Luke 14

Lu 14:1-24.

HEALING OF A

DROPSICAL

MAN, AND

MANIFOLD

TEACHINGS AT A

SABBATH

FEAST.

2. man before him--not one of the company, since this was apparently

before the guests sat down, and probably the man came in hope of a

cure, though not expressly soliciting it [DE

WETTE].

3-6. (See on

Mt 12:11, 12).

7-11. a parable--showing that His design was not so much to inculcate

mere politeness or good manners, as underneath this to teach

something deeper

(Lu 14:11).

chief rooms--principal seats, in the middle part of the couch on which

they reclined at meals, esteemed the most honorable.

8. wedding--and seating thyself at the wedding feast. Our Lord

avoids the appearance of personality by this delicate allusion to a

different kind of entertainment than this of his host [BENGEL].

9. the lowest--not a lower merely [BENGEL].

with shame--"To be lowest is only ignominious to him who affects the

highest" [BENGEL].

10. Friend--said to the modest guest only, not the proud one

(Lu 14:9)

[BENGEL].

worship--honor. The whole of this is but a reproduction of

Pr 25:6, 7.

But it was reserved for the matchless Teacher to utter

articulately, and apply to the regulation of the minutest

features of social life, such great laws of the Kingdom of

God, as that of

Lu 14:11.

11. whosoever, &c.--couching them in a chaste simplicity and

proverbial terseness of style which makes them "apples of gold in a

setting of silver." (See on

Lu 18:14).

12-14. call not thy friends--Jesus certainly did not mean us to

dispense with the duties of ordinary fellowship, but, remitting these to

their proper place, inculcates what is better [BENGEL].

lest . . . a recompense be given thee--a fear the world is not

afflicted with [BENGEL]. The meaning, however, is that no

exercise of principle is involved in it, as selfishness itself will

suffice to prompt to it

(Mt 5:46, 47).

13. call the poor--"Such God Himself calls"

(Lu 14:21)

[BENGEL].

14. blessed--acting from disinterested, god-like compassion for the

wretched.

15-24. when one . . . heard . . . he said,

Blessed, &c.--As our Lord's words seemed to hold forth the future

"recompense" under the idea of a great Feast, the thought passes

through this man's mind, how blessed they would be who should be

honored to sit down to it. Our Lord's reply is in substance this: "The

great Feast is prepared already; the invitations are issued, but

declined; the feast, notwithstanding, shall not want abundance of

guests; but not one of its present contemners--who shall yet come to

sue for admission--shall be allowed to taste of it." This shows what

was lacking in the seemingly pious exclamation of this man. It was

Balaam's, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my

last end be like his"

(Nu 23:10),

without any anxiety about living his life; fondly wishing that all

were right with him at last, while all heedless of the precious

present.

16. a great supper--(Compare

Isa 25:6).

bade many--historically, the Jews (see on

Mt 22:3);

generally, those within the pale of professed discipleship.

17. supper-time . . . all now ready--pointing

undoubtedly to the now ripening preparations for the great Gospel call.

(See on

Mt 22:4.)

18. all began to make excuse--(Compare

Mt 22:5).

Three excuses, given as specimens of the rest, answer to "the care

of this world"

(Lu 14:18),

"the deceitfulness of riches"

(Lu 14:19),

and "the pleasures of this life"

(Lu 14:20),

which "choke the word"

(Mt 13:22

and Lu 8:14).

Each differs from the other, and each

has its own plausibility, but all come to the same result: "We have

other things to attend to, more pressing just now." Nobody is

represented as saying, I will not come; nay, all the answers imply

that but for certain things they would come, and when these are

out of the way they will come. So it certainly is in the case

intended, for the last words clearly imply that the refusers will

one day become petitioners.

21. came, and showed, &c.--saying as in

Isa 53:1.

"It is the part of ministers to report to the Lord in their prayers the

compliance or refusal of their hearers" [BENGEL].

angry--in one sense a gracious word, showing how sincere he was

in issuing his invitations

(Eze 33:11).

But it is the slight put upon him, the sense of which is

intended to be marked by this word.

streets and lanes--historically, those within the same pale of

"the city" of God as the former class, but the despised and outcasts of

the nation, the "publicans and sinners" [TRENCH];

generally, all similar

classes, usually overlooked in the first provision for supplying the

means of grace to a community, half heathen in the midst of revealed

light, and in every sense miserable.

22. yet there is room--implying that these classes had embraced

the invitation

(Mt 21:32;

Mr 12:37,

last clause;

Joh 7:48, 49);

and beautifully expressing the longing that should fill the hearts of

ministers to see their Master's table filled.

23. highways and hedges--outside the city altogether;

historically, the heathen, sunk in the lowest depths of

spiritual wretchedness, as being beyond the pale of all that is

revealed and saving, "without Christ, strangers from the covenant of

promise, having no hope, and without God in the world"

(Eph 2:12);

generally, all such still. Thus, this parable prophetically

contemplates the extension of the kingdom of God to the whole world;

and spiritually, directs the Gospel invitations to be carried to

the lowest strata, and be brought in contact with the outermost

circles, of human society.

compel them to come in--not as if they would make the "excuses" of

the first class, but because it would be hard to get them over two

difficulties: (1) "We are not fit company for such a feast." (2) "We

have no proper dress, and are ill in order for such a presence." How

fitly does this represent the difficulties and fears of the sincere! How is this met? "Take no excuse--make them come as

they are--bring them

along with you." What a directory for ministers of Christ!

that my house may be filled--"Grace no more than nature will endure

a vacuum" [BENGEL].

24. I say unto you, That none--Our Lord here appears to throw off the

veil of the parable, and proclaim the Supper His own, intimating

that when transferred and transformed into its final glorious form, and

the refusers themselves would give all for another opportunity, He will

not allow one of them to taste it. (Note. This parable must not be

confounded with that of

Pr 1:24-33;

The Marriage Supper,

Mt 22:2-14).

Lu 14:25-35.

ADDRESS TO

GREAT

MULTITUDES

TRAVELLING WITH

HIM.

25. great multitudes with him--on His final journey to Jerusalem. The

"great multitudes" were doubtless people going to the passover, who

moved along in clusters

(Lu 2:44),

and who on this occasion falling in with our Lord had formed themselves

into one mass about Him.

26, 27. If any man, &c.--(See on

Mt 10:34-36,

and

Mr 8:34, 35).

28-33. which of you, &c.--Common sense teaches men not to begin

any costly work without first seeing that they have wherewithal to

finish. And he who does otherwise exposes himself to general

ridicule. Nor will any wise potentate enter on a war with any hostile

power without first seeing to it that, despite formidable odds (two to

one), he be able to stand his ground; and if he has no hope of this, he

will feel that nothing remains for him but to make the best terms he

can. Even so, says our Lord, "in the warfare you will each have to

wage as My disciples, despise not your enemy's strength, for the odds

are all against you; and you had better see to it that, despite every

disadvantage, you still have wherewithal to hold out and win the day, or

else not begin at all, and make the best you can in such awful

circumstances." In this simple sense of the parable (STIER,

ALFORD,

&c., go wide of the mark here in making the enemy to be God,

because of the "conditions of peace,"

Lu 14:32),

two things are taught: (1) Better not begin

(Re 3:15),

than begin and not finish. (2) Though the contest for salvation be on

our part an awfully unequal one, the human will, in the exercise

of that "faith which overcometh the world"

(1Jo 5:4),

and nerved by power from above, which "out of weakness makes it

strong"

(Heb 11:34;

1Pe 1:5),

becomes heroical and will come off "more than conqueror." But without

absolute surrender of self the contest is hopeless

(Lu 14:33).

34, 35. Salt, &c.--(See on

Mt 5:13-16;

and

Mr 9:50).