Luke 14:16

A great supper. Jesus here refers to the bounteous blessings of the kingdom of heaven under the symbol of a great feast, a symbol apparently common to His hearers (see on verse 15). He does not challenge the sentiment of the Pharisee’s statement (verse 15), but rather calls in question the sincerity of the one who made it. Actually, the Pharisee was one of those who, at the very moment, were rejecting the gospel invitation (see on verses 18, 24).

There are many similarities between this parable and that of the Marriage Feast of the King’s Son (see Matthew 22:1-14), but there are also many differences. The circumstances under which the two parables were given are also noticeably different. That of Luke 14 was given at the home of a Pharisee, whereas that of Matthew 22 was spoken in connection with an attempt to arrest Jesus (see Matthew 21:46).

Bade many. This represents the first invitation to the gospel feast, the invitation given to the Jews throughout Old Testament times (see Vol. IV, pp. 26-32). It refers specifically to God’s repeated appeals to Israel through the prophets of old (cf. on verses 21-23).