“And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness.
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen.” Matt 22:1-14
I believe the following article should prove of interest to all, but especially to those who having weight the cost are yet still pondering (unsure) of a full consecration to the Lord. I realize of course that what is presented here may seem a bit forward, a bit direct, but with regards as to so important an issue as concerning ones eternal destiny we feel that we would be amiss in our duties as faithful stewards of the Lord’s Word if we were not forthcoming in declaring unto you “the whole counsel of God”. (Acts 20:27)
Extracts taken from an article by Richard Evans entitled, “Many Called, Few Chosen”
VERSES 1-3 "And Jesus answered and spoke unto them 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".
THE JEWS
VERSES 3-8 "And they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are called, 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, and 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 their city. Then saith he to his servants, the wedding is ready, but they which were called were not worthy."
These verses describe the reaction of the Jews, the called people of God, to the ministry of Jesus and his disciples. They did not come to the marriage feast; and, consequently, as a people, they suffered greatly.
THE GENTILES
VERSES 9-12 "Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, call 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 saith unto him, Friend, how came thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless."
The sending of the King’s servants into the highways depicts the call going out to the Gentiles. Paul wrote of this call, "I say then, have they [the Jews] stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles" (Rom 11:11)
Many Gentiles responded — the banquet hall filled; but, as indicated in the parable, entrance into the hall alone is not sufficient. It is likewise necessary that each guest put on a wedding garment.
THE LESSON
VERSES 13 and 14 "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, for many are called, but few are chosen."
Many versions punctuate these verses so the clause "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" is related with "cast him into outer darkness." This obscures the lesson. The casting of the unrobed guest into darkness is the conclusion of the parable’s narrative. A period, a full stop, should follow the word "darkness".
The subsequent words are the lesson of the parable. In today’s idiom, they are the bottom-line. They state the point of the parable, a danger the Lord was making manifest.
With the corrected punctuation the text would be better written as "... Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen." (Matt 22:13, 14)
This construction gives meaning to the conjunction, “for” (or because) few are chosen, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is the lesson of the parable!
Although many are called, few will be chosen, proven worthy.
Continued with next post.
Back to Index
