Banquet Etiquette
TRANSLATION
(12) And he also said to the one who had invited him, “When you hold a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your family or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors lest they invite you in turn and you are reciprocated. (13) But when you host a feast, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind, (14) and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
(15) When one of those who was eating with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is the one who will eat a meal in the Kingdom of God.” (16) Then Jesus said to him, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. (17) At the time of the banquet, he sent out his servant to summon those who were invited, ‘Come now, for everything is ready.’ (18) And they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused’ (19) And another said, ‘I have just bought five pair of oxen, and I must go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ (20) And another said, ‘I have just gotten married, so I cannot come.’ (21) The servant returned 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 alleyways of the town and bring back the poor, the disabled, the blind, and the lame.’ (22) The servant then said, ‘Master, I have done what you commanded, yet there still is more room.’ (23) And the master said to his servant, ‘Go out to the highways and byways and compel them to come in so that my house may be filled. (24) For I tell you that none of those invited will taste of my banquet.’”
OBSERVATIONS
The bland comment of one of Jesus’ table companions became the occasion for one of Jesus’ most captivating parables. Several repetitions help us grasp the thrust of his message. We find several occurrences of “servant” and “master” as well as three uses of “banquet” and “invited” (vss. 16, 17, & 24). Three times we encounter “excuses/ed” (vss. 18 & 19).
The comment that prompted Jesus to offer this parable assumed that all those present would be invited to partake in the blessings of God’s future Kingdom. Jesus’ teaching startled everyone by shattering such expectations. With his stark depictions of who would and would not be included in that future banquet, Jesus showed that entrance into the Kingdom of God is by invitation only and will exclude many who assume that they should have been included. No excuse for refusing God’s invitation will be accepted. Shockingly, many unexpected and unsavory guests will take part, “the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame” as well as unclean Gentiles, all who gladly respond to God’s gracious invitation. As on many other occasions, Jesus’ words surprised and shocked his listeners.
OUTLINE
I. Jesus gave instructions regarding whom to invite to a banquet. (12-14)
II. One guest’s thoughtless comment prompted Jesus to respond with a parable regarding…. (15-24)
– those who failed to respond to the initial invitation. (16-21)
– those who were invited to attend as a result. (21-24)
IDEA STATEMENT
In God’s Kingdom, many who expect to be there will be excluded while many who never dreamed of attending will be welcomed.
APPLICATION
Jesus upset those who held preconceived notions with his unexpected and startling declarations. In this case, at the Pharisee’s dinner, he exploded two assumptions that the legalistic Jews of his day held dear, namely, that keeping the law would automatically result in admission to God’s Kingdom and that the Kingdom would be reserved exclusively for God’s chosen people, the Jews. In the first case, Jesus made clear that only those who respond to God’s grace by accepting his invitation would be welcomed. In the second, he taught that invitations to God’s heavenly banquet will be extended to everyone, even to Gentiles who were considered unsavory and disreputable by the legalistic Jews.
Grace is never a comfortable idea, especially for those who take pride in their own achievements and rest secure in their identity as God’s chosen people. The thought that God would throw open the doors and welcome sinners to his banqueting table unnerves those who feel they deserve to be there because they were born into the right families or have worked hard for the privilege by keeping the Law. They find it nearly impossible to grasp what Jesus came to do, to die for the sins of everyone including those who had formerly been excluded and who are now reconciled to him by the gift of his undeserved grace.