It is interesting to notice also in this chapter (see page 167 last month) the objects of the activity of grace as flowing forth from the heart of God. In a certain sense all men may be said to be this, “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” etc.; and when our blessed Lord tabernacled here, He was light for all. “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” In another sense, however, there was limitation, as expressed, for example, when the Lord said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” So also in this chapter. As the Lord sat in the Pharisee’s house, He said, “When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren.... but when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind.” (vss. 12-13) Those who had a claim, as it were, socially or relatively, were to be passed over; and those, according to this instruction, were to be invited, who not only were without claim, but who also were in circumstances of need and sorrow. Accordingly, when the “certain man” (who represents God) makes a great supper, after his first invitations were rejected, he said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt” (the same word as that translated by “lame” in verse 13), “and the blind.” Putting these two things together, we may gather some profitable lessons for our edification and guidance.
We learn, first, that the classes represented by these four words (the poor, maimed, lame, and blind) are the special objects of God’s heart in the seeking activities of His grace in the gospel. Who, then, are these? By the poor is meant, not exactly those who are so denominated in this world, but rather the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:33Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)), those who are conscious of poverty before God—whatever their position or earthly circumstances. The largest numbers of these, it is quite true, will be found amongst the class known by us as the poor (see Luke 4:1818The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18); 1 Corinthians 1:26-2926For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Corinthians 1:26‑29)); but thanks be to God, whose grace is sovereign in its operation, there are such in every rank and station of life. The true meaning of the term is found in the contrast made by our Lord Himself: “Blessed be ye poor; for yours is the kingdom of God. But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.” (Luke 6:20-2420And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. 21Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. 24But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. (Luke 6:20‑24)) It is seen again in Abraham’s address to the rich man in torment. He says, “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things.” (Luke 16:2525But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. (Luke 16:25)) These are the poor who have nothing for their possession, satisfaction, or enjoyment in the things of the world—those who have been made to feel that they have nothing for, and can bring nothing to, God. It should not, at the same time, be forgotten, that the really poor have ever been, are, and will be, the special objects of God’s care and love. (See, for example, Leviticus 19:9-109And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:9‑10); Leviticus 23:2222And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:22); Psalms 72:12-1412For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. (Psalm 72:12‑14); James 2:55Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (James 2:5), etc)
The other terms are simple. The “maimed” are those who have suffered in some way or other in their bodies, so that they are now, in greater or less degree, helpless; the “lame” are unable to walk aright, and the “blind” cannot see. Rendering these terms typically, we perceive at once the character of those with whom God is especially concerned in the gospel of His grace. And these were just the classes that were drawn to the Lord when on earth—not those that were whole (for they did not need a physician), but those that were sick—not those who were righteous, or possessed merit in their own estimation—the scribes and Pharisees, but publicans and sinners. No! grace has no attraction for, and, we may add, no concern with, those who are rich in their own fancied spiritual wealth—only for wretched, helpless, and needy souls. For grace, itself a gift, delights to give, to make the poor rich, the helpless strong, and the empty full. As we meditate upon it, we can but exclaim, What a heart has the God of all grace! What tender compassion! For now, passing by all that sinners are and have done, the moment they turn in faith to the Lord Jesus, He delights to give and to bless according to the infinite thoughts of His own heart and mind. Yea, more than this—even while they are in all their sorrow and misery He sends forth the glad tidings of the gospel, and by the ambassadors of Christ beseeches sinners, as it were, to be reconciled to Him. Such is the response of God, while working at the same time for the glory of His beloved Son according to His eternal thoughts, to the need, the sorrow, and the misery of man!
Then, secondly, we gather that God’s people should be the expression of His heart to these same classes. This is the exact point of our Lord’s instruction to the Pharisee at whose table He was sitting. “When thou makest a feast,” he said, “invite not thy friends... but the poor,” etc. The Christian, therefore, is called upon, in this day of grace, to be God’s representative. This principle, indeed, obtains in every dispensation; viz., that God’s people are to act to those around them according to the revelation He has been pleased to make of Himself. Thus a Jew was to be the expression of Jehovah—of a righteous God; and a Christian is to show forth God as revealed in Christ Jesus.
We must be careful in the application of this truth. What the Lord teaches is, as we have seen, that when God makes a feast, He invites certain classes of people; and hence, that when we make a “feast,” we should be in communion with His own heart and mind. Now the feast that God makes is the provision of His grace—the table which He spreads, as we may learn from the next chapter, is in His own house—the Father’s house; and it is there that all who accept His invitations are brought to feast with Him in His own joy. It is, in a word, the gospel which, issuing forth from His own presence, leads the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind back to the place whence it came, and gives them the ineffable privilege of fellowship with the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ.
Understanding this, we might well challenge ourselves—and especially those of us who are evangelists, wherever found—as to whether we have sufficiently borne in mind this instruction of our Lord; whether, we mean, in the proclamation of the gospel, we have had those before us who are typified by these classes. Some, as may be gathered from any record of religious activity, seek the young, some the aged, some the rich, some the poor; but God always seeks all alike who are in need and sorrow, those who are helpless and blind. It was so also with our blessed Lord Himself. “Come unto Me,” He said, all that labor and are heavy laden:” all such in every rank were the objects of His heart at all times. Nor must our hearts move in a narrower circle than His own; and should we, acting according to our thoughts, contract this circle, even but for a single occasion, we damage our own souls, as well as misrepresent the all-embracing character of His grace.
Two suggested remarks may be added. It must be patent, in the first place, to any observer (for wisdom is justified of all her children), that God’s special blessing ever rests upon those who seek to carry the gospel to poor, wretched, helpless, and benighted souls. Many an activity of this character—otherwise not to be commended—has resulted in such a number of conversions as might well awaken examination on the part of those who have more intelligence in the word of God. It is equally evident, on the other hand, that when Christians or servants have neglected these objects of God’s grace, that spiritual blight has settled down upon them, and their labors have resulted in barrenness. The second remark is, that when the Lord was on earth, it was these very classes—as before pointed out—of which He here speaks, found in numbers among the publicans and sinners, that were drawn to His feet. What has happened then, that they are not thus attracted by the preaching of His servants and His people in the present day? Has grace lost any of its beauty or power? Or is it that we have so sadly failed in its presentation? True that the carnal mind is enmity with God, but so it was in the days of our blessed Lord, and proved itself to be so in His rejection and crucifixion. Still the mighty grace that flowed forth in His words and life laid hold of the hearts of the vilest, and drew them irresistibly to His feet. (See Luke 7:36-5036And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:36‑50)) And, thank God, the same mighty operation of His grace is still often seen; but the question is, Why so seldom? Surely this Scripture will afford to us all abundant food for reflection; and it will be happier yet if it leads many of us to self-judgment. Oh, that God would come in with mighty power, and make us more truly the living exhibition of His grace in the midst of a sinful world.
E. D.