A request for attendance, often to a celebration or feast. Invitations to the blessings of the gospel are sometimes presented as requests to attend a banquet. In a negative sense one can be invited to sin.
Invitations to receive hospitality
Acts 16:15 See also Genesis 24:31–33 Laban shows hospitality to Abraham's servant and his animals; Genesis 31:54; Exodus 2:20; Numbers 10:29–32; 1 Samuel 9:22–24 Saul dines with Samuel; 1 Kings 13:7; Job 1:4; Jeremiah 35:2LUK Jeremiah 7:36, Luke 11:37 John 21:12; Acts 10:23; 1 Corinthians 10:27
And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
Invitations to a wedding or a banquet
Luke 14:8–14 See also Esther 5:4, Esther 5:12; John 2:2
“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.” 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.”
Invitations requesting help
Acts 16:9 See also Judges 1:3, Judges 11:6; 2 Kings 16:7; Acts 8:30–31
During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
Invitations of the lovers in the Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon 2:13, Song of Solomon 4:8, Song of Solomon 7:11, Song of Solomon 8:14
Invitations to join in worshipping God
Psalm 34:3 See also Psalm 66:5–6, Psalm 66:16, Psalm 95:1–2, Psalm 95:5–6
Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.
Invitations of the Lord Jesus Christ to follow him
Matthew 4:19 parallels Mark 1:17, Luke 5:10 See also Mark 10:21 parallels Matthew 19:21, Luke 18:22
“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
Invitations to the blessings of the gospel
Invitations given in varied terms
Matthew 11:28–30 See also Isaiah 1:18; Zechariah 3:10 “to sit under his vine and fig-tree” refers to the peaceful security of the kingdom of God. See 1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4; Matthew 25:34; John 4:29; Revelation 3:20, Revelation 22:17
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Invitations using the imagery of a banquet
Luke 14:16–17 See also Isaiah 55:1–3; Matthew 22:1–14; Revelation 19:7–9
But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
Invitations given with deceitful motives
2 Samuel 15:10–12 See also 2 Samuel 13:23–29; 1 Kings 1:5–10; Nehemiah 6:1–8
Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’” Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter. While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.
Invitations to do what is sinful
Genesis 39:7 See also Genesis 3:1–4, Genesis 39:12; Exodus 34:15–16; Numbers 22:6, Numbers 22:11, Numbers 22:17, Numbers 23:7, Numbers 25:1–2; Proverbs 1:10–11
and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”
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.