Luke 14:16-20
Luke 14:16 (KJB)
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
Then Jesus tells them a parable with the main emphasis being on the rejection of
God’s salvation plan to the many who are invited but reject it. He begins by
telling them that a certain man had made a great supper and he had invited many
to that supper. It was no doubt a huge supper with a long invitation list. This
parable speaks of God who made the big supper, that is, the Gospel going forth
in the ears of millions.
Luke 14:17 (KJB)
And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for
all things are now ready.
It was a custom to give an initial invitation first and then when everything was
ready a second call was sent out. The invitations here are to the nation of
Israel. The first call went out in the past when the prophets were sent to
Israel proclaiming that the Messiah was going to come to them. Then the second
call was when everything was ready and it was given by John the Baptist who was
the forerunner of the Messiah. Then Jesus came on the scene and continued the
second call to the nation of Israel.
Luke 14:18 (KJB)
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I
have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have
me excused.
Now here we have a conspiracy of rejection. These people did not forget that the
invitation was given but they intentionally rejected it. They had all made up
worldly excuses. Everything was ready for the going forth of the Gospel. Rome
had made a network of roads for believers to travel on and the Koine Greek
language was in place which the New Testament would be written in. This first
excuse was by a person who bought a piece of ground and had to go look at it.
Now this is definitely an excuse and not a reason. Who would buy a piece of land
without looking at it first? It could be at the bottom of a lake. Definitely a
lame excuse to reject the Gospel.
Luke 14:19 (KJB)
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I
pray thee have me excused.
Only those who were pretty rich could own one oxen but this person makes the
excuse that he bought five yoke of oxen. This could be five teams of oxen which
means this person would have to have been wealthy to begin with. If he was
wealthy, it must have been by inheritance because who would buy oxen and then
prove them to see if they are fit to do the work. That would be a bad business
practice. You would see them in action and then inquire as to their age and
ability to do the work. It is like living here in New Jersey and then sending a
check for $10,000 to someone in Nebraska to buy a car you never saw. This shows
how wealth has kept this man from the Kingdom of God. (Mark 10:24 KJV) And
the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith
unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into
the kingdom of God!
Luke 14:20 (KJB)
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
This man was making an excuse by stretching the meaning of Deuteronomy 24:5.
(Deu 24:5 KJV) When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war,
neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one
year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. He was exempt from
his duties to the military and exempt from partaking in any kind of business,
but nowhere does it say that he is exempt from his duty or obligation to God.
How many Christians today use family as an excuse from getting involved in the
things of the Lord. They claim they do not have the time, yet they can find time
to make it to every soccer game their children play in, rain or shine!