BANQUETS. The entertainments spoken of in Scripture, on however large a scale, and of how ever sumptuous a character, were all provided at the expense of one individual ; the epapor of the Greeks, to which every guest present contributed his proportion, being apparently unknown to the Tews, or at least practised only by the humbler classes, as some suppose that an instance of it occurs in the feast given to our Lord, shortly be fore his Passion, by his friends in Bethany (Matt. XXYi. 2 ; Mark xiv. I : comp. with John xii. 2). Festive meetings of this kind were held only towards the close of the (lay, as it was not till business was over that tile Jews freely indulged in the pleasures of the table ; and although in the clays of Christ these meals were, after the Roman fashion, called they corresponded exactly to the dinners of modern times, the hour fixed for them varying from five to six o'clock P. M. , or sometimes later.
On occasions of ceremony the company were in vited a considerable time previous to the celebra tion of the feast ; and on the day and at the hour appointed, an express by one or more servants, according to the number and distance of the ex pected guests, was despatched to announce that the preparations were completed, and that their presence was looked for immediately (Matt. xxii. 8 , Luke xiv. 17). (Grotius, in loc. ; also Morier's yourney, p. 73.) This custom obtains in the East at the present day ; and the second invitation, which is always verbal, is delivered by the messenger in his master's name, and frequently in the very language of Scripture : Behold I have prepared my dinner ; my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready' (Matt. xxii. 4). It is observable, however, that this after-summons is sent to none but such as have been already invited, and have de clared their acceptance ; and, as in these circum stances, people are bound by every feeling of honour and propriety to postpone all other engagements to the duty of waiting upon their entertainer, it is manifest that the vehement resentment of the grandee in the parable of the great supper, where each of the guests is described as offering to the bearer of the express some frivolous apologies for absence, was, so far from being harsh and unreason able, as infidels have characterized it, fully war ranted and most natural according to the manners of the age and country. By accepting his invitation they had given a pledge of their presence, the viola tion of which on such trivial grounds, and especially after the liberal preparations made for their enter tainment, could he viewed in no other light than as a gross and deliberate insult.
At the small entrance door a servant was sta tioned to receive the tablets or cards of those who were expected,. and as curiosity usually collected a crowd of troublesome spectators, anxious to press forward into the scene of gaiety, the gate was opened only so far as was necessary for the admis sion of a single person at a time, who, on present ing his invitation ticket, was conducted through a long and narrow passage into the receiving-room ; and then, after the whole company were assembled, the master of the house shut the door with his own hands—a signal to the servant to allow himself to be prevailed on neither by noise nor by importuni ties, however loud and long continued, to admit the bystanders. To this custom there is a mani fest reference in Luke xiii. 24, and Matt. xxv. to (Morier's p. 142).
One of the first marks of courtesy shewn to the guests, after saluting the host, was the refreshment of water and fragrant oil or perfumes ; and hence we find our Lord complaining of Simon's omission of these customary civilities (Luke vii. 44 ; see also
Mark vii. 4). [ANOINTING.] But a far higher, though necessarily less frequent attention paid to their friends by the great, was the custom of fur nishing each of the company with a magnificent habit of a light and showy colour, and richly em broidered, to be worn during the festivity (Eccles, ix. 8 ; Rev. iii. 4, 5). The loose and flowing style of this gorgeous mantle made it equally suitable for all ; and it is almost incredible what a variety of such sumptuous garments the wardrobes of some great men could supply to equip a numerous party. In a large company, even of respectable persons, some might appear in a plainer and humbler garb than accorded with the taste of the voluptuous gentry of our Lord's time ; and where this arose from necessity or limited means, it would have been harsh and unreasonable in the extreme to attach blame, or to command his instant and ignominious expulsion from the banquet-room. But where a well-appointed and sumntuous wardrobe was opened for the use of every guest,—to refuse the gay and splendid costume which the munificence of the host provided, and to persist in appearing in one's own habiliments, implied a contempt both for the mas ter of the house and his entertainment, which could not fail to provoke resentment—and our Lord therefore spoke in accordance with a well known custom of his country, when, in the parable of the marriage of the king's son, he describes the stern displeasure of the king on discovering one of the guests without a wedding garment, and his in stant command to thrust him out (Matt. xxii. At private banquets the master of the house of course presided, and did the honours of the occa sion ; but in large and mixed companies it was anciently customary to elect a governor of the feast (John ii. 8 ; see also Ecclus. xxxii. who should not merely perform the office of chairman, cipxtrpfetwor, in preserving order and decorum, hilt take upon himself the general management of the festivities. As this office was considered a post of great responsibility and delicacy, as well as honour, the choice which among the Greeks and Romans was left to the decision of dice, was more wisely made by the Jews to fall upon him who was known to be possessed of the requisite qualities —a ready wit and convivial turn, and at the same time firmness of character and habits of temperance [ARCHITRICLINUS]. The guests were scrupulously arranged according to their respective ranks. This was done either by the host or governor, who, in the case of a family, placed them according to seniority (Gen. xliii. 33), and in the case of others, assigned the most honourable a place near his own person ; or it was done by the party themselves, on their successive arrivals, and after surveying the company, taking up the position which it appeared fittest for each according to their respective claims to occupy. It might be expected that among the Orientals, by whom the laws of etiquette in these matters are strictly observed, many absurd and ludicrous contests for precedence must take place, from the arrogance of some and the determined perseverance of others to wedge themselves into the seat they deem themselves entitled to. See Morier, Second 7ourne y ; Clarke, Travels ; Mal colm, Sketches of Persia, i. ch. 9 ; Joseph. Antiq. xv. 2. The knowledge of these peculiarities serves to illustrate several passages of Scripture (Prov. xxv. 6, 7 ; Matt. xxiii. 6 ; and especially Luke xiv. 7, ere we find Jesus making the unseemly ambition of the Pharisees the subject of severe and merited animadversion).