One of his fellow guests on hearing this said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God.” 16 He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. 17 When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ 18 But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ 22 The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ 23 The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. 24 For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’”
Jesus is dining at the home of a leading Pharisee when one of the guests speaks of the happiness of those who will dine in the Kingdom of God. In response, Jesus tells a parable about a great banquet. The banquet represents the joy of sharing in God's kingdom, where people live in communion with Him. This image recalls the promise of a great feast through which God would bring salvation to His people and the nations (Isaiah 25:6–9). Jesus uses this familiar image to explain that God's invitation is already being offered through His ministry and calls for a response.
In the parable, a man prepares a great dinner and invites many guests. In the custom of the time, invitations were issued in advance, and a servant was sent again when the meal was ready. Those who had accepted the invitation were expected to attend. Yet when the servant announces, “Come, everything is now ready” (v. 17), the guests begin making excuses. One has purchased a field, another has bought oxen, and a third has married.
These are ordinary responsibilities involving property, work, and family. Jesus does not condemn these responsibilities. Rather, the excuses reveal that the guests have allowed other concerns to take precedence over the invitation they had received. Through their refusal, Jesus illustrates how even legitimate interests can become obstacles when they are placed ahead of God's call. The promised blessings of the kingdom are offered through Christ, but participation requires accepting His invitation.
When the servant reports the refusals, the master becomes angry and orders him to bring in “the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame” (v. 21). These are the same people Jesus had earlier instructed His host to invite to his own table (Luke 14:12–14). They represent those who were often overlooked or excluded from the social privileges enjoyed by others. Their invitation reveals that a person's wealth, position, or ability to repay generosity does not determine his place in God's kingdom.
The parable also reflects the continued unfolding of God's plan of salvation. God first revealed His promises to Israel, preparing His people for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus, the promised Messiah, announced that God's kingdom was at hand. Although some among His own people, including certain religious leaders, refused to accept Him, others welcomed His message. The invitation extended to the poor and marginalized shows that those who were disregarded by society were also called to share in God's promised salvation.
When the servant reports that there is still room, the master sends him beyond the town, to the highways and hedgerows, where travelers and outsiders might be found. This further invitation points toward the extension of salvation to the Gentiles, the peoples of the nations beyond Israel. Earlier, Jesus had spoken of people coming from every direction to share in the banquet of God's kingdom (Luke 13:29). God's saving invitation, first announced to Israel, is extended through Jesus Christ to all nations.
The master tells his servant to “make people come in” (v. 23). This expression emphasizes the urgency and persistence of the invitation. People who would never have expected a place at such a banquet might hesitate to believe that they were truly welcome. The servant is therefore to encourage them to willingly accept the invitation. Jesus is describing the generosity of God's call, not authorizing anyone to compel religious belief through force or pressure. God's invitation calls for a free response of faith.
The parable concludes with a serious warning: “none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner” (v. 24). Jesus directs attention to the consequences of refusing the salvation God freely offers. The original guests were invited, but their refusal prevented them from sharing in the feast. Their exclusion was not caused by the host's unwillingness to welcome them, but by their own decision to stay away.
Throughout the parable, Jesus reveals both the generosity of God's invitation and the importance of responding to it. God has always reigned over His creation. Through Jesus Christ, however, His kingdom has become present in a new and decisive way, opening the way to eternal communion with God. Its fullness will be realized when Christ returns in glory. The banquet also points toward the Eucharist, in which Christ nourishes His people and gives them a foretaste of the heavenly feast. The invitation remains a gift of grace, offered through Christ and received in faith.
Lord Jesus, thank You for inviting us to share in the blessings of Your kingdom. Help us recognize the greatness of Your gift, respond faithfully to Your call, and welcome others with the generosity You have shown us. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2011. Luke 14:15–24 and notes; Isaiah 25:6–9; Luke 13:29; 14:12–14.
- Hahn, Scott, and Curtis Mitch. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010. 135–136.
- Casciaro, Jose Maria, general editor. The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Expanded Edition. Dublin: Four Courts Press; New York: Scepter Publishers, 2008. 312–313.
- Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, editors. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990. 706–707, §144.
- Aguilar Chiu, Jose Enrique, et al., editors. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. New York: Paulist Press, 2018. 1074–1075.
- Collins, John J., Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid, OP, and Donald Senior, CP, editors. The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. London: T&T Clark, 2022. 1334.
- Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018. 266–268.
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