Understanding the Parable of the Great Supper: Dr. Lloyd-Jones' Key Insights

What is the main message of the Parable of the Great Supper in Luke 14?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the main message of the Parable of the Great Supper is about why people refuse God's offer of salvation. The parable addresses "the most important question and problem in the whole of life... why it is that men and women refuse him and refuse his great and glorious salvation." This parable specifically deals with people who appear religious, who express interest in the Kingdom of God, but ultimately prioritize worldly concerns over responding to God's invitation.

Why did Jesus tell the Parable of the Great Supper?

Jesus told this parable in response to someone who said, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this person was likely a Pharisee who assumed he would be in God's kingdom. Jesus told the parable to expose the reality that many religious people who think they'll enter the kingdom will actually be excluded, while those they despise (like "publicans and sinners") will be welcomed in. The parable was a prophetic statement about how the Jews would reject their Messiah while Gentiles would accept Him.

What do the excuses in the parable represent?

The excuses in the parable (buying land, testing oxen, getting married) represent legitimate activities that become problematic when prioritized above God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes: "There's nothing wrong in buying a piece of ground... nothing wrong in proving oxen... nothing wrong with marriage." The issue isn't the activities themselves but that they reveal a person's true attitude toward God. "The trouble with these people is that they're completely wrong and fail to understand the real nature of salvation."

How does the parable reveal what truly matters to God?

The parable reveals that God is concerned primarily with our attitude toward Him rather than our specific actions. Dr. Lloyd-Jones states: "What matters primarily with God is our attitude to him. Stop thinking in terms of actions... It is man's independence of God that finally damns him, not his particular sin." He emphasizes that "the greatest insult to God is to refuse his offer in Christ," regardless of whether that refusal is polite or rude.

What does the "great supper" represent in the parable?

The "great supper" represents the glorious salvation that God offers. Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes it as "the greatest supper in the universe prepared by God," planned "before even the world was created," and paid for by "the precious blood of Christ." It includes everything people need: "Forgiveness... a new life... a new relationship to him... his companionship... power to live in this world... preparing for you the glory everlasting and your eternal inheritance."

What does it mean to "compel them to come in" in the parable?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this doesn't mean physical force but "moral and logical constraint." He states: "There is no compulsion in the gospel of Christ. This is moral suasion, moral persuasion, moral and mental constraint." This represents the work of the Holy Spirit, who "disturbs" people, makes them "unhappy and ill at ease," and leads them to salvation despite their initial resistance. It also refers to persuading those who feel unworthy that God has fully prepared for them.

Why does God get angry in the parable?

God (represented by the host) gets angry because the refusals are a personal insult. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains: "It isn't the value of the supper, it's the personal insult. They're telling him what they think of him." The rejection deeply hurts God because He has gone to extraordinary lengths to prepare salvation. The parable shows that "every man is responsible for that refusal" and "when you find yourself in hell, it's your refusal that's put you there."

How does the parable demonstrate that salvation is entirely of God's grace?

The parable shows that salvation is completely God's initiative and work. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out: "Man doesn't come into it at all. He hasn't had a finger in the pie. He's done nothing. He can do nothing." God not only prepares the feast but also actively brings people in: "There'd be nobody in heaven at the end were it not that God even persuades us to accept the invitation." This demonstrates the doctrine that "salvation from beginning to end is of God."