Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 36:70 (Spring 2023)
Article: The Lord’s Eating With Sinners In Luke 5
Author: Kathryn Wright

JOTGES 36:70 (Spring 2023) p. 53

The Lord’s Eating With Sinners In Luke 5

Kathryn Wright

I. Introduction

In the Gospel of Luke, a consistent theme is found in the Lord’s encounters with various groups of people. Luke presents Him as sitting at a table and eating with them.

While the other Gospel writers speak of the Lord’s participating in certain meals (e.g., Matt 26:6–7; Mark 14:3ff.), Luke emphasizes it to a much greater degree. It is noteworthy that the Gospel of John is markedly silent on the topic of table fellowship until the anointing at Bethany and the Passover (John 12:1–7; 13:1–3). If, as will be argued, eating at these meals deals with having fellowship with the Lord, that is to be expected. There is a difference between having fellowship with the Lord and receiving eternal life. The Gospel of John is a book about the offer of eternal life to unbelievers. Though all believers have eternal life, not all believers are in fellowship with the Savior.

The Gospel of Luke, on the other hand, is a book written to believers, so one would expect an emphasis on the fellowship with the Lord that is available to the one who already has eternal life. This is the key to understanding the many examples in Luke of the Lord’s feasting with others at a table. It seems that it is with only a bit of hyperbole that Karris comments that throughout the Gospel of Luke the Lord has either just left a feast, is on His way to a feast, or is currently at a feast.1

In these settings, Jesus is depicted as teaching those around Him. Bock notices this theme, stating that Luke likes to mention events surrounding a meal (7:36–50; 9:10–17; 10:38–42; 11:37–54; 14:1–24; 19:1–10; 22:7–38; 24:29–32, 41–43). The tables where these meals take place provide opportunities for the Lord to teach spiritual truths. Perhaps even more critical to the purpose of this article, Bock says it

JOTGES 36:70 (Spring 2023) p. 54

is at these tables that fellowship with the Lord occurs.You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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