In the Bible, “many” often denotes a large or significant number, indicating abundance or a multitude of people, as seen in phrases like “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). It can also reflect a qualitative aspect, suggesting a diverse array of experiences or outcomes, such as in Romans 5:19, where many were made sinners through one man’s disobedience.
Scripture
4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.”
5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
Biblical Definitions of “Many”
In the Bible, the term “many” not only signifies a large quantity but also embodies deeper theological and moral implications throughout both the Old and New Testaments. In Matthew 22:14, the statement “For many are called, but few are chosen” serves to illustrate God’s open invitation for all to seek Him while highlighting the tragic reality of rejection among those called. This contrast not only emphasizes the grace that extends to many but also the seriousness of responding to that call. Similarly, in Romans 5:19, the phrase “many were made sinners” through Adam’s disobedience contrasts with the abundant grace that leads to justification through Christ, showing that while sin and rebellion affect many, redemption is also widely accessible.
The broader narrative of “many” reflects a dynamic tension between abundance and selectivity in God’s plan for humanity. Verses like Matthew 7:14, where Jesus mentions that “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few,” further illustrate this dual theme. This notion calls for a painful introspection about the nature of faith, repentance, and the ways of living that align with God’s will. Thus, “many” serves as a reminder both of God’s great mercy and the reality of spiritual responsibility, prompting believers to strive for a relationship with Him amidst a world where the majority may not choose the path of salvation.
The concept of “many” in the Bible is often intertwined with the themes of inclusion and exclusion in the context of divine promise and human response. In the context of God’s covenant with Israel, the term signifies a vast multitude of people called to partake in God’s blessings, yet it also implies a sense of accountability. For instance, in the prophetic literature, when God addresses nations and peoples, the “many” often refers not only to the physical descendants of Abraham but also to those who respond to God’s revelation, indicating that a great number can find favor through faith and obedience. Although God’s chosen people were few, the potential for many to experience His grace is consistently highlighted, urging nations to turn to Him for mercy.
Moreover, as seen in the teachings of Jesus, “many” reflects the expansive nature of the Kingdom of God. In parables, the invitation to the wedding feast (found in the Gospel narratives, such as in the parable of the great banquet) explicitly illustrates God’s heart, as He sends servants into the streets to bring in as many as will come. This not only demonstrates divine inclusivity but also underscores the importance of personal response to that call. The notion that many will ultimately reject this invitation emphasizes the urgency of accepting God’s grace, as the offer is extended widely but not guaranteed to be embraced. The duality inherent in the idea of “many” serves as an essential reminder of God’s desire for communion with humanity while highlighting the serious implications of acceptance versus rejection in the faithful journey.
The Inclusivity of God’s Call
In biblical contexts, “many” often signifies the broad and inclusive nature of God’s invitation to salvation and grace. It reflects the idea that God’s love extends beyond a select few, encompassing a diverse array of people from various backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life. This inclusivity emphasizes that the message of hope and redemption is available to all who choose to respond, highlighting the universal nature of God’s plan for humanity.
The Contrast Between the Few and the Many
The term “many” is frequently used in contrast to “few,” illustrating the distinction between those who accept God’s ways and those who do not. This contrast serves to underscore the challenges of the spiritual journey, where the path to righteousness may be narrow and difficult, while the broader path leads to destruction. This dichotomy invites reflection on the choices individuals make and the consequences of those choices in their spiritual lives.
The Weight of Collective Responsibility
In many instances, “many” conveys a sense of collective responsibility within the community of believers. It suggests that the actions and decisions of a large group can have significant implications for the whole. This understanding encourages believers to consider their influence on one another and the importance of unity and accountability within the faith community, as the spiritual health of “many” can impact the overall mission and witness of the church.
How to Embrace Diversity and Cultivate Abundant Faith
Embracing diversity is a beautiful way to cultivate abundant faith, as it allows us to see the world through the eyes of others and recognize the myriad ways God expresses His love and grace. As you engage with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, remember that each person reflects a unique facet of God’s creation. This not only enriches your understanding of faith but also deepens your compassion and empathy. Take time to listen to their stories, share your own, and find common ground in your shared belief in Christ. By fostering relationships that celebrate our differences, you’ll discover that diversity is not a barrier but a bridge that leads to a more profound and vibrant faith. Let this journey inspire you to love more fully, serve more generously, and grow in your understanding of what it means to be part of the body of Christ, where every member is essential and valued.
Bible References to Definitions of “Many”:
Genesis 22:17-18: 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,
18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Deuteronomy 7:7-9: 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.
Deuteronomy 28:62-63: 62 Whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God.
63 And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you.
Judges 7:2-7: 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.
4 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.”
5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.”
6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water.
7 And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”
1 Kings 4:20-21: 20 Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy.
21 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
Psalm 33:16-17: 16 The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.
Psalm 40:5: 5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.
Psalm 71:15: 15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.
Psalm 104:24-25: 24 O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.
Proverbs 14:28: 28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
Isaiah 2:2-3: 2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,
3 And many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”
Isaiah 60:22: 22 The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the Lord; in its time I will hasten it.
Jeremiah 29:11-14: 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Daniel 12:2-3: 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Matthew 7:13-14: 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Matthew 9:37-38: 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;”
38 Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Matthew 20:16: 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.
Matthew 22:14: 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Mark 10:45: 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Luke 10:2: 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
John 6:9-13: 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.
11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”
13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
Romans 5:15-19: 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.
16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.
17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
Romans 8:29-30: 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
1 Corinthians 10:17: 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14: 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7: 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Hebrews 2:10: 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Hebrews 11:12: 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
Revelation 7:9-10: 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.