Honor – good name; good reputation; public respect
In the presence of – in front of
Feast – a large and special meal
Crippled – unable to use all one’s hands, arms, feet, or legs
Lame – unable to use one’s feet or legs
Blind – unable to see
To pay someone back – to return what someone gave you, return what you owe
To repay – to pay someone back, give back what you owe
To apologize – to say you were wrong and are sorry for what you did or said
Ox – a cow-like animal used to pull carts or plows
Furious – very, very angry
Alley – a narrow street, often in the back of buildings in a city
Lane – narrow path, often between bushes or fences
Comprehension Questions
Where did Jesus tell these stories?
Why did he tell the first story? What did he notice?
Is the first story about being a guest or being a host?
What kind of banquet is the first story about?
Where did Jesus say you should not sit at a wedding banquet? Where did he say you should sit instead? Why?
Who did Jesus say you should not invite for a meal? Who should you invite? Why? Will they be able to pay you back? Who will?
Who did Jesus tell the second story to?
Is the second story about being a guest or being a host?
Were there many people invited to the banquet?
Who did the man send to tell the guests that the banquet was ready?
Were there many people invited to the banquet?
What were each of the excuses?
What was the master’s response to the excuses?
Who did the master tell the servant to invite instead? Where would the servant find these people?
Did these guests fill the banquet room?
Where did the master tell the servant to go to find more people? Why?
What happened to the people who were invited the first time, but couldn’t come?
Discussion Questions
Which is the seat of honor at a dinner in your society?
What happens in your society if someone sits in that seat of honor without being invited to?
Which is the humblest seat at a dinner in your society?
What kind of guest did Jesus say that we should be? Why?
Who do you usually invite to your home for a meal? Why? Do they usually pay you back?
What kind of host did Jesus say we should be? Why?
What does it mean that God will repay you?
What did one of the guests say after Jesus said that God will repay you? What does that mean?
How do you think the man in the second story felt when his invited guests didn’t come? How would you have felt? What would you have done?
The second group of people invited probably didn’t know the man. How do you think they felt when they were invited?
What does this story have in common with what Jesus earlier told the host? The guests?
What do these stories have in common with the stories of the two sons, the religious leader and tax collector, and Jesus blessing the children?
Why did Jesus tell this story? Who does the man giving the banquet represent? Who do the guests represent?
Thoughts for Later
What kind of guests are we? What kind of hosts are we?
Who do we know that is poor, lonely, without friends, that we can include in our lives? Who can we invite into our homes just because they need love, even if we don’t receive anything in return?
What kind of excuses have we made for not accepting God’s invitation to the banquet he has prepared for us? Work? Money? Possessions? Family? Time?
