Many Called – Few Chosen - Matthew 22:14

Matthew the apostle wrote how, “Jesus answered and spoke unto” the chief priests and elders in Jerusalem” “again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then said he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go you therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he said unto him, Friend, how came you in here 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”, and in chapter twenty-two and verse fourteen of his book Matthew told how Jesus said, “many are called, but few are chosen” where we read:

For many are called, but few are chosen.

The verse reads, “For many are called, ...” Matthew began with the words, “for many” which means “because great numbers and large groups of people” “are called” or “are invited, divinely selected and appointed”. Matthew shared how Jesus said large amounts of people are invited to God's “wedding feast”.

The verse continues, “... but few are chosen.” Matthew added the words, “but few” which means “however little and small amounts of people” “are chosen” or “are picked out and elected as favorite”. Matthew shared how Jesus declared only a small amount of people are “elected” by God.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see Jesus' assessment of His story. Only people who will obtain a “wedding garment” shall be allowed within God's “wedding feast”, and the only way to receive one is to accept Jesus Christ as a personal “Savior and Lord”. God has invited everyone to His “wedding feast”, and He has “chosen and elected” those who will be a part of His “festival”.

Next time Matthew writes, “then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle” Jesus, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.