141 It happened that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread , they were watching Him closely . 2 And there in front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy . 3 And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees , saying , " Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath , or not?" 4 But they kept silent . And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away . 5 And He said to them, " Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well , and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day ?" 6 And they could make no reply to this .
7 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, 8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast , do not take the place of honor , for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both e will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this man ,' and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place . 10 "But when you are invited , go and recline at the last place , so that when the one who has invited you comes , he may say to you, 'Friend , move up higher '; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. 11 " For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled , and he who humbles himself will be exalted ." 12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner , do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors , otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment . 13 "But when you give a reception , invite the poor , the crippled , the lame , the blind , 14 and you will be blessed , since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous ."
15 When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this , he said to Him, " Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God !" 16 But He said to him, " A man was giving a big dinner , and he invited many ; 17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited , 'Come ; for everything is ready now .' 18 "But they all alike e began to make excuses . The first one said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused .' 19 "Another one said , 'I have bought five yoke of oxen , and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused .'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 14:1-19
Commentary on Luke 14:1-6
(Read Luke 14:1-6)
This Pharisee, as well as others, seems to have had an ill design in entertaining Jesus at his house. But our Lord would not be hindered from healing a man, though he knew a clamour would be raised at his doing it on the sabbath. It requires care to understand the proper connexion between piety and charity in observing the sabbath, and the distinction between works of real necessity and habits of self-indulgence. Wisdom from above, teaches patient perseverance in well-doing.
Commentary on Luke 14:7-14
(Read Luke 14:7-14)
Even in the common actions of life, Christ marks what we do, not only in our religious assemblies, but at our tables. We see in many cases, that a man's pride will bring him low, and before honour is humility. Our Saviour here teaches, that works of charity are better than works of show. But our Lord did not mean that a proud and unbelieving liberality should be rewarded, but that his precept of doing good to the poor and afflicted should be observed from love to him.
Commentary on Luke 14:15-24
(Read Luke 14:15-24)
In this parable observe the free grace and mercy of God shining in the gospel of Christ, which will be food and a feast for the soul of a man that knows its own wants and miseries. All found some pretence to put off their attendance. This reproves the Jewish nation for their neglect of the offers of Christ's grace. It shows also the backwardness there is to close with the gospel call. The want of gratitude in those who slight gospel offers, and the contempt put upon the God of heaven thereby, justly provoke him. The apostles were to turn to the Gentiles, when the Jews refused the offer; and with them the church was filled. The provision made for precious souls in the gospel of Christ, has not been made in vain; for if some reject, others will thankfully accept the offer. The very poor and low in the world, shall be as welcome to Christ as the rich and great; and many times the gospel has the greatest success among those that labour under worldly disadvantages and bodily infirmities. Christ's house shall at last be filled; it will be so when the number of the elect is completed.