Bible Questions and Answers

What does many are called but few are chosen mean?

The expression appears in two parables in Matthew’s Gospel:

Matthew 20:8-16 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first. 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? 6 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.

Matthew 22:8-14 Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 ‘Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding. 10 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. 11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 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. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

We are ‘called’ when we hear the Gospel, but it is how we respond to the Gospel which determines whether we are subsequently ‘chosen’ and will attain to life in the kingdom of God. This is made clear in other parables:

• Luke 13:23 Then one said to Him, Lord, are there few who are saved? And He said to them, 24 Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
• Mark 4:13-20 And He said to them, Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.

Jesus preached the Gospel to the Jews of his day, but the majority failed to respond. Since then, the Gospel has been preached to Gentiles but relatively few receive and obey it. Having heard the Gospel, we must respond and ‘bear fruit’ if we wish to be amongst the ‘chosen’ in the day of Christ’s return.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn