Response:
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Thanks for writing.

The verses in question are:

• Matt. 19:30 "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first."

• Matt. 20:16 "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."

• Matt. 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."

• Mark 10:31 "But many that are first shall be last; and the last first."

• Luke 13:30 "And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."

It is important to look at all of them in order to get an idea of what these expressions mean.

Lets look at the context for each. The first two are bookends for the story about the householder who hired men to work for him. I think the context goes back to 19:16 where the rich man refuses to get saved because he loves his possessions too much. Following his story comes Christ's statement that is is hard for any rich man to enter Heaven. Peter then shows his own selfishness by saying, in so many words, "we have surrendered everything, so what's in it for us". Christ responds with promises for those who forsake all, and tells them that those who are last (surrender this world's goods in order to serve God) will ultimately be first (in spiritual and eternal blessings). However, when you go into chapter 20 the Lord seems to rebuke Peter, because He talks about those who were in it for the money (those hired first) and those who were in it because they wanted to serve the land owner and trusted him to give them what was right (those hired last).

In 22:14 we have the end result of a man who wants to come to the wedding, but doesn't want to come the way the king said to come. In the previous verses we have people who have been bidden to a wedding, but when the time comes for it to begin they refuse to attend. According to verse 3 they had been bidden previously in anticipation of the day when the wedding would be held. This context clearly seems to be a reference to Israel. They had been bidden by the prophets to prepare for the day that Christ would come. When He did come, they refused to respond, so the messengers were sent into the highways and hedges (to the Gentiles) to bring others in who were not originally invited. One man tried to come in without a proper garment, which is what the Jews were doing. They wanted to go to Heaven; they wanted the Messiah, but they did not want to come on His terms. Therefore Jesus says,

"For many are called, but few are chosen."

The Jews had been called, but they refused to come God's way, so they were rejected. I think this must be the idea in 20:16 as well. The Jews were in it for what they could get out of it, and hated the Gentiles for coming in. They felt that they deserved more based upon being Jews, yet they were going through their rituals based upon selfishness rather than service. They were willing to throw salvation away because they did not like the way that it was being offered (12-14). They were called, but because of their false beliefs they were not chosen.

Mark 10 is a repeat of Matthew 19.

Luke 13:30 is also a reference to the Jews. The context says,

"There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."

The Patriarchs and the prophets would be in the kingdom. The unbelievingJews would not, but the Gentiles would (from the east, west, etc). Again, those who were called first (Jews), would be last in the kingdom (or out entirely), and those who were called last (Gentiles) would be in the kingdom. Though the expressions isn't used here, I think it would be appropriate to say that those who were called (the Jews), were not chosen because they refused to come God's way.

Hope this gives you something to think about.

By Pastor Dr. Mark Montgomery Email: Ask the Pastor Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210