Parable of the banquet

Study of John 14:15-24

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!” But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.  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.’  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.’  And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’  And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’  

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.’  And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’  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.  For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

Luke 14:15‭-‬24 ESV

Understanding that Jesus has been talking about the kingdom of God on the parable of the wedding feast and especially Jesus mentioned the 'resurrection of the just', one of the guests said “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

The man probably assumed he and the others in attendance would be included in the kingdom of God as it is commonly believed that only Jews will be feasting in God's kingdom at the resurrection. Jesus then told another parable where a man prepared a banquet and invited many.

Because a banquet is costly and requires much preparation, guests would be sent invitations way before the banquet so the host would know how many animals they would kill to prepare the food. They don't have refrigeration that time so they just prepare enough according to how many guests said would come. Then on the day of the banquet another messenger is sent to those who accepted the invitation to tell them everything is ready and they should come now. But suddenly they all began to make excuses, not legitimate reasons like emergencies. 

One said ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ But nobody buys a field that he has not yet seen (except maybe him). And even if it's true, the field won't go anywhere since he already bought it, he can go another day to see it. Same goes to the second who said 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ Again, nobody buys oxen he hasn't test driven yet (except him). And even if it's true, he can examine the oxen another time.

Then another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’  Weddings are usually week long celebrations and also need so much pre-planning and preparation. If he knew that the date of the banquet would conflict with his wedding he shouldn't have accepted the invitation in the first place. And again the wife wouldn't go away if he goes to the banquet, they are already married for a lifetime.

The master was understandably angry, his banquet will be boycotted and he will be greatly humiliated and laughed at as all the food they prepared will be wasted. So he sent his servants to call the outcasts of society-- the poor and crippled and blind and lame, to come to his banquet instead. And when there is much room for more, he commanded his servants to go even farther and compel people to come in, that his house may be filled. 

A reversal has happened. Those who are well-to-do and usually invited to social gatherings will not taste the banquet. They are too proud and self-important to come. They don't crave the food, they are rich and can eat delicious food too. Perhaps they see the master as an equal or even lower than them to disrespect his invitation. The excuses they made is more important to them than the master's honor and joy. While those who are outcasts, who most likely are beggars because they are poor and disabled, would be more than happy to fill their hungry stomachs of delicious food from the banquet. Even those who are not from the near vicinity who may not even heard of the banquet could hardly believe they are invited that they have to be compelled to come.

The Jews believed they are guaranteed to enter the kingdom of God just because they are Jewish. They also believed that personal prosperity is a sign of God's favor and assurance of salvation. On the other hand, the gentiles and the outcasts, whom they believe are cursed by God, will not enter. So they don't see their need to heed Jesus' call to repent and believe which is God's invitation to enter His kingdom.

But they will be surprised in the end to see themselves outside the kingdom and they will look up to see those whom they looked down upon here on earth are the ones inside and they are now the outcasts. Being invited and responding to accept is not enough to eat of the banquet, they must personally come. The food won't be delivered to their homes. Likewise it's not enough to hear the gospel and make a profession of faith. One must appropriate salvation by faith in Christ alone, abandoning any false security on good works, personal piety, and religiosity.

Like the gentile centurion who put his faith in Jesus which is a precursor that many gentiles will be part of the kingdom of God while many Israelites will not because they lack genuine faith.

Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

— Matthew 8:10-13