One Sabbath-day Jesus was taking dinner at the house of a Pharisee. He
talked with the people at the table about humility of manner at the great
feasts which were given in those days. Then one of the company said to
him, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.” I do
not think he meant heaven, but rather the kingdom that he hoped the
Messiah would set up on the earth. Jesus answered him in the form of a
story about a man who made a great supper, sending out many invitations.
When everything was ready he sent for his guests to come, and every one
of them sent an excuse. One said he had bought a piece of ground and
must go and see it, and begged to be excused; another said he had bought
five yoke of oxen, and was going to prove them; another said he had just
been married and couldn’t come. When the servant came back and told his
master he was angry. He told his servants to go out quickly through the
streets and bring all the lame people, and the blind people, and the poor
people of every sort. So the servant did as he was told; but he said to
his master, “There is room yet.” So the master told him to go out in the
highways and hedges, and coax people to come to the supper, and fill the
house, for none of those who were first invited should be allowed to
taste of the supper.
[Illustration: JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES ON THE ROAD TO CÆSAREA.—Mark viii.
27.]