“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14 NLT . This is Jesus’ conclusion to his Parable of a Great feast, in Matthew 22:14. . Often, this line is understood as putting a positive emphasis on the *chosen few* (I.e., they’re the ones God wants). However, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Jesus is conversing with some Pharisees in the telling of this story, who believed their status at the feast of the Kingdom was about being chosen. Like other religious leaders, they disliked and disagreed with the open commensality of Jesus’ table. And so Jesus tells this parable (along with others) to challenge their idea of how God’s invitation looks. . The host of this feast gracefully invites the *many*, the who-so-ever in this story. It’s the *many* that should be seen as the positive, and the ‘few are chosen’ should be seen as a criticism of holding to ideas of being included, whilst many are excluded. . Maybe the best way to read this verse would be as Jesus saying, “it’s the all-encompassing many that are called by God, very few are ever chosen.” . #Matthew22 #ParableOfTheGreatFeast #Jesus #Grace #Chosen? https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn8y-bjAE6T/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=zm2d0rcovfwk