Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’
Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’
“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’
So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.'”
Luke 14:15-24
This is a masterful story in the light of the statement of one of the Pharisees in verse 15. The Pharisee says, “What a blessing to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven!” The first event they were looking forward to in heaven was the marriage supper of the Bridegroom, the Messiah. “Wow I can’t wait for that.” he says, assuming he is going. After all, all pharisees and teachers of the Law will be going. I am not sure about the Sadducees because they believe different from us Pharisees. [But all of us Pharisees will be there.]”
He hasn’t been listening to what Jesus has been saying about feasts and who to invite. He has been focused only on himself and his like-minded friends. So Jesus talks of the Great Feast the man prepared. I wonder what Great Feast He is referring to. Yes, you guessed it; the first one on Heaven’s agenda. The invitations have been sent out!
The RSVPs are coming back.
- Oh so sorry, I have bought a field and have to go see it.
- Oh so sorry, I have bought five pairs of oxen and must try them out.
- Oh so sorry, I have married a wife and . . .
“I have never heard such lame excuses in all my life. I go to all the trouble of preparing a Great Feast, the GREAT FEAST that you are all anticipating in glory and you give me excuses like that!”
The Field: You have to go see your field at night? What sort of excuse is that? You can’t come to the great feast because you have bought a field. Why did you buy a field without even looking at it in the first place? What sort of a moron are you? (If you are that stupid, I have some land in the Everglades I can sell you.) The feasts are at night. What can going to look at your field at night accomplish? Nothing. The field will always be there. It is not going anywhere. Come to the feast and go and look at your field, that you have bought sight unseen, in the morning. You have asked to be exempted or applied for an exception. You have your wish; you will be.
Five Pairs of Oxen: You have to go check out your oxen at night? What sort of excuse is that? You can’t come to the great feast because you have bought FIVE PAIRS of oxen. Didn’t you check out these 5 pairs of oxen before you bought them? What sort of a moron are you? The only reason you would be wanting to check the oxen out is to test their pairings. Can they work together? You ought to have checked out whether they are healthy strong animals before you bought them. But you have no need to test the pairings because you have 5 pairings. You have plenty of combinations so there isn’t a problem. Come to the feast and go and look at your oxen and test the combinations in the morning. You can’t test oxen at night. The five pairs of oxen will be there in the morning. You have asked to be exempted or applied for an exception. You have your wish; you will be.
The wife: You have just married a wife and you can’t come to the feast at night! Notice the man doesn’t spell out the reason for not coming. That can only mean one thing which I won’t spell out because this is not an R-rated Gem. He leaves the explanation to the host to work out and doesn’t make it explicit. This man is not asking for an exemption because he is getting married and his wedding is on the same day as the Great Feast. He has stated he is already newly-married. There would be no way that two major events would be planned to coincide at the same time in the village. They would certainly be on different days. So you can’t come to the Feast because you have a wife? In all the other examples the items purchased were impossible to use or check out at night and would still be there in the morning. In this case the excuse is the lamest of all. He is already married. They have already had their first night of married bliss. Besides the wife is not like the field of the oxen. She would not be left behind. Bring your wife too you moron! What sort of excuse is that? I can’t come, my new wife is home waiting for me. Bring her too and tell her to change into something more appropriate. He maybe saying he has an obligation to sleep with her. Are they that desperate for children? That is ridiculous. Bring your wife along and when the Feast is over then go home and do what you have to do. If you must, leave the Feast early, but at least come. You wife too will be there in morning and at night. You have asked to be exempted or applied for an exception. You have your wish; you will be.
When the servant come back and tells the Master what excuses the people have offered the Master was angry. Notice the statement – “they all began making excuses”. There is no “but” in the text; there is no contrastive particle there. It just starts with “They ALL began making excuses.” There were no exceptions. We must assume, ALL asked to be exempt using such lame excuses as these three examples. Then notice what the Masters says. ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
Now where have I heard that before? You are kidding me: the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.
That is what you just told us before at the table Jesus.
“Yes, do you get my point, Pharisee? If the poor, crippled, lame and blind have been invited that means some have been excluded. Now who might they be?” Call everybody else. Go everywhere, to the streets, alleys, country lanes, even behind the hedges. Urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. Now note the punchline: None of those I first invited will even get the smallest taste of my banquet. You had a crippled, lame man here before and he didn’t even get the smallest taste of the food. After you had finished with him according to your purpose (in order to reject Me) you dispensed with him without him even eating here. You are looking forward to attending the banquet in heaven. I tell you, “None of those first invited will be even taste the smallest part.”
You have your wish – you are exempt from the banquet in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus
If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way; if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
Anon
When you stop making progress, you’ll start making excuses. When you stop making excuses, you’ll start making progress.
Gery Ong
So sad to see people are busy making excuses instead of making changes. Your life won’t get better by making excuses!
Jeffrey Rachmat
Most people would rather make excuses than admit that they have failed [sinned]. That’s why they never change.
Jeffrey Rachmat
It’s amazing how we accuse in others, what we excuse in ourselves.
Ian Vail