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The Gospel of Luke

  1. Lesson One
    Overview of Luke (Luke 1-2)
    17 Activities
    |
    3 Assessments
  2. Lesson Two
    Savior for All Humanity (Luke 3-4, 7-8)
    21 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  3. Lesson Three
    Kingdom of Lost, Last and Least (Luke 5–6, 14:1–19:10)
    26 Activities
  4. Lesson Four
    Redemptive History (Luke 9–13, 19:11–24:53)
    13 Activities
  5. Lesson Five
    Author and Audience
    14 Activities
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

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Grab your Workbook Journal!
[Record your answers in the workbook provided at the beginning of this course.]

As you know, the Synoptic Gospels have a lot in common, but commonalities only underscore the unique emphases of each writer. Let’s compare some banquet parables in Matthew and Luke to better appreciate what Luke is highlighting.

  1. Read Luke 14:15-24 and Matthew 22:1-14, and complete the table in the workbook by inserting the details in Luke’s account. 
Banquet DetailsMatthewLuke
Giver of the banquetA king
BanquetWedding feast
Number of guests who accept the invitationNone
Host’s response King invites new guests after having first invitees destroyed
Second set of inviteesMany people
Response to this invitationOne gathering comes
See a completed version of the table comparing Luke 14:15-24 and Matthew 22:1-14 below.
Banquet Details Matthew Luke
Giver of the banquet A king The master of the house
Banquet Wedding feast Dinner banquet
Number of guests who accept the invitation None None
Host’s response King invites new guests after having first invitees destroyed Host invites new guests
Second set of invitees Many people The poor, lame, blind and crippled
Response to this invitation One gathering comes One gathering does not fill the house, so another set of invitations is given.

Source: Darrell L. Bock, Luke: Volume 2: 9:51–24:53, 1996, p. 1269.

While the two parables are similar in many respects, there are also key differences. The hosts and reasons for the feasts differ, but a more significant difference is in Luke’s description of exactly who is included in the second set of invitees. 

  1. How does his description vary from Matthew’s, and what does this suggest about Luke’s focus in his Gospel account?