The Parable of the Great Banquet

Luke 14:12-24

In v12-14, Jesus taught them to invite, if they give a luncheon or dinner, the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and to be blessed.

“Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (13)

In v15-24, Jesus taught the parable of the great banquet. v15 indicates this parable is related to the feast in the kingdom of God.

When the servant said to the invited guests, “Come, for everything is now ready.” (17), they all alike began to make excuses such as field, oxen, and marriage, and refused to come (18-20). Some of these excuses were valid reasons for excluded to attend a war (Deuteronomy 20:5-7). However, in the parable, the excuses are unacceptable to the master as the banquet (salvation) was reserved for (Jesus died for) the invited guests, not to mention the feast in the kingdom of God being the celebration of great joy and value (salvation).

As a result, the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant to hurry to bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame from the streets and alleys of the town (21). After this, there was still room. The master asked his servant to fill the house by compelling them to come in from the roads and country lanes.

The owner of the house (God) expects to fill the house (23). Luke emphasized the divine necessity of evangelism in order to fill up the kingdom as well as the assurance that such efforts would succeed [2]. As Fitzmyer [3] observes, “God’s will is not foiled by the rejection of human beings; the places at the kingdom banquet will be filled.”

People in disadvantages/difficulties are more open-minded to the invitation than people who are busy and well off. This teaches why inviting people in difficulties is a better fit for the banquet as also taught in v12-14.

Finally, see what the master said in v24.

“I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”

Here, we can learn that the invited quests who refused were disqualified to attend the banquet. It was of great significance in the reality, where persons foolishly declined God’s gracious offer of salvation [2].

References

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.

[2] Stein, R. H. (1992). Luke (Vol. 24, p. 394). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[3] Fitzmyer, Joseph A. (2008). The Gospel according to Luke X–XXIV (The Anchor Yale Bible | AYB). Yale University Press.