Matthew 22:14 kjv
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 22:14 nkjv
"For many are called, but few are chosen."
Matthew 22:14 niv
"For many are invited, but few are chosen."
Matthew 22:14 esv
For many are called, but few are chosen."
Matthew 22:14 nlt
"For many are called, but few are chosen."
Matthew 22 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 7:13-14 | "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." | Emphasizes the narrow path to life, paralleling "few chosen." |
| Mt 13:2-23 | (Parable of the Sower) "...some fell on rocky places... some among thorns... some on good soil..." | Illustrates varying responses to the same Word. |
| Mt 20:16 | "So the last will be first, and the first will be last. For many are called, but few are chosen." | Identical concluding phrase to a different parable. |
| Lk 13:24 | "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able." | Stresses active striving for salvation by "few." |
| Lk 14:16-24 | (Parable of the Great Banquet) "...many invited but all began to make excuses..." | Illustrates the rejection of the divine invitation. |
| Jn 6:66-67 | "From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him... Then Jesus asked the Twelve, 'You do not want to leave too, do you?'" | Many profess initial discipleship but few persevere. |
| Jn 15:16 | "You did not choose Me, but I chose you..." | Christ's sovereignty in choosing disciples. |
| Acts 2:39 | "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call." | Highlights the broad, general divine call. |
| Acts 13:48 | "When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed." | Connects "appointed" (chosen) with belief. |
| Rom 1:6 | "And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ." | Identifies believers as specifically "called." |
| Rom 8:28-30 | "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose... those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified." | Defines the effectual, purposeful divine call leading to glorification. |
| Rom 9:11-16 | "But it was said to her, 'The older will serve the younger.' ... 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'" | Emphasizes God's sovereign choice independent of human works. |
| Rom 11:7 | "What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened." | Highlights a distinction within Israel; the "elect" achieved it. |
| 1 Cor 1:26-27 | "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called... God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise..." | God's sovereign choosing of the unlikely to shame the proud. |
| Eph 1:4-5 | "For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight... in love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ." | God's eternal choice/predestination for salvation. |
| Phil 3:14 | "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." | Paul's perseverance toward the divine call/prize. |
| 2 Thes 2:13-14 | "But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." | Directly links being "chosen" to being "called" through the gospel. |
| 2 Tim 1:9 | "He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace, given us in Christ Jesus before the creation of the world." | Emphasizes God's sovereign initiative in saving and calling. |
| 2 Pet 1:10 | "Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election." | Implies responsibility to live out one's divine status. |
| Rev 17:14 | "...and with Him will be His called, chosen, and faithful followers." | "Called" and "chosen" are distinct from but aligned with "faithful." |
Matthew 22 verses
Matthew 22 14 Meaning
This verse serves as a conclusive statement, summarizing the essence of the preceding Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:1-13 and resonating with similar teachings throughout Jesus' ministry. It declares that while the invitation to God's Kingdom (the gospel) is broadly extended to many people, only a select few are truly accepted or appointed by God into eternal life and intimate fellowship. It highlights a critical distinction between a general proclamation of the divine offer and the specific, genuine embrace of that offer, which involves God's sovereign choice and the required obedient response from humanity.
Matthew 22 14 Context
Matthew 22:14 concludes the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Mt 22:1-13). In this parable, a king prepares a lavish feast for his son's wedding, inviting many. When the first invited guests refuse, even harming the messengers, the king sends servants into the streets to invite everyone, "both good and bad." However, when the king enters to greet the guests, he finds one without a proper wedding garment and casts him out into darkness. The verse "For many are called, but few are chosen" serves as Jesus' interpretive summary of this complex parable.
The immediate historical and cultural context reflects a period when Jesus directly challenged the Jewish religious leadership (Pharisees and Sadducees). The initial invited guests in the parable represent Israel, particularly its leaders, who largely rejected God's invitation through the prophets and ultimately through Jesus, His Son. The subsequent invitation to "everyone" in the streets symbolizes the extension of the gospel to the Gentiles and outcasts. The man without the wedding garment signifies those who respond to the broad "call" but lack genuine repentance, faith, or the righteousness that God requires—either God's imputed righteousness through Christ or the holy living expected of His true followers. The verse also serves as a polemic against the assumption that lineage or mere initial acceptance guarantees inclusion in God's Kingdom; true belonging requires a qualitative, transformative response initiated and sustained by God.
Matthew 22 14 Word analysis
- For (γὰρ, gar): A causal or explanatory conjunction, linking this statement directly to the parable that precedes it, providing the key theological interpretation of the narrative.
- many (πολλοὶ, polloi): Refers to a large, indeterminate number. In this context, it signifies the universality and gracious breadth of the gospel invitation, extended to all humanity without initial discrimination. It highlights God's widespread grace in calling people to salvation.
- are called (εἰσιν κλητοί, eisin klētoi): From kaléō (καλέω), meaning "to call, invite, summon." This denotes the general, external proclamation of the gospel, the widespread offer of salvation made to anyone who hears the good news of Jesus Christ. It is a divine invitation freely extended.
- but (δὲ, de): A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a sharp contrast between the group that is "called" and the group that is "chosen." It signals a qualification or a limiting factor to the broad initial invitation.
- few (ὀλίγοι, oligoi): Denotes a small number, signifying exclusivity in terms of true spiritual reception and perseverance. This highlights the narrowness of the path that leads to genuine salvation and entrance into God's eternal Kingdom.
- are chosen (ἐκλεκτοί, eklektoi): From eklégomai (ἐκλέγομαι), meaning "to pick out, select, choose." This refers to God's sovereign act of selection, where He sets apart a specific group for a specific purpose (salvation and intimate fellowship). This is more than just hearing the call; it is an effective call that leads to genuine faith and transformed life. It speaks to the ultimate approval and true inclusion by God, who determines who genuinely belongs to His Kingdom.
- "For many are called": This phrase emphasizes the abundant and generous nature of God's invitation to salvation through the preaching of the gospel. The call is widespread, offering salvation to everyone, signifying God's universal desire for all to come to repentance.
- "but few are chosen": This contrasting phrase underscores the profound reality that not all who hear the invitation will ultimately experience saving grace and eternal life. It points to God's sovereign election and the qualitative response (or lack thereof) from humanity. Those who are "chosen" are not merely those who intellectually assent or nominally respond, but those who are effectually called, Spirit-enabled, and transformed by genuine faith, resulting in the proper spiritual "garment" for the King's presence.
Matthew 22 14 Bonus section
This verse carries significant theological weight, addressing both divine sovereignty and human responsibility without diminishing either. It prevents a complacent view that mere exposure to the gospel guarantees salvation and corrects any notion that salvation is automatic for all who profess faith. The phrase does not imply that God withholds the gospel from "many" or that He desires a small number to be saved, but rather that among the vast number who hear, only a specific portion will genuinely respond and endure in faith—a response made possible and effectual by God's election. It serves as a stark reminder of the cost of discipleship and the qualitative nature of true faith required for entry into God's eternal Kingdom, contrasting outward privilege or intellectual assent with an internal, saving reality.
Matthew 22 14 Commentary
Matthew 22:14 profoundly condenses Jesus' teaching on the Kingdom of God and humanity's response. The "many are called" refers to the broad, open invitation of the gospel extended to all. This invitation is universally offered by divine grace, making salvation available to everyone. However, "few are chosen" indicates that not all who receive this invitation respond in a way that leads to genuine acceptance and salvation. This implies that true entrance into God's Kingdom requires more than simply hearing the call; it necessitates a sincere, faith-filled, and enduring response that aligns with God's will and purpose. The "chosen" are those whom God, in His sovereign grace, effectively draws to Himself, enabling them to believe and live in obedience, thereby fulfilling the criteria symbolized by the "wedding garment." This verse thus underscores both the freeness and breadth of God's saving offer and the seriousness of responding appropriately to His call, distinguishing between mere outward profession and true inward transformation that is sustained by divine election. It challenges hearers to examine whether their response goes beyond superficiality to a genuine, saving faith.
Example: Think of a great university that sends out applications to thousands of prospective students ("many are called"). While numerous students apply and some might even be provisionally accepted, only a specific number who meet rigorous academic or financial criteria are finally enrolled and truly belong to that institution ("few are chosen"). Similarly, the call of the Gospel goes out broadly, but genuine spiritual enrollment, characterized by transformed life and sustained faith, involves God's divine choosing and a true, deep personal response.