This well-known passage is quoted extensively to affirm the view of Calvinism. This in essence, is the heretical and extreme view of the Biblical doctrine of predestination, to which Paul dedicates a whole section of his writing in his epistle to the Romans, found in Romans 9. But today, as we meditate on this particular portion of Scripture told by Jesus Himself to the Jewish masses in Matthew 22:14, we quickly see that to truly understand this particular Scripture, we must expound the preceding prophetic parable beginning from Matthew 22:1-13. The marriage feast represents the joyful celebration of the eternal union of God’s chosen (the guests) and Christ (the Son), as mentioned in Revelations 19:7-10. Now, two invitations are given out in this parable. The invitations represent the two covenants of God, the old Mosaic covenant of laws and the second covenant of grace through Jesus Christ. The first invitation was exclusive, as v3 makes it out to be solely for the invited. The descendants of Abraham, which is the kingdom of Israel, were the exclusive recipients of this first invitation. We see the repeated rejection of the King’s servants in v3, 5, and 6. These servants represent the various prophets (messengers) through whom God pleaded with throughout the Old Testament. The culmination of all of them was in Jesus Christ, who the Jews finally crucified. The verse about the destruction of the city (Jerusalem) in Matthew 22:7 is not only a shadow of Jerusalem’s first destruction and burning in 587 BC by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25), but also a prophecy foretelling Jerusalem’s impending destruction. This happened about 40 years later, in 70 AD, by the Roman empire under Titus. This is God’s wrath being poured out on the “chosen” people of God. This idea of judgment and wrath on God’s elect is the first refutation to Calvinism’s core tenet of “once saved, always saved.” As we move on, the servants now have the instruction to venture out into the highways (Matthew 22:10). This represents the extension of the King’s (God’s) invitation to even strangers (Gentiles). And the instruction to invite both good and bad is a sign of God’s grace and mercy extended to all, irrespective of our current moral state. This is the new covenant of grace centered around Jesus Christ. In v11, a man was found without the wedding garment by the King (the Judge) among the other guests. What is this wedding garment? Revelations 19:8 gives the answer as fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. This is the act of faith of a believer in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-30), that instantly and freely clothes every guest with the wedding garment. This whole act of the King in Matthew 22:11-13 in itself is a representation of the final judgment of God.

Finally we come to the verse in focus in Matthew 22:14, For many are called [invited], but few are chosen. The first thing to be discussed is the meaning of the word many. This word as an adjective stands for all, large, great, much. But the word Polus as a noun has an interesting transliteration in English as a pole. This pole is in reference to the north and south poles of the axis of the earth. So, the word many represents all of whom this pole encompasses and covers all the people on this earth. This invitation of the Gospel message is for all to hear and to be invited (Matthew 24:14). But why only a few are chosen? Well, this parable we read has the answers. There are three reasons for rejecting God’s invitation to all. The first is unwillingness (v3) and carelessness (v5). People are unwilling and careless to respond to this invitation because they are caught up only doing things of this temporal world (v5) and do not take eternity seriously. The second rejection is because of a spiteful nature towards God. The people, like the religious sect of Jesus’s time, oppose and kill all spiritual things. They love their religious practices and fame and people who recognize the threat of the true spiritual messengers of God to their systems and, therefore, persecute them. The third and final reason is people who have accepted the invitation but have tried to enter into the marriage feast based on their own merits, good works, and other heretical doctrines. These are people who have not entered through the narrow gate – Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:13-14, John 10:1). And finally, the word chosen means elected (Eklektos in Greek). And while this word does mean appointed by God for salvation, it does not close the door of us backsliding and becoming wretched in sin again. 2 Peter 1:10 says this to all the elect of God, Brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble. Those things are mentioned in 2 Peter 1:1-9 so that we can continue faithfully in those things and ensure our election of grace in Christ. Few are chosen because only a few remain faithful. May our portion be among that faithful remnant for which Christ soon returns.