Luke — Chapter 14
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1One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat in the home of a leading Pharisee, and those in attendance were watching Him closely.
2Right there before Him was a man with dropsy.
3So Jesus asked the experts in the law and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”
4But they remained silent. Then Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him on his way.
5And He asked them, “Which of you whose son or ox falls into a pit on the Sabbath day will not immediately pull him out?”
6And they were unable to answer these questions.
7When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:
8“When you are invited to a wedding banquet, do not sit in the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited.
9Then the host who invited both of you will come and tell you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ And in humiliation, you will have to take the last place.
10But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that your host will come and tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in front of everyone at the table with you.
11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid.
13But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind,
14and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
15When one of those reclining with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is everyone who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
16But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.
17When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’
19Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, so I cannot come.’
21The servant returned and reported all this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
22‘Sir,’ the servant replied, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’
23So the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
24For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will taste my banquet.’”
25Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and He turned and said to them,
26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
27And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.
28Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it?
29Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,
30saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’
31Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
32And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.
33In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.
34Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be seasoned?
35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile, and it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
1And 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.
2And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
3And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
4And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
5And 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?
6And they could not answer him again to these things.
7And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
8When 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;
9And 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.
10But 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.
11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
12Then 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.
13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
15And 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.
16Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18And 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.
19And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21So 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.
22And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23And 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.
24For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26If 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.
27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31Or 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?
32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35It 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.
1And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him.
2And behold, there was before him a certain man that had the dropsy.
3And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?
4But they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go.
5And he said unto them, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day?
6And they could not answer again unto these things.
7And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them,
8When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him,
9and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place.
10But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee.
11For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
12And he said to him also that had bidden him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest haply they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.
13But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14and thou shalt be blessed; because they have not [wherewith] to recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.
15And 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.
16But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:
17and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for [all] things are now ready.
18And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.
19And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.
20And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21And the 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 hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame.
22And the servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.
23And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain [them] to come in, that my house may be filled.
24For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto them,
26If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have [wherewith] to complete it?
29Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him,
30saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace.
33So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill: [men] cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
1Now one Sabbath when Jesus went to dine at the house of a leader of the Pharisees, they were watching him closely.
2There right in front of him was a man whose body was swollen with fluid.
3So Jesus asked the experts in religious law and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”
4But they remained silent. So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away.
5Then he said to them, “Which of you, if you have a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”
6But they could not reply to this.
7Then when Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. He said to them,
8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host.
9So the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed, you will begin to move to the least important place.
10But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you.
11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid.
13But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.
14Then you will be blessed because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
15When one of those at the meal with Jesus heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will feast in the kingdom of God!”
16But Jesus said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests.
17At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’
18But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’
19Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going out to examine them. Please excuse me.’
20Another said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’
21So the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
22Then the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’
23So the master said to his slave, ‘Go out to the highways and country roads and urge people to come in, so that my house will be filled.
24For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet!’”
25Now large crowds were accompanying Jesus, and turning to them he said,
26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
27Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down first and compute the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?
29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, all who see it will begin to make fun of him.
30They will say, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish!’
31Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down first and determine whether he is able with 10,000 to oppose the one coming against him with 20,000?
32If he cannot succeed, he will send a representative while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace.
33In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions.
34“Salt is good, but if salt loses its flavor, how can its flavor be restored?
35It is of no value for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out. The one who has ears to hear had better listen!”
1When he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching him.
2Behold, a certain man who had dropsy was in front of him.
3Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
4But they were silent. He took him, and healed him, and let him go.
5He answered them, “Which of you, if your son or an ox fell into a well, wouldn’t immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?”
6They couldn’t answer him regarding these things.
7He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them,
8“When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, don’t sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him,
9and he who invited both of you would come and tell you, ‘Make room for this person.’ Then you would begin, with shame, to take the lowest place.
10But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may tell you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.
11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
12He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you make a dinner or a supper, don’t call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your kinsmen, nor rich neighbors, or perhaps they might also return the favor, and pay you back.
13But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind;
14and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”
15When one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is he who will feast in God’s Kingdom!”
16But he said to him, “A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people.
17He sent out his servant at supper time to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, for everything is ready now.’
18They all as one began to make excuses. “The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.’
19“Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go try them out. Please have me excused.’
20“Another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I can’t come.’
21“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 the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’
22“The servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room.’
23“The lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper.’”
25Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them,
26“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.
27Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple.
28For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?
29Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him,
30saying, ‘This man began to build, and wasn’t able to finish.’
31Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace.
33So therefore whoever of you who doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple.
34Salt is good, but if the salt becomes flat and tasteless, with what do you season it?
35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Summary
At a Sabbath dinner in a Pharisee's home, Jesus heals a man with dropsy after asking whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath, silencing His critics (vv. 1-6). Watching guests jockey for the best seats, He tells them to take the lowest place and let the host promote them, and instructs His host to invite the poor and disabled rather than those who can repay the favor (vv. 7-14). Responding to a comment about feasting in God's kingdom, He tells the parable of a great banquet whose invited guests all make excuses, so the host fills his house with the poor, crippled, and outcast from the streets instead (vv. 15-24). Turning to the crowds following Him, He lays out the cost of discipleship in stark terms — loving Him above family and even life itself, carrying one's own cross, and counting the cost like a builder or a king weighing whether to go to war before committing everything to follow Him (vv. 25-35).
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- A Pharisee's house (v.1): Jesus dined at the house of a Pharisee ruler — likely in Perea or southern Galilee, on the journey to Jerusalem.
- The highways and hedges (v.23): The parable pictures God's invitation extending beyond the city (Israel) to the roads and countryside (Gentiles).
Places on this map
- Pereawestern JordanThe strip east of the Jordan between Pella and the Arnon, Jewish in population and ruled with Galilee under Herod Antipas. Pilgrims used it to bypass Samaria, which is the route behind the phrase beyond Jordan in the Gospels. Wikipedia
- Galileenorthern IsraelThe northern hill country above the Jezreel Valley, wetter and greener than Judah and crossed by the trade road to Damascus. That traffic is why Judeans considered it mixed and provincial, and why Jesus grew up hearing more than one language. Wikipedia
- JerusalemJerusalemA hill town about 2,500 feet up in the central spine of Judah, roughly 35 miles inland from the Mediterranean and 15 miles west of the Jordan. It sits on no trade route and has no river, which is why it mattered as a fortress and a sanctuary rather than as a market. Wikipedia
Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik examines the Sabbath healing, the teaching on humility at banquets, the Great Banquet parable, and the cost of discipleship.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Luke -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Compassion Over Rule-Keeping (v.4) — Jesus heals a man with dropsy in front of religious leaders who were watching him for a reason to accuse him, choosing mercy over rigid Sabbath rules. Where do you let strict rule-following crowd out compassion for the person right in front of you?
- Seeking the Lowest Place (vv.8-11) — At a dinner where guests jockeyed for the best seats, Jesus taught that those who exalt themselves will be humbled while those who humble themselves will be exalted. Where are you angling for recognition instead of trusting God to lift you up in His own time?
- Inviting Those Who Can't Repay (v.13) — Jesus tells his host to invite the poor and disabled instead of people who can return the favor. Who could you welcome or serve this week who has nothing to offer you in return?
- Excuses That Crowd Out the Kingdom (vv.18-20) — Invited guests turn down the banquet for land, livestock, and a new marriage — ordinary, legitimate things that became reasons to say no. What good but lesser things are you using as excuses to delay a full response to God?
- Counting the Cost of Discipleship (vv.28-33) — Jesus compares following him to a builder finishing a tower or a king assessing his army before battle, warning that half-hearted commitment ends in failure. Have you honestly counted what following Christ will cost you, or are you still holding something back?
- Salt That Loses Its Saltiness (v.34) — Jesus warns that salt which loses its flavor becomes useless and gets thrown out, a picture of a disciple who loses his distinctiveness. Is your life still recognizably different because of Christ, or has it blended into the background?