Embracing the Mystery of the King’s Invitation
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come… For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Introduction
In Matthew 22:1-14 and Luke 14:12-24, Jesus extends a wonderful invitation and a powerful warning regarding His kingdom. In Matthew, the parable depicts a king inviting his subjects to a wedding feast for his son. In Luke, a wealthy man invites guests to a sumptuous dinner. In both parables, the initial invitees make excuses for why they cannot attend such a prestigious event. Consequently, the king and the rich man instruct their servants to invite others, eventually bringing in the marginalized and less fortunate of society.
Both parables underscore the profound apathy many people have toward God’s invitation to join Him in His kingdom, challenging us to consider how we—and those we lead—respond to the King’s call.
Key Words and Phrases
- Invite – καλέω (Strong’s G2564 – kaleō): To call, to invite. The root word carries more weight than a casual invitation; it is often translated as a “command” or “order.”
- Called – κλητός (Strong’s G2822 – klētos): Invited, called. In the context of Matthew 22:14, “For many are called,” it refers to those who have received the universal invitation to the King’s banquet, highlighting the broad offer of the Gospel to humanity.
- Chosen – ἐκλεκτός (Strong’s G1588 – eklektos): Picked out, chosen by God. “…but few are chosen.” This punchline for the parable in Matthew means that while the whole of humanity is “invited” (called), only those who are foreordained for entrance into the kingdom will be properly prepared to enjoy the King’s Wedding Feast.
Messianic Model – Focus on Jesus’ Example
Although Jesus is speaking parabolically, His invitation (or command) is an authentic call to join Him and His Father in this grand celebration of celebrations. In Revelation, John describes a wedding feast at the end of time. While Matthew’s parable uses a wedding to illustrate a spiritual reality, the event John describes is the literal fulfillment of that promise. It is clear that those who responded to Christ’s invitation constitute the Bride of Christ—the Church entering into His consummated kingdom.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”‘ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.'” (Revelation 19:7-9)
Jesus represents the Son of the King in Matthew and the Wealthy Master in Luke. In both parables, an invitation is given to what would seem to be the obvious guests, yet they have excuses for why they will not attend. The most obvious guests to be invited by the Messiah into His kingdom would have been the religious leaders of the day and the Children of Israel—the ones who should have recognized Him. But most would not accept the invitation: “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:11)
Instead, it was the least likely of society who received Him. Jesus bluntly told the religious elite, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21:31).
In His sermon to His own hometown, He pointed to this refusal to recognize His Kingly invitation by alluding to Gentiles who were healed by Elijah and Elisha:
“And He said, ‘Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah… and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.'” (Luke 4:24-27)
On the other hand, a lowly thief being crucified next to Jesus receives the invitation simply by asking, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” (Luke 23:42).
Key Theological Implications
These two parables touch on several theological elements, but ironically, the two that are most clear are the doctrines of freewill and election.
- Freewill: The “invitation” affirms that man has a choice to accept and enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 11:28-29, Mark 8:34, John 1:12).
- Election: The last phrase in Matthew draws our attention to the doctrine of election: “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). Although everyone is invited and some will accept, only those who are “chosen” by God will enter His kingdom. Predestination and election are also a requisite for entrance into the kingdom (John 6:44, Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:4-5, 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
Matthew’s parable vividly illustrates this when the king discovers a man who is not dressed properly for the occasion. The man accepted the invitation (freewill) and showed up to the feast, but he was not wearing “wedding clothes.” He is not clothed with “righteousness.” He is not “chosen” or elected (Isaiah 61:10, Job 29:14, Psalm 132:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus delivers the sobering punchline as the man is summarily put out into outer darkness.
These two doctrines seem to oppose one another, yet they are not only evident in Matthew’s parable but throughout the entire Bible. Through the ages, good, wise, and godly men have chosen which side to take when it comes to election and freewill. And yet, as one simply takes the Scriptures at face value, the tension between the two still remains.
I call this a “Divine Tension.” It is an unexplainable violation of human logic, and yet it is clearly seen in the Bible. There are several choices one can make in their conclusion:
- Declare the Bible defies human logic and therefore is not truth.
- Choose one doctrine over another and ignore the other side.
- Use incredible mental gymnastics to explain away one side or the other.
- Accept both as a “Divine Tension” that defies human logic and yet is perfectly in the realm of possibility because nothing is impossible for God. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
I have chosen the latter.
Contemporary Spiritual Significance
Although the theological wrestling with the doctrines of freewill and election is arduous, the point of the parables is not. An invitation has been given to us by God to enter His kingdom. Through the lens of other passages, we clearly see how to accept the invitation:
- “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
- “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)
- “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24)
For this generation overwhelmed by the need to have everything figured out and categorized, this is incredibly freeing. At the end of the day, we are responsible for our actions and we leave God’s choices in His hands, resting heavily on the grace and mercy provided by His Son on the cross.
The Transformative Power of Embracing the Divine Tension
Many people become paralyzed when they are confronted with these two doctrines. As they read their Bibles and see apparent paradoxes in Scripture, fear and doubt can begin to settle in. But when we leave freewill and election in the hands of the Divine, there is a liberating faith that grounds the believer.
It allows us to take responsibility for our part while leaving the rest to a loving and benevolent God. It actually takes more faith to leave the doctrines intact, and that posture pleases the Lord as we humbly trust His Word.
Conclusion
Most people who listen to or read these two kingdom parables may not initially wrestle with the tensions between doctrines like freewill and election. They will either fully embrace the invitation Jesus is extending to them or harden their hearts and reject it. But as they grow in their faith and understanding, they will inevitably be confronted with the apparent paradox.
As disciple-makers, we must be prepared to answer the tough questions that will arise. As serious students of the Bible, you and those you are discipling will be challenged with explaining difficult concepts. These parables—especially the one in Matthew—are a fantastic starting point to identify, explain, and ultimately embrace the beautiful, divine tension of our King.
Disciple-Maker’s Short Story
The Divine Tension – Sovereignty and Freewill
The little brass bell on the door jingled as Calvin and Owen pushed open the door. The cool air immediately struck their flushed cheeks that were red from walking the streets of the adopted towns of Detroit. The smell of waffle cones, vanilla, and a whisper of fresh brewed coffee filled their nostrils with the aroma of comfort. Wes, their short-term mission coach looked up, smiled and moved to the glass case showing off a parade of flavors. He motioned toward the ice cream with a gesture that said, “I’m buying”. They both slid their backpacks into the cracked leather bond booth and joined Wes at the freezer display. “You guys look like you’ve had a day.” Wes said with a smirk of joy on his face as the two were busy surveying the vast choices before them. The college students had been walking hours in the urban neighborhoods of immigrated muslims, approaching front porches, casual conversations on street corners, along cracked sidewalks lined with tired maples.
Licking the drips of generous helpings of iced sweetness on their cones they both slid into the booth across from Wes. After some chit chat about the humidity and the architecture of the weathered town, Wes started their debrief;
“So, remember the traffic light analogy we used for assessing gospel conversations?”
Both students nodded and Calvin said, “Yeah, Red stands for not interested, yellow for not ready to commit but interested in further discussion, and green for they repented and made a profession of belief in Jesus.”
Owen chimed in, “We certainly didn’t get any of those today! Green lights that is.”
Calvin continued, “We got a lot of red lights though! It was like they saw us coming and were ready with a solid ‘Not Interested!’ We must have run into a couple of dozen like that.”
Wes pressed in, “Any yellow lights?”
Owen holding his forehead with his thumb and index finger massaging away a brain freeze answered, “Well some listened politely and then gave us the ‘Inshallah.'”
Wes raised his eyebrows in a knowing fashion and asked, “Do you know what that means?”
“Yeah, of course.” If God wills. Calvin replied leaning in, elbows sliding forward on the table, and getting quieter as he continued. “Why are Muslims so fatalistic?”
“What do you mean by fatalistic?” questioned Wes.
Calvin thought for a second, “Well you know, they think God is a puppet master and we have no choices.”
Owen interrupted, “But aren’t some Christians fatalistic?”
Wes smiled, “Now that’s a good question, how so?”
Owen’s mouth was half cocked trying to talk through a large bite of waffle cone, “Everything is predetermined. God’s sovereign and we’re just going through the motions.”
Wes nodded thoughtfully, then reached for his worn leather Bible tucked beside him in the booth. The pages fell open easily to a familiar passage, clearly marked with years of study. “Let me read you something from Matthew 22. Jesus is telling a parable about a wedding feast.”
He began reading verses 1-14, his voice steady as he shared the story of the king who invited guests to his son’s wedding, how they refused to come, and how the servants were sent to gather anyone they could find from the streets. When he finished with the sobering words about the man without wedding clothes being cast out, Calvin shifted uncomfortably.
“See?” Owen said, pointing at the Bible. “That guy who got thrown out – he didn’t have a choice! The servants just grabbed him off the street. How was he supposed to know about wedding clothes?”
Calvin frowned, “Yeah, and it says ‘many are called, but few are chosen.’ That sounds pretty fatalistic to me.”
Wes closed the Bible gently and leaned back. “You know, you both just identified what theologians have wrestled with for centuries. It’s what I call the ‘Divine Tension.'”
“Divine Tension?” Calvin asked, his ice cream momentarily forgotten.
“Think about it this way,” Wes said, gesturing with his hands as if he were holding two invisible objects. “In one hand, we have God’s absolute sovereignty – His complete control and foreknowledge. In the other hand, we have human responsibility – our genuine ability to choose and be held accountable for those choices.”
Owen shook his head. “But those can’t both be true. Either God controls everything, or we have real choices.”
“That’s exactly what I used to think,” Wes smiled. “But what if the tension itself is the point? What if God is so magnificently beyond our understanding that He can be completely sovereign while we remain genuinely responsible?”
Calvin leaned forward. “I don’t get it. How does that work?”
Wes paused, watching a family with young children order sundaes at the counter. “Look at that little girl,” he said, nodding toward a four-year-old tugging on her father’s shirt. “She’s genuinely choosing chocolate sauce over caramel. Her choice is real – she’s not being forced. But her father already knew what she’d pick because he knows her heart. He even brought her here, knowing she’d choose chocolate, because he loves her and wants to give her joy.”
“So God knows what we’ll choose because He knows our hearts?” Owen asked.
“It’s deeper than that,” Wes continued. “The father didn’t just know – he arranged the whole scenario because of his love. Similarly, God doesn’t just observe our choices from a distance. He works through circumstances, through His Spirit, through His Word, and through people like you two today on those streets, to draw people to Himself. Yet when someone responds, their faith is genuine. When someone rejects the gospel, their rejection is real.”
Calvin stared at his melting cone. “But what about that guy in the parable without wedding clothes?”
“Great question. The wedding garment represents the righteousness of Christ – it’s what makes us acceptable before a holy God. Everyone who enters God’s kingdom must be clothed in Christ’s righteousness, not their own good works or religious efforts. The man wasn’t thrown out for being poor – he was thrown out because he tried to come before the King in his own filthy rags instead of being clothed with the perfect righteousness that God provides through faith in Jesus.”
Owen was quiet for a moment. “So when our Muslim friends say ‘Inshallah’…”
“They might be expressing humble submission to God’s will,” Wes said. “But they might also be avoiding responsibility for their response to the gospel. The key is discerning which one it is.”
“But how do we know the difference?” Calvin asked.
Wes smiled. “That’s where the art of disciple-making comes in. Sometimes ‘Inshallah’ means ‘I need time to think and pray about this.’ Sometimes it means ‘I’m not interested but don’t want to offend you.’ And sometimes it means ‘I want to believe, but I’m afraid of what it will cost me.'”
The ice cream shop had grown quieter as the afternoon wore on. Wes continued, “The Divine Tension means we preach with urgency because people’s choices matter eternally. But we also preach with confidence because God’s purposes will not be thwarted. We’re not responsible for changing hearts – only for faithfully planting and watering seeds.”
Calvin nodded slowly. “So we don’t have to manipulate people into decisions?”
“Exactly. And we don’t have to despair when they say no. God is working in ways we can’t see. Our job is to be faithful witnesses and trust the results to Him.”
Owen finished his cone and wiped his hands on a napkin. “So the Divine Tension isn’t a problem to solve?”
“It’s a mystery to embrace,” Wes said. “It keeps us humble – we can’t take credit for conversions or blame for rejections. It keeps us dependent on God while taking our role seriously. It prevents both pride and despair.”
As they prepared to leave, Calvin looked back at his mentor. “So tomorrow, when we’re back out there…”
“You’ll preach the gospel with both boldness and humility,” Wes said, gathering his things. “You’ll invite people to make real choices while trusting that God is sovereign over the outcomes. And when someone says ‘Inshallah,’ you’ll listen carefully to discern what they really mean.”
The brass bell jingled again as they stepped back into the Detroit evening, the Divine Tension no longer a theological problem to solve, but a profound truth to live by.
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“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9
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