ἐκεῖ ἔσται, κ. τ. λ. For, so far
from the mere calling availing to secure againsteternalcondemnation, many,
on the contrary, are called to the Messiah’s kingdom, but comparativelyfew
are chosenby God actuallyto participate in it. This saying has a somewhat
different purport in Matthew 20:16;still in both passages the ἐκλογή is not, in
the first instance, the judicial sentence, but the eternaldecree of God; a
decree, however, whichhas not selectedthe future subjects of the kingdom in
any arbitrary fashion, but has destined for this honour those who, by
appropriating and faithfully maintaining the requisite δικαιοσύνη (see on
Matthew 22:11 f.), will be found to possess the corresponding disposition and
character. Comp. Matthew 25:34. Similarly, too, in Matthew 24:22;Luke
18:7. It was, however, only a legitimate consequence ofthe contemplation of
history from a religious point of view, if the Christian consciousness felt
warranted in attributing even this amount of human freedom to the agencyof
God (Ephesians 1:4; Philippians 2:13), and had to be satisfied, while
maintaining the human element no less than the divine, with leaving the
problem of their unity unsolved (see on Romans 9:33, Remark).
Teaching of the parable: When the Messianic kingdomis about to be
established, insteadof those who have been invited to enter it, i.e. instead of
the people of Israel, who will despise the (according to the plural) repeated

invitations, nay, who will show their contempt to some extent by a violent
behaviour (for which God will chastise them, and that before the setting up of
the kingdom, Matthew 22:7), Godwill order the Gentiles to be calledto His
kingdom. When, however, it is being established, He will single out from
among the Gentiles who have responded to the callsuch of them as turn out to
be morally disqualified for admission, and condemn them to be punished in
Gehenna.
The first invitation, and which is referred to in the τοὺς κεκλημένους of
Matthew 22:3, is conveyedthrough Christ; the successiveinvitations which
followedwere given through the apostles, who, Matthew 22:9, likewise invite
the Gentiles. Comp. Matthew 28:19;Acts 1:8; Acts 13:46.
Observe in connectionwith τότε, Matthew 22:8, that it is not intended thereby
to exclude the calling of the Gentiles before the destruction of Jerusalem;but
simultaneously with this event the work of conversionwas to be directed in
quite a specialmanner towardthe Gentiles. The destruction of Jerusalemwas
to form the signalfor the gathering in of the fulness of the Gentiles (Romans
11:25). Thus the τότε marks a grand epochin the historical development of
events, an epochalready visible to the far-seeing glance ofJesus, though at the
same time we are bound to admit the discrepancythat exists betweenthis
passageand the very definite statementregarding the date of the second
advent containedin Matthew 24:29. As is clearfrom the whole connection, we
must not suppose (Weisse)that the man without the wedding garment is
intended to represent Judas;but see on Matthew 22:12. What is meant is a
Christian with the old man still clinging to him. Comp. on Romans 13:14;
Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 4:24;Colossians3:12.
REMARK.
The part of the parable extending from Matthew 22:11 onwards was certainly
not spoken, so far as its immediate reference is concerned, with a view to the
Pharisees,but was essentialto the completeness ofthe truths that were being
setforth, inasmuch as, without that part, there would be no reference to the
way in which the holiness of God would assertitselfat the setting up of the
Messianic kingdom. And the more this latter point is brought out, the more

applicable did it become to the case ofthe Phariseesalso, who would be able
to infer from it what their fate was to be on that day when, even from among
those who will be found to have acceptedthe invitation, God will single out
such as appear without the garment of δικαιοσύνη, andconsignthem to the
punishment of hell
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Matthew 22:14.(959)πολλοὶ γάρ, κ. τ. λ., for many, etc.)Our Lord adds this
remark in His own personto the conclusionof the king’s speech. Cf ὅτι, κ. τ.
λ., for, etc., in Luke 16:8.— γὰρ, κ. τ. λ., for, etc.) This generalsentiment is a
proof, that this man without a wedding garment, and all who are like him, will
be castforth.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Ver. 1-14. Luke hath this parable, Matthew 14:16-24, whichhath made divers
interpreters think that Matthew hath put it out of its due order; for Luke
reports it as spokenlong before, and that not in the temple, but at a Pharisee’s
house where he was at dinner, and upon occasionof one of them saying,
Blessedis he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. But I know no reason
why we may not allow our Saviour to have used the same parable twice, in
two differing companies, and upon two different occasions,especially
considering there are remarkable differences in Luke’s and Matthew’s
relation. I shall therefore leave the considerationofLuke’s relation till I come
to that chapter in his Gospel, where I shall meet with it in course, and
consideronly what Matthew saith. We must remember this is a parable, not
an historical narration. The first verse tells us,
And Jesus answeredand spake unto them againby parables: he answered,
that is, he begana discourse, so the word very often signifies. Our Saviour
hath neither given us any particular explicationof this parable, nor any
proparabola, or epiparabola, any sentence before or after the parable, guiding
us as to the explication, exceptonly that short sentence, Matthew 22:14,

For many are called, but few are chosen;which rather guides us in the
explication of the four latter verses than of the whole parable: yet it is not
hard for us to find out our Saviour’s scope in this parable. It seemethto be
double:
1. To inform those to whom he spake of the destruction suddenly coming upon
the Jews, fortheir rejectionof the gospel, and of the calling of the Gentiles.
2. To let us know, that neither Amongst the Jews nor Gentiles all should be
savedwhom God calledby the external ministration of the gospel;but those
alone who, belonging to the electionof grace, should be found in the day of
judgment having on the wedding garment.
So then, the kingdom of heaven here signifies, the way or equity of God in the
dispensationof the gospel, or the administration of things in order to the
kingdom of glory. The king here mentioned must be he who is the King of
kings. The marriage for his son, is the exhibition of the covenant of grace;
which whosoeverlayeth hold on, Isaiah56:4, is by faith united to Christ;
which union is often expressedin holy writ under the notion of a marriage,
Psalms 45:10,11 Eph5:23, &c.:or their union with him in glory, Revelation
19:9. The persons bidden were the Jews. The servants that calledthem to the
wedding, were those that were faithful amongsttheir ordinary teachers, orthe
prophets, such as Isaiah and the rest, whom they refused to hearkenunto. The
other servants might signify John the Baptist, and the twelve, and others sent
out by Christ, to tell them that Christ was now come, there wanted nothing
but their coming to him and receiving of him. Their making light of it, going
one to his farm, another to his merchandise, and others taking the servants,
entreating them spitefully, and slaying them, signifies the Jews’general
refusal of the gospel, and the particular rage and malice of some of them,
shown in their abusing of the Lord’s prophets and messengers, and which he
knew some of them would further show againstStephen and James. The
king’s sending forth his armies, and slaying the murderers, signified the
coming of the Romanarmies, and their utter destroying Jerusalem. The
sending of the servants into the highways, and inviting all those whom they
found to the wedding, signified the apostles going to the Gentiles, and
preaching the gospelto all nations; which much enlargedthe territories of the

church, gathering in many who professedto acceptof Christ, but not all in
truth and sincerity. The king’s coming to see his guests, signifiethChrist’s
coming at the day of the last judgment, with his fan in his hand, throughly to
purge his floor. His finding one without his wedding garment, signifieth his
finding many hypocrites at the day of judgment. The guests at weddings were
either wont to put on their best clothes, (as we usually do), or a particular
garment which was then in use, and was wornby those who were invited to
weddings. By the
wedding garment here is meant Christ, Romans 13:14, who is at this feast
both the bridegroom, and the meat at the feast, and the wedding garment also,
in divers respects. Itis but an idle dispute, whether faith is meant, or love:
neither the one nor the other separately, but faith that workethby love;
whatsoeverGodrequireth of us, that we may be made meet for the kingdom
of God: without faith and holiness none can see God. His being
speechlesssignifies, thatthose who have lived under the proffers of grace and
salvation, and have rejectedthem, neither believing in the Lord Jesus Christ,
nor bringing forth fruits of holiness, will be without excuse at the day of
judgment. And the king’s commanding his servants to
bind him hand and foot, & c., signifieth that all such persons as live within the
church, under the means of grace, yetdie impenitent and unbelievers, having
not by a true faith received Christ as their Saviour, and brought forth the
fruits of true repentance and holiness, shall getnothing by their being within
the church and externally called, but shall be thrown into hell as well as
others, the pains of which are here expressedby binding hand and foot, lying
in outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth; as in other places by a
worm that shall never die, and a fire that shall never go out; all metaphorical
expressions, signifying the vexations and intolerable punishment of the
damned in hell.
For (saith our Saviour) many are called, but few are chosen. We met with this
expressionbefore, Matthew 20:16, where the sense ofit was not so obvious as
it is here. Some by it here understand, a choice unto life eternal; nor without
reason, if that be understood by the marriage supper, as it is Revelation19:9;

and it appears to be partly at leastthe sense ofit here, in that the person
without the wedding garment is doomed to eternal misery. If we by the
marriage supper understand a union with Christ here, or the benefits flowing
from that, we must by chosenhere understand effectually called, being made
partakers of that specialdistinguishing grace which bringeth salvation. The
gospelis preachedto many whom God doth not favour with his specialgrace,
so as they receive it, convert, and are saved. The former part of this parable
doth hint us the reasonwhy the Jews rejectedthe offers of grace and salvation
made to them, viz. the powerthat the temptations from the world, of pleasure,
profit, and honour, had upon them. As the latter part also showethus the true
reasonwhy any are savedto be from the free grace ofGod, viz. because they
are chosen, chosento eternallife, and particularly favoured to be made
partakers of his specialand, distinguishing grace.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
Called; invited to receive the blessings ofthe gospel.
Chosen;by accepting its provisions to enjoy its benefits. None would accept
the gracious invitations of the gospel, and be for ever blessed, if God had not
from the beginning chosenthem to salvation, through the sanctificationofthe
Spirit and the belief of the truth. While those who rejectChrist and are lost
owe their destruction wholly to themselves, those who are savedare indebted
for salvationto the riches of grace.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
14. For many are called — The high and the low, the goodand the bad, were
calledto come to the marriage feast. Few are chosen — Or elected, as the
word means. Myriads are not chosenbecause theydo not come. And we know
not how many who come fail of being chosen, becausethey have not accepted
salvationby Christ. The dogma that they are not chosenbecause they are
secretlypredestinatedby God’s decree not to be chosen, affirms simply what
is not said or implied. That dogma would lay the blame on God, and not upon

those who are not chosen, and charge insincerity upon the call. It is to be
noted that the choosing is after the calling.
Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
Jesus concludedthe parable with a pithy statement that explained it (cf.
Matthew 18:7). Not all whom Godhas invited to the kingdom will participate
in it. Only those who respond to God"s call and prepare themselves by
trusting in Jesus will.
"Finally, the parable teaches that a generalcalldoes not constitute or
guarantee election(verse fourteen). The Israelites took greatpride in the fact
that they as a nation possessedthe kingdom promises. But this of itself did not
mean eachJew was electedto it. Entrance was an individual responsibility,
and that is what Christ is emphasizing in the lastportion of the parable."
[Note:Toussaint, Beholdthe . . ., p256.]
"Ironically, the "chosenpeople" show in their refusal of the invitation that
they are not all among the "elect" but only among the "called."" [Note:
Hagner, Matthew 14-28 , p632.]
"While the invitation is broad, those actually chosenfor blessing are few."
[Note:Walvoord, Matthew:. . ., p165.]
The point of these three parables is quite clear. God would judge Israel"s
leaders because they had rejectedJesus, their Messiah. He would postpone the
kingdom and allow anyone to enter it, not just the Jews as many of the Jews
thought. [Note:See Toussaintand Quine, pp140-41.]The prophets had

predicted that Gentiles would participate in the kingdom; this was not new
revelation. Howeverthe Jews, becauseofnational pride, had come to believe
that being a Jew was all the qualification one neededto enter the kingdom.
Jesus taught them that receiving God"s gracious invitation and preparing
oneselfby trusting in Him was the essentialrequirement for participation.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Matthew 22:14. For many are called. A proverbial expression;see chap.
Matthew 20:16. Here the application is more general. The ‘called’ are all
those invited, both Jews andGentiles.
But few chosen. The generalsense is: Few pass safelythrough the two stages
of sifting. The one man in the parable therefore stands for a large class. It is
implied that the guests who stand the test are ‘chosen’by God.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 22:14. πολλοὶ γὰρ: if, as γὰρ might suggest, the concluding aphorism
referred exclusively to the fate of the unrobed guest, we should be obliged to
conclude that the story did not supply a goodillustration of its truth, only one
out of many guests calledbeing rejected. But the gnome really expresses the
didactic drift of the whole parable. From first to last many were called, but
comparatively few took part in the feast, either from lack of will to be there or
from coming thither irreverently.
JosephBenson's Commentaryof the Old and New Testaments
Matthew 22:14. For many are called — Nor imagine, (as if our Lord had
said,) that this will be the case ofone alone;for though it be a dreadful truth,

yet I must say, that even the greatestpart of those to whom the gospelis
offered, will either openly rejector secretlydisobeyit; and while indeed many
are calledto the gospel-feast, itwill be manifest by their disregarding it, there
are but few chosenin such a sense as finally to partake of its blessings. In
short, many hear, few believe: many are members of the visible, but few of the
invisible church.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
For many are called, but few are chosen.
For many are called, but few are chosen. So Matthew 19:30. See the note at
Matthew 20:16.
Remarks:
(1) What claim to supreme Divinity brighter and more precious than our
Lord here advances canbe conceived? Observe the successionof ideas, as
unfolded in the Old Testament, and how Jesus places Himselfin the center of
them. First, all the gracious relations which Yahweh is representedas
sustaining to His people culminate in the intimate and endearing one of a
marriage-union (Jeremiah 3:14; Hosea 2:16;etc). But next, when the nuptial-
song of this high union is sung, in Psalms 45:1-17, we find it to celebrate a
union, not directly and immediately betweenYahweh and the Church, but
betweenMessiahand the Church; yet a Messiahwho, while anointed of God
with the oil of gladness above His fellows, is addressedin the Psalm as Himself
God: so that it is just Yahweh in the Personof Messiah"the King" who in
that nuptial-song is celebratedas taking the Church to be His Bride. But this
is not all; because in other predictions this Divine Messiahis expresslycalled
the Sonof God(Psalms 2:7; Psalms 2:12; compare Proverbs 30:4; Daniel
3:25). Such being the representations ofthe Old Testament, what does Jesus
here but serve Himself to Heir to them, holding Himself forth as Himself the
King's of Old Testamentprophecy, as the Anointed King in whose Person
Yahweh was to marry His people to Himself, and whose nuptials are
celebratedin the lofty Messianic Psalmto which we have adverted?

(2) As in the parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:1-35), so here, it is not
those who have all along baskedin the sunshine of religious privileges who are
the readiestto embrace the Gospelcall, but the very opposite classes.And is it
not so still?
(3) The terrible destruction which fell upon Jerusalem, and the breaking up
and dispersionand wretchedness ofthe nation which ensued, and continues to
this hour-what a warning are they of that vengeance ofGod which awaits the
despisers of His Son!
(4) Though sinners are invited to Christ as they are, and salvation is "without
money and without price," we are "accepted,"only "in the Beloved"
(Ephesians 1:6); if there be "no condemnation," it is "to them that are in
Christ Jesus"(Romans 8:1). These are they that have "put on the Lord Jesus"
(Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27). This is to have the wedding garment.
(5) Though we may deceive not only others but ourselves, there is an Eye
which comes in expresslyto see the guests;the one thing He looks for is that
wedding garment; and among myriads of persons, all professing to be His, He
can discerneven one who is not.
(6) No moral or religious excellenceswillcompensate for the absence of this
wedding garment. If we have not put on the Lord Jesus, if we are not "in
Christ Jesus,"ourdoom is sealed;and what a doom-to be castindignantly
and without the power of resistance into outer darkness, where there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth! Oh! Do men really believe that this doom
awaits those who, howeverexemplary in other respects, venture to present
themselves before God out of Christ?
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(14) Many are called.—(SeeNote onMatthew 20:16.)The “calling” answers,
both verbally and in substance, to the “bidding” or invitation of the parable.
The “chosen”are those who both acceptthe 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
foreknowledgeofGod the Father” (1 Peter1:2) is not here within view, but it
follows necessarilyon 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 necessarylimitations.
END OF STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?
<< Matthew 22:13
Matthew 22:15 >>
Matthew 22:1-14
Clearly, "a certain king" refers to the Father, and the king's son, the
bridegroom, is Jesus Christ (John 3:29). The bride is God's church
(Revelation19:7-9), but it is not a primary issue in this parable, nor is the
marriage itself. However, the marriage feastis prominent, illustrating the full
benefits of God's truth: fellowship with God, excellence, abundance, and
happiness. God offers such a spiritual banquet to "the called." The glorious
feastHe has spread includes pardon of sin, favor with God, peace of

conscience, exceedinglygreatand precious promises, accessto the throne of
God, and the powerof the Holy Spirit.
Staff
Is Heaven the Rewardof the Saved?
RelatedTopics:CalledOut Ones | Fellowshipwith God | Glorious Feast|
God's Promises | Marriage Feast| Parable of the Great Supper | Parable of
the Wedding Feast| Promises ofGod | Promises of Reward| Rewardof the
Saved| Spiritual Banquet
Matthew 22:1-14
It should be obvious that the setting of this parable is not "the marriage
supper of the Lamb" when Christ returns and marries His bride (Revelation
19:9), but the preparations for it. God has been sending out the invitations
throughout history.
Salvationis a process.Once acceptable forthe wedding, God does not judge a
person at the doors of the wedding supper. Petersays in I Peter4:17 that
judgment is now on the house of God, spiritual Israel, the church. Revelation
11:18 further shows that Christ will not judge His saints at His return, but is
coming to reward the saints and begin the process ofjudging the nations who
have not yet had opportunity at salvation—during the Millennium and the
GreatWhite Throne Judgment.
Once a true Christian dies, his judgment is complete. He will either be in the
first resurrectionand his sins never mentioned to him again, or he will await

the third resurrectionand death in the Lake of Fire. God does not resurrect
him, make him find his way to the wedding supper, and then rejecthim
because he does not have a wedding garment on! If he is qualified for the first
resurrection, his salvation is accomplished, and he is automatically part of the
bride.
The timing is not of the actualmarriage supper, but of a time of calling, of
inviting, of evangelism, and even of warning. This parable seems to indicate at
leastthree distinct time frames:
1. When God calleda few firstfruits in the Old Testament(see Hebrews 11).
2. Christ's invitation for those who would listen. MostrejectedHim, including
the leaders of Israel.
3. Those invited by the apostles, continuing to today.
The simple answerto who are the "guests" is that they are the bridal
candidates whom the Fatherhas invited whereverand wheneverHe has seen
fit to issue invitations throughout history. Many have been called, informed,
invited, offered opportunity, but few are chosen, only 144,000 to be exact. We
are invited today to eatat the wedding table—every word of God—but few
are responding enoughto be chosen. Since "no one can come to Me unless the
Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44), any opportunity for salvationis
by specialinvitation of the Father, automaticallyputting anyone calledin the
"guest" category. He must then don wedding garments or be castout!
After the choosing, sifting, and sorting, God selects a final number of 144,000,
and rejects the rest. He will resurrect and change the chosenones to spirit
when Christ returns. At that point, the surviving "guests" or"invited ones"
are the bride!
Jesus couldnot have used the actualbride in the story, for He would have had
to include as part of the bride those who had opportunity at salvation and
rejectedit, and therefore He would castaway"parts" of the bride. What a
grisly analogythat would have been! This way, many are invited by analogy
as guests, some of whom He canreject and still not rejectpieces and parts of
the bride.

Christ uses the analogyor figure of guests, but He refers to those who have
the potential to comprise the bride. The invitation is no less than to salvation,
yet we have seenfrom other scriptures that only the bride will be part of the
first resurrection, so this parable must fit those scriptures as well as make
sense as a plausible story.
Remember, this parable is about the Kingdom of God, not an actual wedding
feast. Christ is marrying one bride, but she consists ofmany individuals. So to
illustrate His point, He does not refer to the bride as a bride, but as guests.
This allows the Father to "throw some out" before the actualwedding.
Herbert Lockyer, in All the Parables ofthe Bible, says this parable may tie in
with I Kings 1:5, 9 and I Chronicles 29:24. These passages describe a pre-
wedding feast, common in those days. In ancient Israelsuch a feastwas given
at the beginning of a king's reign, who "married" himself to his people.
Today, some people do the same kind of thing. They give a pre-wedding
dinner for the bridal party followedby a wedding rehearsal.
Staff
Who Are the 'Guests at the Wedding'?
RelatedTopics:144,000| Bridal Party | Called Out Ones | Calling |
Evangelism| Firstfruits | Great White Throne Judgment | Guests at the
Wedding Supper | Guests, Symbolism of | Kingdom of God | Lake of Fire |
Parable of the GreatSupper | Parable of the Wedding Feast| Pre-Wedding
Dinner | Pre-Wedding Feast| The 144,000| Wedding Garment | Wedding
Rehearsal
Matthew 22:11-14

The guests do not enter the wedding hall immediately. Those gatheredfrom
the highways would be inappropriately clothed, so time is given them to clothe
themselves in proper attire provided by the king (Isaiah 64:6; Zechariah3:3-
4). The parable suggests that, not only did the man not have on a wedding
garment, but he did so intentionally. He decides againstclothing himself
properly, even though the appropriate clothing is available. His presence at
the wedding is a sign of his rebellion againstthe king's authority and majesty,
symbolized by the feast. When the man realizes his sin againstthe king's
order, he is speechlessas his judgment is pronounced.
The wedding garment, conspicuous and distinctive, represents a person's
righteousness. Itsymbolizes the habit of sincerity, repentance, humility, and
obedience. It replaces the streetclothes that stand for the habits of pride,
rebellion, and sinfulness. Biblically, beautiful clothing indicates spiritual
characterdevelopedby submission to God (Revelation3:4-5; 19:7-9). Paul
exhorts Christians to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" like a garment (Romans
13:14). Clothing, then, represents a Christ-coveredlife, and as a result,
characterconsistentwith God's way of life.
Staff
Is Heaven the Rewardof the Saved?
RelatedTopics:Character| Clothing Metaphor | Fine Linen Symbol of
Righteousness| Guests atthe Wedding Supper | Parable of the Wedding Feast
| Putting on a New Self | Putting on Christ | Putting on Godly Characteristics|
Putting on the New Man | Rebellion| Righteousness|Wedding Garment

Matthew 22:1-14
A marriage has been arrangedfor the king's son, and the initial invitations
were sent out so all on the guestlist could make plans to attend. In those
times, travel over long distances was far slowerthan today, so plans neededto
be made long in advance. However, those invited, though possibly honored by
the invitation, declined to attend the wedding.
So, a second, more urgent invitation was sentout to the same people, as time
was getting short, but the invitees paid little heed to it, caught up in their own
activities and ventures. They statedby their actions that they caredlittle for
the king and his son. In fact, they were sufficient unto themselves with their
farms and shops; they felt they had need of nothing (Revelation3:17).
Proving their contempt, they treated the king's servants, who had personally
borne the invitations to them, with greatdisrespectand even killed some. The
king was rightly furious, and he mustered his forces to avenge his maltreated
servants to erase the disrespectshownto him. His kindness and generosity
had been spurned, and he respondedwith wrath.
A third invitation had to be sent. Forthis one the guestlist changedfrom the
speciallyinvited to the everyday person, some of which were goodwhile others
were bad. In this waythe wedding was finally furnished with guests.
The custom in those days was for the one hosting the wedding feast—inthis
case, the king—to provide garments for the wedding guests. These wedding
garments were simple, nondescript robes that all attendees wore. In this way,
rank or station was covered, so everyone at the feastcould mingle as equals.
Revelation19:8 defines this symbol: The wedding garment identifies the
righteous, those who lived according to God's ways.
When the king entered the wedding hall, he noticed that one guestclearly
stoodout from all the others because he was not wearing a wedding garment.
Having the man brought forward, the king asked:“Friend, how did you come
in here without a wedding garment?” (Matthew 22:12). The sense of his

question is one of incredulity. It might be better phrased, “Why are you not
wearing a wedding garment, even though one was provided for you?”
The man was plainly not dressedcorrectlyfor this occasion. His lack of a
wedding garment was another example of extreme disrespectfor both the
king and his son. The wording, “And he was speechless,”indicates that he was
without excuse. It was not just that he lackeda wedding garment, but that he
did not wearone on purpose. He had defiantly refusedto put one on.
This is why the king reacts so swiftly and harshly: “Bind him hand and foot,
take him away, and casthim into outer darkness;there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13). His judgment is not againstthe man's
lack of a wedding garment per se, but that he did not intend to wearone. He
was, in fact, determined not to wearone.
The man desired the honor of attending the wedding feast, but he did not
want to follow the custom of the king. He wanted to do things his own way.
His lack of proper dress revealedhis inner rebellion againstthe king and his
instructions. He was executedas a rebel.
It is here that Jesus inserts His somewhatcryptic phrase, “Formany are
called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). God's calling clearly
corresponds with the king's invitation, and indeed, the invitation went out to
both the originalguest list (Israel/Judah, whose people were killed in war and
whose city, Jerusalem, was burned; Matthew 22:7) and then to mankind
generally. We canconclude that, while God's calling is widespread—going to
“as many as [His servants]find” (Matthew 22:9)—those who respond to His
invitation and whom He subsequently choosesto weara wedding garment are
a far smallergroup.
https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Bible.show/sVerseID/23887/e
VerseID/23887
Biblical Commentary

(Bible study)
Matthew 22:1-14
EXEGESIS:
MATTHEW 21:23 – 22:14. THE CONTEXT
This controversysectionbeganwith the chief priests and elders asking Jesus,
“By what authority do you do these things?” (21:23). At 21:45 they become
chief priests and Pharisees. Jesus counters by asking,“Thebaptism of John,
where was it from? From heaven or from men?” When his critics refuse to
answerhim, Jesus refuses to answerthem. He then responds with three (or
four, depending on how we count 22:1-14)parables of judgment:
• The Parable of the Two Sons (21:28-32)
• The Parable of the WickedTenants (21:33-46)
• The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (22:1-10)
• The Parable of the Wedding Garments (22:11-14)
These parables all “speak ofpeople who do not live up to expectationand so
lose their place of privilege, to be replacedby a more surprising group”
(France, 821).
MATTHEW 22:1-14. TWO WEDDING PARABLES
This lessonincludes a pair of parables (1-10 and 11-14). Theyare often
treated as a single parable because the setting for both is a wedding banquet,
but they make two relatedbut somewhatdifferent points. Both are
allegories—storiesin which the various elements (people, things, happenings)
have a hidden or symbolic meaning.
When dealing with allegories, we needto be careful not to push interpretation
too far. Allegories are intended to make a point, we will profit by focusing on
the intended meaning rather than trying to find significance in every jot and
tittle.

MATTHEW 22:1-10. THE PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST
1Jesus answeredand spoke againin parables to them, saying, 2“The Kingdom
of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feastfor his son, 3and
sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but
they would not come. 4Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tellthose
who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my
fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!”‘
5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another
to his merchandise, 6and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them
shamefully, and killed them. 7When the king heard that, he was angry, and
sent his armies, destroyedthose murderers, and burned their city.
8“Thenhe said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were
invited weren’t worthy. 9Go therefore to the intersections ofthe highways,
and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.’10Thoseservants
went out into the highways, and gatheredtogetheras many as they found,
both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests.“
“Jesus answeredand spoke againin parables to them” (v. 1). The “them” to
whom this parable is addressedare the chief priests and Pharisees (21:45).
These parables are more allegoricalthan most. The code for understanding
them is as follows:
• The king (v. 2) is God.
• The son (v. 2) is Jesus.
• The invited guests (v. 3) are the people of Israel.
• The first slaves (v. 3) are the Hebrew prophets.
• The secondand third sets ofslaves (vv. 4, 8) are Christian missionaries.
• The burned city (v. 7) is Jerusalem.
• The goodand bad (v. 10)are the members of the church, which includes
both righteous and unrighteous.

• The wedding robe (vv. 11-12)equates to righteousness.
There are a number of parallels betweenthese parables and the Parable of the
WickedTenants (21:33-41), which immediately precedes them. In the first two
parables (21:33-41 and 22:1-10), the God-figure (landowner/king) provides
something wonderful (a fine vineyard/a banquet feast). He then sends slaves to
convey a message(pay the rent/come to the feast), and the people
(tenants/invitees) mistreat and kill the slaves (Jewishprophets/Christian
evangelists). The God-figure persists, sending other slaves, whomthe people
also mistreat. The God-figure then punishes the original beneficiaries and
transfers the benefit (vineyard/ banquet) to others. The God-figure’s son is
involved in both parables, although in different ways.
This is obviously more than a story about a king and a banquet. It is the story
of salvationhistory in which God sent prophets and Christian evangelists with
GoodNews, which some rejectedand others accepted.
Luke’s versionof this story (14:15-24)has none of the violence of Matthew’s
version. In Luke’s version, the invited guests simply make excuses why they
are unable to attend the greatbanquet.
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feastfor
his son” (v. 2). This is a parable of the kingdom—intended to help us to
understand the differences betweenthe kingdom of this world and the
kingdom of heaven. The wedding banquet is a metaphor for the messianic
banquet that we will enjoy with Christ in the kingdom of heaven (see Isaiah
25:6-8).
“and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage
feast” (v. 3a). The king (the God figure) takes the initiative to organize the
marriage feastand to invite the guests. The point is that our relationship to
God depends on what God has done for us. The initiative is God’s (Brunner,
42-43).
Preparing for a banquet is expensive and requires time, so the custom is to
send and acceptinvitations well in advance. The hostthen prepares food for

the people who accepted. The extensionof an invitation, then, obligates the
host to prepare, and the acceptanceobligatesthe guestto appear.
Once the banquet is ready, the host sends a secondnotice—ratherlike our
custom of making medical appointments in advance and receiving a reminder
call a day ahead. We can assume that the first invitation was issued earlier,
and this is the secondinvitation. The time has come.
“but they would not come” (v. 3b). A guestwho fails to attend not only causes
food to be wasted, but also dishonors the host. This would be especiallytrue in
the culture of that time and place (Bailey, 95).
The invited guests offer no excuses, but simply refuse to honor the invitation.
It was one thing to acceptan invitation for a dinner to be held sometime in the
future—to acceptthe invitation in principle. Such acceptance did not
inconvenience them in any way, and it was an honor to be invited. It is
something entirely different now that it is time to drop what they are doing, to
change clothes, and to go to the banquet. Now that the invitation calls for
action, they see only its inconvenience.
Likewise, the call of Christ, in its specifics, canbe inconvenient. Like the
invitees, we find it easyto acceptChrist in principle, and, like them, we find it
less easyto acceptthe particulars—Christ’s callto serve on the church
board—or to teachSunday school—orto be sexually abstinent until
marriage—orto invite a co-workerto church—or to tithe. The place where
the rubber hits the road canbe pretty gritty. We are sorely tempted to reserve
our discipleship for the parts of life that don’t require us to change—that
don’t force us out of our comfort zone.
“Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited,
“Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and
all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast”‘” (v. 4). The king makes a
winsome appeal to persuade invitees to attend. As is often the case with
allegory, the story is exaggerated. Areal-life king would not try to persuade
people to attend his banquet, but would punish those who refused to come.
However, this is a story of God’s grace, so exaggerationis appropriate.

“But they made light of it, and went their ways” (v. 5a). To make light of a
king’s invitation is to insult the king and to court trouble. A king dishonored
in this fashion must punish the offenders to salvage his honor.
“one to his own farm, another to his merchandise” (v. 5b). Goodthings, not
bad, distract them. Their problem is not drinking or whoring, but the routine
of daily life. Temptation often comes clothedin wholesome attire. We have to
work—run errands—take care ofchildren—cleanthe house—cookand wash
dishes—paybills—mow the lawn. Where can we find room for God? Perhaps
we can salvage a few minutes for God at the end of the day. Perhaps we
should pencil him in on our “to-do” list. Or perhaps we will wait for the time
when we have plenty of time—a time that is never likely to come. The truth is
that we make time for those things that we count as important. God wants to
be at the top of that list (6:33).
“and the restgrabbed his servants, and treatedthem shamefully, and killed
them” (v. 6). This is an allusion to the prophets—God’s messengers—often
murdered by Israel(1 Kings 19:10, 14;2 Chronicles 24:18-22;36:15-16;Acts
7:51-53;Matthew 5:12; 23:29-39). It was bad enough that some invitees made
light of the king’s invitation. This group, “the rest,” is in full, violent rebellion.
“When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed
those murderers, and burned their city” (v. 7). Matthew is writing this after
the destructionof Jerusalemin 70 A.D., and makes it clearthat this
destruction was the judgment of God upon the people of Israel.
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were
invited weren’t worthy'” (v. 8). Keep in mind that Matthew is writing to
Jewish-Christianreaders. Theywould understand “those invited” to mean
Israel. The Apostle Paul addressesthis issue in Romans 1:16, where he says
that the gospel“is the powerof God for salvationfor everyone who believes;
for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.”
The king sent a third setof slaves to “go therefore to the intersections ofthe
highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast” (v. 9).
The alternative would be to have no guests—anempty banquet hall—no
dancing—no celebration. The king has partially redeemed his honor by

punishing those who spurned his invitation, but his honor is still in jeopardy
unless he canpresent the bride and groomwith a gala banquet. That requires
guests—lotsofguests. If the king can’t fill the hall with people of high estate,
he will fill it with “as many as you may find”—anyone who will come.
“As many as you may find” includes Gentiles. There have been intimations in
this Gospelfrom the beginning that the invitation would be extended beyond
Israel. The genealogyof Jesus included Rahab, a Canaanite—andRuth, a
Moabite. Matthew then told about the visit of the Magifrom the east(2:1-12).
This Gospelwill close with Jesus’commission, “Go, and make disciples of all
nations” (28:19). In between, Matthew includes this series ofparables—the
Two Sons (21:28-32)—the WickedTenants (21:33-41)—andthe Wedding
Banquet and the Wedding Garment (22:1-14)—thatgive veiled reference to
the unfaithfulness of Israeland the extension of the invitation to Gentiles.
We should not interpret this parable as meaning that God has excluded Israel.
Paul makes that point when he asks, “DidGod rejecthis people?”—and
answers, “Mayit never be!” (Romans 11:1). He says of Jewishpeople, “But
concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake. Forthe gifts
and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:28-29).
The slaves gatheredin “both bad and good. The wedding was filled with
guests” (v. 10). The “bad and good” reflectthe church of Matthew’s day,
which is struggling with the problem of Christians who fail to exhibit evidence
in their personallives of their relationship with Christ. Matthew also deals
with the problem of sinners in the church in the Parable of the Weeds (13:24-
30, 36-43)and the Parable of the Net(13:47-50). Matthew’s concernwith
faithful Christian lives is also reflectedin the words that he records Jesus as
saying:
• “ForI tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds thatof the scribes and
Pharisees,there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (5:20).
• “Noteveryone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (7:21).

• “Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be takenaway from you, and
will be given to a nation bringing forth its fruit” (21:43).
This parable explains why the church includes Gentiles and sinners (Johnson,
515). Understanding this would be important in Matthew’s church, still
primarily Jewishbut with a growing Gentile membership.
Sinners and irreligious people were not welcome in the synagogues.As a
matter of fact, people with physical or mental handicaps were barred (Bruner,
776). The church found an eageraudience among those not welcome
elsewhere.The result was that many church members were those considered
undesirable in polite company. In many cases,they were crude or unrefined.
In some cases, theirbehavior was far from Christ-like. Matthew is quite
troubled about the presence ofthese “sinful” people in the church, a fact that
is reflectedin a number of places in this Gospel.
This parable summarizes in story form the relationship of God with the
Jewishpeople and the church. It reminds us that God invites us to a joyful
feast, and we miss the joy if we refuse the invitation. It acknowledges that
both goodand bad fill church rolls. It also implies a warning. God judged
harshly those who refused the invitation. We can assume that God will actin
similar fashionif we refuse the invitation to true discipleship now.
MATTHEW 22:11-14. THE PARABLE OF THE WEDDING CLOTHING
11“Butwhen the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who
didn’t have on wedding clothing, 12andhe said to him, ‘Friend, how did you
come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.13Thenthe
king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw
him into the outer darkness;there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth
will be.’ 14Formany are called (Greek:kletoi), but few (Greek:oligoi)
chosen” (Greek:eklektoi).
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t
have on wedding clothing” (v. 11). The failure to weara robe is not general.
The other guests apparently have robes, and this man is conspicuous by his
failure to dress properly.

“Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?” (v. 12). In
this Gospel, Jesus usesthe word friend three times (20:13;22:12; 26:50). Each
time it has an ironic twist. On none of the three occasionsdoes Jesus use it to
address a true friend.
How important is it that the guestis improperly attired? Surely God will not
enforce a dress code!But this parable warns that he will.
Where would the guesthave obtained a wedding robe? Jesus doesn’ttell us.
Perhaps there was time for the guestto find one. Perhaps the host provided
robes? Whateverthe reason, it is clearthat other guests responded
appropriately but this guestdid not. It is also clearthat the king believes this
failure to be a serious and willful offense. Given that the king represents God,
we can be sure that his judgment is true. This guesthas declined to observe
common protocol, and his refusal insults the king.
What is the meaning of the wedding robe in a Christian context? Jesus doesn’t
tell us, but given the reference to “bad and good” in verse 10, and Matthew’s
concernfor righteousness (see above on v. 10), it stands to reasonthat the
wedding robe equates to righteousness (see also Revelation19:8, where “fine
linen is the righteous acts of the saints”).
The issue would appear, then, to be sanctification—growthin holiness by the
powerof the Holy Spirit—righteousness—discipledlives. The errant guest has
declined to “put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27)—has not valued holiness—has
not chosento live as saint instead of sinner. This parable warns that God will
no more acceptthe rebellion of the unrighteous than he will acceptthe
rebellion of those who refuse the invitation.
“Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer
darkness;there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be” (v. 13).
This Gospelincludes severalreferencesto terrible eschatologicalpunishment
characterizedby weeping and gnashing of teeth. In eachcase, it is Jesus who
tells us of such punishment (13:42, 50;24:51; 25:30).
“Formany are called(kletoi), but few (oligoi) chosen” (eklektoi)(v. 14). Note
the rhyme betweenkletoiand eklektoithat is lost in translation.

Throughout scripture, we find God calling particular people for particular
missions:
• In the Old Testament, Godchose Abram and Abram’s descendants,
bringing them into a covenantrelationship that made Israelto be God’s
chosenpeople.
• In the New Testament, we find the idea of election(John 15:16;17:6;
Ephesians 1:4; 2:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13)—whichsuggeststhat God has
chosen(or elected)only certain people for salvation.
More precisely, we are among the many who have been called(Greek:kletos),
but only the elect(eklektos)have chosento respond.
“few (oligoi) chosen” (v. 14b). We should not take the word oligoi(few) to
mean that heaven will be sparselypopulated. This parable has to do with
accountability—notheavenly demographics. It is intended, not to frighten us,
but to encourage us to take seriouslythe challenges ofChristian discipleship
(Hare, 252).
https://www.sermonwriter.com/biblical-commentary/matthew-221-14/
What Did Jesus Meanby ‘Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen’?
June 9, 2017 | Guy Waters
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Bible & Theology

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If people know anything about Jesus, it is that he was a consummate
storyteller. Jesus’s parables have the remarkable ability of engaging our
imaginations and challenging our assumptions. Jesus did not teachin parables
to provide blanket affirmation for the way we understand God, ourselves, and
other people. He taught in parables to invite us to reexamine some of our most
cherishedconvictions about matters of eternalimportance. For this reason,
Jesus’s parables oftenunsettle rather than reassure.
Jesus’s parable of the wedding feastdoes just that.
The Feast
This parable is, like the others, about the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 22:2). It
tells the story of a king who gave a wedding feastfor his son(Matt. 22:2). The
wedding feasthas widespreadsignificance in the Bible. Ultimately, it is the
day when God will gatherall his redeemedand they will enjoy his presence in
complete holiness and joy.
By the king’s order, banquet invitations go out. The king’s servants are “sent.
. . to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not
come” (Matt. 22:3). They offer a host of excuses andmistreat the servants, so
the king punishes them (Matt. 22:5–7). The king then dispatches his servants:
“Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feastas many as
you find” (Matt. 22:9).
Jesus is describing here the offer of the gospel, first to the Jews and then to the
Gentiles. The Jewishnation had decisively rejectedthe offer God made to
them through his prophets. Forthat rejection, Jesus announces the judgment
God will bring—the Roman armies’ destruction of Jerusalemin AD 70. But in
God’s providence, that rejectionis the occasionofthe gospelbeing extended
to Gentiles. The result is that “the wedding hall was filled with guests” (Matt.
22:10).
But then something unexpected happens.

The king joins his guests and discovers “a man who had no wedding garment”
(Matt. 22:12). The man can give no reasonwhy he has no garment. In an act
of eschatologicaljudgment, the king orders his attendants to “bind [the man]
hand and foot and casthim into the outer darkness. In that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 22:13). Jesus ends his story by
pronouncing the aphorism that summarizes the parable’s meaning: “For
many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14).
The Called
To understand this pithy closing statement is to understand the parable as a
whole. What does Jesus mean by “Formany are called, but few are chosen”?
To answer, we must understand what Jesus means here by “call” and
“choose.”The word “call” runs through the parable. In the Greek text, the
servants are saidto “callthose who had been calledto the feast” (Matt. 22:3).
The Jewishinvitees are the “calledones” (cf. Matt. 22:4, 8). The servants are
then commanded to “call” the Gentiles (22:9). The word translated “called” in
verse 14 belongs to the same word family as that translated “called” in verses
3, 4, 8, and 9.
This pattern helps us understand the nature of the call in this parable. It is the
summons or invitation of God through his servants—prophets in the Old
Testament, ministers in the New. This call bids hearers to repent and believe
the goodnews the servants proclaim. It is possible to refuse, as many Jews did.
Jesus teachesthat those who refuse the callare culpable for refusing it.
But it is also possible to respond to this call in a non-saving way. The man
without the wedding garment in 22:12 presumably responded to the
invitation. But his lack of the garment proves he doesn’t belong at the feast,
and he is justly banished. What is the “wedding garment”? It likely pictures
the gift of salvation freely offered in the gospel. Only those who receive this
gift will be seatedatthe wedding banquet of the Lamb at the consummation
of all things.
The Chosen

Who are they who sincerely respond to the call and receive Christ in faith?
Jesus calls them the “chosen”or, as the Greek word may be translated, the
elect. These are all whom the Father has chosenin Christ from before the
foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Eph. 1:4). Only
these chosenones will constitute the company of the redeemedwhen Christ
returns in glory. God’s eternal choice ensures they will respond sincerelyto
the call.
Since the New Testamentelsewherejoins calling with election(see 2 Tim. 1:9;
Rom. 8:30), what does Jesus meanwhen he says there are some who are called
but not chosen?
The external callgoes to all people. But only the electexperience the internal
call.
The answerlies in a distinction necessaryto understand the way the biblical
writers speak of“call.” In this parable, Jesus speaksof“call” in an external
sense. It is the summons of God through the gospelmessage.This call bids
men and womento come to Christ by way of repentance and faith.
In other places the biblical writers speak of “call” in an internal sense. For
instance, Paul speaks ofthis internal call in 1 Corinthians 1:24—this is the
effective, saving work of the Spirit of Christ in conjunction with the gospel’s
outward call. This internal call powerfully and effectivelyturns the sinner
from his sin to Jesus Christ. The external callgoes to all people. But only the
electwill, in God’s time, experience the internal call. For them, the gospelis
indeed “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16).
What It Teaches Us
What are the main lessons Jesus has for us in this surprising, unsettling
parable?
First, it is not a slight thing to refuse the summons of God through his
messengers. Godwill hold those who refuse that summons responsible on
Judgment Day. Second, Jesus wants us to realize there is a more subtle way to

MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN

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