Question 1

What is the meaning of the great supper in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The great supper in this passage is a picture of the rich blessings God offers in his kingdom through the good news about Jesus. A supper is a time of joy, rest, and fellowship, not hard work, so it shows that God has done the preparing. The man who makes the supper represents God, who has made everything ready. The invitation, “Come, for all things are now ready,” shows that the way into God’s kingdom is open, and people are called to come and enjoy what he has freely prepared.

Question 2

Why do the invited guests make excuses and refuse to come?

Accepted Answer

The invited guests all give reasons that sound ordinary on the surface: one has bought land, another new oxen, and another has just married. None of these are sinful in themselves, but in the story they become excuses that keep them from the feast. This shows how normal, good things can become barriers when they matter more to us than God. The guests agree in one thing: they do not want to come. Their hearts are cold to the invitation, and they choose their own plans over fellowship with the master.

Question 3

Who do the poor, maimed, halt, and blind represent in this story?

Accepted Answer

The poor, maimed, halt, and blind stand for people whom society often overlooks or despises, those who seem to have nothing to offer. In the story, they are brought in from the streets and lanes after the first guests refuse to come. This pictures how God gladly welcomes those who know their need and have no status to claim. It also points to God’s grace reaching beyond the first invited group to others, including people considered outsiders, so that his house will be filled.

Question 4

What does “compel them to come in” mean in this passage?

Accepted Answer

“Compel them to come in” does not mean forcing people against their will, like dragging them in by physical force. In the story, it points to strong urging. The people out on the highways and hedges would not expect such an honor, so they might hang back in shame or doubt. To compel them is to plead with them, reassure them they are truly invited, warn them of the cost of refusing, and press the invitation on them warmly. It shows how earnestly God calls hesitant people to come to him.

Question 5

What does this parable teach about God’s character?

Accepted Answer

This parable shows God as generous, patient, and also just. He prepares a great supper at his own cost and sends out invitations. When people slight him with excuses, he is rightly angry at their contempt. Yet he then sends his servant out again and again, first into the city, then to the far roads and hedges, to bring in the least expected guests. God is eager to fill his house with people who will come. At the same time, he will let those who reject his kindness lose the feast they refused.

Question 6

Why is the master so angry when the guests refuse his invitation?

Accepted Answer

The master’s anger shows that refusing his invitation is not a small matter. The guests had already been invited and had agreed in advance, but when everything is ready they treat his kindness as unworthy of their time. Their excuses are thin and show their hearts. In the story this pictures how people treat God’s call lightly, even after he has been generous to them. The anger underlines that ignoring God’s grace is serious. It is not just a personal choice with no result, but an insult to the one who invites.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about worldly distractions and faith?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows how everyday things can quietly push God to the side. Land, work tools, and marriage are all good gifts, yet in the story they become reasons to stay away from the feast. The problem is not the things themselves, but the choice to put them first when God calls. It warns that even good successes, relationships, and duties can dull our hunger for God if we let them rule our hearts. Faith answers God’s invitation, while unbelief hides behind respectable excuses.

Question 8

How does the parable of the great supper apply to people today?

Accepted Answer

Today, this parable speaks to how we respond when God’s word calls us. The invitation goes out through the message of Jesus, saying that everything needed for salvation is ready. Many still answer with excuses: work, plans, pleasures, or fear of what others think. Others feel too unworthy, like those on the highways and hedges. This passage urges us not to delay or hide behind excuses, but to come as we are. It also encourages believers to reach out kindly and earnestly to those who feel on the outside.

Question 9

Why are those first invited told they will not taste of the supper?

Accepted Answer

The final words, that none of those first invited will taste the supper, show the weight of rejecting God’s call. The door is not always open in the same way. They had their chance, treated it lightly, and the feast goes on without them. This is a warning that grace should not be taken for granted. God is free to give his blessings to others who will receive them. It encourages us to respond while the invitation is set before us, rather than assuming we can always come later.

Luke 14:16

Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

The Parable of the Banquet

Parable of the Dinner

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Luke 14:16

Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

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