Q:  What is meant by “outer darkness” where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth”?  What did Jesus mean when He said, “Many are called, but few are chosen”?

A: These verses are at the end of this parable of what the kingdom of heaven is like (beginning at verse 2).  While it is figurative, there are truths to be learned.  In my option, the king is God the Father, and his son, is Jesus, and the “wedding” could have taken place during His earthly ministry, if national Israel would have repented from their evil ways. And the kingdom could have been established then. The leaders and the multitudes of Israel were called, invited to come to the marriage banquet, but they refused, and some treated the king’s servants badly and killed them.

As an aside, I believe these “servants” were the prophets of old who were indeed killed by Israel’s leaders in past years.

The king was so angry when he heard of this, he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. I understand this part as prophetic of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the scattering of many Israelites by the Roman armies under Titus in 70 A.D.

The next verse, 8, describes the wedding feast, which is thousands of years later, because Christ hasn’t come back to establish his kingdom.  Since, those called or invited during Jesus earthly ministry refused, it will be those from the “highways” who are invited and will be given wedding garments.  And doesn’t this match up with what Jesus told the chief priest and elders of the people in Matthew 21:31, “Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you”?

The “wedding garments” could possible represent “garments of righteousness.” I understand they are supplied by the Father. Also, in my option, I can see the banquet being at night in a beautiful lighted banquet hall. Then, when they find the man with no wedding garment, they tie him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. I believe this man represents apostate Jews who will have survived the terrible tribulation, and with no change of heart expect to be sharing in the festivities of wedding banquet.

When Jesus said “many are called but few are chosen,” He meant just that, as this parable illustrates.   During His ministry, He preached to the multitudes, going from town to town, speaking in parables.  But only a small number at that time were chosen. Again, this has to do with the kingdom on earth. 

The message today is for the calling out of the church, the body of Christ, being made up of believing Jews and Gentiles. God foreknows all who are in that body, and whom He foreknows He predestines, and whom He predestines, He calls; and all whom He calls will  believe through hearing the Word, the evangel of our salvation. There will be no “many are called but few are chosen,” because all whom He chooses He calls.