Luke 14 (KJV)

Luke 14:1–6

Healing a man with dropsy on the Sabbath

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? And they could not answer him again to these things.

Invited to a Sabbath meal at the home of a leading Pharisee, Jesus is watched closely. A man suffering from dropsy is in front of him. Jesus asks the lawyers and Pharisees whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath; when they say nothing, he heals the man and asks which of them would not pull a son or an ox out of a well on the Sabbath. They have no answer.

What does this mean?

"Dropsy" is an old term for swelling caused by fluid in the body's tissues (oedema), a symptom of various serious illnesses.

Historical context

Sabbath meals were social occasions, with food prepared the day before. Some Jewish groups, such as the community behind the Dead Sea Scrolls, forbade pulling an animal out of a pit on the Sabbath, while others allowed it. Manuscripts differ in verse 5: the WEB has "son or an ox," the KJV "an ass or an ox."

Why does it matter?

This is the last of Luke's Sabbath disputes. It opens a chapter set around a meal, in which Jesus goes on to teach about seating, guests and a great banquet.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Luke 14:7–14

Humility and hospitality at table

And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Noticing guests choosing the places of honour, Jesus advises taking the lowest place so that the host may invite one higher, for those who exalt themselves will be humbled and the humble exalted. He tells his host not to invite friends, relatives and rich neighbours who can return the favour, but the poor, crippled, lame and blind, who cannot repay; repayment will come at the resurrection of the righteous.

What does this mean?

"Rooms" (KJV) means places at table, not separate rooms. "Recompense" means repayment.

Historical context

Seating at a banquet displayed rank, and honour and shame were central social values. Greco-Roman society ran on reciprocal favours between equals and between patrons and clients; inviting those who could not repay broke that system. Proverbs 25:6–7 gives similar advice about not claiming a high place before a king.

Why does it matter?

The list of guests anticipates the parable that follows (14:21) and echoes Jesus' mission to the poor and disabled (4:18; 7:22). Some interpreters note that the Dead Sea Scrolls excluded people with such disabilities from the community's assembly, which sharpens the contrast.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Luke 14:15–24

The parable of the great banquet

And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed 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 hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

When a fellow guest exclaims how blessed those will be who eat in God's kingdom, Jesus tells of a man who gave a great dinner. When everything was ready, the invited guests made excuses: a field, some oxen, a new marriage. The angry host sent his servant to bring in the poor, crippled, blind and lame from the town, then others from the roads and hedges, and declared that none of those first invited would taste his dinner.

What does this mean?

"Compel them to come in" means urge them strongly; outsiders would hesitate to accept such an invitation. "Highways and hedges" are country roads and paths along walls or fences.

Historical context

A host commonly sent an invitation and then a servant to summon the guests when the meal was ready (compare Esther 5:8; 6:14), so refusing at the last moment was a public insult. In the early fifth century Augustine cited "compel them to come in" to justify state pressure on dissenting Christians, a use widely criticised since. The WEB's closing words "many are called, but few are chosen" are found in some manuscripts but not in the KJV here.

Why does it matter?

Those expected to respond refuse, while outsiders fill the hall. Matthew 22:1–14 has a related parable with different details.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Luke 14:25–35

The cost of discipleship

And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Turning to the large crowds following him, Jesus says that no one can be his disciple who does not put him above family and even above their own life, and who does not carry their own cross. He gives two examples of counting the cost first: someone planning to build a tower and a king about to go to war. His disciples must give up everything they have; salt that has lost its taste is useless.

What does this mean?

"Hate" (KJV) is a Semitic way of expressing preference, meaning to love less; the WEB renders it "disregard," and Matthew's parallel says "loveth father or mother more than me" (Matthew 10:37). "Savour" means taste.

Historical context

Salt in the ancient world was often impure, gathered from places such as the Dead Sea; the salt itself could leach away, leaving a tasteless residue. Salt was used for flavouring and preserving and perhaps in small amounts on soil, which may explain the mention of land and the dunghill.

Why does it matter?

Coming after a parable in which the poor are invited freely, this passage shows the other side: following Jesus is costly. The large crowds stand in contrast to the few who will follow him to the cross.

Editorial notes, not scripture.