November 21, The Parable of the Great Supper

November 21, The Parable of the Great Supper

The context: Jesus is again eating at the home of a Pharisee. Again, they get into a controversy over Jewish law. Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. Jesus then discusses how people try to sit at the choicest seats at a dinner. He tells them that when they throw a banquet, they should invite the poor, crippled, blind, and lame who cannot pay them back, but they would be repaid in the resurrection.

At this point, someone says, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God” (Luke 14:15). Then Jesus gives this parable.

God is preparing a great banquet for all human kind. God invites us to enter into a personal relationship with Him. In Revelations 3:20, Jesus says that He is knocking at our hearts’ door (really the church door) and, if we hear and open the door, Jesus will come in and eat with us, and we with Him. I believe God invites all. Those who refuse will not get to even taste of God’s banquet. I believe Jesus died for all. All are not saved because we must personally respond to God’s offer of grace. We are not forced.

This parable probably refers more directly to the Jews. They were the original guests at the banquet. Jesus came to them as the Promised Messiah. Most of the Jewish people of Jesus’ time made excuses. Here is John 1:11-12, that beautifully describes the message of this parable. “¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Those not originally invited have become the honored guests.

¹⁶ Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. ¹⁷ At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

   ¹⁸ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

   ¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

   ²⁰ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

   ²¹ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

   ²² “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

   ²³ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. ²⁴ I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”—Luke 14:16-24