Luke 14:17

17 and sent his servaunt at supper tyme to saye to them that wer bidden come: for all thinges are now redy.

Luke 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 14:17

And sent his servant at supper time
Either John the Baptist, the harbinger and forerunner of Christ, who declared that the kingdom of heaven, or the Gospel dispensation, was at hand; and exhorted the people to believe in Christ that should come after him; or Christ himself, who is God's servant as man, of his choosing and appointing, and whom he sent in the fulness of time in the form of a servant, as the minister of the circumcision, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and to call sinners to repentance; or servant may be put for servants, since in ( Matthew 22:3 Matthew 22:4 ) mention is made of more; and so the Persic version here; which parable bears some likeness to this, if it is not the same; and may design the apostles of Christ, who were the servants of the most high God, and the ministers of Christ, who were first sent by him to preach the Gospel to the Jews, and to them only for a while:

to say to them that were bidden, come:
this call, or invitation, was not the internal call, which is a fruit of love, and by grace, and of mighty power; to special blessings, grace, and glory; and is irresistible, effectual, and unchangeable: but external, to outward ordinances: and is often slighted and neglected; and is sometimes of persons who are neither chosen, nor sanctified, nor saved:

for all things are now ready;
the Syriac version adds, "for you": righteousness, pardon of sin, peace, and reconciliation, sin put away by the sacrifice of Christ, redemption obtained, and life and salvation secured; which shows the perfection of the present dispensation, and the large provisions of the Gospel, to which nothing is, or can be brought to be added to them, or qualify for them.

Luke 14:17 In-Context

15 When one of them that sate at meate also hearde that he sayde vnto him: happy is he that eateth breed in the kyngdome of God.

16 Then sayd he to him. A certayne man ordened a greate supper and bade many

17 and sent his servaunt at supper tyme to saye to them that wer bidden come: for all thinges are now redy.

18 And they all atonce begane to make excuse. The fyrst sayd vnto him: I have bought a ferme and I must nedes goo and se it I praye the have me excused.

19 And another sayd: I hove bought fyve yooke of oxen and I goo to prove them I praye the have me excused.