Why does Paul refer to only believers as “called” in 1 Cor 1:24?

Why does Paul refer to only believers as “called” in 1 Cor 1:24? In Matthew 22, called (kletos) means “invited” in Christ’s parable of the wedding feast and it’s easy to see why Gentiles, who hadn’t previously been invited, would be exited by their invitation or that the host of a party might refer them as “his invited guests”. What I like about “invited” is it highlights the graciousness and initiative of the host and the newness to the Gentiles, but that alone might not be enough to explain why believers came to be know as “the called”. “Invited” seems to be missing the authority of the call, the group aspect, and the exclusivity.

“Summoned”, like a court summons, is better because it highlights the commanding nature and responsibility to respond. But the group aspect is best brought about as “assembled” or “a convocation” like kletos is used in the LXX for Exodus 12:16 or Leviticus 23:2. A church is an ekklesia or assembly and the root is the same as kletos and they are exclusively God’s people.

In 1 Cor 1:9 the group aspect is depicted as “called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord”, and “called” in verse 24 conveys the same idea. In 1 Cor 1:18 Paul says “to us who are being saved it [the gospel] is the power of God” and in verse 21 he says believers are saved through preaching. Notice Paul’s focus on what the gospel means to those who have already positively responded. The negative response is presented in verse 22, where Paul says Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, which explains why Paul’s preaching is assessed as foolishness by Greeks and becomes a stumbling block to Jews. Conversely, to those called, Paul’s preaching is God’s power and wisdom.

“Those called” is a reference to the group of those who are gathered together to Christ as His church, His covenant people, through the call of the gospel. This understand is the same as Clement of Alexandria who in Stromata, book 1, Chapter 18, when commenting on 1 Cor 1 says: “All having been therefore called, those who are willing to obey have been named "called."” 

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