Expository Thoughts On Luke – Luke 14:15-24 - John Charles Ryle

PARABLE OF THE GREAT BANQUET

The verses before us contain one of our Lord’s most instructive parables. It was spoken in consequence of a remark made by one who was sitting at table with Him in a Pharisee’s house. “Blessed,” said this man, “is he that shall eat the feast in the kingdom of God.” The object of this remark we are left to conjecture. It is likely that he who made it was one of that class of people who wish to go to heaven, and like to hear good things talked of, but never get any further. Our Lord takes occasion to remind him and all the company, by means of the parable of the great supper, that men may have the kingdom of God offered to them, and yet may willingly neglect it, and be lost forever.

We are taught, firstly, in this parable, that God has made a great provision for the salvation of men’s souls. This is the meaning of the words, “a certain man made a great banquet, and invited many.” This is the Gospel.

The Gospel contains a full supply of everything that sinners need in order to be saved. We are all naturally starving, empty, helpless, and ready to perish. Forgiveness of all sin, and peace with God, justification of the person, and sanctification of the heart–grace by the way, and glory in the end–are the gracious provision which God has prepared for the wants of our souls. There is nothing that sin-laden hearts can wish, or weary consciences require, which is not spread before men in rich abundance in Christ. Christ, in one word, is the sum and substance of the “great supper.” “I am the bread of life.” “Him that comes unto me shall never hunger, and he that believes on me shall never thirst.” “My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” “He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood, has eternal life.” (John 6:35-55, 56.)

We are taught, secondly, in this parable, that the offers and invitations of the Gospel are most broad and liberal. We read that he who made the supper “sent his servant at the time of the banquet to say to those who were invited, Come for all things are now ready.”

There is nothing lacking on God’s part for the salvation of man. If man is not saved, the fault is not on God’s side. The Father is ready to receive all who come to Him by Christ. The Son is ready to cleanse all from their sins who apply to Him by faith. The Spirit is ready to come to all who ask for Him. There is an infinite willingness in God to save man, if man is only willing to be saved.

There is the fullest warrant for sinners to draw near to God by Christ. The word “Come,” is addressed to all without exception. Are men laboring and heavy-laden? “Come unto me,” says Jesus, “and I will give you rest.” Are men thirsting? “If any man thirst,” says Jesus, “let him come unto me and drink.” Are men poor and hungry? “Come,” says Jesus, “buy wine and milk without money and without price.” No man shall ever be able to say that he had no encouragement to seek salvation. That word of the Lord shall silence every objector–“Him that comes to me, I will in no wise cast out.”

We are taught, thirdly, in this parable, that many who receive Gospel invitations refuse to accept them. We read that when the servant announced that all things were ready, those who were invited “all with one consent began to make excuse.” One had one trivial excuse, and another had another. In one point only all were agreed–they would not come.

We have in this part of the parable a vivid picture of the reception which the Gospel is continually meeting with wherever it is proclaimed. Thousands are continually doing what the parable describes. They are invited to come to Christ, and they will not come. It is not ignorance of religion that ruins most men’s souls. It is lack of will to use knowledge; or love of this present world. It is not open profligacy that fills hell. It is excessive attention to things which in themselves are lawful. It is not avowed dislike to the Gospel which is so much to be feared. It is that procrastinating, excuse-making spirit, which is always ready with a reason why Christ cannot be served today. Let the words of our Lord on this subject sink down into our hearts. Infidelity and immorality, no doubt, slay their thousands. But decent, plausible, smooth-spoken excuses slay their tens of thousands. No excuse can justify a man in refusing God’s invitation, and not coming to Christ.

We are taught, lastly, in this parable, that God earnestly desires the salvation of souls, and would have all means used to procure acceptance for His Gospel. We read that when those who were first invited to the supper refused the invitation, “the master of the house said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets, and bring in here the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” We read that when this was done, and there was yet room, “the master said unto his servant, Go out into the high ways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

The meaning of these words can admit of little dispute. They surely justify us in asserting the exceeding love and compassion of God towards sinners. His patience is inexhaustible. If some will not receive the truth, He will have others invited in their stead. His pity for the lost is no pretended and imaginary thing. He is infinitely willing to save souls. Above all, the words justify every preacher and teacher of the Gospel in employing all possible means to awaken sinners, and turn them from their sins. If they will not come to us in public, we must visit them in private. If they will not attend our preaching in the congregation, we must be ready to preach from house to house.

We must even not be ashamed to use a gentle violence. We must be instant in season, out of season. (2 Tim. 4:2.) We must deal with many an unconverted man, as one who is half-asleep, half out of his mind, and not fully conscious of the state he is in. We must press the Gospel on his notice again and again. We must cry aloud and spare not. We must deal with him as we would with a man about to commit suicide. We must try to snatch him as a brand from the burning. We must say, “I cannot–I will not–I dare not let you go on ruining your own soul.” The men of the world may not understand such earnest dealing. They may sneer at all zeal and fervor in religion as fanaticism. But the “man of God,” who desires to do the work of an evangelist, will heed little what the world says. He will remember the words of our parable. He will “compel men to come in.”

Let us leave this parable with serious self-inquiry. It ought to speak to us in the present day. To us this invitation of the Gospel is addressed as well as to the Jews. To us the Lord is saying constantly, “Come unto the supper–Come unto me.” Have we accepted His invitation? Or are we practically saying, “I cannot come.” If we die without having come to Christ, we had better never have been born.

John Charles Ryle