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“A king prepared a wedding dinner for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the dinner. The servants told them to come. But they refused. “Then he sent some more servants. He said, ‘Tell those who were invited that I have prepared my dinner. I have killed my oxen and my fattest cattle. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding dinner.’ “But the people paid no attention. One went away to his field. Another went away to his business. The rest grabbed his servants. They treated them badly and then killed them. “The king became very angry. He sent his army to destroy them. They killed those murderers and burned their city. “Then the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding dinner is ready. But those I invited were not fit to come. Go to the street corners. Invite to the dinner anyone you can find.’ So the servants went out into the streets. They gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad. Soon the wedding hall was filled with guests. “The king came in to see the guests. He noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. “Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man couldn’t think of anything to say. “Then the king told his servants, ‘Tie up his hands and feet. Throw him outside into the darkness. Out there people will sob and grind their teeth.’ “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:2-14)
In this illustration, the king issues invitations to a wedding banquet for his son.
The first invited guests refuse, make excuses, and even kill the king’s servants; they are judged.
The invitation is then extended broadly, to as many as his servants could find,” both “bad and good,” so the hall is filled.
The king then finds a man at the feast without wedding clothes and casts him out into outer darkness.
Some reject the call outright.
Others accept the invitation but still fail to meet its conditions (not having on the appropriate garment).
Those who both come and are properly attired remain at the banquet.
Is there a third, intermediate group who are invited, not properly clothed, yet kept around until they put on the proper clothing, in other words, slowly grow into an acceptable level of faith? The illustration mentions no such individual. The parable’s logic is binary at each stage. One is either in or out. The man without the garment is expelled, not kept and allowed time to remedy his situation.
“Many called, few chosen”: call vs choice
The closing statement, “For many are called, but few are chosen,” interprets the whole parable:
The many that are called, corresponds to the wide invitation, first to the original guests, then to “as many as you find.” This is the external call of the gospel—the genuine invitation extended broadly.
“Few are chosen” corresponds to those who actually remain in the banquet, clothed as the king requires. This lines up with the effectual call/election theme that only some respond in the way that leads to participation in the kingdom.
And those God has planned for, he has also appointed to be saved. Those he has appointed, he has made right with himself. To those he has made right with himself, he has given his glory. (Romans 8:30)
“Jerusalem! Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and throw stones in order to kill those who are sent to you. Many times I have wanted to gather your people together. I have wanted to be like a hen who gathers her chicks under her wings. But you would not let me! Look, your house is left empty. (Matthew 23:37-38)
Two circles or categories of people. A large circle of those who hear the call.
A smaller circle inside it made up of those who respond to the call in faith and are thus “chosen” and justified.
It is not describing an intermediate class of the “partially justified” who are called but not yet chosen, who nevertheless will receive kingdom blessings without the decisive transition of justification and union with Christ.
The “garment” and justification
The wedding garment is commonly seen as symbolizing the righteousness provided by God—often linked with Christ himself or the “putting on” of Christ. With that understanding, those who accept the invitation but try to enter without the proper garment represent people who want the benefits of the kingdom without the righteousness that comes from God.
Their exclusion shows that responding to the call must include being clothed in what the king provides; mere attendance or partial response is not enough.
This strongly cuts against the idea that there is a recognized category of people “called yet not justified enough to be called by God” who are nonetheless allowed to remain in the banquet until they grow into acceptability. The parable’s warning is sharp: inadequate clothing leads to expulsion, not to eventual inclusion by later growing in faith.
Matthew 22 only supports 2 categories:
Those who respond rightly to the call and are properly clothed.
Those who reject the invitation or come wrongly clothed and are judged.
There is no explicit textual support for a third category within this parable. If one wishes to argue for an intermediate state (for example, believers who are immature), those must be drawn from other texts about sanctification and discipline, not from “many are called, few chosen” in this context.
So, strictly, the concluding statement: “many are called but few are chosen”, marks the distinction between broad invitation and actual participation in the kingdom; it does not teach that there is a group of called-yet-not-chosen who will later receive kingdom blessings apart from justification once they reach some threshold of faith. Those that have lived a life of faithfulness to Christ and yet have been taught by some religious institution to believe that they are unworthy of being chosen will no doubt receive an unexpected blessing.
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
(Romans 8:29-30 NASB)
“You will sob and grind your teeth when you see those who are in God’s kingdom. You will see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets there. But you yourselves will be thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south. They will take their places at the feast in God’s kingdom. Then the last will be first. And the first will be last.” (Luke 13:28-30)
But does this mean that when Christ comes all those that have not been chosen will be annihilated?
Unfortunately this parable does not address that question.
Abraham’s “seed”: natural vs Christian
The Old Testament and Paul both recognize a “natural seed” of Abraham: physical descendants, Israel “according to the flesh”
For I myself could have wished to be banished from Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my relatives according to the flesh, who are the children of Yisra’ěl, to whom is the adoption, and the esteem, and the covenants, and the giving of the Torah, and the worship, and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Messiah according to the flesh, who is over all, Elohim-blessed forever. Aměn. (Romans 9:3-5 TS2009)
Paul insists that natural descent is not sufficient to define the true “children”: “they are not all Israel who are of Israel,” and “not the children of the flesh… but the children of the promise” are counted as seed.
However, it is not as though the word of Elohim has failed. For they are not all Yisra’ěl who are of Yisra’ěl, neither are they all children because they are the seed of Aḇraham, but, “In Yitsḥaq your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of Elohim, but the children of the promise are reckoned as the seed. (Romans 9:6-8 TS2009)
Paul here distinguishes between the natural seed: those physically descended from Abraham and the children of promise which is true Israel, those who share Abraham’s faith and are in Christ.
The “one Seed” and participation in it
In Galatians chapter 3, Paul explicitly identifies the “Seed” with Christ:
“to Abraham were spoken the promises and to his seed… which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).
Believers, Jew and Gentile, are said to be “Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
Therefore, the NT basis for “being part of the Seed” is union with Christ: those who are “in Christ” share in him as the one Seed and in the promises given to Abraham.
Among the natural seed of Abraham (Israel according to the flesh), God calls and forms a smaller, believing people in Christ—the true children of Abraham—who participate in the one, Christian Seed and in its promises.
This is strongly Pauline. Where we must be careful is not to equate “being part of the Seed” with a special sub‑class whose hope is fundamentally different from the rest of the redeemed. The “Seed” in Galatians is Christ himself, and all who are in him share one inheritance.
Calling, election, adoption, and sanctification
God’s knowledge of the elect
- Paul’s order of salvation: “whom he foreknew, he also predestined… called… justified… glorified” (Romans 8:29–30).
- This sequence underscores that God infallibly knows and brings to completion those whom he foreknows and calls in this saving sense.
Adoption and sanctification
- Adoption: believers are “sons” and “children of God” through the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:14–17; Galatians 4:4–7).
- Sanctification: believers are “sanctified in Christ Jesus” and called to be saints (1 Corinthians 1:2; cf. Romans 6:19, 22).
- This adoption and sanctification are already present realities but not yet perfected; believers remain “imperfect” in the sense of still awaiting glorification.
Hence it can be said that God knows those who are his: those whom he effectually calls in Christ are adopted as his children and set apart as sanctified, though still awaiting full glorification.
This much is solid. Where we have to be very precise is in how we use “called”: Paul can speak of a general call (gospel invitation) and a saving call (Romans 8:30). Only the latter is irrevocable.
Jew and Gentile, external call, and failure to attain
External call and unbelief
- Many in Israel are “called” in the sense of hearing God’s word and receiving covenant privileges, yet remain hardened and unbelieving (Romans 9:31–33; 10:16–21; 11:7–10).
- Likewise, Gentiles receive the gospel and some reject it (Acts, plus Paul’s warnings in Romans 11:20–22; 2 Thessalonians 1:8–9).
- So it is scriptural to say: both Jews and Gentiles can be exposed to God’s call and yet not attain salvation because of unbelief.
Irrevocable calling vs. rejected grace
- Romans 11:29: “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
- In context, this refers to God’s covenantal commitments to Israel and the assurance of a future mercy on “all Israel,” not to every individual invitee.
- Thus:
- God’s redemptive plan (including Israel’s role) cannot fail.
- Individuals can still lack faith, fail to appropriately respond and be lost.
Many from Jew and Gentile stand within the sphere of God’s call yet do not attain the promised inheritance, because they remain in unbelief and are not justified.
Those who truly share in the “Seed” (are in Christ) do attain the realization of the hope; the NT does not portray a class of truly in‑Christ adopted sons who finally fail to “win the prize” of resurrection life.
One hope for those in Christ
- Paul speaks of the “one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:4), “the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27), the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13).
- This hope is resurrection and eternal life in Christ (Romans 8:23–25; 1 Corinthians 15 throughout).
- There is no textual differentiation of multiple qualitative hopes for different classes of the redeemed. The core hope is one.
So we can say:
All who are in Christ, Jew or Gentile, share one hope: resurrection and eternal life in glory with God.
In speaking of “ONE HOPE,” it is most faithful to use Paul’s own language about the singular hope attached to the call in Christ, not to posit a structurally distinct, lesser hope for others who eventually become children in some different way.
Resurrection of righteous and unrighteous
- Acts 24:15 speaks of “a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”
- John 5:28–29 mentions “the resurrection of life” and “the resurrection of judgment.”
- Revelation chapter 20 distinguishes “the first resurrection” (those who reign with Christ) from the later resurrection for judgment.
These texts do support a distinction in resurrection outcome: life vs judgment, participation in reigning vs being judged. But they do not clearly teach a group that is never justified, yet eventually becomes God’s children after a resurrection of “unrighteous” and then some later transformation.
The NT affirms that all will be raised—some to life, some to judgment—and that those who belong to Christ share in a blessed resurrection, while those who reject him face judgment.
We could say that some people who face judgment are nonetheless ultimately redeemed, but that’s a theological construction, not a straightforward Pauline assertion.
What Paul is actually doing in 1 Corinthians 15:24
Paul outlines a sequence:
First Christ’s resurrection. Then the resurrection of those who belong to him at his coming (15:23). “Then the end” when he hands over the Kingdom to the Father after abolishing every rule, authority, power, and finally death (15:24–26).
The focus is on the subjection of all hostile powers. The climax of Christ’s reign. The final state where “God is all things to everyone.” (15:28).
Paul does not at this point elaborate categories of humans (righteous vs unrighteous vs not‑yet‑declared‑righteous) who undergo different processes by the time of Christ handing over the kingdom.
He has just said that “those who belong to Christ” will be raised at his coming (15:23).
So a scripturally faithful use of 1 Corinthians 15:24 would be:
Paul teaches that after Christ has raised those who belong to him and subdued all hostile powers, he hands over the Kingdom to the Father, culminating in the final state where God is all things to everyone.
The scriptures do not explicitly state that “by that time” a group of people who have never been declared righteous will nonetheless have become God’s children in some secondary, non‑justified sense. That step goes beyond what the passage supplies.
Romans 11:25–36: mystery of Israel and mercy
Romans 11:25-36 speaks of a partial hardening that has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in; then “all Israel will be saved” (11:25–26).
God has “shut up all in disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all” (11:32).
The point: both Jew and Gentile are encompassed in disobedience so that mercy may be shown; salvation is by mercy in Christ, not by natural descent.
God’s irrevocable calling ensures that his purpose to save all Israel which would include Gentiles will be fulfilled.
What the text does not clearly give us is a large category of people who remain “unrighteous” and never “declared righteous,” but who nonetheless become God’s children without justification at the very end.
Romans 11’s mercy is aimed at salvation—grafting in, sharing in the root, receiving the covenant promises—not at some non‑justificatory “child” status.
In Summary:
- Abraham has a natural seed (Israel according to the flesh), but the true children are those of faith, Jew and Gentile, who are in Christ, the one Seed.
- God, in his foreknowledge, knows those who are his. Those whom he effectually calls in Christ he adopts as his children, sanctifies, justifies, and ultimately glorifies.
- Many Jews and Gentiles stand under the external call and covenant privileges but remain in unbelief; they do not share in the one hope of resurrection life and glory that belongs to those who are in Christ.
- All will be raised. Those in Christ to life and glory, those persisting in unbelief to judgment. Christ’s reign culminates in the defeat of all hostile powers—including death—and the handing over of the Kingdom to the Father.
- In the mystery of Romans 11, God’s dealings with Israel and the nations reveal his wisdom. He binds all in disobedience so that salvation may be by mercy alone, ensuring the fulfillment of his promises to Abraham in Christ.
Romans 8:19–21:
“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, for the creation was subjected to futility… in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-21)
Although most scholars see Paul’s reference to “the creation” as meaning the non-human creation, my understanding of Romans 8:19–21, is that the purpose of the sons of God is to bring all human creation to the “glorious freedom of the children of God”. But, even here, it doesn’t introduce a third, semi‑justified group of humans; it widens the lens from “many called/few chosen” to show that all creation is bound up with the final revelation and glorification of those chosen children of God.
How it relates to “many called, few chosen”
Matthew 22 distinguishes between the broadly invited and the smaller group who actually share the banquet in appropriate garments.
Romans 8 distinguishes between the children of God and those outside of the family that suffers alongside them and awaits their revelation.
What Romans 8:19–21 adds is that the final transition from present groaning to glory is keyed to the manifestation of the sons of God, that is to say, the “few chosen” in the two‑circle picture.
When that smaller, chosen group is publicly revealed in glory, creation itself is liberated.
It does not say that there is a distinct human group between “children of God” and “those outside,” who are called, but not yet chosen, but guaranteed some later blessing apart from justification.
Nor does it suggest that the liberation of creation is triggered by the maturation of an intermediate class of believers reaching an “acceptable level” of faith; the trigger is the revealing/glorification of those already identified as God’s children.
In other words, Romans 8:19–21 reinforces the idea that the decisive redemptive hinge is the glorification of the justified children, not the later improvement of partially justified outsiders.
Implications for the fate of the “not chosen”
Romans 8:19–21 speaks of the children of God (8:14–17).
Creation’s bondage and future deliverance. (8:19-21)
It does not directly address the final fate of those who are not children of God at that point (the “not chosen” in Matthew 22 terms).
Whether they are annihilated or some subset eventually reconciled is not stated.
However, Revelation speaks of New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven prepared as a bride:
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:2-4 NASB)
This may remind us that the setting in Matthew chapter 22 was that of a king giving a wedding banquet for his son.
Later in the chapter this holy city is described as bringing blessings to those on earth:
And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. (Revelation 21:23-24 NASB)
Who are these nations and kings of the earth?
The next chapter speaks of their being cured by trees yielding twelve crops of fruit:
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; (Revelation 22:1-3 NASB)
There are many similarities here with Romans 8:19-21:
No more groaning, curse being lifted, being set free from bondage. It’s not hard to imagine those of the nations eagerly awaiting such blessings.