15 Now when one of those who sat at
the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he
who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to
say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But
they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him,
‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have
me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I
have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have
me excused.’ 20 Still
another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So
that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 here the poor and the maimed
and the lame and the blind.’ 22 And
the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is
room.’ 23 Then
the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and
compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For
I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my
supper.’ ”
Commentary
Vs. 15 “Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
Jesus’ Word on being repaid at the resurrection of the just because one was a blessing to those who could not repay them in this life, really moved a man there, who upon hearing these things said, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” Which is really true, however as Jesus is about to make it clear, first one has to enter it!
Vs. 16-17 16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
Upon hearing the man’s elated response, Jesus now begins another parable and this time He is the Host of the Great Supper, and we all are the invited guests! Therefore, Jesus’ Word to us all is that we come to believe in Him and receive Him and His invitation to enter the Kingdom of God, for He now says to us all, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
Vs. 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’
However rather than receiving Jesus invitation through His servant\s graciously, those who are invited all begin to make excuses. Now the first one said, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ Thus, that persons focus and priorities was only on their own land and possessions, and so they couldn’t be bothered to come to great weeding feast and celebration, and so they asked to be excused! Just like many people today who when they are invited to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him in discipleship likewise have all kinds of reasons why they can’t, because their hearts, minds and lives are being spent on the temporal, not the eternal! Therefore, they too also ask to be excused!
Vs. 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’
Again, another person when invited by the servant offers up their excuse of having just bought some oxen, and now they are going to test them in a field to see how fit they are for plowing it. Therefore, they too ask to be excused! Excused from God’s invitation to redemption, salvation and eternal life no less, so they can go play around with their smelly oxen in muddy field.
Vs. 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
And again, another man when he is invited likewise asks to be excused, this time the reason is that he has just married a wife! I mean really! Why wouldn’t you just bring your wife with you! No, he didn’t because he like the others before him, and who will come after him, all have worldly priorities and focuses which they don’t want to leave or forsake, and so God’s Son and His Kingdom was not important enough for any of them.
Vs. 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’
Therefore, the servant having done his duty in inviting them all now returns to his master and reports all of these things to him. Now when the master heard his report, he became angry and told the servant to, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ Thus, all of the people who have nothing in this life, and thus are not tied down to it, to living for its rewards, treasures, and pleasures, and or serving them. These then are the same people whom Jesus previously said we are to invite to our feasts and celebrations; for they are the ones He has chosen to partake in His eternal feast and celebration (again see James 2:5).
Vs. 22-24 22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”
Now the servant of the master went and did just as he was commanded inviting in the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind and upon doing so he returned and told the master that he had done so and still there was still room. Therefore, the master told him, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ” vs. 23-24
Notice then a couple of things, First is that there is always room for anyone who believes and receives the Lord Jesus Christ’s invitation to new and everlasting life in His Kingdom. Second is that God does not want us as His servants sitting idly by while there is room, but rather we are to compel all people everywhere in every circumstance of life to enter God’s Kingdom and House by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, Gospel evangelism is not just for the confines of the local church, (for the local pastor to do), but must be done everywhere and anywhere by us all as an active and ongoing ministry outside of the local church confines. Thus, we as the Body of Christ collectively, and the Lord Jesus Christ’s servants individually must always avail ourselves of every opportunity to share Him with anybody, anywhere, and at anytime with anyone He leads to us, or whom we find in our journeys and travels for Him. For that is what we are all called to do, however, we may do that, for we who believe must all be sowers and reapers, workers and servants for the Kingdom of God pursuing and forwarding its goals and purposes, and not the values and desires of this world.
Finally, Jesus ends His parable by WARNING that all of those who made excuses as to why they could not attend His Supper will never taste of it! Therefore, they will never again be given an opportunity to repent and believe in Him, for they all had already decided in their hearts against it, and thus they all made some petty excuses (however politely) as to why they could not enter the Kingdom of God when it was availed to them!
Commentary
Vs. 15 “Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
Jesus’ Word on being repaid at the resurrection of the just because one was a blessing to those who could not repay them in this life, really moved a man there, who upon hearing these things said, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” Which is really true, however as Jesus is about to make it clear, first one has to enter it!
Vs. 16-17 16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
Upon hearing the man’s elated response, Jesus now begins another parable and this time He is the Host of the Great Supper, and we all are the invited guests! Therefore, Jesus’ Word to us all is that we come to believe in Him and receive Him and His invitation to enter the Kingdom of God, for He now says to us all, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
Vs. 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’
However rather than receiving Jesus invitation through His servant\s graciously, those who are invited all begin to make excuses. Now the first one said, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ Thus, that persons focus and priorities was only on their own land and possessions, and so they couldn’t be bothered to come to great weeding feast and celebration, and so they asked to be excused! Just like many people today who when they are invited to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him in discipleship likewise have all kinds of reasons why they can’t, because their hearts, minds and lives are being spent on the temporal, not the eternal! Therefore, they too also ask to be excused!
Vs. 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’
Again, another person when invited by the servant offers up their excuse of having just bought some oxen, and now they are going to test them in a field to see how fit they are for plowing it. Therefore, they too ask to be excused! Excused from God’s invitation to redemption, salvation and eternal life no less, so they can go play around with their smelly oxen in muddy field.
Vs. 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
And again, another man when he is invited likewise asks to be excused, this time the reason is that he has just married a wife! I mean really! Why wouldn’t you just bring your wife with you! No, he didn’t because he like the others before him, and who will come after him, all have worldly priorities and focuses which they don’t want to leave or forsake, and so God’s Son and His Kingdom was not important enough for any of them.
Vs. 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’
Therefore, the servant having done his duty in inviting them all now returns to his master and reports all of these things to him. Now when the master heard his report, he became angry and told the servant to, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ Thus, all of the people who have nothing in this life, and thus are not tied down to it, to living for its rewards, treasures, and pleasures, and or serving them. These then are the same people whom Jesus previously said we are to invite to our feasts and celebrations; for they are the ones He has chosen to partake in His eternal feast and celebration (again see James 2:5).
Vs. 22-24 22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”
Now the servant of the master went and did just as he was commanded inviting in the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind and upon doing so he returned and told the master that he had done so and still there was still room. Therefore, the master told him, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ” vs. 23-24
Notice then a couple of things, First is that there is always room for anyone who believes and receives the Lord Jesus Christ’s invitation to new and everlasting life in His Kingdom. Second is that God does not want us as His servants sitting idly by while there is room, but rather we are to compel all people everywhere in every circumstance of life to enter God’s Kingdom and House by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, Gospel evangelism is not just for the confines of the local church, (for the local pastor to do), but must be done everywhere and anywhere by us all as an active and ongoing ministry outside of the local church confines. Thus, we as the Body of Christ collectively, and the Lord Jesus Christ’s servants individually must always avail ourselves of every opportunity to share Him with anybody, anywhere, and at anytime with anyone He leads to us, or whom we find in our journeys and travels for Him. For that is what we are all called to do, however, we may do that, for we who believe must all be sowers and reapers, workers and servants for the Kingdom of God pursuing and forwarding its goals and purposes, and not the values and desires of this world.
Finally, Jesus ends His parable by WARNING that all of those who made excuses as to why they could not attend His Supper will never taste of it! Therefore, they will never again be given an opportunity to repent and believe in Him, for they all had already decided in their hearts against it, and thus they all made some petty excuses (however politely) as to why they could not enter the Kingdom of God when it was availed to them!
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson
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