Lesson 4404

(Lesson 4404)(02-22-24) Luke 14:16-24 

“hen said he unto him, 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. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry 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 halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” 

 

In today’s quote, Jesus presented the Parable of the Great Banquet and compared it to the kingdom of God. Therein, a man prepares a large feast and invites many important guests. When the banquet is ready, he sends his servant to retrieve the guests, but each of them begins to make excuses for not attending. The host becomes angry and orders his servant to invite the poor, crippled, blind, and lame from the streets and alleys instead. When there is still room, the servant is told to go out to the roads and country lanes to compel others to come, so the house will be filled. The host declared that none of the original invitees (the Jews) who refused the invitation would taste his banquet. This parable illustrates the rejection of Jesus by the Jews. It also established that exclusive rights to entry into the Kingdom of God, and eternal salvation would be taken from the Jews and given to the Gentiles.~