Luke 14:1-24

Luke 14:1-Jeremiah : . A Sabbath with a Pharisee.— A companion picture to Luke 13:10-Esther :. When in Luke 6:6-1 Kings : Lk. relates the cure of the man with a withered hand ( Mark 3:1-Joshua :, Matthew 12:9-1 Chronicles :) he omits the illustrative argument used by Jesus ( Matthew 12:11 f.); he brings it in here in a story peculiar to his gospel. Montefiore justly points out that the animals ( Luke 14:5; cf. Luke 13:15) are in danger of perishing, whereas the woman and man would not have suffered by waiting till the Sabbath was past. He shows that the true argument is “ Deeds of charity and love should never be put off; they take precedence of and temporarily Invalidate all ritual laws and ceremonial observance of sacred days.”

Luke 14:5 . mg. “ a son” is out of the question, despite good MS. authority. Rendel Harris ( Sidelights on NT Research, p. 205) suggests that the original reading was hvs, “ pig,” which was taken as a contraction of huios, “ son.” Jesus said, “ Even if your pig(!) fell into a pit on the Sabbath, you would pull it out,” a delightful piece of irony. “ Son” was seen to be impossible, hence sheep, ass, ox, were all brought in as substitutes.

Luke 14:7-2 Chronicles : . Humility and Hospitality.

Luke 14:8-2 Samuel : and Luke 14:12-2 Chronicles : may originally have been parable stories which Lk. has turned into direct counsel to guests and hosts respectively. The “ chief seat” was at the host’ s left hand, though there may be a reference here to a dais.

Luke 14:10 . Cf. Proverbs 25:6 f.; we are not to conclude that Jesus advocated false humility as a road to advancement; He speaks of consequence rather than purpose. J. Weiss suggests that the counsel is really that of an ascetic section of the early Church.

Luke 14:11 introduces the idea of the Messianic banquet and the judgment.

Luke 14:12-2 Chronicles : . The lesson is that real kindness is disinterested and seeks no recompense. The recompense in the future is sure and sufficient. The tense of the verb “ call” in Luke 14:12 is important; “ do not make a practice of inviting.”

Luke 14:14 . Most NT references to the Resurrection confine it to the “ just” ; note, however John 5:29, Acts 24:15, Revelation 20:12 f.

Luke 14:15-Jeremiah : . Parable of the Marriage Feast.— Matthew 22:1-2 Samuel : * is similar but not identical. Luke 14:15 ( cf. Revelation 19:9) serves to lead the thought from the earthly feast to the heavenly. The counsel of Luke 14:13 finds a supreme illustration in the action of God ( Luke 14:21). Jesus, in Lk.’ s parable, is the servant who summons the guests, in Mt. He is the King’ s Son in whose honour the feast is given. Nothing is here said about the destruction of the unwilling (and murderous) guests. Lk. defines the new guests more closely than Mt.; the “ poor,” etc., of Luke 14:21 are the outcast Israelites, the publicans and sinners, those from the “ highways and hedges” are the Gentiles. It is not God’ s will that there are “ few who are saved.”

Luke 14:23 . constrain: this word need not mean more than “ urge” ( Mark 6:45); unhappily it has been used to justify religious compulsion and persecution.

Luke 14:24 . you: the plural pronoun shows that Jesus, though still using the imagery of the parable, is here directly addressing the hearers.