Theo1689
Well-known member
So the gospels contain two parables of feasts, Matt. 22 ("Parable of the Wedding Banquet"), and Luke 14 ("Parable of the Banquet"). They seem to be parallel accounts, although there are minor differences (one is identified as a wedding, the other isn't identified one way or the other.
Let's see if they are more consistent with Calvinism or Arminianism.
The First Invitation Attempt
We have a group who was originally invited. I assume it's referring to the Jews. "But they would not come." Invitation acceptance: ZERO percent.
The Second Invitation Attempt
Now he has his servants really promoting the feast, encouraging everyone to come. Not only do they NOT come, but while some simply ignored them, others killed his servants.
The Final Invitation Attempt
The final call was, "invite as many as you find". The term translated "invite" is actually, "kalew", which means to "call". At any rate, we know how the servants understood it because their response was to "gather all whom they found".
It's interesting that it says, "both bad and good", indicating that their invitation was not based on them "preparing" themselves, it was regardless of their behaviour, or in other words, "not by works" (Eph. 2:8-9, Tit. 3:5, 2 Tim. 1:9, Rom. 4:1-6, 11:5-6, etc. etc.)
(In fact, the last part of the parable is about someone who tries to sneak in with his own garment (his works), but is promptly ejected.)
Luke 14: The First Invitation Attempt
So again, a feast is prepared, and there were arleady individuals intended for invitation. Yet when the time came, everyone made any excuse not to attend. Nobody came.
The Second Invitation Attempt
So now the master of the Feast "dumbs down" on the invitation list, and invites the poor, cripple, blind, and lame. And so they did, "and still there is room". This last comment is interestingly ambiguous, as it doesn't tell us how many of the "down-trodden" group actually came. It could have been a lot, it could have been a few, we don't know. But if we are to inform our opinion from the parallel passage in Matt. 22, it was zero again.
The Final Invitation Attempt
Unsatisfied still, the master finally instructs his servants to "compel" (ie. "force") them to come in. His banquet WILL be filled, no matter what. And wrath is left for those who were inveited but forsook it.
Summary
So when we combine both parables to inform our understanding, we get the following:
- the Master holds a banquet;
- at the first invitation, nobody came (total depravity)
- at the second invitation, nobody came (total depravity);
- at the final invitation, the guests were COMPELLED to come (irresistible grace);
Let's see if they are more consistent with Calvinism or Arminianism.
The First Invitation Attempt
Matt. 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.
We have a group who was originally invited. I assume it's referring to the Jews. "But they would not come." Invitation acceptance: ZERO percent.
The Second Invitation Attempt
Matt. 22:4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
Now he has his servants really promoting the feast, encouraging everyone to come. Not only do they NOT come, but while some simply ignored them, others killed his servants.
The Final Invitation Attempt
Matt. 22:8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
The final call was, "invite as many as you find". The term translated "invite" is actually, "kalew", which means to "call". At any rate, we know how the servants understood it because their response was to "gather all whom they found".
It's interesting that it says, "both bad and good", indicating that their invitation was not based on them "preparing" themselves, it was regardless of their behaviour, or in other words, "not by works" (Eph. 2:8-9, Tit. 3:5, 2 Tim. 1:9, Rom. 4:1-6, 11:5-6, etc. etc.)
(In fact, the last part of the parable is about someone who tries to sneak in with his own garment (his works), but is promptly ejected.)
Luke 14: The First Invitation Attempt
Luke 14:16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
So again, a feast is prepared, and there were arleady individuals intended for invitation. Yet when the time came, everyone made any excuse not to attend. Nobody came.
The Second Invitation Attempt
Luke 14:21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’
So now the master of the Feast "dumbs down" on the invitation list, and invites the poor, cripple, blind, and lame. And so they did, "and still there is room". This last comment is interestingly ambiguous, as it doesn't tell us how many of the "down-trodden" group actually came. It could have been a lot, it could have been a few, we don't know. But if we are to inform our opinion from the parallel passage in Matt. 22, it was zero again.
The Final Invitation Attempt
Luke 14:23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”
Unsatisfied still, the master finally instructs his servants to "compel" (ie. "force") them to come in. His banquet WILL be filled, no matter what. And wrath is left for those who were inveited but forsook it.
Summary
So when we combine both parables to inform our understanding, we get the following:
- the Master holds a banquet;
- at the first invitation, nobody came (total depravity)
- at the second invitation, nobody came (total depravity);
- at the final invitation, the guests were COMPELLED to come (irresistible grace);
Last edited:
