Luke 14:17
in Luke 14When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
KJV
And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
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This verse in Luke 14
Commentary
20 notes on this verseThat servant who was sent is Christ Himself, who being by nature God and the true Son of God, emptied Himself, and took upon Him the form of a servant. But He was sent at supper time. For not in the beginning did the Word take upon Him our nature, but in the last time; and he adds, For all things are ready. For the Father prepared in Christ the good things bestowed upon the world through Him, the removal of sins, the participation of the Holy Spirit, the glory of adoption.
This site's exposition
prepared a great banquet
on Luke 14:16-18
The host's two calls follow the custom of naming the day first and the hour later, yet the guests all began to make excuses. The first says he has bought a field and must go see it, though no buyer would purchase land unseen.
This site's exposition
Come, for everything is now ready
A second summons at the hour of the meal followed the first invitation, so the guests had already accepted once. Albert Barnes notes that the custom still held in Palestine in his day.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(ubi sup.) Or else, the Man is the Mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus; He sent that they who were bidden might come, i. e. those who were called by the prophets whom He had sent; who in the former times invited to the supper of Christ, were often sent to the people of Israel, often bade them to come at supper time. They received the inviters, refused the supper. They received the prophets and killed Christ, and thus ignorantly prepared for us the supper. The supper being now ready, i. e. Christ being sacrificed, the Apostles were sent to those, to whom prophets had been sent before.
A commentator
Cyril of AlexandriaCommentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 104 · Written before 444.
proposed
And next, who is he that was sent, and who it also says was a slave? Perchance Christ Himself: for though God the Word is by nature God, and the very Son of God the Father, from Whom He was manifested, yet He emptied Himself, to take the form of a slave. As being therefore God of God He is Lord of all; but one may justly apply the appellation of a slave to the limits of His humanity. Yet though He had taken, as I said, the form of a slave, He was even so Lord as being God. And when was He sent? At supper time, it says. For it was not at the commencement of this world that the only-begotten Word of the Father descended from heaven, and was in form like unto us; but rather when the Omnipotent Himself willed it, even in these latter times, as also we have already said.
A commentator
Cyril of AlexandriaCommentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 104 · Written before 444.
proposed
And what was the nature of the invitation? "Come: for lo! all things are ready." For God the Father has prepared in Christ for the inhabitants of earth those gifts which are bestowed upon the world through Him, even the forgiveness of sins, the cleansing away of all defilement, the communion of the Holy Spirit, the glorious adoption as sons, and the kingdom of heaven. Unto these blessings Christ invited by the commandments of the gospel Israel before all others. For somewhere He has even said by the voice of the Psalmist; "But I have been set as a king by Him; that is, by God the Father; upon Zion His holy mount, to preach the commandment of the Lord." And again, "I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
The Medieval Church2 voices
"And he sent his servant at the hour of supper to tell those who were invited to come." What is the hour of supper, except the end of the world? In which we certainly are, as Paul long ago testifies, saying: "We are those upon whom the ends of the ages have come." If therefore it is already the hour of supper when we are called, the less should we excuse ourselves from the banquet of God, the more we perceive that the end of the age has drawn near. For the more we consider that nothing remains, the more we ought to fear lest the time of grace that is at hand be lost. Moreover, this banquet of God is called not a dinner but a supper, because after dinner a supper remains, but after supper no banquet remains. And because the eternal banquet of God will be prepared for us at the end, it was right that this should be called not a dinner but a supper. But who is designated by this servant, who is sent by the householder to invite, except the order of preachers? Of which order, although we are still unworthy, although we are burdened by the weight of our sins, nevertheless we too are in these days, and when I speak something to you concerning your edification, this is what I do, for I am a servant of the supreme householder. When I admonish you to contempt of the world, I come to invite you to the supper of God. Let no one despise me in this place on my own account. And if I appear in no way worthy to invite, yet great are the delights which I promise. Often, my brothers, what I say tends to happen, that a powerful person has a despised servant; and when through him he sends some message to his own people or to strangers, the person of the speaking servant is not despised, because reverence for the sending master is preserved in the heart. Nor do those who hear consider through whom, but what or from whom they hear. […]
By this servant then who is sent by the master of the family to bid to supper, the order of preachers is signified. But it is often the case that a powerful person has a despised servant, and when his Lord orders any thing through him, the servant speaking is not despised, because respect for the master who sends him is still kept up in the heart. Our Lord then offers what he ought to be asked for, not ask others to receive. He wishes to give what could scarcely be hoped for; yet all begin at once to make excuse, for it follows, And they all began with one consent to make excuse. Behold a rich man invites, and the poor hasten to come. We are invited to the banquet of God, and we make excuse.
12 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
And he sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited that they should come, for everything is now ready. What is the supper time if not the end of the world? In which we indeed are, as Paul long ago …
Who is this servant? The Son of God, who took the form of a servant, having become Man (Phil. 2:7), and of whom as Man it is said that He was sent. Pay attention to the fact that it does not simply say "a servant," …
Third, with regard to the stirring up of this same multitude to devotion, he adds: And he sent his servant at the hour of the supper to tell those invited to come. "This servant, as the Gloss says, is the order of preachers," who, although …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And sent his servant at supper time,....
The great law of discipleship laid down, with a caution to all that will be Christ's disciples to undertake it deliberately and with consideration, and particularly to ministers, to retain their savour,
The Nineteenth Century7 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Sent his servant - An invitation had been sent before, but this servant was sent at the time that the supper was ready. From this it would seem that it was the custom to announce to those invited just the time when the feast was prepared. The custom here referred to still prevails in Palestine. Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 178) says: “If a sheikh, beg, or emeer invites, he always sends a servant to call you at the proper time.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The verses before us contain one of our Lord's most instructive parables. It was spoken in consequence of a remark made by one who was sitting at table with Him in a Pharisee's house. "Blessed," said this man, "is he who shall eat the feast in the kingdom of God." We are left to conjecture as to the object of this remark. It is likely that he who made it was one of that class of people who wish to go to Heaven, and like to hear good things talked of, but never get any further.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Our Lord's reply is in substance this: "The great Feast is prepared already; the invitations are issued, but declined; the feast, notwithstanding, shall not want abundance of guests; but not one of its present contemners--who shall yet come to sue for admission--shall be allowed to taste of it." This shows what was lacking in the seemingly pious exclamation of this man.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The verses before us contain one of our Lord's most instructive parables. It was spoken in consequence of a remark made by one who was sitting at table with Him in a Pharisee's house. "Blessed," said this man, "is he who shall eat the feast in the kingdom of God." We are left to conjecture as to the object of this remark. It is likely that he who made it was one of that class of people who wish to go to Heaven, and like to hear good things talked of, but never get any further. Our Lord takes occasion to remind him and all the company, by means of the parable of the great supper — that men may have the kingdom of God offered to them, and yet may willingly neglect it, and be lost forever. We are taught, firstly, in this parable — that God has made a great provision for the salvation of men's souls. This is the meaning of the words, "a certain man made a great banquet — and invited many." This is the Gospel. The Gospel contains a full supply of everything that sinners need in order to be saved. We are all naturally starving, empty, helpless, and ready to perish. Forgiveness of all sin, and peace with God, justification of the person, and sanctification of the heart — grace along the way, and glory in the end — are the gracious provisions which God has prepared for the needs of our souls. There is nothing that sin-laden hearts can wish, or weary consciences require — which is not spread before men in rich abundance in Christ. Christ, in one word, is the sum and substance of the "great supper." "I am the bread of life." "Him who comes unto Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." "My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, has eternal life." (John 6.)
THIS invitation was first of all made to the Jews, but it seems to me to have a peculiar appropriateness to ourselves. It is later in the day than when first the Lord was here and, therefore, the supper time is evidently closer at hand. The shadows lengthen, the sun of the present dispensation is nearing its setting—by nearly 1,900 years has its day been shortened since first the Lord sent forth His servants at supper time.
THIS invitation was first of all made to the Jews, but it seems to me to have a peculiar appropriateness to ourselves. It is later in the day than when first the Lord was here and, therefore, the supper time is evidently closer at hand. The shadows lengthen, the sun of the present dispensation is nearing its setting—by nearly 1,900 years has its day been shortened since first the Lord sent forth His servants at supper time. The fullness of time for the marriage supper of the Lamb must speedily arrive and, therefore, it behooves us to be more than ever earnest in delivering the message to the invited guests. And if all things could be said to be ready, even in our Savior's day, we may say it with still greater emphasis now, for when He delivered this parable, the Holy Spirit was not yet given. But Pentecost has now passed and the Spirit of God abides with us to accompany the Word, to fill it with power and to bless our souls as we feed upon His Truth. Very emphatically, then, at this time all things are now ready and the supper awaits the guests! I pray you do not begin to make excuses, but be prepared to follow us when we bid you come, to go with us when we seek to bring you in, or at least to yield to our entreaties when, with all the sacred violence of love, we would compel you to come in. We will not grudge the use of all the three increasing modes of persuasion so long as you are but led to "Come, for all things are now ready." There are two things clearly in the text and these have a close relation to one another. A plain invitation—"Come," and then a forcible argument—"for all things are ready." The argument is fetched from the Divine preparations, gathered from among the dainty provisions of the royal feast.
Sent his servant - Messengers are sent to invite the guests to a Hindoo feast; when not only relations, but all persons of the same division of caste in the neighborhood, are invited. A refusal to attend is considered as a great affront.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀπέστειλεν | apesteilen | he sent | G649 → | 132 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δοῦλον | doulon | servant | G1401 → | 129 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τῇ | tea | at the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὥρᾳ | hora | hour | G5610 → | 106 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δείπνου | deipnou | supper | G1173 → | 16 times |
| εἰπεῖν | eipein | to say | G2036 → | 925 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κεκλημένοις· | keklemenois | invited; | G2564 → | 147 times |
| ἔρχεσθε, | erchesthe | do come, | G2064 → | 628 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | for | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἤδη | ede | now | G2235 → | 61 times |
| ἕτοιμά | hetoima | ready | G2092 → | 17 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | [it] is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀπέστειλενhe sent
apesteilenG649 →132 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
δοῦλονservant
doulonG1401 →129 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
τῇat the
teaG3588 →19766 times
ὥρᾳhour
horaG5610 →106 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
δείπνουsupper
deipnouG1173 →16 times
εἰπεῖνto say
eipeinG2036 →925 times
τοῖςto those
toisG3588 →19766 times
κεκλημένοις·invited;
keklemenoisG2564 →147 times
ἔρχεσθε,do come,
erchestheG2064 →628 times
ὅτιfor
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἤδηnow
edeG2235 →61 times
ἕτοιμάready
hetoimaG2092 →17 times
ἐστιν[it] is
estinG1510 →2333 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 7:37On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
it leads to
- Isaiah 55:1
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
- John 4:14
But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
- John 6:35
Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.
- Isaiah 12:3
With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,
- Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
- Isaiah 55:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 14; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1354: “All Things Are Ready, Come” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 104; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 36; Gregory the Dialogist, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.