Who are the many, who the few?

πολλοί γαρ εισιν κλητοί ολίγοι δε εκλεκτοί

For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 22:14

No need to say which English version this short verse comes from in the above quote, as it can hardly be translated any other way. This is the concluding verse of Christ's parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14).

Fr Milovan has an excellent post on the significance of this parable, which I recommend to you heartily—you won't be disappointed—for he touches on many more points than I have usually heard in sermons taken from this passage. I especially appreciate his explanation about the original Greek versus modern English connotations given to the word πολλοὶ, pollí, "many," at the conclusion of the parable,

The word “many”, both in Greek and English, refers to a large group of people. In English, ‘many’ is restrictive while in Greek it is inclusive. This means when we say ‘many of the people came’ in English this would imply that most of them did not. If the same is said in Greek that ‘many of the people came’ it would imply that most of them did. Those that did not come are referred to as “the few”, or the English equivalent which would be “some of them.” In the end, this makes up everyone, for everyone is invited.

Another point he makes is the significance of the wedding garment. He writes,

It’s customary nowadays for the bride to look her best at the wedding, for her to be the center of attention, but in ancient times this wasn’t the case. On the contrary, everyone would wear the same kind of garment. It was this imagery that Christ used to tell the Jews about God’s kingdom.

The image at the top of my post is borrowed from Fr Milovan's. It is a good representation of that ancient Middle Eastern wedding feast where everyone was expected to come in a wedding garment. It's even hard to tell who the bride and groom are, although I think they're probably the couple closest to us viewing the picture.

The Father invites the many to the wedding feast of His Son; we don't invite ourselves. But when we have received the invitation, by whomever is sent to us, we have to make a decision, and we have to act: We must say, "Yes, I am coming," and we must get dressed for the occasion. What does this getting dressed, putting on "the wedding garment" mean?

Again, Fr Milovan doesn't mince words, but follows up with the rightly divided Word. He writes,

The wedding garment is a symbol of true repentance and righteousness which is the only way of salvation. In other words, it is not only listening to God’s word but keeping it which ensures our salvation. Or, as St. Paul says in Romans, “for not the hearers of the law of God are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Romans 2:13).

This, of course, does not mean that we are justified by works of the law, but that being made righteous by faith in Jesus Christ, what issues from us who are now covered by His righteousness is an ever-flowing stream from the life-giving Font within us, which He promises to give everyone who believes in Him,

Anyone who drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again: The water that I shall give will turn into a spring inside him, welling up to eternal life.
John 4:14 Jerusalem Bible

To encourage you to read Fr Milovan's post, Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, I will entice you just a little by quoting the first paragraph, which also touched me deeply,

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.”
(Psalm 116:15)
With these prophetic words the Psalmist David proclaims the truth that God is most visible in His Saints. It is true that the fingerprint of God is visible in all of His creation but it’s in the holy person that we can truly see God. All the other characteristics of God, such as love, mercy, compassion – they are all seen in men. But none like holiness, that one characteristic that only belongs to God. It’s with this seal that the Lamb of God will recognize us, as we read in the Book of Revelation.

Who are the many, and who the few?
Well, thanks be to God that the 'many' are all of us, because our God is good and desires the salvation of all. It is up to us, to take the grace that accompanies His invitation, and say "Yes, Lord!" and then to put on the wedding garment He also gives us, freely—it is Jesus!

όσοι γαρ εις Χριστόν εβαπτίσθητε, Χριστόν ενεδύσασθε

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ
have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:27 KJV