LESSON 2.—JANUARY 11.—THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT SUPPER
NOTE.—In the preparation of these lessons all Scripture references, and the pages of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” should be thoroughly studied first, then the questions. The questions are not the lessons. They are only for the purpose of finding out what we have observed while studying. More of the preciousness of these lessons will be obtained if the lesson is studied each day throughout the week. In the parables of Jesus there is salvation from sin for every type of sinner—from the Pharisee to the prodigal. The notes are wholly selected from such portions of “Christ’s Object Lessons” as apply to each lesson.
LESSON 2.—JANUARY 11.—THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT SUPPER.
12 “And He said to him also that had bidden Him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest haply they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 14 But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; because they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”
15 “And when one of them that sat at meat with Him heard these things, He said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 But He said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and bade many; and sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 21 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I can not come.”
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
What classes of persons did Jesus say need not constitute the invited guests for “a dinner or a supper”?
What reason did He give for this instruction?
Who should be invited?
What would be the result to the giver of the feast?
What would make this result possible?
When would the reward be received?
What response did one of the guests make to this instruction?
With what statement did Jesus then continue His instruction?
How general were the invitations to this supper?
How were the invited guests reminded of their engagement?
What was the message sent to them?
How did they treat this urgent call?
What did the first one regard as of more importance than the privilege of being present at the feast?
How did the second one show that he held his oxen in higher esteem than his host?
Whose influence held the third one back from responding to the final call?
NOTES.
1. It is evident that this parable deals with the final call to the Gospel feast of those who had previously been invited, and of the way in which they treated this call. The suggested future happiness of those who should “eat bread in the kingdom of God” led to this instruction and furnishes a simple basis for understanding its meaning. The Lord rained “bread from heaven” for His people (Ex. 16:4), that they might learn that feeding upon His Word was the real means of sustaining life. Deut. 8:3. On this basis the Gospel invitation had been sounded through the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 55:1-3), with the promise of “the sure mercies of David.” This was the promise of eternal life through faith in Christ (Ps. 89:28, 29), who was “born of the seed of David, according to the flesh.”
2. When the Word “became flesh, and dwelt among us,” He said: “The bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. . . . I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever.” John 6:33, 51. Thus it is evident that when “they did all eat the same spiritual food,” they were feeding upon Christ, just as “they drank of that spiritual Rock that went with them; and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Cor. 10:4. And so the provision for the Gospel feast is Christ Himself, who has been given for us and to us. The eating of this “bread of life” is not to be deferred until the setting up of the kingdom of God, but the call to the feast must be heeded here, or that future happiness will never be realized. This is the emphatic teaching of this parable.
3. Those who were bidden to the feast were so much occupied with various temporal matters that they treated as of trifling importance the final call of the host. What a true picture of the present danger! Luke 21:34. No earthly possession or earthly tie should be allowed to keep us away from Christ (Luke 14:33, Matt. 19:29), and the most diligent attention to worldly interests will not be a valid excuse for neglecting the Gospel call. Read Luke 10:38-42.
