Called and Chosen
By Anthony Casperson
8-23-25

When it comes to regularly used storytelling conventions, the hero’s journey is among the more divisive tropes. People either love the idea of a Chosen One narrative, or they hate it. Some enjoy the idea of a normal, everyday person rising to the occasion as they’re called to greatness by some powerful external force. But others find the whole thing as cliché and boring.

If you’ve read many of these blogs, you likely know that I am one of the former types. While I don’t staunchly hold to being a hero’s journey apologist, I have a pull toward stories where the protagonist steps into the role of the Chosen One.

Because of that fact, I enjoy looking at discussions surrounding this storytelling trope. And there are many intriguing theories—among those who find comfort in Chosen One stories—as to how this whole Chosen One thing works in the narrative setting. One of which is that there are many individuals in the fictional world who could fulfill the various prophecies surrounding that promised person, but the reason why this specific character becomes the Chosen One is because they’re the one who stepped up into the role. Or at least, found themselves thrown into it.

Thus, the Chosen One is merely the one among many possible called ones who actually became Chosen.

For instance, there’s a theory within the Harry Potter fandom which proposes that Neville Longbottom was a second option for the prophecy predicting the Chosen One who would face off against Voldemort. Neville fulfills every part of the prophecy except one. Voldemort didn’t consider Neville his equal. Thus, it was the very fact that Voldemort chose to attack Harry’s parents instead of Neville’s that made Harry the Chosen One instead of Neville.

Both were called, but only Harry was chosen.

While this theory about multiple called ones who could become the Chosen One doesn’t work for every Chosen One story, I think that the theory helps us understand Jesus’ parable for this week in our series, “Mysteries of the Kingdom.”

In the context of the passage for this week, Matthew 22:1-14, we find ourselves immediately after last week’s passage. It’s still Tuesday morning of the week that Jesus will be crucified. The chief priests and elders of the Israelites had come to question Jesus. He’d told them that it’s better to eventually obey the will of the Father than to merely give lipservice to obedience, like these leaders of the people were doing. As well, Jesus had told them that those who work the vineyard of the landowner would be removed if they refused to give him his due. The vineyard would then be given to others.

To this same crowd, Jesus unloads another parable. This time, it’s about those who are called and those who are chosen. And Jesus begins by comparing the Kingdom of God to this story. He’s revealing part of the truth about the Kingdom, and thus, we should lean in to grasp what he’s talking about.

In verses 2-6, Jesus sets up the story. A king had a son who was about to wed. The magnificent feast simmered close to ready. And the king had sent out invitations to many. But right when the call went out that today is the day, the called ones refused to come. Some went to their daily work as if nothing was happening. Others despised the call so much that they mistreated, abused, and killed the servants of the king who came to gather the called ones. (That part about killing the servants reminds us very much of the previous parable, and should make us consider that Jesus intended this connection.)

Understandably, when the king heard that those he’d called were continuing to disregard him, his anger surged. Verse 7 even points out that the king sent his soldiers to kill the called ones who despised his summons, and burn their city.

Then, because the king was about to have a wedding feast without any guests, he sent his servants to the street corners and main thoroughfares to call out for any who would attend. Any who would answer the call and become chosen.

All who were willing to answer the call were welcomed. The well-loved and the outcast. The pillars of society and the beggars on the street corners. The righteous and the “sinners.” They all filled the feast hall. And they were all accepted.

Each of them except for one man. Verse 11 tells us that when the king entered the hall, he noticed a man who had not put on the wedding feast clothes that the king had provided. This man had been called, but like the originally invited guests, he’d refused to clothe himself in the raiment of the chosen.

Called, but unwilling to accept the actions of the chosen.

Thus, the king treated this man with the same type of ire that he’d treated the original guests. The king had the man removed and cast into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Separate from the kingdom and sent to eternal damnation.

Jesus ends the parable with his primary point, “many are called, but few are chosen.”

God sends out invitations to many people—every one of us who are created in his image, I believe—but to be called is not enough. We must answer that call and also clothe ourselves in the holiness that our King provides for us. We must step into the role of a Chosen One, lest we fail that call and end up separate from the kingdom.

Every one of us has a call from God to join him. Some of us think that we have better things to do. Some are totally antagonistic to the kingdom, wishing its demise. And some wish to accept the call, but only on our own terms, if we get to decide what is holy and what is not. But none of those people will find themselves in the kingdom.

It’s only those who accept the call and clothe themselves in the truth of God’s holiness—that he provides us—who will find ourselves welcomed to the feast hall of the kingdom.

The good news is that it doesn’t matter who we are or what we looked like to start with, we are welcome to his kingdom. We could be among the spiritual and political elite, we could be among those despised by our culture, or we could be anywhere in between. The King will accept us.

But the important part of the last bit of the parable reminds us that we cannot remain as we were when called. We must clothe ourselves in the holiness of God. To step into our Chosen One status, we must willingly accept the ways of God. We must choose to act in the manner stated by God—by the powerful external force—in order to move from called one to Chosen One.

In this story of life, there are many who have been called to greatness. But only a small number will rise to become a Chosen One. So, the question is, will you choose to attend the wedding, clothed in the holiness provided? Or will you refuse that call? Will the story follow you as Chosen One? Or will you become nothing but a background character of the story?

The invitation has been sent to you. Will you answer the call? Will you live in light of the truth of God? Will you feast in the hall of the Kingdom of God? Or will you make excuse after excuse, refusing to come?

Called or Chosen? You are the first, will you become the latter? It’s your choice.