Commentary on the Four Gospel Books
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
G101 The Lord Jesus Heals a Man with Dropsy,
Parable of Choosing a Seat at a Wedding Feast,
Parable of Those Who Refuse the Great Banquet
Luke 14:1–24

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All New Testament verses quoted in this article are from the English Majority Text Version, and Old Testament verses are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

Luke 14:1-24

1 Now it came to pass, when He came into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they were watching Him closely.

2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.

3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

4 But they were silent. And taking hold of him, He healed him, and let him go.

5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”

6 And they were not able to answer Him regarding these things.

7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the places of honor, saying to them:

8 Whenever you are invited by someone to a wedding celebration, do not sit down in the place of honor, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;

9 and he who invited you and him shall come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the last place.

10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the last place, so that when he who invited you comes, he shall say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who recline with you.

11 For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”

12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.

13 But whenever you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;

14 and you will be blessed, because they do not have anything to repay you; for it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the just.”

15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat dinner in the kingdom of God!”

16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great dinner, and he invited many,

17 and he sent his servant at dinnertime to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’

18 But they all with one accord began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I must go and see it. I ask you, have me excused.’

19 And another said, ‘I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you, have me excused.’

20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’

22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’

23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the roads 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 of my supper.’ “

In this lesson, we will learn about how the Lord Jesus once again healed on the Sabbath and how He healed right in the house of one of the leading Pharisees. We will also learn about how to choose a seat when invited to a feast, learn about the importance of inviting the poor and needy in society to meals, and learn about the parable of the great banquet.

Luke 14:1-2

1 Now it came to pass, when He came into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they were watching Him closely.

2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.

At the time the event took place, the Lord Jesus had left the land of Samaria and had entered the land of Judea. He was on His way toward the city of Jericho. Perhaps after He had stopped and taught in the local synagogue on a Sabbath day, one of the leading Pharisees there invited Him to that man’s house for a meal.

It was likely a Sabbath lunch, an important meal with many invited guests. This meal was not only a time for eating and drinking but also an occasion for social interaction, discussion about the law and traditions, and displaying social status through the act of inviting guests and arranging seats. In Jewish culture, the Sabbath meal was not merely a large meal in terms of the amount of food, but also a spiritually and socially significant meal, prepared and eaten with special solemnity.

The term ″one of the rulers of the Pharisees″ may have been used to refer to the ruler of the synagogue or a member of the local Sanhedrin.

It is likely that the leading Pharisee invited the Lord Jesus and His disciples into his house for a Sabbath meal in order to hear Him teach and also to test Him. The Pharisees present wanted to find out whether what they had heard about Him was true, such as His healing and casting out demons on the Sabbath.

″They were watching Him closely″ means the Pharisees were carefully observing the Lord Jesus to see what He would do when they placed a man with dropsy in front of Him.

Dropsy is a condition involving abnormal fluid accumulation in the body’s tissues, causing swelling. The fluid consists of water and dissolved substances from the blood. It is a symptom of various underlying health problems. Typical symptoms include swollen skin, visibly seen in the legs, hands, face, or abdomen. The skin appears stretched and shiny, leaves a dent when pressed, and may be painful, cause joint stiffness, and hinder movement.

Luke 14:3-4

3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

4 But they were silent. And taking hold of him, He healed him, and let him go.

At the meal hosted by one of the leading Pharisees, there were naturally many Pharisees and teachers of the Law present. A teacher of the Law was someone responsible for teaching the Scriptures in the synagogues of Judaism. They were all among those who were ″watching″ the Lord Jesus for His reaction to the man with dropsy.

They all believed that the Lord Jesus had the power to perform miracles, to heal, and to cast out demons. But they wanted to be certain whether the Lord Jesus truly healed on the Sabbath, as the rumors they had heard claimed. According to Judaism, healing on the Sabbath was not permitted unless the situation was life-threatening. However, nowhere in the Old Testament Scriptures is healing on the Sabbath forbidden. That is why they were unable to answer the Lord Jesus’ question: ″Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?″

″Lawful″ means in accordance with the law of God as recorded in the Scriptures. Since there is nowhere in Scripture that forbids healing on the Sabbath, healing on the Sabbath is therefore not against the law of God. The question posed by the Lord Jesus caused the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law to remain silent when He healed the man with dropsy. If they wanted to object to healing on the Sabbath, they would have had to produce a command in Scripture that prohibited it.

Luke 14:5-6

5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”

6 And they were not able to answer Him regarding these things.

After healing the man with dropsy and sending him away, the Lord Jesus went on to point out how those who follow Judaism would hurriedly pull their donkey or ox out of a pit if it fell in on the Sabbath. If animals are allowed to be rescued on the Sabbath, yet human beings are not allowed to be healed, then such a rule is unreasonable; it places the value of livestock above that of human beings.

Once again, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were unable to refute the words of the Lord Jesus. They could not defend an irrational rule imposed by their religion.

What is striking is that the followers of Judaism were not concerned with the fact that the Lord Jesus taught, healed, and cast out demons as signs that He is the Christ. They were only concerned that He did not observe the man-made, hypocritical, and unreasonable religious rules. Their belief in and worship of God had become nothing more than the practice of religious rituals, done out of habit and according to human regulations.

Luke 14:7-9

7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the places of honor, saying to them:

8 Whenever you are invited by someone to a wedding celebration, do not sit down in the place of honor, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;

9 and he who invited you and him shall come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the last place.

Since it was during a banquet, the Lord Jesus had the opportunity to observe how the invited guests chose for themselves the places of honor to sit. He taught them a parable about courtesy, self-respect, and humility on the part of one who is invited to a feast.

According to the customs of Middle Eastern peoples during the time of the Lord Jesus, at wedding feasts and other formal banquets, seating was arranged according to rank and social status. ″The places of honor″ were typically those nearest to the host or the most prominent guest; often these were at the center or head of the table.

Those considered prominent included teachers of the Law, the wealthy, or other important figures in society, possibly even local government officials.

Choosing a seat of honor without being assigned by the host can lead to embarrassment if that person is asked to give up the seat for someone more important. Such self-selection of an honored seat also reflects arrogance, a desire for recognition, and rudeness.

We should keep in mind that there were many teachers of the Law at the banquet. Perhaps they had been competing for the seats of honor. The Lord Jesus spoke up to instruct them like a teacher correcting students who were unwise, lacking understanding, yet full of rivalry and a desire to outdo one another.

Luke 14:10-11

10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the last place, so that when he who invited you comes, he shall say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who recline with you.

11 For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”

The act of choosing the lowest seat when invited to a banquet demonstrates both humility and the wisdom of someone who respects themselves and considers others as more honorable than themselves (Philippians 2:3). This action must be sincere, not a false show of humility intended to prompt the host to exalt them by inviting them to sit in a place of honor.

God’s people must always sincerely humble themselves, be modest, and regard others as more honorable than themselves. If they are rightly honored by others, they should receive it with humility, giving thanks to the Lord and expressing gratitude to the one who shows them respect. To be rightly honored means to be respected in accordance with one’s position, office, authority, or ability.

Every believer needs to memorize Luke 14:11 and put it into practice.

Exalting oneself is shown by:

• boasting about one’s abilities, achievements, or status;

• seeking recognition and praise from others;

• placing oneself above those around them;

• believing they deserve more privileges and respect than others;

• competing for fame and position;

• always wanting to stand out and be noticed.

Humbling oneself is shown by:

• having a proper understanding of one’s own value and limitations;
• being willing to serve others without demanding recognition;
• putting the needs of others before one’s own;
• not boasting about achievements or abilities;
• recognizing the strengths of others;
• being willing to learn from everyone.

Humbling oneself is not hypocrisy. True humility comes from a sincere heart; it does not expect repayment or praise; it involves having a proper understanding of oneself before God and others; and it is expressed through loving acts of service. In contrast, hypocrisy is merely outward behavior intended to create a good impression without sincerity; its purpose is for others to think one is humble and to praise oneself; it involves calculation aimed ultimately at being exalted.

Luke 14:12-14

12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.

13 But whenever you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;

14 and you will be blessed, because they do not have anything to repay you; for it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the just.”

The Lord Jesus also did not forget to give a teaching to the host. He advised him to invite and provide for those who are poor and disadvantaged in society.

While the act of hosting among the rich and powerful is simply social interaction where no one is lacking, when those with financial means invite and provide for the poor, the invited guests have no means to repay them. Nevertheless, it is the God who will bless in this life and repay in the life to come those who have a heart to provide for the poor. The God’s blessing in this life is peace and prosperity. The God’s repayment in the life to come is the reward for the good deeds done in this life.

The statement ″for it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the just″ implies that if the host lives a life pleasing to the God, then he is righteous and will be rewarded for his good deeds in the life to come. Living a life pleasing to the God means obeying the God’s commandments and loving others as oneself.

The ″resurrection of the just,″ also called the first resurrection, will occur in three stages. The first stage is the day Christ descends in the air to take the Church out of the world before the Great Tribulation. The second stage is in the middle of the Great Tribulation, when the two witnesses of God are resurrected on the streets of Jerusalem. The third stage is after Christ’s return to earth, at the end of the Great Tribulation, when the saints who died during the Great Tribulation and those who died before the Church Age are resurrected.

Luke 14:15-17

15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat dinner in the kingdom of God!”

16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great dinner, and he invited many,

17 and he sent his servant at dinnertime to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’

The statement of a guest sitting at the same table with the Lord Jesus expressed his faith in the Heavenly Kingdom, showed that he accepted the doctrine of the resurrection of the righteous, and demonstrated his understanding of the spiritual meaning in the Lord’s words.

The Lord Jesus took the opportunity to respond to him and continued to teach another parable, speaking about those who refuse to attend a great banquet but implying those who refuse to enter the Heavenly Kingdom. This parable is a gentler version of the parable of those who refused to attend a wedding feast, also told by the Lord Jesus and recorded by Matthew in Matthew 22:1–14.

The great banquet symbolizes the Gospel of Salvation. The invited guests represent those whom God has graciously chosen beforehand, exemplified by the people of Israel. The servant represents the Lord Jesus Christ, who proclaims the Gospel and accomplishes salvation.

When the time came, the Lord Jesus Christ preached the Gospel to Israel, God’s chosen people, but many of them did not accept the invitation of Christ.

Luke 14:18-20

18 But they all with one accord began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I must go and see it. I ask you, have me excused.’

19 And another said, ‘I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you, have me excused.’

20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

The clause ″But they all with one accord began to excuse themselves″ emphasizes the collective rejection of Christ by the people of Israel. Up until the time Christ was crucified on the cross, there were only about 120 faithful disciples following Him.

The first person gave the excuse of being busy gathering and owning possessions to refuse the invitation to the banquet. This person represents those who use the excuse of being busy accumulating wealth to reject the salvation of God.

The second person gave the excuse of being busy working with possessions to refuse the invitation to the banquet. This person represents those who use the excuse of being busy making a living to reject the salvation of God.

The third person gave the excuse of being busy enjoying family life, having just gotten married, to refuse the invitation to the banquet. This person represents those who use the excuse of being occupied with the pleasures of life to reject the salvation of God.

All three types of people who refuse to accept God’s salvation have misplaced priorities in life. One prioritizes gaining wealth, another prioritizes making a living, and another prioritizes enjoying life’s pleasures. The proper priority in a person’s life should be to seek ″the Kingdom of *God and His righteousness″ (Matthew 6:33).

Luke 14:21-22

21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’

22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’

″The poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind″ symbolize the spiritual condition of the people from other nations, those who are not of Israel. They are spiritually poor because they have not received the God’s blessings as the people of Israel have. They are spiritually crippled because they have not experienced the God’s providence as Israel has. They are spiritually lame because they do not have the guidance of God’s Word for each step in life. They are spiritually blind because they have not seen the God and His glory in their spirit and in their lives.

Countless people from nations outside of Israel will receive the Gospel. Within the Lord’s Church, the people of Israel will be only a small number. Even during the Great Tribulation, those from other nations who believe the Gospel will outnumber those from Israel.

The salvation of the God offered to mankind is vast and boundless. Anyone who truly repents of their sins and fully believes in the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ will immediately receive the salvation of the God. The Heavenly Kingdom always has room for all of humanity.

Luke 14:23-24

23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the roads 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 of my supper.’ “

″Go out into the roads and hedges″ means to go even to distant and remote places. The ″roads″ connect villages and cities and are traveled by those on a journey. The ″hedges″ mark the boundaries between plots of land, often with people working nearby.

The statement ″Go out into the roads and hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled″ means to go far and wide, making every effort to proclaim the Gospel so that everyone may hear it. Earnestly invite all people to believe the Gospel, leaving no one out. Fill the Heavenly Kingdom with those who are saved.

There are many people who feel ashamed of their spiritual condition, thinking that they are unworthy to receive the salvation of God. Such individuals need to be encouraged and clearly taught about God’s salvation and His mercy toward mankind.

The verb ″compel″ (G315) can mean to use force or to urge with words. According to the context, the intended meaning in the Lord Jesus’ statement is to urge with words. For if it meant to use force, then the first three individuals in the parable would not have been able to refuse the invitation to the banquet.

″Those men who were invited″ but made excuses to refuse the banquet represent those who have heard the Gospel preached but still refuse to believe it. The reasons they give for rejecting the Gospel can be summarized into three categories:

• Because they are busy accumulating wealth.

• Because they are busy making a living.

• Because they are busy with the pleasures and responsibilities of life.

The third category includes those who are the eldest sons in their families and must uphold the traditions and religious or spiritual duties of their family; those who, as wives, must follow the religion and beliefs of their husbands; and those who are preoccupied with their own polytheistic or atheistic worldviews and philosophies of life.

The one who does not taste the banquet refers to the person who is not granted the right to partake in eternal life in the Heavenly Kingdom. This means that the person will be eternally lost in hell.

We conclude this lesson here.

May the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truths of God’s Word (John 16:13). May the Word of God sanctify us (John 17:17). May the Faithful *God of Peace Himself sanctify our spirit, soul, and body entirely, without blame (1 Thessalonians 5:23), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Beloved Savior. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
03/01/2025

Note:

About Using “*God”, “the God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible use a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.