Luke 14:16

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

Then {G1161} said he {G2036} unto him {G846}, A certain {G5100} man {G444} made {G4160} a great {G3173} supper {G1173}, and {G2532} bade {G2564} many {G4183}:

But he replied, โ€œOnce a man gave a banquet and invited many people.

But Jesus replied, โ€œA certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.

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

Commentary

Luke 14:16 marks the beginning of the Parable of the Great Supper, one of Jesus' profound teachings illustrating the nature of God's kingdom and humanity's response to His divine invitation. This verse sets the scene for a story about a generous host and the initial call to a grand celebration.

Context of the Parable

This parable is recounted by Jesus while He is at a Sabbath dinner in the house of a prominent Pharisee (Luke 14:1). The immediate trigger for the parable is a guest's remark, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God" (Luke 14:15). In Jewish culture, banquets and feasts were highly significant social and religious events, often symbolizing fellowship, blessing, and the anticipated messianic age. The custom of sending out a primary invitation and then a second, urgent call when the meal was ready, was common practice.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Divine Invitation: The "great supper" (Greek: deipnon megas) symbolizes the rich, abundant blessings of God's kingdom and the offer of salvation. It represents God's generous provision and desire for fellowship with humanity.
  • Universal Call: The phrase "bade many" (Greek: ekalesen pollous) indicates that the initial invitation was broad and inclusive, extended to a wide range of people. This highlights God's widespread call to all who would hear.
  • Anticipation of the Kingdom: The supper itself points to the joyous, communal nature of the kingdom of God, often depicted in prophetic literature as a feast (Isaiah 25:6). This parable sets the stage for the shocking rejection of this gracious invitation.

Linguistic Insights

The term "great supper" (deipnon megas) emphasizes the lavishness and importance of the event. It's not a casual meal but a significant banquet, signifying the immense value and profound joy associated with God's kingdom. The verb "bade" (ekalesen) comes from the Greek word meaning "to call" or "to invite," underscoring the active, intentional nature of the host's outreach.

Related Scriptures

This parable shares significant parallels with the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:1-14, both addressing the themes of God's invitation and human response. The "great supper" ultimately points to the ultimate marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19:9, the culmination of God's redemptive plan.

For us today, Luke 14:16 serves as a reminder of God's persistent and gracious invitation to enter into His kingdom and partake in His abundant blessings. It challenges us to consider our own priorities and ensure that we are not allowing worldly concerns or superficial excuses to prevent us from accepting the most important invitation we will ever receive.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Matthew 22:2

    The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
  • Matthew 22:14

    For many are called, but few [are] chosen.
  • Revelation 22:17

    And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
  • Isaiah 25:6

    ยถ And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
  • Isaiah 25:7

    And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
  • Isaiah 55:1

    ยถ Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
  • Isaiah 55:7

    Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
โ† Back