Bible Study Thread: Luke

[paradox3]

Summary: Luke 14: 15 - 24

The Parable of the Great Dinner

One of the dinner guests remarks, "Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

Jesus begins the parable by saying someone gave a great dinner and invited many. He sent out his slaves to tell the invited guests everything was ready. They all made excuses and the slave reported back about this.

The owner became angry and sent the slave out again. This time he was instructed to bring in the the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.

The slave does what the owner ordered and there is still room at the table. So the slave is sent out again to compel people to come in, so that the house will be filled. None of those originally invited will taste the dinner.

 

[paradox3]

Reflection: Luke 14: 15 - 24

So who were the ones that rejected the dinner invitation? The ones who were already filled?

Were they the self-righteous? The Pharisees, perhaps?

Could they have been the righteous ones who wanted to leave room for the needy? I am reminded of Jesus saying He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

The excuses for not attending the dinner are interesting. "I have just bought a piece of land," " I have just bought five yoke of oxen," " I have just been married." Maybe these folks had no need of an invitation to a great dinner.

Or were they the ones who hear the word of God but don't accept it? This would be a more traditional interpretation of the passage, I think. The parable is told in response to a comment about eating bread in the kingdom of God.

This brings me back to the question of what Jesus meant when he talked about the kingdom. Is the kingdom of God going to be heralded in at some future date or is it already here among us?

 

[paradox3]

This parable also appears in Matthew's gospel with a few significant differences.

In Matthew, some of those refusing the invitation seize and kill the slaves. The King is outraged and sends troops to destroy the murderers and burn their city. The King declares that those invited were not worthy and now everyone is to be invited to the banquet, both good and bad. The wedding hall is filled with guests.

Matthew also adds the detail of the guest who arrives without a wedding garment. For this offence, he is thrown into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Many are called but few are chosen, Matthew ends the narrative.

Interesting to contemplate how differently the two gospel writers tell this story.

 

[Redbaron]

I've often wondered about that myself. In Luke, it seems the host is much more genial and accepting. In Matthew, it's more like 'You'd better measure up to my expectations, or out you go!'. In Matthew, the host is ID's as a king. In Luke, it's just 'someone'. Also in Luke's gospel, this parable is included right after Luke has written a bit about hospitality, inviting people to banquets, seeking seats of honor, etc. In Matthew, the parable is in the midst of several other parables. The setting may have something to do with this parable's message here.... one of the dangers of trying to conflate the separate gospel accounts.

 

[paradox3]

It is also interesting that in both accounts of the story, the hall or the house is eventually filled.

If the feast represents the kingdom of God, this is puzzling. We don't usually consider that a finite number of people will be invited into the kingdom, although certain religious sects believe this very thing.

In some of these parables about the kingdom, I wonder if it is being emphasized that God is the One who will decide. Not us.

 

[paradox3]

On that note, unsafe wrote yesterday:

There are many today who like the Pharisees think of themselves as having a high opinion of themselves and they feel that because of how good they are to others and live a good life that receiving Jesus in their hearts is not necessary to have eternal life -----they will have a seat front and center in Heaven because of their goodness ---

Of course there are many who think they have earned that front row seat by adopting the correct set of beliefs about Jesus.

Just saying.

 

[unsafe]

paradox 3-----unsafe says ------Jesus makes it very plain in His words who thinks they have the right to sit in the front seats -----the ones who think they know it all by rejecting the word and Jesus ---anyone who has experienced the Holy Spirit IN THEM will never take the front seats -----and that was the point Jesus was making to the Pharisees ----They Rejected the one who came down the Ladder ---Jesus lowered Himself willingly and so should we ------Peoples egos have to be fed so they think they are all that that they can just believe anything they want to and keep on sinning and still be in God's Kingdom -----Satan has them duped ---Satan is written all over the Pharisees -----and the people who think like them

 

[paradox3]

Yes, @unsafe we are familiar with the role of Satan in your theology.

 

[unsafe]

paradox3 -----Wrong ---Not my Theology ----it is God's ---I just Believe it ----AND -are you calling Jesus a lair as He is the one who talks about Satan being the god of this word -----

-

 

[Redbaron]

It's interesting that the giver of the feast insisted that the house be full. 'Go get more! Compel them to come in!' Unlike Matthew's telling of the story, the host didn't seem to be overly concerned with whether the guests were wearing proper garments or not. He just wanted the house full. Is this a symbol of God's extravagant love reaching out to all, even to those who weren't expecting it?

 

[paradox3]

paradox3 -----Wrong ---Not my Theology ----it is God's ---I just Believe it ----AND -are you calling Jesus a lair as He is the one who talks about Satan being the god of this word -----

No, I am not calling Jesus a lair. Or a liar.

 

[unsafe]

paradox3 -----Glad to here that ----and thanks for the spelling correction ------

Now to Luke 14:15-24 for me ---

 

[Redbaron]

I just read over the 'ignored' content of this last page, just to make sense of the conversation. Even though the particular poster is on my IL, I feel called upon to respond...

God doesn't have a theology. God doesn't NEED a theology. Please be honest enough to acknowledge that this is YOUR theology, these are YOUR beliefs and this is YOUR interpretation of the Bible. Kindly show a bit of respect for those who see things differently than you see them. Yours are not the only eyes, nor is yours the only possible reading, of the text.

Sorry about that. Rant finished. Back to Luke.

 

[paradox3]

Glad to here that ----

I hear that we get some amusing typos around here.

 

[paradox3]

It's interesting that the giver of the feast insisted that the house be full. 'Go get more! Compel them to come in!' Unlike Matthew's telling of the story, the host didn't seem to be overly concerned with whether the guests were wearing proper garments or not. He just wanted the house full. Is this a symbol of God's extravagant love reaching out to all, even to those who weren't expecting it?

Kind of makes me wonder who got the first invitations.

 

[GordW]

This parable also appears in Matthew's gospel with a few significant differences.

In Matthew, some of those refusing the invitation seize and kill the slaves. The King is outraged and sends troops to destroy the murderers and burn their city. The King declares that those invited were not worthy and now everyone is to be invited to the banquet, both good and bad. The wedding hall is filled with guests.

Matthew also adds the detail of the guest who arrives without a wedding garment. For this offence, he is thrown into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Many are called but few are chosen, Matthew ends the narrative.

Interesting to contemplate how differently the two gospel writers tell this story.

It seems MAtthew may have some anger issues?

 

[blackbelt1961]

Summary: Luke 14: 15 - 24

The Parable of the Great Dinner

One of the dinner guests remarks, "Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

Jesus begins the parable by saying someone gave a great dinner and invited many. He sent out his slaves to tell the invited guests everything was ready. They all made excuses and the slave reported back about this.

The owner became angry and sent the slave out again. This time he was instructed to bring in the the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.

The slave does what the owner ordered and there is still room at the table. So the slave is sent out again to compel people to come in, so that the house will be filled. None of those originally invited will taste the dinner.

the one preparing the banquet is nonother that Jesus who is God. The pharasies who were the 1st to be invited did not want Jesus because they wanted there own Power and authority over Jesus, so Jesus has his servants go out and call all the poor & Gentiles.
Is it not wonderful that its the Messiah who prepares the banquet and says, come as you are, there is a place for you at my table., yet not all who are called will answer.
what of those who do not want to be in the Kingdom? where will they go? our spirits are Eternal, where will they go?

 

[unsafe]

todays Scripture -----

Luke 14:15 -24 GW

15 One of those eating with him heard this. So he said to Jesus, “The person who will be at the banquet in God’s kingdom is blessed.”
16 Jesus said to him, “A man gave a large banquet and invited many people. 17 When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come! Everything is ready now.’
18 “Everyone asked to be excused. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to see how well they plow. Please excuse me.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I recently got married, and that’s why I can’t come.’
21 “The servant went back to report this to his master. Then the master of the house became angry. He told his servant, ‘Run to every street and alley in the city! Bring back the poor, the handicapped, the blind, and the lame.’
22 “The servant said, ‘Sir, what you’ve ordered has been done. But there is still room for more people.’
23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go to the roads and paths! Urge the people to come to my house. I want it to be full. 24 I can guarantee that none of those invited earlier will taste any food at my banquet.’”


unsafe says ----We see many were invited and called but then they all had better things to do

Today God has made everything available to us ---Jesus paid the price for us ---all blessings are in place ------All we have to do is receive what has been made available to us by God's Grace ------but many say I have better thing to do than receive Jesus so I will go on my merry way --excuse --excuse after excuse ------that is their choice -----just like the invited guest at the banquet who vacated by their own choice

Here is the thing about excuses in the spiritual sense ---they are Curses and when the excuses run out there is nothing left and your doomed -----

All the excuses begin to explain an important thing ----all that is going on in our lives in this Physical world is more than accepting the only one who can give us eternal Life in God's Kingdom ----We see in the parable that the Material things are more important --------

Verses 18-19 ------18 “Everyone asked to be excused. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to see how well they plow.

Another puts his family before God ------and scripture clearly tells us to God first and all things will be added to us

God I believe is always tugging on our Hearts to Come to Him but we keep making all kinds of excuses and reject the FREE offer -----OUR Fault ---Not God's ----

So we see the Servant telling His master what has happened and he sends Him out to the streets ----to bring in the poor --etc ----God is always will to accept those who are willing to come toes Him no matter who they are -----

Jesus wants His Father's House Full but only for those who are willing to come by their own free will ----anyone can reject the offer to come but they will reap the consequences that come with it -----

 

[Carolla]

The owner became angry and sent the slave out again. This time he was instructed to bring in the the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.

This piece of it is interesting to me. It was not the host's first inclination to invite this group of people - they were the second choice when others on the guest list failed to accept the invitation & angered the host. It is important to have his table full (why?) - so he casts his net wider, wanting to fill the seats. We don't really know his motivation for doing so - could be so many reasons. I draw some comparison to the approach some churches have to filling their pews (and their coffers) today - the affluent are often first on the list, and perhaps only when they decline do we open our invitation more broadly.

 

[blackbelt1961]

This piece of it is interesting to me. It was not the host's first inclination to invite this group of people - they were the second choice when others on the guest list failed to accept the invitation & angered the host.

because God chose the Jewish people to reveal himself to Humanity through, brought them out of bondage from Egypt, made them like gods over there people, they screwed that up and still God promises to make a Nation out of a grp of nomads coming out from Canaanites, Isreal becomes a state in 1948.

in short, God Loves Iseral, and when God sent His Son to them first, God still gives them 1st place at His table, what did they DO?, all that Power God gave them, they refused Him, refused the Banquet.

this does not mean God was not going to invite the Gentiles if The Jewish people accepted, it means God gave the Jewish people first dibs like God always did in His dealings in History with them.

no wonder God was angry.

It is important to have his table full (why?)

because its a byproduct of True Love, when I have a banquet, it's important to me to have my whole family there because I love them all and it brings deep joy to my heart.

we are Gods children, His family.