"Many are called, but few chosen!"
A friend recently asked me how I would expound on the Bible verses that contain those words. And while I've heard them quoted all my life, I had never really taken the time to study them as they are used in the Scriptures. So I finally sat down and took the time to look into these words, and to think through their meaning in the context of two of Jesus' familiar parables. The following study notes are what I've come up with...

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Many are called, but few are chosen. This is a phrase which is often quoted by both Christians and non-Christians alike. It is used in many different circumstances, and in any number of attempts to make a wide variety of disparate points. However, in order to study the phrase in its biblical meaning, you have to take it in the context in which it was delivered. Though many have attempted to use this phrase in support of certain predestination theology regarding the elect, or in other words God’s predetermined selection of His “chosen”, no such intent is evident in Jesus’ own use of the term.

The first, and perhaps most important thing to note is the fact that this phrase only appears twice in all of Scripture. And both times Jesus seemingly uses it as a proverbial conclusion to the parable. Both of these parables begin with Jesus saying, “the kingdom of heaven is like unto…” followed by a description of certain Kingdom characteristics related through the story of an earthly likeness. This fact indicates that neither of them has anything to do with God’s “calling” of the lost to salvation. Rather, both parables are instruction for those of us already “called”, or in other words, actively participating in “the kingdom of heaven” in one way or another. Now this is where it gets interesting.

In the first parable, found in Matthew 20:1-16, we find Jesus telling His followers a story of a man who sent laborers to work in his vineyard. Going into the marketplace at various times of the day, he found men who were standing around idle, and, after making agreements with them as to their wages, he sent them to finish their day working for him. In this story, at the end of the day the man went to pay all those who had labored.

Beginning with those he had sent into the vineyard at the last hour, he paid them a certain amount. Those who had been working all day long thus assumed that they would be getting paid much more. But, arriving at the pay desk they found that their pay was the same as those who had only been working for one hour. They grumbled to the owner of the vineyard about not being given more reward than those who only worked a short while. But the owner wisely pointed out that they were being paid exactly what they had agreed to work for at the start of the day; and that furthermore, he was in no way unrighteous for paying whatever he decided, to whomever he wished, regardless of their service.

This parable ends with Jesus saying, “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” In this context it would seem that Jesus was making it clear that God alone will determine the rewards He bestows upon His servants in the kingdom of heaven. And, just like in the parable, many are called and will serve Him gladly in this life, and will be given an agreed to reward in heaven. Eternal life with joy everlasting and full of glory comes to mind for starters. But, apparently, there is also the point being made that God will select from His people certain ones on whom He will bestow additional heavenly reward as His “chosen”. At this point, a Scripture from The Revelation comes quickly to mind. While John was in the middle of his description of “that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God”, he included the following statement: “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” That is Revelation 21:14, and to me this would represent one of the types of special honors that will be granted to only a “few chosen”.

Alright then! That brings us halfway through the study. The first parable gives us good reason to rest in the assurance that God in His righteousness will surely give to each of us an honest reward for our labors in His service, regardless of how long we labor or at what hour we are called into that service. However, as I mentioned before, there are two parables where Jesus wrapped up the story with the phrase, “many are called, but few are chosen”. And now we will take a look at the second in Matthew 21:1-14.

In this story, Jesus tells His followers about a king who “made a marriage” for his son. The king sent his servants out to call those he had invited to the wedding, but they would not come. So he sent his servants out again to repeat the call, but those who had been invited treated the king’s servants wickedly, and some of them then killed the servants. Now the king found out what had happened and he sent out his armies, who then destroyed the murderers and burned their city. Finally he sent his servants out to call any and all they could find who were willing to come and be his guests at the wedding ceremony. So the servants went out and gathered all they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding was furnished with guests.

At this point, the parable gets very interesting. We know that the parable speaks in a general sense of the Jews and the Gentiles. We also know that in a much broader sense it speaks of, 1) the masses of unsaved people throughout all time who have rejected salvation through Jesus Christ, and 2) those who have accepted His salvation gift. But this parable includes a strange little passage that does not easily fit into any of those references. In Matthew 22:11-13, we read the following:

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Right after that, Jesus once again wrapped up His parable with the phrase, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” At first glance, this passage would seem to indicate a harsh or mean-spirited nature in the earthly king in the story. However, we know that could not be the case because Jesus began the parable with “the kingdom of heaven is like…” So that means we will have to consider a deeper meaning.

First of all, the king knew immediately that the man was not supposed to be there because he was not wearing a wedding garment. This implies that all who were supposed to be there at the celebration had been given new garments to wear for the occasion. Now the man obviously knew that there was a celebration being held. He also knew where and when it would occur. In fact, he knew enough to get himself almost right up to the serving tables at the wedding feast for the son of the king. But he was caught, and he was refused. Why? Because he did not belong there.

And that brings us to a few other Scriptures that will perhaps make the story a little more understandable.

Many of us have pondered Matthew 7:22-23 where we read, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

In that Scripture we can clearly see that when we all get to eternity there will be those who are like the man in the parable. They had great knowledge of God, and they even did some very impressive things in His name; at least as it would appear in the eyes of the world. And, like the man in the parable, they find themselves almost at the marriage supper of the Lamb. But since they have not been properly attired, when they see His face and He sees them there, they will be cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth for eternity.

In the New Testament there are references to the “proper attire” for those who will find themselves welcomed by the Father at the marriage supper of the Lamb. In Romans 13, Paul gives a long dissertation on how to live a good and righteous life while still on this earth. He tells us how we can fulfill the law by performing that very often quoted command to “love thy neighbour as thyself [because] love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Now he never said that there was eternal salvation in our attempts to fulfill that command, because in Romans 3:10 he himself has clearly reminded us that “There is none righteous, no, not one.” So then, since he was not telling us that this would lead to our salvation, what are we to do? The answer follows in Romans 13:12-14, where he continues by saying:

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”

And again, lest we think that we might be saved through our own good works, perhaps by fulfilling the law on our own, he also wrote in Galatians 3:23-29…

“But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

In summary, if we put on Christ - or in other words, accept and confess Him as the Lord and Savior of our eternal being and destination, we will then be clothed in the proper attire and greeted as accepted and welcome guests at the wedding feast of Jesus Christ and His eternal bride, the Church, of which we are a part.

So then, that brings us back full circle to the phrase, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” On this topic, Matthew Henry wrote, in part, “There are but few chosen Christians, in comparison with the many that are only called Christians; it therefore highly concerns us to build our hope for heaven upon the rock of an eternal choice, and not upon the sand of an external call; and we should fear lest we be found but seeming Christians…”

In other words, many are called Christians, but few are actually the Chosen. And we had all best be sure which we are before we find ourselves face to face with the King at His wedding!

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Some follow up Scriptures...

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:5-6)

He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11-13)

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again (John 3:1-7)