141 And it came to pass, on his going into the house of a certain one of the chiefs of the Pharisees, on a sabbath, to eat bread, that they were watching him, 2 and lo, there was a certain dropsical man before him; 3 and Jesus answering spake to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 'Is it lawful on the sabbath-day to heal?' 4 and they were silent, and having taken hold of 'him', he healed him, and let 'him' go; 5 and answering them he said, 'Of which of you shall an ass or ox fall into a pit, and he will not immediately draw it up on the sabbath-day?' 6 and they were not able to answer him again unto these things.
7 And he spake a simile unto those called, marking how they were choosing out the first couches, saying unto them, 8 'When thou mayest be called by any one to marriage-feasts, thou mayest not recline on the first couch, lest a more honourable than thou may have been called by him, 9 and he who did call thee and him having come shall say to thee, Give to this one place, and then thou mayest begin with shame to occupy the last place. 10 'But, when thou mayest be called, having gone on, recline in the last place, that when he who called thee may come, he may say to thee, Friend, come up higher; then thou shalt have glory before those reclining with thee; 11 because every one who is exalting himself shall be humbled, and he who is humbling himself shall be exalted.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 14:1-11
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.