Grand, celebratory meals consisting usually of rich food and flowing wine. Banquets usually accompanied weddings, religious festivals and other celebrations. Prophecies of the Messianic age refer to a banquet to which the righteous will be invited.
Characteristics of banquets
They were usually held in a hall
Song of Solomon 2:4 See also Esther 7:8; Daniel 5:10
He has brought me to the house of wine, and his banner over me is love.
Honoured guests were given special places
Luke 14:7–11 See also Proverbs 25:6–7; Matthew 23:6 parallels Mark 12:39, Luke 20:46
When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable: “When you are invited to a wedding banquet, do not sit in the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited. Then the host who invited both of you will come and tell you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ And in humiliation, you will have to take the last place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that your host will come and tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in front of everyone at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Guests reclined on couches
Esther 1:6; Matthew 26:7 parallels Mark 14:3, Luke 7:36; John 12:2
Invitations were sent out
Luke 14:17 parallel Matthew 22:3
Occasions for holding banquets
To celebrate weddings
Matthew 22:2 See also Genesis 29:21–22 a feast celebrates Jacob's wedding; Judges 14:10 Samson gives a wedding feast; Esther 2:18 Xerxes celebrates Esther's choice as queen with a banquet; Matthew 25:10; Luke 12:36; John 2:8–9; Revelation 19:9 the marriage supper of the Lamb
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
To celebrate birthdays
To celebrate other events
Genesis 21:8 Abraham celebrates Isaac's weaning.; Esther 8:17, Esther 9:17–19; Luke 15:23 The father celebrates the prodigal son's return.
Religious celebrations
Psalm 22:29 See also 2 Chronicles 30:21–22, 2 Chronicles 35:13; Zechariah 7:6
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him— even those unable to preserve their lives.
Activities at banquets
Good food and drink
Isaiah 25:6 See also Job 1:4; Zechariah 7:6; Matthew 22:4; Luke 15:23
On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine.
Drunkenness and revelry
1 Samuel 25:36 See also Esther 1:7–8, Esther 1:10; Ecclesiastes 10:19; Jeremiah 51:39; Daniel 5:3–4
When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.
Music and dancing
Isaiah 5:12 See also Matthew 14:6 parallel Mark 6:22; Luke 15:25
At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.
Further examples of banquets
Genesis 26:30 Isaac holds a feast for Abimelech; Genesis 43:34 Joseph feasts with his brothers; 2 Samuel 3:20 David holds a feast for Abner; 1 Kings 3:15 Solomon gives a feast for all his court.; Esther 1:3, Esther 1:5; Esther 1:9 Queen Vashti holds a banquet for the women of the palace.; Esther 5:4–5, Esther 5:8; Daniel 5:1–2 Belshazzar has a banquet for 1,000 nobles; Luke 5:29 parallel Matthew 9:10 Levi holds a banquet for Jesus Christ; Luke 14:1 Jesus Christ is the guest of a leading Pharisee.
An invitation to a banquet seen as a sign of God's grace
Luke 14:12–14 See also 2 Kings 6:23 The king of Israel prepares a banquet for captured Aramean troops; Matthew 22:8–10 parallel Luke 14:21–23
Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid. But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
The Messianic banquet
Matthew 8:11 See also Luke 13:29, Luke 14:15
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.