Christ heals the dropsy on the sabbath, 1-6; teaches humility, 7-11; to make a feast for the poor, 12-14; under the parable of the great supper, shows how worldly minded men who despise the word of God shall be shut out of heaven, 15-24. Those who will be his disciples, to bear their cross must make their accounts beforehand, lest with shame they revolt from him afterward, 25-33; and become altogether unprofitable, like salt that has lost its savor, 34, 35.
1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath, that they watched him. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before him who had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?" 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, healed him, and let him go, 5 And answered them, saying, "Which of you having a donkey or an ox fall into a pit would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath?" 6 And they could not answer him again to these things.
7 And he put forth a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose out the chief places, saying to them, 8 "When you are invited by any man to a wedding, do not sit down in the highest place, lest a more honorable man than you is invited by him, 9 And he who invited you and him comes and says to you, 'Give this man place,' and you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you shall have honor in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 For whoever exalts himself shall be abased, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted."
12 Then he also said to him who invited him, "When you make a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends, nor your brothers, neither your kinsmen, nor your rich neighbors, lest they also invite you again and a recompense be made to you. 13 But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, 14 And you shall be blessed, for they cannot recompense you. For you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."
15 And when one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God."
16 Then he said to him, "A certain man made a great supper, invited many, 17 And sent his servant at supper-time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground and I must go and see it. I pray you to have me excused.' 19 And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen and I go to prove them. I pray you to have me excused.' 20 And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore, I cannot come.' 21 So that servant came and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind.' 22 And the servant said, 'Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room.' 23 And the lord said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in so that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you, that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"
25 And great multitudes went with him. And he turned and said to them, 26 "If any man comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and even his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost to see if he has enough to finish it? 29 Or else, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all who behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' 31 Or what king going to make war against another king does not sit down first and consult whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and desires conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever he is of you who does not forsake all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.
34 "Salt is good. But if the salt has lost its savor, with what shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill, but men cast it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Matthew Henry Commentary - Luke, Chapter 14[➚]
[v.8-10] - Reference, Proverbs 25:7.
[v.16-24] - Gospel Link: Matthew 22:1-14.
[v.26-27] - Gospel Link: Matthew 10:37-38.
[v.34-35] - Gospel Link: Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:50.
[v.34] - See the comment for Matthew 5:13 concerning the salt.