Luke 14:1-24

Jesus had plenty of encounters with the so-called religious people of His day and they often judged Him based on their own man-made traditions. They were not necessarily concerned with God’s written law but rather the things which they had added to it. Such is the case at the beginning of Luke 14 when Jesus is being “closely watched” as He enters the house of a Pharisee to eat on the Sabbath (14:1). The Pharisees had only invited Jesus so that they might catch Him disobeying one of their rituals. Also in the house was a man who had dropsy, which is a condition where fluid builds up in the tissues of the body and is most likely caused by some type of cancer (14:2). It seems as if the Pharisees had brought Jesus and this diseased man together to observe whether Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath. Knowing the hearts of the Pharisees, Jesus was the first to speak asking them, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” (14:3), but they remained silent. Jesus then took the man and healed him on the Sabbath and said to the Pharisees, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” (14:4-5). By asking this question Jesus was exposing their willingness to have mercy on their own animals while refusing to have mercy on those who were suffering. Obeying human tradition became more important than seeing good happen to others.

Since the people gathered at this meal chose to remain silent to Jesus’ questions (14:6), He decided to teach concerning their desire to have the best seats at the table (14:7). Jesus warned against sitting at the best place at a wedding feast in case someone of greater honor had been invited (14:8). Rather than considering himself worthy of honor, an individual should sit in the lowest place and when the one who has invited him sees him he will say, “‘Friend, go up higher” (14:9-10). Jesus teaches them that “…whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (14:11). The Pharisees were a prideful group, but Jesus desired His followers to be humble. It appears that the Pharisees were also full of pride because of their generosity in inviting friends and family to a feast (14:12). Jesus teaches them that when they have a feast they should invite “…the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind” (14:13) because these people “…cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (14:14).

A man sitting at the table pridefully responded to Jesus’ teaching saying, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (14:15). This Jewish man was probably arrogantly celebrating his view that Jews alone would be given a place of honor in God’s kingdom; however, Jesus quickly dispelled this man’s wrong view by telling a parable about many people who had been invited to a supper, but made excuses as to why they could not attend (14:16-20). When this was reported to the one holding the feast, he became angry and told his servant to “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind” (14:21). The pre-invited guests to the feast represent Israel, whom God had offered hope and salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, but had rejected Him as the Messiah. When the pre-invited guests did not respond to God’s offer of salvation, God decided to go into the “…highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (14:21-22). Those in the “highways and hedges” represent the Gentiles who were invited to the feast after the Israelites had rejected God’s invitation. Jesus wanted to be clear that those who reject God’s invitation for salvation through repentance and faith will be judged (14:24). Although the Pharisees saw themselves worthy of salvation because of their heritage and good deeds, they would also face God’s wrath if they would not receive Jesus as the promised Messiah.

Dear God, may my belief in Jesus lead me to humility and good works.