A Feast in God’s Rule

Ancient kings and queens often threw lavish parties for their vassal kings, queens, and nobilities. King Solomon celebrated the temple’s dedication with an elaborate party where he killed 22,000 cows, 120,000 sheep, and 120,000 goats for the festive meal (1 Kings 8:63). Herod Antipas had invited his wealthy clients for his birthday feast where he decapitated John (Matt 14:6–12).

Even now, presidents and royalty often invite nobility and significant people for State dinners. American presidents, when they come to office, even select new cutleries for such special dinners. Just a few days ago, the wealthiest man in India, Mr. Ambani, had a three-day festival before his son’s wedding where he fed 50,000 people, including several celebrities.

The Hebrews believed that when God came to rule, he, too, would have a great feast. Since Jesus was talking about etiquettes in feasts (Luke 14:1–14), one of those reclining at a meal with him shouted:

“Blessed are those who eat bread or breakfast in God’s rule.” (14:15)*

Without commenting on what that guest said, Jesus cautioned the disciples that not all would be eager to attend such a feast. In fact, those who originally received the invitation would not attend the feast or taste the food (14:24). They didn’t value the feast but came up with excuses to skip it. One said that he had bought a new field that he needed to visit (14:18), another said he purchased five new yokes for oxen that he needed to see if they worked properly (14:19), and a newlywed wanted to be excused to enjoy his bride (14:20). These were those who originally received the rich man’s invitation for the feast, but they didn’t value enough to go and enjoy the feast.

The Lord who hosted the party was heartbroken but not without recourse. He sent his servants and gathered the poor, crippled, blind, lame, and anyone willing to enjoy a free feast. These weren’t his friends or peers and didn’t receive the original invitation. But when his guests failed, they lucked out and enjoyed the feast.

The Lord Jesus said this parable to illustrate that although people say, by word, “Blessed are those who eat bread or breakfast in God’s rule,” they don’t necessarily value enough to enter God’s rule to enjoy the feast. They would get too busy with other matters to miss the feast. True blessedness was entering the festival and enjoying the feast, not merely discussing the party.

True to his illustration, when God’s rule came with Jesus’s resurrection, not many “entered” the joy of resurrection and feast by acknowledging Jesus as Lord. Instead, they thought of him as another victim on a wicked cross who merely died. True blessedness is in entering God’s rule by acknowledging Jesus’s resurrection and Lordship.

*Among the 5,000+ Greek manuscripts, some say “bread” (arton) while others say “breakfast” (ariston). It’s difficult to know what that guest said, although Jesus mentioned “breakfast” (ariston) just a few verses earlier (v. 12).