Herod wanted to kill Jesus. Jesus said to go tell the fox Herod that the prophet would die in Jerusalem, because they would not respond. A man with dropsy came to Jesus while he was at diner with the Pharisees. Would he heal him on the Sabbath? They were silent. They wanted the places of honor, but Jesus told them to take the lowest place, and then they would be honored to move up. They were to be humble with their diner invitations. Invite the needy because there will a resurrection of the just.
Jesus told the parable of the great banquet. The kingdom of God was like a great dinner banquet that was ready. However, people gave excuses of why they could not come. They had the excuses of buying new property, or new oxen, or taking a new wife. He told his servants to get somebody in there, but there was still room. They went to the highways and byways, so that none of the original invited ones would come.
Jesus explained the cost of discipleship. Great crowds followed him. To be a disciple they would have to bear the cross. You had to figure out the cost of a building before you built something. You could not build a foundation without money. Otherwise you would not be able to finish it. When you are preparing for war, you have to figure out the terms of peace. Were they willing to renounce everything for Jesus? If the salt loses its taste, throw the bad salt away.
As Jesus was eating with the tax collectors and sinners, he told this parable about the lost sheep. A shepherd had one hundred sheep. He lost one and then found it, so that there was rejoicing with his friends. There is joy in heaven over one repentant sinner. Jesus told the parable of the lost silver coin. There would be rejoicing over the found coin, so too there will be joy over one repentant sinner.
Then Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son. A man had two sons. The younger son wanted his inheritance. He then squandered his property in a foreign country. A The famine came, so that he ended up feeding pigs, although he had nothing to eat since he was dying of hunger. He was a sinner, but he realized that the hired servants of his father had food to eat. He decided to go home. The father embraces his son, as he admitted that he was a sinner. The son was to be dressed up with a fatted calf prepared for him. The dead son was alive. Now the oldest son wanted to know what was going on? His father said that his brother had come home. The older brother was angry because there had never been a party for him. His younger brother had lived with prostitutes, while he was always with his father. However, the father said that his lost brother had been found.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 