In biblical times, banquets were significant social and religious events, often symbolizing fellowship, celebration, and covenantal relationships. The Bible provides numerous accounts of banquets, each serving various purposes, from royal feasts to sacred gatherings.

Old Testament Banquets

Banquets in the Old Testament were often grand affairs, reflecting the wealth and status of the host. One of the earliest mentions of a banquet is in Genesis 19:3, where Lot prepares a feast for the visiting angels in Sodom. This act of hospitality underscores the cultural importance of sharing meals.

In Genesis 21:8, Abraham holds a great feast on the day Isaac is weaned, marking a significant milestone in his family. Similarly, in Genesis 29:22, Laban gathers all the men of the place for a feast to celebrate Jacob's marriage to Leah, illustrating the communal aspect of such events.

The book of Esther provides a vivid depiction of royal banquets. King Ahasuerus hosts a lavish feast lasting 180 days, followed by a seven-day banquet for all the people present in the citadel of Susa (Esther 1:3-5). These banquets serve as a backdrop for the unfolding drama of Esther's rise to queenship and the deliverance of the Jewish people.

New Testament Banquets

In the New Testament, banquets continue to play a significant role, often used by Jesus to teach spiritual truths. One notable example is the wedding at Cana, where Jesus performs His first miracle by turning water into wine (John 2:1-11). This event highlights the joy and abundance associated with banquets.

Jesus frequently used the setting of a banquet to convey parables about the Kingdom of God. In Luke 14:16-24, He tells the Parable of the Great Banquet, where a man invites many guests, but they make excuses not to attend. The host then extends the invitation to the poor, crippled, blind, and lame, symbolizing God's inclusive call to salvation.

The Last Supper, described in the Synoptic Gospels, is perhaps the most significant banquet in the New Testament. During this Passover meal, Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper, establishing a new covenant with His disciples (Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20). This event underscores the sacrificial nature of Christ's mission and the fellowship believers share in His body and blood.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

Banquets in the Bible often symbolize divine provision, blessing, and the eschatological hope of the Messianic banquet. Isaiah 25:6-8 prophesies a future feast prepared by the LORD for all peoples, where death will be swallowed up forever. This imagery is echoed in Revelation 19:9, where the angel declares, "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb."

Throughout Scripture, banquets serve as a metaphor for God's abundant grace and the joyous fellowship believers will experience in His presence. They remind the faithful of the importance of hospitality, community, and the ultimate celebration that awaits in the Kingdom of Heaven.A feast provided for the entertainment of a company of guests (Esther 5; 7; 1 Peter 4:3); such as was provided for our Lord by his friends in Bethany (Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3; Comp. John 12:2). These meals were in the days of Christ usually called "suppers," after the custom of the Romans, and were partaken of toward the close of the day. It was usual to send a second invitation (Matthew 22:3; Luke 14:17) to those who had been already invited. When the whole company was assembled, the master of the house shut the door with his own hands (Luke 13:25; Matthew 25:10).

The guests were first refreshed with water and fragrant oil (Luke 7:38; Mark 7:4). A less frequent custom was that of supplying each guest with a robe to be worn during the feast (Ecclesiastes 9:8; Revelation 3:4, 5; Matthew 22:11). At private banquets the master of the house presided; but on public occasions a "governor of the feast" was chosen (John 2:8). The guests were placed in order according to seniority (Genesis 43:33), or according to the rank they held (Proverbs 25:6, 7; Matthew 23:6; Luke 14:7).

As spoons and knives and forks are a modern invention, and were altogether unknown in the East, the hands alone were necessarily used, and were dipped in the dish, which was common to two of the guests (John 13:26). In the days of our Lord the guests reclined at table; but the ancient Israelites sat around low tables, cross-legged, like the modern Orientals. Guests were specially honoured when extra portions were set before them (Genesis 43:34), and when their cup was filled with wine till it ran over (Psalm 23:5). The hands of the guests were usually cleaned by being rubbed on bread, the crumbs of which fell to the ground, and were the portion for dogs (Matthew 15:27; Luke 16:21).

At the time of the three annual festivals at Jerusalem family banquets were common. To these the "widow, and the fatherless, and the stranger" were welcome (Deuteronomy 16:11). Sacrifices also included a banquet (Exodus 34:15; Judges 16:23). Birthday banquets are mentioned (Genesis 40:20; Matthew 14:6). They were sometimes protracted, and attended with revelry and excess (Genesis 21:8; 29:22; 1 Samuel 25:2, 36; 2 Samuel 13:23). Portions were sometimes sent from the table to poorer friends (Nehemiah 8:10; Esther 9:19, 22). (see MEALS.)

1. (n.) A feast; a sumptuous entertainment of eating and drinking; often, a complimentary or ceremonious feast, followed by speeches.

2. (n.) A dessert; a course of sweetmeats; a sweetmeat or sweetmeats.

3. (v. t.) To treat with a banquet or sumptuous entertainment of food; to feast.

4. (v. i.) To regale one's self with good eating and drinking; to feast.

5. (v. i.) To partake of a dessert after a feast.

BANQUET

ban'-kwet.

1. The Ancient Hebrew Customs:

(1) "Banquet" and "banqueting" in the King James Version always include and stand for wine-drinking, not simply "feast" or "feasting" in our sense. Thus (Songs 2:4), "He brought me to the banqueting-house" is literally, "the house of wine," and Esther 7:2 has in the Hebrew "a banquet of wine." In the New Testament we see a reflection of the same fact in 1 Peter 4:3 the King James Version, "We walked in. excess of wine, banquetings" (Greek "drinkings"; the Revised Version (British and American) "carousings"). Compare Amos 6:7 the King James Version, "The banquet of them that stretched themselves," where the reference seems to be to reclining at wine-drinkings.

See MEALS.

The Hebrew of Job 1:4, "make a banquet," may refer to a social feast of a less objectionable sort (compare Job 41:6 the King James Version), though the Hebrew for "to drink" yayin "wine," was used as synonymous with "banquet."

See SYMPOSIUM.

Music, dancing and merriment usually attended all such festivities. Certainly the ancient Hebrews, like other peoples of the ancient East, were very fond of social feasting, and in Christ's day had acquired, from contact with Greeks and Romans, luxurious and bibulous habits, that often carried them to excess in their social feasts.

2. In Christ's Teaching and Practice:

Among the Greeks the word for "feast" (doche) is from dechomai "to receive" (compare our English usage, "to receive" and "reception"). This word doche is used with poiein "to make," to signify "to make" or "give a feast." Compare Luke 5:29 where Levi "made a feast."

(1) In view of existing customs and abuses, Christ taught His followers when they gave a banquet to invite the poor, etc. (Luke 14:13), rather than, as the fashion of the day called for, to bid the rich and influential. Much in the New Testament that has to do with banquets and banquetings will be obscure to us of the West if we do not keep in mind the many marked differences of custom between the East and the West.

(2) "Banquets" were usually given in the house of the host to specially invited guests (Luke 14:15 John 2:2), but much more freedom was accorded to the uninvited than we of the West are accustomed to, as one finds to be true everywhere in the East today. The custom of reclining at meals (see MEALS; TRICLINIUM, etc.) was everywhere in vogue among the well-to-do in Christ's day, even in the case of the ordinary meals, the guest leaning upon the left arm and eating with the aid of the right (compare Matthew 26:20 m "reclining," and 1 Corinthians 11:20, "the Lord's supper").

(3) "Banquets" were considered normal parts of weddings as they are now throughout the East. Jesus and His disciples were bidden to one at Cana in Galilee, and accepted the invitation (John 2:2), and wine-drinking was a part of the feast. The "banquet" Levi gave was in Christ's honor (Luke 5:29). There were numbers present and marked gradations in the places at table (Matthew 23:6 Mark 12:39 Luke 14:7; Luke 20:46). Guests were invited in advance, and then, as time-pieces were scarce, specially notified when the feast was ready, which helps to explain Christ's words (Matthew 22:4), "All things are ready: come to the marriage" (compare Luke 14:17 Esther 5:8; Esther 6:14).

(4) Matthew tells us (Matthew 23:6) that the Pharisees "love the chief place ("uppermost rooms" the King James Version) at feasts."

In Matthew 22:3, 4 "made a marriage feast," is rendered by some simply "a feast," because Greek gamos, "marriage," was used by Septuagint to translate the Hebrew for "feast" in Esther 1:5. But, as this is the only known example of such a use compare gamos, it is better to take it here in the literal sense of "marriage feast," as would seem to be required by the words "for his son" (Messiah). The Greek is plural (gamous) to indicate the several parts or stages of the feast (Button, 23; compare English "nuptials").

wine was provided, superintend the drinking, etc. (compare Luke 22:27).

3. A Distinction Giving Rise to a Question:

(1) In Matthew 22:4, "I have made ready my dinner," "dinner" in Greek is ariston (compare Luke 11:38). "Supper" (Greek deipnon) is found in Matthew 23:6 and often in the New Testament. Both words are found in Luke 14:12. The question arises, What was the distinction? Thus much may be said in answer: The ariston (English Versions "dinner") was a meal usually taken about the middle of the forenoon, with variations of earlier or later; the deipnon (English Versions "supper"), the one taken at the close of the day, often after dark. In Ant, V, iv, 2 Josephus supposes Eglon's guards (Judges 3:24) were negligent about noon, "both because of the heat and because their attention was turned to dinner" (ariston). So the "dinner" (ariston) was sometimes as late as noon. Yet John 21:12, 15 shows, on the other hand, that the ariston was on some occasions taken shortly after dawn.

(2) Another question raised is this, Were the ancient Jews accustomed to have two or three meals a day? Vambery, quoted by Morison, gives a saying of the Turks that is in point: "There are only two meals a day, the smaller at 10 or 11 o'clock in the morning, the second and larger after sunset." There seems no evidence to sustain the view, maintained by Grimm and entertained by others, that the Jews of Christ's day were accustomed to take a separate and slight meal on rising, as the later Greeks and some of the later Romans did. There is certainly no clear evidence that the Jews of that day had more than two meals a day (see DB, article "Meals").

(3) The marriage feast of Matthew 22:3 was an ariston, somewhat like an English "wedding-breakfast"; but that in Luke 14:16 was a deipnon, which was as usual delayed till after dark (Luke 14:17). Perhaps the ariston in this case was preliminary, while the marriage with its accompanying deipnon was after dark; such things are not unheard of today (compare Matthew 26:20 and 1 Corinthians 11:20, "the Lord's deipnon").

George B. Eager

1403. doche -- a reception, a banquet
... a reception, a banquet. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: doche Phonetic
Spelling: (dokh-ay') Short Definition: a reception, party Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1403.htm - 6k

755. architriklinos -- the superintendent of a banquet
... the superintendent of a banquet. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
architriklinos Phonetic Spelling: (ar-khee-tree'-klee-nos) Short Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/755.htm - 6k

4411. protoklisia -- the chief place (at the table)
... of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: protoklisia Phonetic Spelling:
(pro-tok-lis-ee'-ah) Short Definition: the chief place at a banquet Definition: ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4411.htm - 6k

1173. deipnon -- dinner, supper
... Word Origin from the same as dapane Definition dinner, supper NASB Word Usage
banquet (1), banquets (3), dinner (4), supper (8). supper. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1173.htm - 6k

4797. mirzach -- banquet
... mirzach. 4798 . banquet. Transliteration: mirzach Phonetic Spelling: (meer-zakh')
Short Definition: banquet. Word Origin the same as marzeach, qv. banquet ...
/hebrew/4797.htm - 5k

4960. mishteh -- a feast, drink
... 4959, 4960. mishteh. 4961 . a feast, drink. Transliteration: mishteh Phonetic
Spelling: (mish-teh') Short Definition: banquet. ... banquet, drank, drink, feasted ...
/hebrew/4960.htm - 6k

4961. mishte -- a feast
... 4960, 4961. mishte. 4962 . a feast. Transliteration: mishte Phonetic Spelling:
(mish-teh') Short Definition: banquet. Word ... 1). banquet. ...
/hebrew/4961.htm - 6k

3738. karah -- to dig
... dig, make a banquet, open A primitive root; properly, to dig; figuratively, to plot;
generally, to bore or open -- dig, X make (a banquet), open. 3737, 3738. ...
/hebrew/3738.htm - 5k

3196. yayin -- wine
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition wine NASB Word Usage banquet
(1), grape (1), wine (136). banqueting, wine, winebibber. ...
/hebrew/3196.htm - 6k

8354. shathah -- to drink
... A primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively) -- X assuredly, banquet,
X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk (X -ard), surely. (Prop. ...
/hebrew/8354.htm - 6k

The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, or Concerning Chastity
The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, or Concerning Chastity. <. The Banquet of
the Ten Virgins, or Concerning Chastity Methodius. Translated by the Rev. ...
/.../methodius/the banquet of the ten virgins or concerning chastity/

The Heavenly Banquet.
... LVII. THE HEAVENLY BANQUET. 20th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matthew 22:4. ...
SUBJECT."Our subject to-day shall be the Heavenly Banquet, and the invitation to ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/lvii the heavenly banquet.htm

Satan's Banquet
... Satan's Banquet. A Sermon (No.225). Delivered on Sabbath Morning, November 28th,
1858, by the. REV. CH SPURGEON. at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/satans banquet.htm

Guests at an Imperial Banquet
... BOOK II CHAPTER XIX GUESTS AT AN IMPERIAL BANQUET. Sumptuous gluttonies and gorgeous
feasts."Milton. ... They were only broken by the banquet at the Palace. ...
/.../chapter xix guests at an.htm

The Banquet of Love, Cant. 2 1 2 3 4 6 7
... Hymns. Book 1. Hymn 1:68. The banquet of love, Cant. 2. 1 2 3 4 6 7. 1
Behold the Rose of Sharon here, The Lily which the vallies ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 0 088888889 the banquet of.htm

The Banquet of Love. Ss 2:1-4,6,7.
... HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS IN THREE BOOKS. HYMN 68 The banquet of love.
SS 2:1-4,6,7. LM The banquet of love. Songs 2:1-4,6,7. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 68 the banquet of.htm

The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, or Concerning Chastity
The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, or Concerning Chastity. <. ...
/.../methodius/the banquet of the ten virgins or concerning chastity/title page.htm

The Novatians, by Excluding Such from the Banquet of Christ...
... Two Books Concerning Repentance. Book I. Chapter VI. The Novatians, by
excluding such from the banquet of Christ? The Novatians ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter vi the novatians by.htm

Matthew the Publican Called from the Custom-House. --Familial ...
... Matthew the Publican called from the Custom-house."Familial Intercourse of Christ
with the Publicans at the Banquet."The Pharisees blame the Disciples, and ...
/.../section 141 matthew the publican.htm

Introductory Notice to Methodius.
The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, or Concerning Chastity. <. ... 63. [But this seems
only his nom de plume, assumed in his fiction of the Banquet.]. ...
/.../introductory notice to methodius.htm

Banquet (58 Occurrences)
... Sacrifices also included a banquet (Exodus 34:15; Judges 16:23). ... 3. (vt) To treat
with a banquet or sumptuous entertainment of food; to feast. ...
/b/banquet.htm - 36k

Banquet-house (1 Occurrence)
Banquet-house. Banquet, Banquet-house. Banqueting . Multi-Version
Concordance Banquet-house (1 Occurrence). Daniel 5 ...
/b/banquet-house.htm - 6k

Dinner (23 Occurrences)
... Esther 5:4 Esther said, "If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come
today to the banquet that I have prepared for him." (See RSV). ...
/d/dinner.htm - 15k

Maketh (399 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Genesis 19:3 And he presseth on them greatly, and they turn aside unto him,
and come in unto his house; and he maketh for them a banquet, and hath baked ...
/m/maketh.htm - 34k

Petition (33 Occurrences)
... Esther 5:6 The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, "What is your
petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? ...
/p/petition.htm - 19k

Vashti (10 Occurrences)
... is without foundation. Esther invites Haman on two occasions to accompany
the king to a banquet at which she was present. Nor can ...
/v/vashti.htm - 12k

Banqueting (6 Occurrences)
... (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Banquet. ... Daniel 5:10 The queen, on account of the words of
the king and his great men, to the banquet-house hath come up. ...
/b/banqueting.htm - 8k

Preserved (27 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 25:6 And made hath Jehovah of Hosts, For all the peoples in this mount, A
banquet of fat things, a banquet of preserved things, Fat things full of marrow ...
/p/preserved.htm - 14k

Meals (8 Occurrences)
... (Comp. Luke 7:36-50.) (see ABRAHAM'S BOSOM; BANQUET; FEAST.). Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. MEALS, MEAL-TIME. ... See BANQUET. III. Customs at Meals. ...
/m/meals.htm - 27k

To-morrow (52 Occurrences)
... favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition,
and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I ...
/t/to-morrow.htm - 23k

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