Knowing The Word in Luke 14:12-24

The Parable of the Great Banquet

14:12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

Comments

Jesus taught there is no generosity in giving to people who could make a recompense. Jesus exemplified giving to the poor, crippled, lame, and blind in his healing and teaching ministry. Unlike the Pharisees, he looked for the outsiders on the periphery of society. The recompense Jesus pointed to, however, was eternal life with God. In this situation, we should see ourselves as the poor, crippled, lame, and blind in comparison to a perfect God, who invites us into an eternal banquet with him.

With the mention of “the resurrection of the just,” one man made a pious remark, but was he sincere? This led Jesus to tell another parable about people invited to a banquet who were too busy and missed the offer of eternal life. This story emphasized the truth that people are saved not by their own works but by responding to God’s invitation. God’s invitation had gone out through the prophets. Now the second invitation was being given by Jesus. When the religious elite refused, the Church is to bring in those within the city (the Jews) and those outside in the “highways and hedges” (the Gentiles). On a somber note, Jesus explained there will be no second chance at accepting the invitation: “none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.”

Application

Too often we the Church forget that we exist for the sake of others. It is not that we do not have needs—we are needy sinners as well—but we have come into a relationship with the Savior of the world. We are in the banquet, and there are others who need to be invited as well. Who do you know who could use an invitation today? If you had a party for the poor, lame, and blind, who would you invite?

Prayer

Father, thank you for inviting me to the banquet. As I partake of the great feast you offer me, open my eyes to others—the poor, lame, and blind—whom you love and want me to invite to sit at table with me. Let me be your servant in the streets and lanes, the highways and hedges, and even on the boulevard.