And here the Parable closes with the general statement, applicable alike to the first part of the Parable - to the first invited guests, Israel - and to the second, the guests from all the world: For' (this is the meaning of the whole Parable) many are called, but few chosen.' [5349] For the understanding of these words we have to keep in view that, logically, the two clauses must be supplemented by the same words. Thus, the verse would read: Many are called out of the world by God to partake of the Gospel-feast, but few out of the world - not, out of the called - are chosen by God to partake of it. The call to the feast and the choice for the feast are not identical. The call comes to all; but it may outwardly accepted, and a man may sit down to the feast, and yet he may not be chosen to partake of the feast, because he has not the wedding-garment of converting, sanctifying grace. And so one may be thrust from the marriage-board into the darkness without, with its sorrow and anguish.
Thus, side by side, yet wide apart, are these two - God's call and God's choice. The connecting-link between them is the taking of the wedding-garment, freely given in the Palace. Yet, we must seek it, ask it, put it on. And so here also, we have, side by side, God's gift and man's activity. And still, to all time, and to all men, alike in its warning, teaching, and blessing, it is true: Many are called, but few are chosen!' __________________________________________________________________
[5286] St. Matt. xxiv. 1. St. Luke xxi. 37.
[5287] St. Matt. xix. 30-xx. 16.
[5288] St. Matt. xix. 23, 24.
[5289] St. Matt. xx. 15.
[5290] Instead of discussing the explanations of others, I prefer simply to expound that which I have to propose. The difficulties of the usual interpretations are so great that a fresh study seemed requisite. Our interpretation turns on this, that the Parable is only an illustration of what is said in St. Matt. xix. 30.
[5291] St. Matt. xx. 1.
[5292] In Rome, at the time of Cicero, a day-labourer received 12 as =about 6d. - that is, rather less than in Judæa (comp. Marquardt, Röm. Alterth. vol. v. p. 52).
[5293] St. Luke xiii. 30.
[5294] The word idle' in the second clause of ver. 6 is spurious, though it may, of course, be supplied from the fourth clause.
[5295] The last clause in our T. R. and A. V. is spurious, though perhaps such a promise was understood.
[5296] I prefer not rendering with Meyer and the R.V. poesan, viz., ran, by spent,' but taking the verb as the Hebrew {hebrew} = wrought.' And the first labourers could not have meant, that the last had spent,' not wrought,' an hour. This were a gratuitous imputation to them of malevolence and calumny.
[5297] Rom. iv. 4-6; xi. 6.
[5298] Rom. xi.
[5299] Rom. ii.; iii. 28-31; ix. 18-24.
[5300] Rom. xi. 11-18.
[5301] The clause which follows in our A.V. is spurious.
[5302] St. Matt. xix. 30.
[5303] Badha Mets. 87 a, towards the end.
[5304] Some interesting illustrations of secondary importance, and therefore not here introduced, may be found at the close of Badha Mets. 83 a and the beginning of b.
[5305] Eccl. v. 12.
[5306] Midr. on Eccl. v. 11; Jer. Ber. ii. 8.
[5307] Ex. xx. 12.
[5308] Deut. xxii. 7.
[5309] Debar. R. 6 on Deut. xxii. 6.
[5310] See, for example, Ber. 5 a and b, but especially 7 a.
[5311] St. Matt. xxi. 28-32.
[5312] The word is not the same as that for repent' in St. Matt. iii. 2. The latter referes to a change of heart, and means something spiritual. The word used in the text means only a change of mind and purpose. It occurs besides in St. Matt. xxvii. 3; 2 Cor. vii. 8; Heb. vii. 21.