Luke 14:16-24 "Then Jesus said to him, 'Someone gave a great dinner and invited many...'"

Then Jesus said to him, “Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.’ Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.’ Another said, ‘I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ And the slave said, ‘Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’ Then the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.’”

Comment:

NOTE: There is no parable of a “great banquet” in Luke 17, which was your request. I believe this is the parable to which you are referring.

Jesus is here sharing in a Sabbath meal at the home of “a leader of the Pharisees” (14:1), and many other Pharisees are observing him carefully, looking for signs of apostasy or a violation of Sabbath laws. These were people who considered themselves the most worthy of God’s favor, and were quick to judge others as unworthy.  Jesus’ parable is therefore especially pointed at them, and the attitude they share. The “great banquet” is the new consciousness Jesus describes as “the kingdom of heaven.” It is all prepared and waiting. The invitation to the kingdom goes first to those most focused on God—those who at least claim to be doing God’s will in their lives. But many of those are too distracted with the opportunities and challenges of the human experience—including obedience to both religious and societal laws that have no basis in spiritual truth. All the excuses Luke cites are valid in obedience to human laws, but all cause us to delay our coming to the banquet. Accordingly, the invitation goes out wider, and then wider again. The only requirement for the kingdom is to hear the invitation, and to accept it. The Presence of God is available and welcoming for all those who choose to receive it.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed