What does the verse mean: "Many are called but few are chosen"

[Scribe]

I agree with you, this parable is about Jews entering into the promised Kingdom.

Like many other times, most of us like to read Paul's gospel of grace into it and interpret from that perspective.

Many of the parables were an effort to show that the attitudes of the Pharisees toward sinners, publicans, was wrong. The Prodigal, the Laborers who spent all day for the same wages as those who came at the end is about them not thinking it was fair that the Gentiles could be saved without having to carry the load of the law like they had.

Yes but Scripture says you can't come to God unless you're called - so that tells me that it's Christians. It's confusing.

The Jews were called and they understood that from scriptures. They had a mindset that as God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees to inherit a City not made of hands, not of this world that they also as the seed of Abraham were called to inherit this Kingdom of Heaven that would come and that it would be their time of prosperity and everlasting joy in this wonderful glorious kingdom. They were expecting it to come soon and were wondering what was taking so long since after the Babylonian exile and having come out of Babylon they had put away idolatry and were adhereing to the Law as they have never before. They were wondering why they were not being blessed like the Law said they should be, they expected to be in that number that would inherit the kingdom of God. They were called, they were chosen so they thought
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
1 Chron 16:13 O you descendants of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
But Jesus in this parable makes it clear that their rejection of him will leave them as called but not chosen. And those who they would believe in him, the lame, blind, poor and gentiles also would be the choosen because they would put their faith in Jesus.

 

[DorothyMae]

I am unsure of the meaning of this verse. At first i thought that all Christians automatically go to heaven once they accept Christ. But now I'm wondering if this verse indicates that not all Christians will go to heaven. I know some Christians who are more devils than Christian. I know other Christians who lie, and still others who are respecter of persons. So it made me seriously re-think whether all Christians were really going to heaven.

Thanks for posting this, saintrose. You will find christians here whose treatment of others is worse than some atheists lacking all respect and they do not even care. The question begs itself if they are truly surrendered to Christ.

One of the problems is the current gospel being shared which is more or less accept Jesus into your heart and you are saved and going to Heaven. There is no repentance of sin required by God to be forgiven. There is no change in life choices although they claim it is so. This is because their "salvation" is a kind of legal agreement that God is supposedly bound to keep no matter how they behave or what or who they love and give their lives too. Then there is the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine that perpeturates this.

So it is likely that some who have been told they are christians by people because they prayed a prayer are not saved at all.

Many (or in fact all) are called as God loves all men and wants all to repent and come to salvation, but few become chosen because few choose to respond to God's call. That is how I see it.

 

[DorothyMae]

I'm not sure that settles it for me. We cannot come to God unless we are called - but not all who are called are chosen. Why? The verse doesn't really explain it.

Not all who are called are chosen because not all who are called choose to come.

 

[JaumeJ]

I seem to think that - but those that are "called" wind up being not "chosen" ? That's what stumped me. It seems to refer to christians - or do others not think this?

When studying the Word, we discover the Old Testament is directed to Israel, but wait, the New Testament affirms what is written in the Old in reference to Jesus-Yeshua and the salvation of all who truly hear Him.

The teachings are all directed to the true Israel, that of our Father with its capital with Him to be brought down by Him once and for all, for we are made fellow heirs.

 

[Blik]

Many of the parables were an effort to show that the attitudes of the Pharisees toward sinners, publicans, was wrong. The Prodigal, the Laborers who spent all day for the same wages as those who came at the end is about them not thinking it was fair that the Gentiles could be saved without having to carry the load of the law like they had.

The Jews were called and they understood that from scriptures. They had a mindset that as God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees to inherit a City not made of hands, not of this world that they also as the seed of Abraham were called to inherit this Kingdom of Heaven that would come and that it would be their time of prosperity and everlasting joy in this wonderful glorious kingdom. They were expecting it to come soon and were wondering what was taking so long since after the Babylonian exile and having come out of Babylon they had put away idolatry and were adhereing to the Law as they have never before. They were wondering why they were not being blessed like the Law said they should be, they expected to be in that number that would inherit the kingdom of God. They were called, they were chosen so they thought
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
1 Chron 16:13 O you descendants of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
But Jesus in this parable makes it clear that their rejection of him will leave them as called but not chosen. And those who they would believe in him, the lame, blind, poor and gentiles also would be the choosen because they would put their faith in Jesus.

You need to specify what you mean by the loads of the law. There is the eternal law of the Lord, laws based on love and they are not burdens but these laws free us. Then there are the laws the the Jews made up from their interpretation of scripture, like how far you could walk on the Sabbath. They were burdens.

 

[Blik]

Jesus himself stated it in Matthew 10:5 and Matthew 15:24.

We gentiles were excluded until Paul (Ephesians 2:11-12)

If you believe that God would not even speak to gentiles until He sent Paul to them, how do you explain people like Ruth or Rahab? Many of the people who went with the Israelites to Mt. Sinai, we are told. were a mixed crowd, and the Hebrew word translated as mixed crowd means any people other than Israelites. Do you think God spoke differently to them than He did to the Israelites? That doesn't make sense.

 

[Guojing]

If you believe that God would not even speak to gentiles until He sent Paul to them, how do you explain people like Ruth or Rahab? Many of the people who went with the Israelites to Mt. Sinai, we are told. were a mixed crowd, and the Hebrew word translated as mixed crowd means any people other than Israelites. Do you think God spoke differently to them than He did to the Israelites? That doesn't make sense.

I am using Paul words there

There are exceptions of course, even during Jesus days but exceptions prove the general rule

 

[Scribe]

You need to specify what you mean by the loads of the law. There is the eternal law of the Lord, laws based on love and they are not burdens but these laws free us. Then there are the laws the the Jews made up from their interpretation of scripture, like how far you could walk on the Sabbath. They were burdens.

The attitude of those who labored all day and bore the heat of the day expecting more than what was agreed because the ones that came last and did not have the same requirements. This parable is about the Jews who did not think that salvation through faith in Christ alone was fair especially for gentiles. They had the wrong attitude. They should be glad that the Lord of the Harvest accomplished the goal which was to get the harvest in, but they could not see it from the perspective of the will of the Lord of the Harvest. They should have been glad that the ones who came last were paid the same because without them they would have failed at the task, getting the field harvested. This parable like many others was explaining that the Jews who were called first would be last because of their wrong attitude and missing the day of their visitation.

 

[ArjunW]

I don't think you should spend too much time being stuck on one verse. For believers, I see this verse as a way of moving closer to God because he chose you to be a sheep and be grateful for it. Also I see it as a warning to not neglect such a great salvation. A new believer would see this verse and instantly want to read more of bible because he wants to know why he was chosen and what it means. It creates interest and gets a person closer to God, and that's why many parables are written to capture audience attention and get them to repent and not neglect being saved.

 

[garee]

The attitude of those who labored all day and bore the heat of the day expecting more than what was agreed because the ones that came last and did not have the same requirements. This parable is about the Jews who did not think that salvation through faith in Christ alone was fair especially for gentiles. They had the wrong attitude. They should be glad that the Lord of the Harvest accomplished the goal which was to get the harvest in, but they could not see it from the perspective of the will of the Lord of the Harvest. They should have been glad that the ones who came last were paid the same because without them they would have failed at the task, getting the field harvested. This parable like many others was explaining that the Jews who were called first would be last because of their wrong attitude and missing the day of their visitation.

Abel, a non Jew was called first as a prophet, apostle and first recorded martyr .

The division is not between the flesh and blood of one nation against the other. As if we did wrestle against the temporal things seen and not the spiritual unseen . But is belief (faith) against un-belief (no faith) it is the key that the gates of hell could never prevail against. We walk by faith the eternal not seen .

 

[Nebuchadnezzer]

I am unsure of the meaning of this verse. At first i thought that all Christians automatically go to heaven once they accept Christ. But now I'm wondering if this verse indicates that not all Christians will go to heaven. I know some Christians who are more devils than Christian. I know other Christians who lie, and still others who are respecter of persons. So it made me seriously re-think whether all Christians were really going to heaven.

God calls many people but few people choose Him.
OR
God calls many people but few people He chooses.

WHICH IS IT??????

Here is looking at it two ways:
It is a chicken or the egg type situation. Which came first?

1) Did God call me and chose me first, then I chose him second?
Or
2) Did God call me, but I chose him first, then He chose me second?
or
3) is it both happening? meaning He chooses me as I choose Him.

 

[saintrose]

Thanks for posting this, saintrose. You will find christians here whose treatment of others is worse than some atheists lacking all respect and they do not even care. The question begs itself if they are truly surrendered to Christ.

One of the problems is the current gospel being shared which is more or less accept Jesus into your heart and you are saved and going to Heaven. There is no repentance of sin required by God to be forgiven. There is no change in life choices although they claim it is so. This is because their "salvation" is a kind of legal agreement that God is supposedly bound to keep no matter how they behave or what or who they love and give their lives too. Then there is the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine that perpeturates this.

So it is likely that some who have been told they are christians by people because they prayed a prayer are not saved at all.

Many (or in fact all) are called as God loves all men and wants all to repent and come to salvation, but few become chosen because few choose to respond to God's call. That is how I see it.

Yes I've found it the same on other "Christian" sites as well. Worthy was one of the worst but I've had it on others where "Christians" treated others terribly.

Your answer makes sense. I've heard it called "cheap grace."

It may be so that those who prayed the prayer of salvation were never truly spiritually reborn. But I wondered of those who appear to be reborn yet still sin egregiously and don't walk the narrow way. I wonder about them. I've always heard it said that you 'can't lose your salvation' but I wonder if a person continues to walk according to the world if they don't make it.

 

[saintrose]

When studying the Word, we discover the Old Testament is directed to Israel, but wait, the New Testament affirms what is written in the Old in reference to Jesus-Yeshua and the salvation of all who truly hear Him.

The teachings are all directed to the true Israel, that of our Father with its capital with Him to be brought down by Him once and for all, for we are made fellow heirs.

I'm unsure of your reply. I don't believe in the physical Israel - the physical Israel is actually flying a pentagram. I looked it up and found Pastor Chuck Baldwin's teachings that actually clicked with all I had learned. We're strictly warned about Satan's deceptions. There is no "Star of David" - the "Star" you see flying on Israel's flag is satanic - that's a great deception. The true Israel is God's people.
I believe what all the Zionist pastors used to teach until i had trouble with the flag. I studied it and knew that was an occult symbol on their flag. Then I found teaching that it's a big lie foisted on Christians. If anyone is interested they can look it up. There are many false teachers today teaching Zionism.

 

[saintrose]

I don't think you should spend too much time being stuck on one verse. For believers, I see this verse as a way of moving closer to God because he chose you to be a sheep and be grateful for it. Also I see it as a warning to not neglect such a great salvation. A new believer would see this verse and instantly want to read more of bible because he wants to know why he was chosen and what it means. It creates interest and gets a person closer to God, and that's why many parables are written to capture audience attention and get them to repent and not neglect being saved.

I know that it's the Holy Spirit who opens our eyes to understanding, but sometimes other believers can share what they learned. God has ordained some as teachers but then other times I think that average Christians can have insight.

But you have a valid point - having questions does spur me on to study and search the Scriptures. I like doing topical studies as they help me to make sense more of what I'm reading.

 

[saintrose]

God calls many people but few people choose Him.
OR
God calls many people but few people He chooses.

WHICH IS IT??????

Here is looking at it two ways:
It is a chicken or the egg type situation. Which came first?

1) Did God call me and chose me first, then I chose him second?
Or
2) Did God call me, but I chose him first, then He chose me second?
or
3) is it both happening? meaning He chooses me as I choose Him.

That's what didn't make sense when I read an explanation given online at a bible answer site. The verse reads "Many are called but FEW ARE CHOSEN." I have to take that as I read it: showing that it is GOD who rejects, not the individual. It shows that for one reason or another God rejects that person. So if we can't come to God UNLESS we're FIRST CALLED - that shows me that God called that person. So God then rejected that person.

Another verse that ties in with it is "Wide is the road that leads to destruction, narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it.

So we're told that not many find the narrow road. It's a sobering thought - considering where the wide road leads.

The other verse I didn't understand is that only 144,000 are allegedly saved. I haven't looked at this closely or studied the meaning of it but it has been at the back of my mind.

 

[soggykitten]

The verse is better translated, “Many are invited but few are selected.”

Who selects?

 

[TheDivineWatermark]

Here is a post I made some time back:

[quoting that post]

Re: "many are called, but few chosen"

G2564 - kaleó / kalesai / keklēmenous - "to call / invite / name"

G2822 - klétos / klētoi / klētois - "to call / invite / summon"


It is important to notice how EACH of these ^ is used in BOTH [/EACH] the Matthew 22:1-14 passage AND the Romans 8:28,30 verses



G2564 - kaleó / kalesai / keklēmenous - "to call / invite / name" -


Matthew 22:3 V-ANA
GRK: δούλους αὐτοῦ καλέσαι τοὺς κεκλημένους
NAS: out his slaves to call those
KJV: servants to call them that were bidden
INT: servants of him to call those having been invited


Matthew 22:3 V-RPM/P-AMP
GRK: καλέσαι τοὺς κεκλημένους εἰς τοὺς
NAS: those who had been invited to the wedding feast,
KJV: to call them that were bidden to
INT: to call those having been invited to the


Matthew 22:4 V-RPM/P-DMP
GRK: Εἴπατε τοῖς κεκλημένοις Ἰδοὺ τὸ
NAS: those who have been invited, Behold,
KJV: Tell them which are bidden, Behold,
INT: Say to those having been invited Behold the


Matthew 22:8 V-RPM/P-NMP
GRK: οἱ δὲ κεκλημένοι οὐκ ἦσαν
NAS: but those who were invited were not worthy.
KJV: but they which were bidden were
INT: those moreover having been invited not were

[these ^ had rejected the invitation/call/G2564 (to 'the wedding FEAST/SUPPER'), per vv.3,5,6]


Matthew 22:9 V-AMA-2P
GRK: ἐὰν εὕρητε καλέσατε εἰς τοὺς
NAS: as you find [there], invite to the wedding feast.'
KJV: ye shall find, bid to
INT: if you shall find invite to the


Romans 8:30 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τούτους καὶ ἐκάλεσεν καὶ οὓς
NAS: He also called; and these
KJV: he also called: and whom
INT: these also he called and whom




G2822 - klétos / klētoi / klētois - "to call / invite / summon" -

Matthew 22:14 Adj-NMP
GRK: γάρ εἰσιν κλητοὶ ὀλίγοι δὲ
NAS: For many are called, but few
KJV: many are called, but few
INT: indeed are called few however


Romans 8:28 Adj-DMP
GRK: κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὖσιν
NAS: to those who are called according
KJV: to them who are the called according
INT: according to [his] purpose called are


[note: the Matthew 22:1-14 passage is referring to the "guests [plural]" of "the wedding FEAST/SUPPER" i.e. the promised and prophesied earthly Millennial Kingdom commencing upon His "RETURN" to the earth, whereas the Romans 8 passage is referring to (that which pertains to) "the Church which is His body" (who is not "the guests [plural]"), so there's that distinction to be noted also--not that this makes much difference in how the words are used (re: call/invite)]


[and then quoting from BibleHub]
"In the NT, 2822 /klētós ("divinely called") focuses on God's general call – i.e. the call (invitation) He gives to all people, so all can receive His salvation. God desires every person to call out to Him and receive His salvation (1 Tim 2:4,5). "Unfortunately, many choose not to – but all can; all don't but all can call out to God for His mercy (not just 'some')" (G. Archer)." [source: Bible Hub; end quoting from BibleHub]


[end quoting that post]

 

[TheDivineWatermark]

Another verse that ties in with it is "Wide is the road that leads to destruction, narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it.

So we're told that not many find the narrow road. It's a sobering thought - considering where the wide road leads.

Jesus Himself later said "I am the way" (same word ^ , G3598).




[see also]
1 John 5 -

9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony of God that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one believing in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one not believing God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning His Son.

11 And this is the testimony: that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 The one having the Son has life; the one not having the Son of God does not have life.

13 I have written these things to you, the ones believing in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

 

[JaumeJ]

I'm unsure of your reply. I don't believe in the physical Israel - the physical Israel is actually flying a pentagram. I looked it up and found Pastor Chuck Baldwin's teachings that actually clicked with all I had learned. We're strictly warned about Satan's deceptions. There is no "Star of David" - the "Star" you see flying on Israel's flag is satanic - that's a great deception. The true Israel is God's people.
I believe what all the Zionist pastors used to teach until i had trouble with the flag. I studied it and knew that was an occult symbol on their flag. Then I found teaching that it's a big lie foisted on Christians. If anyone is interested they can look it up. There are many false teachers today teaching Zionism.

My reply does not say I believe in the Israel on this earth-s map. The Issrael on th map is nothing more than the staging ground for the final days.. No Israel is coming to all who believe when the Kingdom and New Jerusalem come. If my reply was not to the point, I pray this one is.

 

[ForestGreenCook]

I believe it's talking about people who essentially understand the spiritual laws, but are not "saved" so to speak.

Before that the parable speaks of "how are you not in wedding clothes friend?" It's creepy bc why is he calling them friend before sending them to hell?

But anyhow I believe they are "invited" bc they found some loophole. I don't believe it's referring to Christians. In fact I'm 100% sure it's not bc I've had a dream about it. God corrected the fear of it for me.

When we are born again, by the sovereign grace of God, we are given the imputed righteousness of Christ. which is the wedding garment. Most of God's born again people are still babes in Christ, without the knowledge that they have the imputed righteousness of Christ, and are going about trying to establish their own righteousness by their works of the old law. These born again christians are who Christ told his Apostles to go and preach to, when he instructed them to go and preach to the lost sheep (born again children) of the house of Israel, All of the elect are called, but few of the elect are chosen to be revealed the truth of the doctrine of Christ. Romans 8:28-39. Matt 7:13-14, Those elect that go into the wide gate are the babes in Christ (the many called) who are depending upon their good works to get them to heaven, and those that go into the straight gate are the elect (few chosen) that have the knowledge of the righteousness of Christ. Both of the gates are children of God who Christ died for and have an eternal inheritance of heaven.