Topical Bible: Guests

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In biblical times, the concept of hospitality was deeply ingrained in the culture and religious practices of the people of Israel and the early Christian church. The treatment of guests was not only a social expectation but also a reflection of one's faith and obedience to God's commandments.

Old Testament Context

Hospitality in the Old Testament is often depicted as a sacred duty. The patriarch Abraham is a prime example of this virtue. In Genesis 18:1-8, Abraham welcomes three visitors, who are later revealed to be divine messengers, with great generosity and respect. He offers them water to wash their feet, a place to rest, and a lavish meal. This narrative underscores the importance of treating guests with honor and kindness, as it was believed that strangers could be messengers from God.

The Mosaic Law also emphasizes the treatment of guests and strangers. Leviticus 19:33-34 states, "When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." This commandment highlights the moral obligation to extend hospitality and love to all, reflecting God's own care for His people.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the practice of hospitality continues to be a significant aspect of Christian life. Jesus Himself often relied on the hospitality of others during His ministry. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus visits the home of Martha and Mary, where He is welcomed and served. This account illustrates the importance of both service and attentiveness to the teachings of Christ.

The early church also placed a strong emphasis on hospitality. In Romans 12:13 , Paul exhorts believers to "Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality." Similarly, in Hebrews 13:2 , Christians are reminded, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." These passages reflect the belief that hospitality is a means of serving God and others, and that it can lead to unexpected blessings.

Theological Significance

Theologically, the act of welcoming guests is seen as an expression of God's love and grace. It is a tangible way to demonstrate the love of Christ to others, reflecting the hospitality that God extends to humanity through the gospel. In Matthew 25:35 , Jesus teaches, "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in." This passage underscores the idea that serving others, including guests and strangers, is akin to serving Christ Himself.

Practical Application

For Christians today, the biblical teaching on hospitality encourages believers to open their homes and hearts to others, fostering community and demonstrating the love of Christ. It challenges individuals to go beyond mere social obligations and to view hospitality as a spiritual practice that honors God and serves His people.

Greek

4849. sumposion -- a drinking party, company (guests at a party)
... a drinking party, company (guests at a party). Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: sumposion Phonetic Spelling: (soom-pos'-ee-on) Short Definition: ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4849.htm - 6k

345. anakeimai -- to be laid up, to recline
... Word Origin from ana and keimai Definition to be laid up, to recline NASB Word Usage
dinner guests (3), reclined (1), reclines (2), reclining (7), seated (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/345.htm - 7k

2564. kaleo -- to call
... word Definition to call NASB Word Usage call (13), called (99), calling (2), calls
(7), give (1), invite (2), invited (15), invited guests (1), invites (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2564.htm - 10k

5382. philoxenos -- loving strangers
... hospitable. From philos and xenos; fond of guests, ie Hospitable -- given to
(lover of, use) hospitality. see GREEK philos. see GREEK xenos. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5382.htm - 6k

594. apodoche -- acceptance, approval
... ap-od-okh-ay') Short Definition: acceptance, appreciation, approbation Definition:
(properly: reception, welcome, of guests), acceptance, appreciation ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/594.htm - 6k

1247. diakoneo -- to serve, minister
... Spelling: (dee-ak-on-eh'-o) Short Definition: I wait at table, serve Definition:
I wait at table (particularly of a slave who waits on guests); I serve ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1247.htm - 9k

4873. sunanakeimai -- to recline with (at table)
... Word Origin from sun and anakeimai Definition to recline with (at table) NASB Word
Usage dining (2), dinner guests (2), reclining (2), table (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4873.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

7121. qara -- to call, proclaim, read
... 11), calls (17), cried (24), cries (1), cry (19), crying (2), dictated* (1), famous*
(1), gave (4), given (1), gives (1), grasps (1), guests (4), invite (6 ...
/hebrew/7121.htm - 7k

Library

The Two Guests
... VOLUME I: PSALMS I to XLIX THE TWO GUESTS. 'His anger endureth but a moment;
in His favour is life: weeping may endure for a night ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the two guests.htm

God's Guests
... VOLUME I: PSALMS I to XLIX GOD'S GUESTS. 'One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/gods guests.htm

Guests at an Imperial Banquet
... BOOK II CHAPTER XIX GUESTS AT AN IMPERIAL BANQUET. Sumptuous gluttonies and gorgeous
feasts."Milton. ... Chrysostom looked longer at the male guests. ...
/.../chapter xix guests at an.htm

June the Fifteenth the King's Guests
... JUNE The Fifteenth THE KING'S GUESTS. "Who shall ascend into the hill
of the Lord?" "Psalm 24.p> Who shall be permitted to pass ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/june the fifteenth the kings.htm

With Such Dainties as These Let the Devil's Guests be Feasted. ...
... Chapter XXVIII. With such dainties as these let the devil's guests be feasted.?
With such dainties as these let the devil's guests be feasted. ...
/.../tertullian/the shows or de spectaculis/chapter xxviii with such dainties.htm

Divine Love Making a Feast and Calling in the Guests. Luke 14:17 ...
... Hymns, Book II HYMN 13 Divine love making a feast and calling in the guests. Luke
14:17,22,23. CM Divine love making a feast and calling in the guests. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 13 divine love making.htm

Divine Love Making a Feast, and Calling in the Guests, Luke 14 17 ...
... Hymns. Book 3. Prepared for the Lord's Supper. Hymn 3:13. Divine love making
a feast, and calling in the guests, Luke 14. 17 22 23. ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 3 13 divine love making.htm

Parable of the Marriage Feast of the King's Son. (Matt. , xxii. ...
... The guests invited are the members of the old Theocratic nation. When the
banquet is prepared (ie, when the kingdom of God is to ...
/.../section 255 parable of the.htm

And to Holy David Indeed it Might More Justly be Said...
... But to the other, set as he was amid the libidinous frenzy of the Sodomites, who
would dare to say, "Although thy guests in thine own house, whither to enter ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/against lying/section 22 and to holy.htm

Excuses not Reasons
... For He first rebuked the guests, and then the host; telling the former to take the
lower rooms, and bidding the latter widen his hospitality to those that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/excuses not reasons.htm

Thesaurus

Guests (43 Occurrences)
...Guests (43 Occurrences). ... Matthew 22:3 and sent his servants to call the invited guests
to the wedding, but they were unwilling to come. (WEY BBE). ...
/g/guests.htm - 18k

Banquet (58 Occurrences)
... 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 ...
/b/banquet.htm - 36k

Dinner (23 Occurrences)
... The wedding was filled with guests. ... Matthew 22:11 "Now the king came in to see the
guests; and among them he discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe. ...
/d/dinner.htm - 15k

Guest (24 Occurrences)
... A certain sacredness, unknown to modern western society, was attached to the guest,
so that a special apartment was set aside for the guests. ...
/g/guest.htm - 15k

Marriagefeasts
... The guests sit round the great bowl or bowls on the floor, the meal usually
consisting of a lamb or kid stewed in rice or barley. ...
/m/marriagefeasts.htm - 8k

Marriage-feasts (6 Occurrences)
... The guests sit round the great bowl or bowls on the floor, the meal usually
consisting of a lamb or kid stewed in rice or barley. ...
/m/marriage-feasts.htm - 10k

Feast (209 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A festive or joyous meal; a grand, ceremonious, or sumptuous entertainment,
of which many guests partake; a banquet characterized by tempting variety ...
/f/feast.htm - 47k

Ruler (329 Occurrences)
... in Cana of Galilee (John 2:8, 9). According to Ecclesiasticus (32:1) it was customary
to appoint a "master of the ceremonies" from among the invited guests. ...
/r/ruler.htm - 50k

Freely (101 Occurrences)
... John 2:10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when
the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. ...
/f/freely.htm - 39k

Adonijah (28 Occurrences)
... He had no real command of the respect of the guests who shouted "Live King Adonijah."
When they heard that Solomon had been crowned, they "were afraid, and ...
/a/adonijah.htm - 22k

Resources

What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of the Parable of the Wedding Feast? | GotQuestions.org

Why was John the Baptist beheaded? | GotQuestions.org

Guests: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Guests (43 Occurrences)

Matthew 9:15
Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
(See RSV NIV)

Matthew 14:9
The king was deeply vexed, yet because of his repeated oath and of the guests at his table he ordered it to be given her,
(WEY BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Matthew 22:3
and sent his servants to call the invited guests to the wedding, but they were unwilling to come.
(WEY BBE)

Matthew 22:4
Again he sent out other servants, with orders to say to the guests, See, I have made ready my feast: my oxen and my fat beasts have been put to death, and all things are ready: come to the feast.
(BBE)

Matthew 22:8
Then he said to his servants, The feast is ready but the guests were not good enough.
(BBE)

Matthew 22:10
Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Matthew 22:11
But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn't have on wedding clothing,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 2:19
Jesus said to them, "Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can't fast.
(See RSV NIV)

Mark 6:22
at which Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, and so charmed Herod and his guests that he said to her, "Ask me for anything you please, and I will give it to you."
(WEY NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 6:26
The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he didn't wish to refuse her.
(WEB WEY NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 5:34
He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
(See RSV NIV)

Luke 7:49
Then the other guests began to say to themselves, "Who can this man be who even forgives sins?"
(WEY NIV)

Luke 14:7
Then, when He noticed that the invited guests chose the best seats, He used this as an illustration and said to them,
(WEY BBE NAS NIV)

Luke 14:10
On the contrary, when you are invited go and take the lowest place, that when your host comes round he may say to you, 'My friend, come up higher.' This will be doing you honour in the presence of all the other guests.
(WEY NIV)

Luke 14:15
After listening to this teaching, one of His fellow guests said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall feast in God's Kingdom."
(WEY)

Luke 14:16
"A man once gave a great dinner," replied Jesus, "to which he invited a large number of guests.
(WEY NIV)

John 2:2
And Jesus with his disciples came as guests.
(BBE)

John 2:10
and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!"
(WEB NIV)

John 12:2
So they gave a dinner there in honour of Jesus, at which Martha waited at table, but Lazarus was one of the guests who were with Him.
(WEY)

Acts 10:23
So he called them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
(See RSV NIV)

Acts 16:15
And when she and her family had had baptism, she made a request to us, saying, If it seems to you that I am true to the Lord, come into my house and be my guests. And she made us come.
(BBE)

Acts 21:8
And on the day after, we went away and came to Caesarea, where we were guests in the house of Philip, the preacher, who was one of the seven.
(BBE)

Acts 28:7
Now in the same part of the island there were estates belonging to the Governor, whose name was Publius. He welcomed us to his house, and for three days generously made us his guests.
(WEY BBE)

1 Timothy 3:2
The Bishop, then, is to be a man of good name, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, serious-minded, having respect for order, opening his house freely to guests, a ready teacher;
(BBE)

Titus 1:8
But opening his house freely to guests; a lover of what is good, serious-minded, upright, holy, self-controlled;
(BBE)

Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show kindness to strangers; for, in this way, some, without knowing it, have had angels as their guests.
(WEY BBE)

3 John 1:8
So it is right for us to take in such men as guests, so that we may take our part in the work of the true faith.
(BBE)

Revelation 19:9
And he said to me, Put in the book, Happy are the guests at the bride-feast of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true words of God.
(BBE)

Exodus 34:15
So see that you make no agreement with the people of the land, and do not go after their gods, or take part in their offerings, or be guests at their feasts,
(BBE)

Leviticus 25:23
No exchange of land may be for ever, for the land is mine, and you are as my guests, living with me for a time.
(BBE)

1 Samuel 9:13
When you come into the town you will see him straight away, before he goes up to the high place for the feast: the people are waiting for his blessing before starting the feast, and after that the guests will take part in it. So go up now and you will see him.
(BBE)

1 Samuel 9:22
Then Samuel took Saul and his servant into the guest room, and made them take the chief place among all the guests who were there, about thirty persons.
(BBE)

1 Samuel 9:24
And the cook took up the leg with the fat tail on it, and put it before Saul. And Samuel said, This is the part which has been kept for you: take it as your part of the feast; because it has been kept for you till the right time came and till the guests were present. So that day Saul took food with Samuel.
(BBE RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 15:11
Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn't know anything.
(See RSV NIV)

1 Kings 1:41
Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, "Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar?"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 1:49
All the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and each man went his way.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 2:7
But be good to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be guests at your table; for so they came to me when I went in flight from Absalom your brother.
(BBE)

1 Kings 4:27
And those overseers, every man in his month, saw that food was produced for Solomon and all his guests, they took care that nothing was overlooked.
(BBE)

Nehemiah 5:17
And more than this, a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers were guests at my table, in addition to those who came to us from the nations round about us.
(BBE)

Job 19:15
Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger. I am an alien in their sight.
(See RSV NIV)

Proverbs 9:18
But he doesn't know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Zephaniah 1:7
Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Zechariah 3:10
In that day, says the Lord of armies, you will be one another's guests under the vine and under the fig-tree.
(BBE)

Subtopics

Guests

Related Terms

Guidance (9 Occurrences)

Guests (43 Occurrences)

Nothing (769 Occurrences)

Says (1491 Occurrences)