Jesus accepted the invitation to eat in the home of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath. While there, he was carefully watched, probably in order to find fault. Jesus was moved with compassion to heal a man with dropsy (swelling of the arms and legs--Today's English Version). Noticing that guests were seeking places of honor, Jesus gave a lesson on humility. Then Jesus gave advice to his host: "When you prepare a meal, don't just invite people who can pay you back. Invite poor people, and you will be repaid at the resurrection of the justified." (Paraphrase). When someone at the table with him heard this, he said, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." (A reference to the Messianic banquet--Barclay, DAILY STUDY
BIBLE SERIES, LUKE, pp. 198 ff.). His statement precipitated Jesus' Parable of The Great Banquet. The Parable of the Great Banquet is found only in Luke 14:15-24.
The Story
When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet
he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, `Come, for everything is now ready.' "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.' "Another said, `I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' "Still another said, `I just got married, so I can't come.' "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.' "`Sir,' the servant said, `what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' "Then the master told his servant,
`Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'" (Luke 14:15-24, New International Version).
The Interpretation
The characters and symbols of the story and the persons and things that they represent in reality are:
1. Banquet Host God
2. Servant Jesus and Prophets
3. Guests Invited First Jews
4. Guests Invited Second Tax Gatherers and Sinners
5. Guests Invited Third Gentiles
6. The Banquet Messianic Banquet/Salvation
(Adapted from Barclay, DAILY STUDY BIBLE SERIES, LUKE
pp. 198 ff.).
Here is an outline of the parable:
1. THE CALL. "Come, for everything is now ready." The original call for reconciliation with God went out to the
Jews. The Jewish leaders and much of Israel "sold their souls" for a pittance, instead of accepting their Messiah.
Not only did the Jews reject the Christ, but most of the Gentile world has also, choosing to believe the lie of the
deceiver.
2. THE CANCELLATIONS. "Please excuse me." Note that the invited guests allowed things that are not sinful in
themselves to keep them from the banquet. However the legitimate concerns became sinful, because they were made
into idols--they were placed before God. (Trench, NOTES ON THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD, p. 128). Here are the excuses categorized:
2.1 Possessions--"I have just bought a field."
2.2 Pride--"I have just bought five yoke of oxen."
(Today, this could be a new car, boat, home.)
2.3 Passions--"I just got married."
Satan baits his hook with the above human bait. He catches many. However, it is not too late for the fish to "spit out
the hook!"
3. THE CANVASSING. "Go out...and make them come in." When the Jewish leaders rejected Christ, the invitation went out
to tax gatherers and sinners. This group readily acknowledged that they were sinners and saw their need for the Savior. The religious leaders had so rationalized their hypocrisy that they did not see themselves as sinners--a very sad and tragic condition. However, even these can be saved:
And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26, New International Version).
The third group to receive the invitation were the Gentiles. However, God has not written off the Jews, as we have noted
earlier in this book. Earle abstracts four very important truths from this parable (Turnbull, Gen. ed., PROCLAIMING THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, by Ralph Earle, p. 64):
1. Every person is free to accept or reject God's call.
2. Not everyone accepts God's call.
3. The lost are lost because they reject Christ, not
because of an arbitrary Choice of God.
4. We have a basis for strong, aggressive evangelism,
based on love.
Central Truth
GOD WANTS EVERYONE TO BE SAVED.
Conclusion
Since it is the heart cry of our Heavenly Father that everyone accept his Son and be saved, we must be about our
Father's business of evangelism.
END