Strong’s Greek 1403 centers on the idea of a “reception” or “banquet,” a formal meal offered in honor of guests. In Scripture the word frames scenes where fellowship, hospitality, and the inclusive call of the gospel converge. Because banquets in the ancient world carried social, economic, and even theological weight, every occurrence of the term invites reflection on how the kingdom of God redefines honor and welcome.

Occurrences in the New Testament

1. Luke 5:29: “Then Levi hosted a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.”
2. Luke 14:13: “But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.”

Though limited to these two verses, each instance occurs in pivotal contexts that illuminate Jesus’ mission to seek the outsider and overturn conventional social boundaries.

Historical and Cultural Setting

In both Jewish and Greco-Roman society, a banquet was far more than shared food. Seating arrangements displayed status; invitations cemented alliances; the guest list communicated social acceptance or rejection. Banquets often followed public events such as weddings, covenant ceremonies, or religious festivals (compare Esther 1:3-4; Matthew 22:2-4). To “receive” someone at table signified full fellowship. Jesus’ deliberate use of such settings therefore challenged prevailing views of purity, merit, and honor.

Thematic Insights

Hospitality and Grace
• Levi’s banquet pictures salvation’s immediate overflow into hospitable service. Newly called, he expresses gratitude by welcoming many who, like himself, were marginalized (Luke 5:27-32).
• In Luke 14:13-24 the banquet becomes a parable for grace. The socially disqualified are urged to come, prefiguring the gospel’s reach to the Gentiles and the humble.

Reversal of Worldly Status
• Ancient banquets elevated the elite; Jesus instructs hosts to elevate the needy. The virtue of generosity thus supersedes reciprocity, mirroring divine generosity (Luke 14:14).

Foretaste of the Kingdom
• Isaiah envisioned “a banquet of aged wine” for all peoples (Isaiah 25:6-9). Jesus’ table fellowship previews that eschatological feast, culminating in “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9).

Christ-Centered Implications

Jesus As Host and Guest

Though invited by Levi, Jesus is ultimately Host, bringing spiritual healing to sinners at the table (Luke 5:31-32). In Luke 14, while dining in a Pharisee’s house, He assumes the Teacher’s role, revealing kingdom values. His presence sanctifies every meal, making the common table a sphere of divine encounter.

Lord’s Supper Connection

The church’s breaking of bread (Acts 2:46) carries forward the hospitable ethos of δοχή. While distinct from the Passover-rooted Eucharist, ordinary fellowship meals echo the same welcome, proclaiming redemption until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Ministry Applications

• Cultivate open homes as platforms for evangelism, following Levi’s model.
• Structure church gatherings so that the poor and overlooked are honored guests.
• Employ communal meals to integrate new believers, demonstrating that entrance into God’s family is not earned but graciously granted.
• Teach on the eschatological banquet to inspire hope and perseverance amid hardship.

Old Testament Foundations

The ancient covenant meal (Exodus 24:9-11), family feasts (Job 1:4-5), and celebratory gatherings at harvest (Deuteronomy 16:13-15) all establish hospitality as a divine ideal later embodied by Jesus. The continuity underscores Scripture’s unified narrative: God prepares a table for His people (Psalm 23:5).

Related Terms and Concepts

• Dechomai (δέχομαι, “to receive”)—the verbal root stresses acceptance.
• Agapē feasts (Jude 12)—early Christian love-meals embodying generous fellowship.
• Hebrew mishteh (מִשְׁתֶּה)—festive drinking or feasting occasions (Genesis 40:20).

Summary

Strong’s Greek 1403 highlights a banquet where acceptance replaces exclusion, grace eclipses merit, and earthly meals foreshadow eternal joy. Each New Testament occurrence reveals how Jesus transforms cultural institutions into gospel testimonies and calls His followers to extend the same radical hospitality until the ultimate banquet in His kingdom.