What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)?

Teachings such as these moved someone to ejaculate, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." This was said very probably under the impression that entrance into the kingdom was a matter of great difficulty, and the one to eat bread there must be a particularly fortunate person. This remark led the Lord to give the parable of the "great supper," in which He showed that the door into the kingdom is to be opened to all, and that if any do not enter it is their own fault. In this parable there is a prophetic element; that is, the Lord looked forward and spoke of things which have their fulfilment in the day in which we live. It is pre-eminently the parable of the Gospel.

A guest spoke of the blessedness of one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God. He had in mind the future glory of the kingdom, but did not realize that the kingdom had a present, vital, moral form that was not appreciated by the Jews, and the invitations to that great supper were being given at that very time, for the true King was present in lowly grace, yet many were excusing themselves.

v.16-24The parable in Luke 10 follows the comments by the lawyer; the parable of the two debtors in chapter 7 was a reply to the thoughts of Simon, and the parable we are now considering is a complete exposure of the condition of the men who were sitting at the feast. Against these different backgrounds the Lord is bringing to light the attitude of God in grace.

v.15In verse 15 we read, "And when one of them that sat at meat with Him heard these things, he said unto Him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God". A perfectly right statement, suggesting that something of the blessedness of the Lord's words had been brought home to him.

v.15Doubtless the only aspect of the kingdom this man could have contemplated was the kingdom according to prophecy as under the sway of God's Anointed, in what we understand to be the world-to-come; a time when the will of God will be manifestly supreme.

One of the guests interposing with the remark: "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God," the Saviour gave utterance to the parable of the Great Supper, wherein is shown that, however eager men may be for the best seats at feasts provided by their fellows, when God spreads a feast they want no place whatever, but pray to be excused.

v.15It is remarkable that one of them that sat at meat should have raised the matter of the kingdom of God. Perhaps some little light of what the Lord was showing had entered his mind, hence his rather apt remark.

Parable of the Supper. — The resurrection of the just, then, is closely connected with, but precedes the establishment of the kingdom of God in power and in display, for all that class will reign with the Lord for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4). So one of the company, carried on in thought by the Lord's words, exclaimed, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" (Luke 14:15). True indeed. But who will share in that is the important question, and in such a matter it will not do to rest in generalities. Nor would God leave any one to rest satisfied with such. So the Lord forthwith spake a parable to warn the company against shutting themselves out from blessing. For, if excluded, it would be by their own act. "A certain man," we read, "made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready." The Son of God was here opening up to men the desire and purpose of God. A great supper, and many bidden, tells of the largeness of God's heart. Sending the servant to say all things were ready, speaks of the desire to welcome and make glad those who were invited, and that not only in the fullest but in the most free way. All was ready. The invited guests had only to show their willingness, and come. That they would not do. Excuses were sent by each one, as being preoccupied in temporal concerns. Now, there was nothing sinful in the occupation of any of them. It was not wrong to buy a field or yokes of oxen, and to wish to examine the purchase. It was in perfect accord, too, with the Divine provision for the creature's earthly happiness, that a man should marry, and care for his wife. But the urging these pleas as valid excuses for not responding to a previously given invitation, indicated their unwillingness to share in the great supper to which they had been invited. They were indifferent to the desires, and to the favour of the master of the feast. So the servant had to return, and to give an account of his fruitless errand. The oxen, the field, were more to their purchasers than the invitation which they now openly slighted. They had no heart to respond to the favour offered them.

On some one crying out, What a blessed thing it must be to eat bread in the kingdom of God! the Lord shews the fact to be quite the contrary. For what is it that the Lord has been doing ever since? He is inviting men to eat bread, as it were, in His kingdom. But how do they treat the invitation of grace in the gospel? "A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse." Difference is observable. In Luke there is the omission of Matthew's first message. But, besides that, the excuses are gone into individually. One person says, "I have bought a piece of ground," which he must go and see; another man says he has bought five yoke of oxen, which he has to prove; another says he has married a wife, and on this account he cannot come. That is, we have the various decent plausible reasons that man gives for not submitting to the righteousness of God, for delaying his acceptance of the grace of God. So the servant comes and reports to his lord, who thereupon, being angry, says, "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room." Thus the persistence of grace, spite of just displeasure, is a characteristic and beautiful feature of this Gospel. The lord sent his servant thereupon to the highways and hedges (or enclosures), compelling them to come in, that, as it is said, "my house may be filled." Of this we hear nothing in Mark and Matthew. Indeed, Matthew gives us quite a different aspect from that which we have here. There the king is seen sending forth his armies, and burning up the city. How marvellous the wisdom of God, both in what He inserts, and in what He leaves out! Matthew adds also the judgment of the robeless guest at the end — the man who had intruded, trusting to his work, or to any or all ordinances, or to both, but who had not put on Christ. This was peculiarly in its place, because this Gospel attests the dealings of grace which would take the place of Judaism, both externally and internally.

(4) Now, when one of those at table hears these things, his heart is stirred to say that he is indeed blessed who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God: to which the Lord replies by a parable, to the effect that men do not think so, but when God opens to them the provision of His house, the invited guests begin all to make excuse. Their possessions, the relations upon which they have entered, these in themselves not evil, are made excuses for turning the back upon that to which as Israelites they had been invited, and where indeed they claimed to have a place. The Kingdom long looked for had come nigh at last, the blessed. Servant of Jehovah had appeared, to make known to the guests that the appointed time was arrived, and all things were now ready. Nothing needed but to come and partake of the free bounty of God, — of a grace which required nothing but man's acceptance of it.

The parable commencing at verse 16 is not only an answer to the man's assertion but a word, without doubt, to everyone at that table. "A certain man made a great supper, and bade many". We can see that what we have here is a picture of the gospel going out to men. We have remarked that the Lord's movements, in Luke 10:33, involved the work upon the cross and now we have the testimony in relation to that finished work. What we have here in parable form actually took place as recorded in the book of the Acts.

v.16Why in Matthew do we have a king making a supper for his son, whilst here it is "a certain man"?

The Lord then says, as it were, to this man, "I will test you. You say, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread" etc. I will see whether you are in earnest. "A certain man made a great supper and bade many." The "certain man" is God. Mark the word great: it is not merely a supper, but "a great supper" — great because of the elements included in the supper, great because of the One who spreads it, great because of the wondrous grace that spread it for those who, alas! would only slight and despise it.

Why is it a supper? No doubt the Lord meant here the blessed Gospel, that love of God which is travelling out now to sinners, and pressing on them that which he gives — eternal life through the Saviour's precious name. There is something peculiarly interesting in its being supper — not breakfast, nor dinner, but supper. Which meal is that? The last meal in the day. I understand therefore that this is the last dealing of God in grace towards man; the Gospel now preached is the very last dealing of God in grace with man: the next dealing will be the midnight of judgment.

Every Israelite was invited first to the great gospel supper of the grace of God, fully prepared and freely offered. But all made excuses. One said he had bought a piece of ground, and it was necessary for him to see it. He made it clear that his property meant more to him than the friendship of the host. But the supper was at a set time: he could see his property at any time. Similarly, another had bought five yoke of oxen and excused himself because he wanted to try them out. Israel had more regard for their land and possessions than for the personal invitation of the King to eat bread in the kingdom of God. Another did not even ask to be excused, but said it was impossible for him to come because he had married a wife. What kind of a wife had he married? Was she so opposed to the host that she would not permit her husband to accept his invitation? Had Israel made such unholy associations? Gentiles today make similar excuses, and continue to incur the anger of the Master of the house, for they are insults to Him who has acted in marvelous grace and kindness toward mankind, seeking their blessing and their fellowship.

"And all" (says the Lord Jesus) "without exception began to excuse themselves." No doubt these were the Jews — the persons who were bidden. "The first said unto him, I have bought land and I must go out and see it; I pray thee hold me for excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee hold me for excused." Not that these things were in themselves wrong; they are the ordinary duties of men. It is not a person who is too drunk to come, or one living in misery in consequence of his grossness, like the prodigal son; but these might be decent, respectable men. They were engrossed in their own things, they had no time for the supper of grace. God invited them, having prepared all things for them; but they were each so preoccupied that none had heart or care for God's invitation. Is not this a true picture of the condition of man — yea, of man who has the Bible, of Christendom no less than Judea? It is an unbelieving excuse founded on alleged duties, certainly on present material interests. But what blindness! Does eternity raise no questions? Not to speak of judgment and its awful issues, has heaven no interest in man's eyes? If Christ or God be nothing, is it nothing to be lost or to be saved?

The Great Supper is an attractive presentation of the grace of God as revealed in the Gospel. The first invited guests were the religious mass in Israel. To them the Saviour first showed Himself with tenderest overtures of love. "And they all with one consent began to make excuse." The character of the excuses show that the blessings of God may be used to exclude God Himself from the affections. Such possessions as ground and oxen, and above all a wife, are good gifts from God to men. That these should turn the heart away from, rather than to, God, only proves how evil the human heart is. There is, moreover, glaring absurdity in the excuses given. Those who had bought property and oxen, having concluded their bargains, could well wait until the next day in order to see and prove what they had purchased. There was nothing in the circumstances to hinder their presence at the supper if their hearts really desired to be there.

"A certain man made a great supper and bade many." The cost and labour was his; the benefit was to be conferred upon many. Those first invited were people who were already possessed of something — a piece of ground, oxen, a wife. These represent the Jews with their religious leaders in the land, who first heard the message. Taken as a whole they refused the invitation, and it was the religious privileges they already possessed that blinded them to the value of the Gospel offer.

God's grace is attractively expressed. The Lord Jesus likens it to a great supper well furnished. Nothing is lacking; all that is good is provided by bounteous hand. His principle ever is, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." In the interpretation of the parable, I suppose the first invited guests were the Jewish leaders. But their hearts were in the world, there was no taste for God and His Christ. The field, the oxen, and the wife furnished excuses ready to hand. If the world is in the heart, whatever form it may take (and the world has many forms), there is no room for Christ. We should remember that the things that were put forward in this way were really the temporal blessings pertaining to the Jewish calling. So treacherous is the natural heart that it is possible for the very blessings of God to supplant Him in the affections, indeed to shut Him out altogether.

The indifference of the invited guests thus unmistakably manifested, the feelings of the master of the feast are made known. He was angry — who could wonder? Who would not justify him? But was he to be deprived of his joy of having his table furnished with guests? No; if those first called slighted the offer, others should have the opportunity of sharing in the feast. So he said to his servant, "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the blind, and the lame"; the same classes, it will be observed, as were spoken of in verse 13, but to be applied here in a moral sense. It was done: such were gathered in. Then the servant returned to his master and reported the carrying out of his commands. "Lord [or, Sir], what," as we should read, "thou didst command is done, and yet there is room. And the lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled" (vers. 21-23).

When their refusal was reported by the servant, the master is represented as "being angry." In Hebrews 10:28-29, the doing of "despite to the Spirit of grace" is said to be worthy of "sorer punishment" than the despising of Moses' law. What we have here is in keeping with that. The anger of the master did indeed mean that none of those who thus despised his invitation should taste of his supper, as verse 24 states, yet it did not shut up his bowels of kindness. The servant was the rather bidden to go out quickly and gather in the poor and needy — those most disqualified from a human standpoint.

But these were to be gathered from "the streets and lanes of the city;" so they represent, we judge, the poor and afflicted and undeserving of Israel — the publicans and sinners, as contrasted with the scribes and Pharisees. The Lord Himself was now turning to these, and amongst such the work continued into the days recorded in the earlier chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. Then the moment arrived when the invitation had been fully declared amongst them, and though many responded, the happy announcement was made by the servant, "Yet there is room."

Being thus affronted by those he had invited, the master of the house sent his servant into the streets and lanes of the city, with orders to bring in the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind. These represent the moral outcasts of Israel — the publicans and the harlots, concerning whom the Saviour once said to His religious hearers, "they go into the Kingdom of God before you" (Matt. 21:31).

The second class, to whom the Master sent the invitation, were those who were poor and helpless, in the streets and lanes of the city — the right class to value kindness from others. When brought to see and feel our need, and our utter helplessness, such as are here pictured before us, the kindness that offers to meet all our need, will be welcomed and appreciated. And what a picture the Lord here draws of man's spiritual condition! Poor, maimed, halt, blind. In poverty, and without hands to work, or feet to walk, or eyes to see. Oh, what a condition! What but the pure grace of God in the Gospel of His Son can meet such a state of things? It is not enough merely to open a place in a locality, and announce that there will be preaching. If grace be at work, it will do much more, knowing the soul's deep necessities. The neighbourhood must be visited, the streets and the lanes searched, that the spiritually destitute may be found out, an invitation given with beseeching earnestness, and, if possible, brought, it may be, in the first place, to where the Gospel is preached, but with the one object of their being brought to Christ, that they may, ere long, fill the house of the Lord, and dwell with Him for ever. "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city," is the Master's own most urgent command.

138 In verse 21 the Lord turns to "the poor of the flock," those who have no yoke of oxen, and are glad of the feast. The priests and chiefs of the Jews had the first invitation, but, they rejecting it, the Master of the house sends out into the streets and lanes of the city, to bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind of the people. Still the house is not filled; and then He sends outside the city, into the highways and hedges, and compels them to come in, that the house may be filled. These are the Gentiles. In this Gospel the poor of the flock and the Gentiles are distinguished from each other. But in Matthew, whose aim is Jewish, there is no mention made of both classes as distinct. "The wedding was furnished with guests" includes the Gentiles, gathered in after the Jews are brought into the blessing. Then mark the lowliness of the servant and the patient grace of the Master; that goes right on to the end. He cannot rest till He gets His house filled with guests.

Again, "The bondman came up and brought back word of these things to his lord. Then the master of the house in anger said to his bondman, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring here the poor and crippled, and blind, and lame."374 Such is the urgent message of grace, when the proud refuse and God presses it on the most despised. Still we have before us the streets and lanes of the city. I think the Lord had Jerusalem as yet in view, though not put forward distinctly. At any rate, it was that which was orderly and settled in the world: only the despised and the wretched are now the express objects of the invitation. The busy great had slighted it; the lawyers and scribes, the teachers and Pharisees, were indifferent if not opposed. Henceforth it became a question of publicans and sinners, or anybody that was willing, however wretched. "And the bondman said, Sir, it is done as thou hast commanded, and there is still room." Then comes a third message. "The lord said to the bondman, Go out into the ways and fences, and compel to come in, that my house may be filled." Thus we have the clear progress of the Gospel among the Gentiles; and this too with the strong earnestness of Divine mercy.375 "For I say unto you, that not one of those men who were invited" (none of those who had the promises, but trifled with them when they were accomplished) "shall taste of my supper." "The": so Edd. following ℵABD, etc., 1, 69, Old Lat. Memph. Aeth. Arm. EXΓΔ, etc., Syrr. have "that."

But this was not sufficient; accordingly the servant was instructed to "go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." The servant referred to in this parable is the Holy Spirit of God, Who has graciously made it His business to reach men with the glad tidings of divine goodness and love. The highway and hedge folk are the Gentiles, to whom the Gospel of God is now being proclaimed, Israel having definitely refused it. As Peter put it to his Jewish audience on the day of Pentecost: "The promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39)

But even this effort did not fill the Master's house (v.22), so the message was sent outside the city to the highways and hedges, for the gospel is not to be fenced in, but now is broadcast to welcome Gentiles, that is, the whole world. Also it is added here, "compel them to come in." Only the Spirit of God can compel people, which He does by the sweet compulsion of God's love, for He is the Servant in this parable.

v.23This led to an extension of the kindly invitation. Still the word is "Go out," and now the poor derelicts of the highways and hedges, outside the bounds of the city, are to be brought in, to fill the house. This pictures the going forth of the Gospel to the Gentiles. It carries us to the end of Acts, where we have Paul saying, "The salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and … they will hear it."

God will not be frustrated, and if those to whom the invitation was first given refused it, He has assured that there will be a company that will appreciate and enjoy the celebration of His grace. After the Lord rose from among the dead, God sent out His servants to those who were despised of men, “the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind,” and many accepted His invitation. As there was still room at His table, God sent His servants to invite the Gentiles, those in “the highways and hedges,” to come to the feast, compelling them by the preaching of His Gospel to accept His invitation.

This parable is perfectly plain to us who live in gospel times. The leaders and teachers in Israel, answering to those first invited, refused as a class the offer of grace. The common people then, as we see in Acts 3 — v., received it; those, as it were, in the streets and lanes of the city. After that those outside the city, i.e. outside Judaism — Gentiles — were to be called. They would come, and God's desire should be fulfilled: the house should be filled. God's purposes in grace were thus unfolded, both what He was then doing, and that which He would do, and still does. And wherever the Apostle Paul worked, the order marked in this parable was adhered to. To the Jew first he went and then to the Gentile (Acts 13:46; 28:23-28). But more, whilst announcing the character of that which was going forward — viz. a free invitation on the part of God to share in everlasting blessing (for the feast is not viewed as coming to an end) — the danger of trifling with and neglecting the grace of God is set forth in plain language: "I say to you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of My supper" (ver. 24). Grace excludes none. Those finally shut out only reap the fruit of their own ways. We seem to pass here from the lord of the feast to the Lord Himself. These words are addressed, it would appear, not to the servant but to the company.

To those who were much engaged with their own earthly interests, and so had little relish for a heavenly feast. A piece of ground, five yoke of oxen, domestic duties, were more to them than the rich provisions of grace. These things, though right and lawful in themselves so filled their hearts, as to lead them to slight and neglect heavenly things, and thereby proved their eternal ruin. The king at last most solemnly declares of all such, "that none of those men who were bidden shall taste of my supper." They were not condemned, observe, for having, or for attending to these things, but because they were satisfied with them, cared nothing for the provisions of grace, and so refused the invitation to the "great supper." But grace, though disregarded by such, flows on to others.

"Servants" in Matthew 22:9 are told only to invite, not to compel, for the servants are believers whom the Lord sends to proclaim the gospel of His grace. But the solemn word is given from the Master that those who were first invited would not taste of His supper. Those who claimed be looking for the kingdom would not enter it, for they despised the kindness of the King Himself.

The solemn thing in this parable is that it is the one who provided the supper who is angry, not the servant who carried the invitations, but it did not hinder the feast, God does not close the door.

What a story! Man prefers his farm or merchandise to God’s bright courts of joy. Doubtless this was literally fulfilled in the history of the Jews. But what of the gracious Host? Does this rude reception chill His heart is the door for ever barred against wicked man? Ah no! with loving hand you festal door is flung wide open. All are invited. The vilest is welcomed. The wedding is furnished with guests.