Lucas 14
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 14
MacArthur adds that "While pretending to be devout, the Pharisees were actually hypocrites who failed to live up to even their own strict teaching regarding the law (Matt. 23:3). They abandoned the true religion of the heart for an external one, which they hoped would elicit the admiration and respect of the people, as well as God’s approval (Matt. 6:1-5; 9:14; 12:2; 23:5-7, 23; Luke 11:38-39). The Pharisees’ superficial, external righteousness, however, fell far short of what heaven demands (Matt. 5:20; 23:28; Luke 11:39-40). So despite their zeal for the law, they amounted only to “blind guides of the blind” (Matt. 15:14), who made their proselytes doubly worthy of the hell to which they themselves were headed. Closely associated with the Pharisees were their scribes (Lk 5:21, 30; 6:7; 11:53; 15:2; Matt. 5:20; 12:38; 15:1; 23:2, 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29; Mark 7:1, 5; John 8:3; Mark 2:16 refers to “the scribes of the Pharisees,” and Acts 23:9 to “the scribes of the Pharisaic party”), the professional scholars who specialized in the interpretation and application of the Old Testament law. The scribes provided the theological foundation for the Pharisees’ teaching. (See Luke Commentary) (See MacArthur's sermon for an excellent analysis of Pharisees - The Healing Savior vs the Hypocritical System) Watching closely (3906)(paratereo from para = beside + tereo = to watch) describes a direct perception of something through close observation. To stand by the side and watch. The Pharisees were on the lookout, here with the sense of lurking and spying, watching for an opportunity with malicious intent. The enemies of Paul watched the gates at Damascus so they could murder him (ultimately what these men wanted to do to Jesus.) There is a somewhat ironic use in Gal 4:10 describe legalists as those who "observe days and months and seasons and years."
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MacArthur - Ministering to a sick person was by no means a violation of any Old Testament regulation concerning the Sabbath (cf. Matt. 12:7). Rabbinic attachments, however, prohibited anyone from treating a sick person on the Sabbath unless that person was in imminent danger of death if left untreated until the next day. To do so, the rabbis taught, would constitute work and hence be a violation of the required Sabbath rest. Even matters of life and death were subject to their cruel, inflexible, and ridiculous man-made restrictions. (See Luke Commentary)
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MacArthur points out that "Things were about to get worse for them, however, as the Lord took the offensive, inventing a story as He often did, to condemn their pride and call for humility." (See Luke Commentary) Cornerstone Biblical Commentary – The incident here in Lk 14:1-6 is found only in this Gospel, and serves as “a literary device to provide a setting for the sayings” (Creed 1930:188) that follow in Jesus’ comments at the dinner table (Lk 14:7-24). Jesus’ intervention in this case to heal a man, and his defense of his actions for healing on the Sabbath “cast him once again in the role of a heaven-sent messenger or a teacher acting with authority. Again the episode reminds the reader of the way the evangelist has presented Jesus in Lk 6:5-note as the ‘Lord of the Sabbath.’ Implicitly, Jesus also criticizes his contemporaries for their lack of concern for a fellow human being....As Jesus said on another occasion, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27; cf. Mt 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5-note). (See Luke, Acts) Reply (470)(antapokrinomai from anti = against, back + apokrinomai = to answer) means to answer back or reply against. In the only other NT use it means to contradict or dispute - "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?" (Ro 9:20) Steven Cole uses the hypocrisy of the religious fakes to do a short excursus on hypocrisy. There are far more characteristics of hypocrites than those listed here, but note these five from our text: (1) Hypocrites study the Word for ammunition against others, but they don’t apply it to themselves. These men knew their Bibles. They knew the Law of Moses frontward and backward. They were the guardians of the faith, waiting to catch someone else in an error. Their aim in knowing the Word was not to confront themselves, but to have the ammo to use against others. They were watching Jesus closely, but they weren’t watching themselves closely. They were waiting for Him to violate their rules, so that they could pounce on Him. But they weren’t applying the Law to themselves. I’ve seen husbands who use the Word like a club against their wives. “She doesn’t submit to me as the head of the home.” I say to them, “Did you know that the Bible never commands you to be the head of your wife?” They sputter, “What do you mean? Of course it does!” But it does not. The Bible instructs wives that their husbands are their head, but when it comes to the husband, the command is, “Love your wives even as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Eph. 5:25). I’ll ask these husbands, “How are you sacrificing your time and selfish interests to serve your wife and children?” These hypocritical husbands want to lord it over their wives and children, abusing the authority that the Lord gives to husbands to bless and protect their families. But they don’t want to lay down their selfish ways in service of their wives and children, as Scripture confronts them. They are using the Word for ammo against others, not to confront their own sinful selfishness. (2) Hypocrites target and try to bring down anyone who confronts their sin with the Word. Why did this Pharisee invite Jesus to dinner? What was his motive? From the evidence we have, I suggest that it was not to learn from Jesus. It was not to find out if possibly he was wrong and Jesus was right. He invited Jesus to dinner to try to set Him up and bring Him down. He and his cronies were watching Jesus to try to trip Him up. I have had people in the church who are constantly critical of minor doctrinal differences that they hear in my sermons. They’re always ready to pounce when I don’t exactly agree with them. One matter that seems to be increasingly common is that they use the King James Bible and pounce on anyone who doesn’t, accusing him of being liberal. Invariably, these people have no idea of the scholarly issues involved. They just sit in judgment on any preacher who doesn’t use the original King James Bible. But if you were to ask his wife and children, “Is he a loving and gentle man at home?” you would see some sad expressions on their faces. The man is ignoring the second great commandment, but he’s out to get the preacher on his pet doctrinal issues! (3) Hypocrites care more about their manmade rules than about people being right before God in their hearts. These Pharisees couldn’t care less about this hurting man. So what if he was suffering? Jesus was breaking their rules! Hypocrites usually care more about external conformity than about inward righteousness. They aren’t concerned about whether they please God in their thought-lives; they just want everyone to follow the rules about how you look and what you do. If Jesus had just observed their Sabbath rules, they would have been content to leave Him alone. But Jesus always dealt with heart issues, like having a pure thought life, being free from anger, and being forgiving from the heart toward those who have wronged you. (4) Hypocrites bend the rules for their own purposes, but they apply them rigidly to others. These men would do what they had to do, Sabbath or no Sabbath. There were ways to get around the rules when you needed to. A Sabbath-day’s journey could be extended if you knew how to do it, so that you could travel where you wanted to go. They would get their own son or ox out of a pit on the Sabbath. But, no healing allowed on the Sabbath! I wonder what Jesus’ host would have done if Jesus had healed the host’s wife or son on the Sabbath? Probably, that would have been allowed! (5) Hypocrites often ignore overwhelming evidence in order to persist in their sin. Jesus powerfully and miraculously heals this man, but the Pharisees ignored that evidence. And, this wasn’t the first time this sort of thing had happened! Jesus had cast a demon out of a man in the synagogue on the Sabbath, and the report of that had spread widely (Lk 4:31-37). He healed Simon’s mother-in-law on the Sabbath (Lk 4:38-39). He healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath, but the Pharisees responded with rage (6:6-11). On the Sabbath He healed the woman bent over for 18 years, but the synagogue official was indignant (Lk 13:10-17). How much more evidence did they need to wake up and say, “Maybe we’re wrong and Jesus is right?” This shows us how deeply entrenched this sin of religious hypocrisy is and how diligent we must be to root it out of ourselves when Jesus confronts it! If you’re not careful, you can build a case to defend your point-of-view and ignore overwhelming biblical evidence that convicts you of your sin. God’s Word applies to all of us, especially to those of us who teach and preach. John Calvin said, “It would be better for the preacher to break his neck going into the pulpit than for him not to be the first to follow God” (cited by J. I. Packer in a message given at the Congress on Biblical Exposition). Richard Baxter exhorted his fellow pastors, to “preach to yourselves the sermons which you study, before you preach them to others” (The Reformed Pastor [Banner of Truth], p. 61). John Owen put it, “a man preaches that sermon only well to others, which preaches itself in his own soul.... If the word does not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us” (Works, XVI:76, cited by J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness [Crossway Books], p. 286; I modernized Owen’s English). The point is, to avoid hypocrisy, we all must allow the Word to confront our sins and respond with repentance and obedience, not with hardness of heart. (Luke 14:1-14 Jesus the Confronter) Integrity Will be Tested - A pastor preached a sermon on honesty one Sunday. On Monday morning he took the bus to get to his office. He paid the fare, and the bus driver gave him back too much change. During the rest of the journey, the pastor was rationalizing how God had provided him with some extra money he needed for the week. But he just could not live with himself, and before he got off the bus he said to the driver, "You have made a mistake. You’ve given me too much change." And he proceeded to give him back the extra money. The driver smiled and said, "There was no mistake. I was at your church yesterday and heard you preach on honesty. So I decided to put you to a test this morning." Integrity - one's deeds match one's words! Dr W H Houghton, pastored the Calvary Baptist Church in NYC and later served as president of Moody Bible Institute. When Dr. Houghton became pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle in Atlanta, a man in that city hired a private detective to follow Dr. Houghton and report on his conduct. After a few weeks, the detective was able to report to the man that Dr. Houghton’s life matched his preaching. As a result of Houghton's faithful life, a life of integrity, that man became a Christian. A HYPOCRITE IS A PERSON WHO IS NOT HIMSELF ON SUNDAY! (Woe!) Luke 14:7 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, KJV Luke 14:7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, He began speaking a parable to the invited guests Judges 14:12; Pr 8:1; Ezekiel 17:2; Mt 13:34 He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table Lk 11:43; 20:46; Mt 23:6; Mark 12:38,39; Acts 8:18,19; Phil 2:3; 3 Jn 1:9 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:1-14 Jesus the Confronter - Steven Cole Luke 14:7-14 Humbling the Exalted--Exalting the Humble - John MacArthur The Parables of the NT Spiritually Unfolded - Edward C Mitchell (Lk 14:7-11 - Taking the Lowest Seats) Click picture to enlarge Click here for further explanation SEEKING HONOR FROM MEN NOT FROM GOD He began speaking a parable to the invited guests (kaleo) - NET = "Then when". Speaking is in the imperfect tense which views it as in progress and can imply that this went on for some time. Notice what incited this parable. The word "when" explains what motivated Jesus to speak this parable. The guests literally means "those invited" and refers to the "lawyers and Pharisees" (Lk 14:3+). They are Jesus' target of His parable. The guests would be the scribes and Pharisees who had been watching Him (Lk 14:1), not realizing that He had been watching them (see He noticed)! As an aside there is no mention of the disciples up to this point so one wonders if all 12 were also guests at the meal? Technical Note - The NAS does not translate the coordinating conjunction (Greek = de) which most commonly denotes continuation and further thought development, taking its specific sense from the context and in this case is best translated as "now" (ESV, NLT) or "then" to "indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative." (NET Note) He noticed (epecho) how they had been picking out (eklego) the places of honor (protoklisia) at the table - He noticed (epecho) indicates Jesus was continually (present tense) directing His attention to the jostling between the guests trying to get to the places of honor. They weren't pulling up chairs at the dining table, but flopping down on their sides because ancient meals were taken in a reclining position. What a scene this must have been! Nothing escaped His eye. The “places of honor”(protoklisia) at the meal generally would be those closest to the host, much like today we see the places of honor at "the speaker's table." One might say that Jesus was turning the tables (pun intended) - they had their eye on Him, but all the while He had His eye on them! "But His motives were totally different than theirs. He wasn’t watching them in order to trip them up, but to confront them with their sin and hypocrisy so that they could repent and be right before God." (Cole) THOUGHT - Beloved, we all do well to continually remember that Jesus notices everything we do and that He even notices the motives of our heart which are motivate us to do what we do (cf 1 Cor 4:5, cf 1 Cor 3:13, Eccl 12:14)!
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MacArthur - Jesus was not merely advising the Pharisees on the proper etiquette for being a successful hypocrite. In reality, His words were designed to picture those who, in a display of spiritual pride and self-righteous arrogance, clamor for the chief places in the kingdom of God (cf. Mark 10:35–40), only to be sent by God, the host of heaven’s banquet, to the remotest place in His domain. One such status seeker was the Pharisee in a “parable [Jesus told] to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt” (Luke 18:9). He considered himself superior to the despised tax collector, haughtily declaring, “God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get” (Lk 18:11–12). But in just such a reversal of positions as Jesus spoke of, the humble, repentant tax collector, not the proud Pharisee, entered the kingdom of salvation (Lk 18:14). (See Luke Commentary)
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MacArthur commenting on their excuses writes that "This was completely contrary to expected behavior. No one invited to an extravagant dinner by a wealthy host would have refused to come, let alone everyone. It was so absurd as to be incomprehensible to the status-seeking scribes and Pharisees, who must have stared at the Lord in disbelief. Jesus gave three sample excuses that heightened the absurdity of the situation by making it obvious that the guests had no rational reasons for refusing to attend." (See Luke Commentary)
Lucas 14
MacArthur says the idea is "to make oneself low, NOT in the self-put-downs that many people use in order to induce others to build them up, but in a genuine realization of complete unworthiness and lostness because of sin." To humble oneself includes having a modest opinion of one’s self, and behaving in an unassuming manner. While the Greeks saw humility as a shameful state, the NT teaches that humility is an attitude which is vital for a man to come into right relation to God! Humble we must be, if to heaven we go; High is the roof there, but the gate is low. - George Herbert As C. H.
Lucas 14
MacArthur - Honor and blessing in God’s kingdom eludes those who think they can earn it; salvation comes only to the humble (Matt. 5:3–5). Those bloated with the edema of pride will not pass through the narrow gate leading to salvation. Lowell Johnson (scroll down) This is one of the wonderful paradoxes of Jesus that is totally contrary to the way the world thinks. The world says if you want to climb higher and be somebody you must push, fight, claw, and work your way to the top of the heap. The world says “the way up is up!” But Jesus says just the opposite. He says the way up is down. In other words, if you try to promote your prideful self, you'll end up humbled. And He also says the way up is down. Someone has said, “Conceit – self-exaltation – is a disease that makes everyone sick except the one who has it.” Will be humbled (5013) (tapeinoo from tapeinos = low, not high, figuratively of one's attitude) literally means to level, to cause something to be lower or to make low (eg, to level off a mountain in Lk 3:5 from Lxx of Is 40:4). Tapeinoo means to bow down, to make low, to humble. Most NT uses of tapeinoo are figurative and include the following meanings: To cause someone to lose prestige, to reduce to a meaner condition or lower rank, to abase. Tapeinoo - 15x/11v - brought low(1), get along(1), humble(2), humble means(1), humbled(4), humbles(4), humbling(1), humiliate(1). Matt. 18:4; Matt. 23:12; Lk. 3:5; Lk. 14:11; Lk. 18:14; 2 Co. 11:7; 2 Co. 12:21; Phil. 2:8; Phil. 4:12; Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6 Exalted (5312)(hupsoo from hupsos = height, elevation) means to lift up spatially, to raise high. Figuratively, it can describe lifting one up to a place of honor, fame, power, or position (to exalt). Davids comments on the use of hupsoo in Jas 4:10 - The picture is that of someone prostrate before an oriental monarch, begging mercy. The monarch leans down from the throne and lifts the petitioner's face from the dust. The person rises with grateful joy, knowing he or she is forgiven. (New International Biblical Commentary). Hupsoo - 17x/16v - exalt(2), exalted(9), exalts(3), lift(1), lifted(4), made...great(1). Matt. 11:23; Matt. 23:12; Lk. 1:52; Lk. 10:15; Lk. 14:11; Lk. 18:14; Jn. 3:14; Jn. 8:28; Jn. 12:32; Jn. 12:34; Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; Acts 13:17; 2 Co. 11:7; Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6 Steven
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MacArthur says this "was a zero sum game with no winners, in which the participants’ gains and losses of prestige evened out in the end. In Jewish society an invitation to a meal with a Pharisee was a kind of currency; they exploited hospitality for the sake of self-glory and elevation. Disinterested kindness was foreign to them; everything they did was self-serving." Warren
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MacArthur - In His reply to the guest’s smug and erroneous assumption that he and his fellow Pharisees would be in the kingdom, the Lord addressed the issue of who really will enter the kingdom. (See Luke Commentary) He said to him, "A man was giving a big dinner (deipnon), and he invited (kaleo) many; The verb invited is repeated throughout this chapter (Lk 14:8–10, 12–13, 16, 18, 24) Who are the many who were invited? In context this refers to the religious leaders who had the privilege of studying Moses and the Prophets which predicted the coming of Messiah (cf Ro 3:2 = "they were entrusted with the oracles of God"). Notice that this is the first of the "two part invitation" and "presumably those invited would have sent a reply with the invitation stating their desire to attend, much like a modern R.S.V.P. Then they waited for the servant to announce the beginning of the celebration." (NET Note) Notice Jesus' descriptions of big and many, emphasizing that this is a huge, grand banquet, a celebration that all in that culture would normally gratefully attend. The point is that the Kingdom of God is very desirable, and all who are invited should desire to come to the great Messianic banquet in the Kingdom. But as the parable unfolds we see that is not to be the case. John MacArthur adds that "The personal, formal invitations to the dinner would have come in two stages to the invited guests. The first, like invitations today, would have informed the recipient that they were invited to the event. Unlike modern invitations, however, the exact date and time would not have been specified due to the complexities of preparing the feast. When all was ready, a second invitation would notify the pre-invited guests that the banquet was about to begin." (See Luke Commentary) Although some think this parable is identical with that in Matthew 22, Norman Crawford distinguishes them noting that "There are as many similarities as differences between the "great supper" here and the supper of Matt 22:2-14, which was "a certain king, which made a marriage for his son" (Mt 22:2). In both cases, the invitation was sent ahead of the time for the supper (Matt 22:3), and at the supper hour, there was refusal. Matthew says, "they made light of it and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise" which is paralleled in Luke by the excuses. In both cases, the refusal of those who were originally invited led to the invitation being extended to others. The differences are: Matthew describes a wedding supper for a king's son; Luke says, "A certain man made a great supper". Matthew tells of the spiteful treatment of the servants who were slain by the guests who had refused the invitation; the murderers and their city were then destroyed. Matthew's account of the guest without the wedding garment is not in Luke. These two parables were told at different times. The one in Matthew was told because of an attempt to arrest Jesus (Mt 21:46), but Luke's parable resulted from a self-righteous comment at a feast." (What the Bible Teaches - Luke) Dinner (1173)(deipnon) refers to breakfast in Homer, but is generally among the Jews and Greco-Roman culture it referred more to the evening meal (dinner, supper), and could refer as here in Luke 14 (Lk 14:12, 16, 17, 24) to a banquet or feast in general. Deipnon was used of the Passover meal (Jn 13:2, 4, 21:20) and the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:20). It was used to speak of the food taken at supper in 1 Cor 11:21 ("in your eating", cf Lxx - Da 1:16 = King's "choice food"). Deipnon - 16x in 16v - banquet(1), banquets(3), dinner(4), supper(8). Matt. 23:6; Mk. 6:21; Mk. 12:39; Lk. 14:12; Lk. 14:16; Lk. 14:17; Lk. 14:24; Lk. 20:46; Jn. 12:2; Jn. 13:2; Jn. 13:4; Jn. 21:20; 1 Co. 11:20; 1 Co. 11:21; Rev. 19:9; Rev. 19:17 Deipnon - 5x in 5v in the Septuagint - Dan. 1:8; Dan. 1:13; Dan. 1:15; Dan. 1:16; Dan. 5:1; Gilbrant - During classical times a deipnon was important in the worship of Greek deities. Participating in a religious “meal” meant one actually participated in the god’s nature (Behm, “deipnon,” Kittel, 2:34f.). In ancient times Jews placed great importance on social interaction through meals. To offer or accept a dinner invitation signaled intents of goodwill, trust, and prosperity. To decline or forbid such an opportunity indicated ill will and also the highest insult (e.g., Luke 14:16-24). The Septuagint makes limited usage of deipnon (Da 1:8,13,15,16). In the New Testament deipnon often refers to the “main meal” of the evening (John 13:2,4; 21:20). In addition, it is a “feast” or “banquet” with the added touch of formality (Matthew 23:6; Mark 12:39; Luke 11:43; 14:17,24; 20:46). Deipnon appears in contexts of judgment (Revelation 19:17), celebration (Revelation 19:9), memorial (1 Corinthians 11:20), and farewell (John 12:2; 13:2,4; 21:20).(Complete Biblical Library) J. Behm - In the NT the word takes on theological significance (1) . by its cultic use in 1 Cor 11:20+: → κυριακὸν δεῖπνον, “the meal consecrated to the Lord,” “the Lord’s Supper.”3 The evening table fellowship of the community constitutes divine service. It is profaned by the separation of individuals to ἴδιον δεῖπνον (1 Cor 11:21+). According to the Pauline tradition (1 Cor 11:23ff.), the celebration rests on the institution of Jesus on the night of His betrayal, i.e., after the Last Supper, cf. v. 25 (Lk. 22:20 HK): μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι (cf. also Jn. 13:2, 4; 21:20). For more general points, → ἀγάπη (agape I, 55), πάσχα, τράπεζα. It also takes on theological significance (2) as an eschatological image. The “heavenly banquet of the last time,” in which the redeemed will participate, is a meaningful expression for perfect fellowship with God and with Christ in the consummation. Cf. esp. Lk. 14:24+, in interpretation of the parable of the Great Supper, Lk 14:16ff.: οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων τῶν → κεκλημένων → γεύσεταί μου τοῦ δείπνου, and Rev. 19:9+: → μακάριοι οἱ εἰς τὸ δεῖπνον τοῦ γάμου τοῦ → ἀρνίου κεκλημένοι where the images of the eschatological banquet and the marriage-feast (→ γάμος) merge into one another, as already in Mt. 22:2 ff. Cf. also Mt. 8:11; 26:29; Lk. 22:29f., 16, 18. The saying of Christ as He knocks at the door in Rev. 3:20+: ἐάν τις ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς μου καὶ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν θύραν, εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δειπνήσω μετʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς μετʼ ἐμοῦ, also points us, in the context of the Revelation Epistles (cf. Rev 2:5, 16, 25; 3:11), to eschatological union with the Friend Who is welcomed in, the Lord of the parousia. The dreadful opposite of the final banquet of the blessed is τὸ δεῖπνον τὸ μέγα τοῦ θεοῦ (Rev. 19:17+, based on Ezek 39:17 ff.), to which the birds of prey are summoned (cf. Mt. 24:28: Lk. 17:37), the hosts of Antichrist having been overthrown and destroyed. δεῖπνον is common for a “cultic meal” in the religious speech of Hellenism, e.g., Jos. Ant., 18, 73: an invitation to the δεῖπνον of Anubis in the temple of Isis in Rome; an Ephes. inscription (BMI, III, 2, 483 B, 10) refers to ἀνάλωμα τοῦ δείπνου in the cult of Artemis; an inscription from Notion (BCH, 47 [1923], 375, 6) refers to the δεῖπνον of an Aesculapius fraternity; Plut. Ser. Num. Pun., 13 (II, 557 f.): the invitation of Pindar by a herald to the cultic meal of the Delphic priesthood in the days of Plutarch: Πίνδαρος ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον τῷ θεῷ; similarly Ael Var. Hist., 9, 95: the invitation of Homer with Apollo ἐπὶ ξένια in Argos. Cf. also the δεῖπνα τοῦ κλήρου in the circle of the Gnostic Marcus, Iren., I, 13, 4. Original invitations may be consulted in P. Oxy., 1755: ἐρωτᾷ σε Ἀπίων δειπνῆσαι ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Σεραπείου εἰς κλείνην τοῦ κυρίου Σαράπιδος τῇ ιγ ἀπὸ ὥρας θ; P. Oxy., 110; 523; 1484; 1485: ἐρωτᾷ σαι διπνῆσαι ὁ ἐξηγητὴς ἐν τῷ Δημητρίῳ σήμερον ἥτις ἐστὶν θ ἀπὸ ὣρας ζ. The underlying thought is that of communio, of the union of those who eat with the deity. So also in the Gr. church, cf. Chrys. Liturg., p. 396, 5 ff.: τοῦ δείπνου σου τοῦ μυστικοῦ σήμερον υἱὲ θεοῦ κοινωνόν με παράλαβε. On the suspecting of Θυέστεια δεῖπνα or ἀνθρωποφαγία among Christians, cf. Athenag. Suppl., 3, 1; Tat. Or. Graec., 25, 3. The image of the eschatological feast (of rejoicing or judgment) goes back to the eschatology of Israel. Cf. Is. 34:6 ff.; Jer. 46:10; Zeph. 1:7 and esp. Is. 25:6 (the feast of fat things and wine on the lees prepared by Yahweh on Mount Sion [24:23] for all nations). A grotesque note is first introduced in Ezek. 39:17 ff. (→ <34). It is used as an image of fellowship with God in the last days in 1 Enoch 62:14: “The Lord of spirits will dwell over them, and they will eat and lie down and rise up to all eternity with that Son of Man”; Slavic 2 Enoch 42:5: “At the last coming he will lead out Adam and the patriarchs and bring them (into the paradise of Eden) that they may rejoice, as when a man invites his friends to eat with him, and they come and speak with one another before the palace, joyously awaiting his feast, the enjoyment of good things, of immeasurable wealth and joy and happiness in light and everlasting life.” In Christian apocalyptic cf. 2 Esdras. 2:38: videte numerum signatorum in convivio Domini; Herm. s., 5, 2, 9; 5, 3 (moralised) In Rabb. writings, cf. the parables in b. Shab., 153a; Midr. Cant. r., 9, 8; also Midr. Est., 1, 4: “The feast of our God, which He will prepare for the righteous, has no end”;12 Pesikt. r., 41, where Jacob is invited to the feast of redemption סִעוּדַת גְּאוּלָה; cf. Midr. Ps. 14:7: מְזֻמָּן לַסְּעוּדָה. (TDNT Vol 2, page 34 or borrow Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament : abridged in one volume) Invited (2564) (kaleo) in this passage means to request the presence of someone at a social gathering. Kaleo also means to call in the sense of to choose so that one might receive some special benefit or experience and so can refer to God's call of sinners = "Divine call" of God to participation in salvation, to partake of the blessings of redemption. Kaleo in this usage is figurative for it is not a literal call. This sense includes the call to discipleship - Mt 4:21, Mk 1:20; He 5:4-note (called to priesthood) and the call to salvation - Mt 9:13, Mk 2:17, Lk 5:32 Jn 10:3KJV (not in NAS), Ro 1:6, 7-note; Ro 8:28-note, Ro 8:30-note; Ro 9:24-note; 1 Co 1:9, 24; 1 Co 7:15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, Gal 1:6, 15; Gal 5:8, 13, Ep 4:1-note, Ep 4:4-note; Col 3:15-note, 1 Th 2:12-note, 1 Th 4:7-note, 1 Th 5:24-note, 2 Th 2:14 1Ti 6:12, 2 Ti 1:9-note; He 9:15-note, 1 Pe 1:15-note; 1 Pe 2:9-note, 1Pe 2:21-note; 1 Pe 3:9-note, 1Pe 5:10-note 2 Pe 1:3-note; Jude 1:1 Kaleo is used by John who writes Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” (Rev 19:9+) Excuses Luke 14:16–24 - John Phillips It is astonishing what excuses people make for not coming to Christ. Some people are too busy to bother; some are too clever to come; some are too religious to repent; some are too worldly to want to; some too proud to pray. The Lord Jesus once focussed on this problem. He told a story in which three kinds of men emerged together with their empty reasons for not responding to the invitation. And with a sure hand He drew the picture of the consequences. They rejected the invitation. Very well, they too would be rejected. 1. The Business Man’s Excuse: “My wealth!” (14:18) 2. The Working Man’s Excuse: “My work!” (14:19) 3. The Family Man’s Excuse: “My wife!” (14:20) Illustration: When Queen Elizabeth II was to be crowned, she sent an invitation to those of her subjects chosen to be present for that occasion. The invitation was sent to peers of the realm, to members of her government, to representatives of the common people. But every invitation bore the same closing statement: “All excuses ceasing.” For when royalty issues an invitation it is no ordinary matter. It is a command. Thus the Lord’s gospel invitation is a command; making an excuse is nothing short of rebellion. (100 NT Sermon Outlines) Luke 14:17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.' KJV Luke 14:17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited Lk 3:4-6; 9:1-5; 10:1-12; Pr 9:1-5; Mt 3:1-12; 10:1-4; Acts 2:38,39; Acts 3:24-26; 13:26,38,39 Come; for everything is ready now Mt 11:27-29; 22:3,4; Jn 7:37; 2 Cor 5:18-21; 6:1 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:15-24 How to Have Dinner With Jesus - Steven Cole Luke 14:15-24 An Invitation to God's Great Banquet - John MacArthur What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)? THE FOLLOW-UP INVITATION COME - EVERYTHING IS READY! At the dinner (deipnon) hour he sent his slave (doulos) to say to those who had been invited (kaleo)- Notice that this is at the dinner hour and is in essence the second or follow-up invitation -- it was common practice to send two invitations to an oriental party, the first to announce the event and the second to tell them all the arrangements were complete. Had been invited (kaleo) is in the perfect tense signifying the invitation had been given at point in time and was still valid or in effect. Keener adds "Invitees would have responded to the first invitation already; it was common for such invitations to require a response in advance (RSVP)." Life Application Commentary - In Israel’s history, God’s first invitation came from Moses and the prophets; the second came from his Son. Jesus’ listeners, the religious leaders, accepted the first invitation. They believed that God had called them to be his people. But they insulted God by refusing to accept his Son. They would miss the banquet completely because they refused to accept the Son’s invitation—they would not get even the smallest taste of what had been prepared for them. And there would be no second (or third) chance. Thus, just as the master in the story sent his servant into the streets to invite the needy to his banquet, so God was sending his Son to the whole world of needy people (Jews and Gentiles) to tell them that his kingdom had arrived and was ready for them. (Luke Application Study Notes - Pdf scroll to page 74) Rod Mattoon - When the man speaks about the blessing of eating bread in the kingdom of God, Jesus speaks up and shares a story to illustrate an important truth about God's love for sinners and His invitation for men to come to Him for salvation. The Lord speaks of a certain man who prepared a great supper and invited many to come to it. The certain man is a picture of the Lord Himself. Great preparation and effort has been made for men to come to Christ and receive God's gift of eternal life. For two thousand years, Christ has invited mankind to accept His invitation of salvation and eternal life. There is no other way to get into God's supper, if you please. You cannot work your way into Heaven. Ephesians 2:8-9. (Treasures from the Scriptures) Normal Crawford tells a story illustrating this oriental custom of double invitations - An illustration may help the reader. A christian attended a breaking of bread meeting in an assembly in the Middle East. At the close of the meeting, a well-dressed Arab invited him to dinner. When the invitation was accepted the host walked away without giving instructions about how to get to his home or the time of the meal. Worried, the christian asked for information from others, and was told to go to his hotel and await developments. In a short time a servant came and asked the christian to follow him. He was taken to the home of the gracious host and the dinner was ready. (What the Bible Teaches - Luke) Come for everything is ready (hetoimos) now - Everything is ready. There is enough room for everyone. Now is the time. All you have to do is come! The fact that everything was ready now, reminds us of Jesus' completion of the work of redemption when He uttered the incredible word " tetelestai" signifying "It is finished" and all the "preparations" for entrance into the great banquet in the Messianic Kingdom have been completed, everything has been paid for in full! the gospel invitation goes out on the basis of that completed work. All that is left for those invited is simply to come (present imperative). This also reminds us of Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. (Mt 11:27-29+) Bock writes that "The meal at the table pictures entry into salvation’s ultimate benefits." The phrase everything is ready now reminds us of Paul's solemn words regarding the importance of "NOW" in Second Corinthians “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold (idou), now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” Behold (idou), now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION!” (2 Cor 6:2+) Comment: Dear reader, are you "investigating" the claims of Christ and the surety of His Gospel, but procrastinating on accepting His invitation to "Come to Him?" If so, you need to consider where you will be tonight if TODAY should be your last day on earth! Remember the warning in James 4:14-15+ "you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills (AND HIS WILL IS THAT YOU BELIEVE TODAY AND BE SAVED TODAY!), we will live and also do this or that." Crawford writes "All the great cost of the feast had been fully met, the supper was fully prepared. All was ready and those who were invited just needed to come. Over the cross where the Saviour suffered, bled and died the words could be emblazoned, "Come; for all things are now ready". (What the Bible Teaches - Luke)
Lucas 14
MacArthur - Given their low view of women, the Pharisees would have found this excuse the most laughable of all. In first-century Jewish society, women did not dictate to their husbands what they could do. (See Luke Commentary) Guzik cuts to the chase in explaining these three excuses - These excuse makers condemned themselves; their excuses were only a thin veil hiding the fact that they did not want to come. “Back of an excuse is a lack of desire.” (Morgan) There is no rational reason why someone would not want to be part of this feast; they just didn’t want to. (Commentary) Keener - This man’s excuse is a valid one for not going to war during the first year of marriage (Dt 20:7; 24:5; cf. 1 Macc 3:56), but it is not valid for skipping a feast one had promised to attend, even though women (including his new wife) were often not invited to such dinners. Banquets generally lasted into the night. Wedding feasts (which this feast probably is; cf. Mt 22:2) were planned far in advance, and the man should have known not to schedule two events at the same time. (See The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament) Crawford writes that "It is interesting that Luke 13, 14 and 15 contain teaching about coming into the blessings of salvation: in Lk 15:28-note there is a tender entreaty from the father to come in; in Lk 14:18-20 there are trifling excuses from sinners; and in Lk 13:25 there is a tragic exclusion of those who came too late. The pride of the elder brother made him choose to remain outside; the pursuits of the invited guests made them excuse themselves; the closed door made the seekers unable to go in. It is so tragic that those who would not go in discovered later that they could not go in. (What the Bible Teaches - Luke) Spurgeon on I cannot come - “In saying, ‘I cannot come,’ the man intended, as it were, to dismiss the matter. He wished to be understood as having made up his mind, and he was no longer open to argument. He did not parley; he did not talk; but he just said, off-hand, ‘I want no more persuading; I cannot come, and that settles it.’ ” Luke 14:21 "And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' KJV Luke 14:21 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. slave came back and reported this to his master. Lk 9:10; 1 Sa 25:12; Mt 15:12; 18:31; Heb 13:17 Then the head of the household became angry Lk 14:24; Ps 2:12; Mt 22:7,8; Heb 2:3; 12:25,26; Rev 15:1-8; 19:15 Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city Lk 24:47; Pr 1:20-25; 8:2-4; 9:3-4; Jer 5:1; Zech 11:7,11; Mt 21:28-31; Jn 4:39-42; 7:47-49; 9:39; Acts 8:4-7; James 2:5; Rev 22:17 bring in here the poor Lk 14:13; 7:22,23; 1 Sa 2:8; Ps 113:7,8; Mt 11:5,28 crippled and blind and lame Ps 38:7; Isa 33:23; 35:6 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:15-24 How to Have Dinner With Jesus - Steven Cole Luke 14:15-24 An Invitation to God's Great Banquet - John MacArthur What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)? SUPERFICIAL EXCUSES KINDLE THE MASTER'S ANGER And the slave (doulos) came back and reported (apaggello) this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry (orgizo) and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor (ptochos) and crippled (anaperos) and blind (tuphlos) and lame (cholos) Some interpret the "slave" as a picture of the Holy Spirit Whose "invitation" to the big dinner (salvation) was rejected but that seems a bit of a stretch. Go out (aorist imperative - Do this now! Conveys urgency) and Bring in (aorist imperative - Do this now! Conveys a sense of urgency) is a verb (eisago) which means to lead someone into something (of leading blind Saul into the city of Damascus in Acts 9:8). The two commands in the aorist imperative and the adverb tacheos is clearly a call for urgency regarding the task at hand. Why? Recall that in this parable, the banquet had already been prepared and in that context the food would spoil (especially in generally hot Palestine) if not consumed immediately. To invite the poor (ptochos), etc was unheard of in the oriental culture of Jesus' day. MacArthur - The head of the household decided that too much time, effort, and expense had gone into preparing the banquet to cancel it. The celebration would go on, but with a different and utterly unlikely set of guests. (See Luke Commentary) Paul mentions the bad news of God's wrath just after mentioning the good news of the Gospel in Ro 1:16-17-note writing For the wrath (orge) of God is (present tense = continuously being [passive voice = "Divine Passive"]) revealed (apokalupto - first in Greek sentence for emphasis) from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress (katecho [literally hold down] in present tense, active voice = they actively, volitionally "hold down") the truth in unrighteousness, (Ro 1:18+) Bock notes that "The inclusion of the maimed (lame) is significant in that they were banned from full participation in Jewish worship (Lev. 21:17–23). The move pictures Jesus’ offer of the gospel to the nation’s common and needy people, after the leadership’s hesitation to respond to Him". Rod Mattoon - The description of these people is a picture of what our sin does to us. The Poor: Our sin makes us spiritually bankrupt. The Maimed and Halt: A maimed person was crippled in the hands or arms. Halt refers to being crippled in the feet or legs. This is what sin does to us. It keeps us from serving God and walking in His ways. The Blind: What a reminder of the darkness of the sinner. Without Christ a person is spiritually blind and walks in spiritual darkness. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (Treasures from the Scriptures) MacArthur explains that "In reality such people would have to be strongly persuaded, if not brought in, because they would be reluctant to come on their own, since they understood that social protocol would have obligated them to reciprocate. That they did not have the means to do. The notion that a wealthy, prominent man would invite poor, despised outcasts to such a banquet was as preposterous as imagining that the original guests would turn down his invitation en masse. There was not the slightest chance that either would have happened, much less both." (See Luke Commentary) Reported (518)(apaggello from apó = from + aggéllo = tell, declare from aggelos = messenger) means to bring a message from one person and thus to relate, inform or tell what has occurred. Friberg - (1) as carrying back word from a happening report (back), inform, tell (Mt 2.8); (2) as announcing something proclaim, declare (Mt 12.18); (3) as acknowledging something publicly confess (Lk 8.47); as announcing what must be done order, command (Acts 17.30) (Borrow Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) Apaggello - 46v - announced(1), declared(1), declaring(3), proclaim(4), report(10), reported(22), take word(1), tell(1), told(3). Matt. 2:8; Matt. 8:33; Matt. 11:4; Matt. 12:18; Matt. 14:12; Matt. 28:8; Matt. 28:10; Matt. 28:11; Mk. 5:14; Mk. 5:19; Mk. 6:30; Mk. 16:10; Mk. 16:13; Lk. 7:18; Lk. 7:22; Lk. 8:20; Lk. 8:34; Lk. 8:36; Lk. 8:47; Lk. 9:36; Lk. 13:1; Lk. 14:21; Lk. 18:37; Lk. 24:9; Jn. 16:25; Acts 4:23; Acts 5:22; Acts 5:25; Acts 11:13; Acts 12:14; Acts 12:17; Acts 15:27; Acts 16:36; Acts 16:38; Acts 17:30; Acts 22:26; Acts 23:16; Acts 23:17; Acts 23:19; Acts 26:20; Acts 28:21; 1 Co. 14:25; 1 Thess. 1:9; Heb. 2:12; 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 1:3 Became angry (being furious or enraged) (3710)(orgizo from orge = wrath) describes a brooding, simmering anger that is nurtured and not allowed to die. Orgizo - 8v - angry(4), enraged(3), moved with anger(1). Matt. 5:22; Matt. 18:34; Matt. 22:7; Lk. 14:21; Lk. 15:28; Eph. 4:26; Rev. 11:18; Rev. 12:17 At once (hastily)(5030)(tacheos from tachus = quick) means quickly, without delay or at once (qualifying an action) as here in Lk 14:21. When qualifying time tacheos means soon (1 Cor 4:19). In an negative sense in Gal 1:6 = quickly, hastily. From the time of Homer into the era of New Testament, it is most frequently translated “quickly, shortly, hastily.” Gingrich - 1. positive = quickly, without delay, soon Lk 14:21; 16:6; J 11:31; 1 Cor 4:19; Phil 2:19, 24; 2 Ti 4:9. Too quickly, too easily, hastily Gal 1:6 ; 2 Th 2:2; 1 Ti 5:22.—2. comparative—a. more quickly, faster Heb 13:19. With gen. of comparison Jn 20:4.—b. without comparative meaning quickly, soon, without delay Jn 13:27; 1 Ti 3:14 ; Heb 13:23.—3. superlative (os tachista) = as soon as possible Acts 17:15. (BORROW Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) Zodhiates - In the NT, equivalent to soon, shortly, quickly, hastily (1 Cor. 4:19; Gal. 1:6; Phil. 2:19, 24; 2 Tim. 4:9; Sept.: Jdg. 9:48; Isa. 8:3). In the sense of hastily (Luke 14:21; 16:6; John 11:31; 2 Thess. 2:2; 1 Tim. 5:22; Sept.: Prov. 25:8). (BORROW The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) Tacheos - 10x in 10v - hastily(1), once(1), quickly(4), shortly(2), soon(2). Luke 14:21 "And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' Luke 16:6 "And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' John 11:31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 1 Corinthians 4:19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. Galatians 1:6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; Philippians 2:19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. Philippians 2:24 and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 1 Timothy 5:22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. 2 Timothy 4:9 Make every effort to come to me soon; Tacheos - 10x in the Septuagint - Jdg. 9:48; 2 Sam. 17:18; 2 Sam. 17:21; 2 Ki. 1:11; Prov. 25:8; Eccl. 4:12; Isa. 8:3; Jer. 50:44; Dan. 2:16; Joel 3:4; The Poor Man's Banquet Read: Luke 14:12-24 Go out . . . and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind. —Luke 14:21 During the North African campaign of World War II, some German troops became detached from their source of supplies. With their throats parched by the intense desert sun, they were overjoyed when they found a newly constructed British waterline. Shooting it full of holes, they fell on their stomachs and began gulping furiously. But they realized something too late—the British had been testing the pipeline with salty seawater. Within 24 hours all of the Germans were dying of thirst. Recognizing the severity of their situation, they quickly surrendered. In a similar way, life’s painful reverses are sometimes required to break down the willful resistance of people who would reject God’s terms of surrender. Jesus’ parable in Luke 14 reminds us that misfortune can be a blessing if it makes us willing to accept God’s invitation. He said that only the poor and needy accepted the offer to attend the banquet. The rest were too self-sufficient and preoccupied. God offers us His matchless grace If only we believe, But not until we sense our need Will we His love receive. —DJD Admitting our weakness makes room for God's strength. Luke 14:22 "And the slave said, 'Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' KJV Luke 14:22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. what you commanded has been done Acts 1:1-9 and still there is room Ps 103:6; 130:7; Jn 14:2; Eph 3:8; Col 2:9; 1 Ti 2:5,6; 1 Jn 2:2; Rev 7:4-9 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:15-24 How to Have Dinner With Jesus - Steven Cole Luke 14:15-24 An Invitation to God's Great Banquet - John MacArthur What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)? NO ROOM IN THE INN FOR THE KING BUT ROOM IN THE KING'S KINGDOM And the slave said "Master, what you commanded has been done and still there is room" - The Slave accomplishes the Master's will without fail or fault. "This comment suggests the celebration was quite a big one, picturing the openness of God's grace." (NET Note) And where is there still room? Recall that Lk 14:15 introduced the term Kingdom of God which is what prompted this parable. In sum, the "room" is the Kingdom of God or one could say it is Heaven. God is generous in seeking people for salvation. Matthew Henry on still...room - Though many have been brought in to partake of the benefits of the gospel, yet still there is room for more; for the riches of Christ are unsearchable and inexhaustible; there is in him enough for all, and enough for each; and the gospel excludes none that do not exclude themselves. Luke 14:23 And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. KJV Luke 14:23 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. NET Luke 14:23 So 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. CSB Luke 14:23 "Then the master told the slave, 'Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled. ESV Luke 14:23 And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. NIV Luke 14:23 "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. NLT Luke 14:23 So his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. NRS Luke 14:23 Then the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. Go out into the highways and along the hedges Ps 98:3; Isa 11:10; 19:24,25; 27:13; 49:5,6; 66:19,20; Zech 14:8,9; Mal 1:11; Mt 21:43; 22:9,10; 28:19,20; Acts 9:15; 10:44-48; 11:18-21; Acts 13:47,48; 18:6; 22:21,22; 26:18-20; 28:28; Ro 10:18; 15:9-12; Eph 2:11-22; Col 1:23 compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. Lk 24:29; Ge 19:2,3; Ps 110:3; Acts 16:15; Ro 11:13,14; 1 Cor 9:19-23; 2 Cor 5:11,20; 6:1; Col 1:28; 2 Ti 4:2 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:15-24 How to Have Dinner With Jesus - Steven Cole Luke 14:15-24 An Invitation to God's Great Banquet - John MacArthur What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)? COMPEL THEM TO COME Go (aorist imperative speaks of urgency) out into the highways and along the hedges - Since there is still room, the Slave is sent out again to gather folks even further down on the social ladder! Crawford on highways and along the hedges - The city was a place where many could be found easily, but "the highways and hedges", that is, the main roads in the country and the hedges that lined them would present a far greater problem in finding people, and suggests a more intensive search. This is an apt picture of the close of the day when it has become much more difficult to find guests for the supper, as many who labor in the gospel will agree. Easy profession is no more difficult than ever it was, but to see a genuine work of God in hearts is becoming more rare. (What the Bible Teaches - Luke) NET Note on highways...hedges - This suggests the inclusion of people outside the town, even beyond the needy (poor, crippled, blind, and lame) in the town, and so is an allusion to the inclusion of the Gentiles. The Greek word (for hedges) phragmos refers to a fence, wall, or hedge surrounding a vineyard (BDAG). "Highways" and "country roads (hedges)" probably refer not to separate places, but to the situation outside the town where the rural roads run right alongside the hedges or fences surrounding the fields." And compel (anagkazo) them to come in, so that my house may be filled (gemizo) - Compel is in the aorist imperative which is a command to "Do this now!," "Don't delay," and as noted above conveys a sense of urgency. The alternative is the peril of procrastination. God's bondservant must redeem the time. Today's opportunities may not be here tomorrow. So that is a term of purpose explaining the purpose for which the master sending the slave out again. THOUGHT - Applying this to our life as His disciples, as His bondservants, are there any souls for which you are feeling a compulsion to go to and speak the Gospel that they might be rescued from darkness to light and for the wrath to come? Bock on compel them to come in - The master will take in anyone who will respond. The appeal is not so much to compel people to come in as it is to urge them to attend (anankazō; Ge 19:3 [conceptually parallel]). Urging is necessary because the people do not know the host and so need encouragement to attend. He is not going to force anyone to come, as his response to the original invitees shows. He is, however, going to try to persuade them to participate....many who attend will be among those who were least expected to attend. God makes himself available—even to those whom many reject. Often it is the rejected who respond favorably to God. Disciples should seek such people. In warning the Pharisees, Jesus also instructs his own. God’s people must be sought and found in surprising places. (See Luke: Baker Exegetical Commentary)
Lucas 14
MacArthur - The call to salvation is a call to self-denial (cf. Luke 17:33 = “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."); it marks the end of sinners being the reigning authorities in their lives and calls for them instead to submit as slaves to Jesus’ authority as Lord, King, and Master. That selflessness extends to the point of death (). F F Bruce - Denying oneself is not a matter of giving up something, whether for Lent or for the whole of life: it is a decisive saying “No” to oneself, to one’s hopes and plans and ambitions, to one’s likes and dislikes, to one’s nearest and dearest, for the sake of Christ. Vance Havner -- What our Lord said about cross-bearing and obedience is not in fine type. It is in bold print on the face of the contract. Billy Graham in “The Offense of the Cross” -When Jesus said, “If you are going to follow me, you have to take up a cross,” it was the same as saying, “Come and bring your electric chair with you. Take up the gas chamber and follow me.” He did not have a beautiful gold cross in mind—the cross on a church steeple or on the front of your Bible. Jesus had in mind a place of execution. A.W. Tozer - The old cross slew men; the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it. Follow Me! Jesus' call to the first disciples was "Follow Me!" (Mt 4:19, 8:22, 9:9, 16:24, 19:21, Mk. 1:17; 2:14; 8:34; 10:21; Lk. 5:27; 9:23; 9:59; 18:22; Jn. 1:43; 10:27; 12:26; 13:36; 21:19; 21:22) And what was His destination? Death on the Cross of Calvary. When we follow Him, we too are denying self daily and taking up our cross to follow in His steps. Steven
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MacArthur - This could have been a watchtower for protection from his enemies, or a storage tower for his goods. Either one would have been a visible construction project, and everyone in the community would have known about it. Preserving one’s honor and avoiding bringing shame on oneself and one’s family were elevated matters in the ancient Near East. (See Luke Commentary) John Stott: The Christian landscape is strewn with the wreckage of derelict, half-built towers—the ruins of those who began to build and were unable to finish. For thousands of people still ignore Christ’s warning and undertake to follow him without first pausing to reflect on the cost of doing so. The result is the great scandal of Christendom today, so-called “nominal Christianity.” In countries to which Christian civilization has spread, large numbers of people have covered themselves with a decent, but thin, veneer of Christianity. They have allowed themselves to become somewhat involved; enough to be respectable but not enough to be uncomfortable. Their religion is a great, soft cushion. It protects them from the hard unpleasantness of life, while changing its place and shape to suit their convenience. No wonder the cynics speak of hypocrites in the church and dismiss religion as escapism. (Borrow Basic Christianity) Norman Crawford - In much modern evangelism people are told that the Lord wants them to give up nothing, just to receive Christ and have the blessings of salvation added to their worldly pleasures and amusements. These supposed conversions do not last because there has been no Spirit-wrought conviction about being utterly lost, no awakening and, therefore, no repentance. The true terms of discipleship are kept hidden until "a decision to accept Jesus into the heart" is made. The Lord Jesus told people to sit down and carefully count the cost. This is the opposite of the high pressure method employed in so many campaigns. Often profession is made in conditions similar to those in which a person is coerced into buying some piece of merchandise that is neither needed nor wanted. Good salesmanship is no asset in soul-winning. The message of the Lord is to count the cost first of all. (What the Bible Teaches - Luke) Gene Brooks - The builder did not begin until he had considered the cost (Luke 14:28-30). Just a few years earlier, A.D. 27, a poorly built amphitheater had collapsed, with about 50,000 casualties, so the image was powerful for Jesus’ hearers. (The Cost of Being a Disciple) Steven Cole makes the important observation that sit down and calculate the cost refers "to careful, detailed, rational thinking in which you consider all aspects of what you’re getting into before you make the commitment. Such careful thinking is opposed to an impulsive decision made in a moment of intense emotion, without much thought about the consequences. Our evangelistic methods today are big on emotion and little on reason. We get people into a stadium to hear testimonies from famous athletes or movie stars about how Christ changed their lives. Then they hear a rousing speaker promise how Christ can meet the person’s every need. Then the invitation is given and counselors are primed to get out of their seats and walk forward so that people on the verge of a decision think that others are going forward. The choir or band is playing a song of invitation. Going forward feels like the right thing to do. In a swell of emotion, the person gets out of his seat and “decides for Christ.” But did the person get saved? By God’s grace, some do. But even the well-known evangelists admit that the long-term “stick with it” rate for those who make a decision is only about 10-15 percent. All too often, their decision was based more on emotion than on careful thought about what it means to follow Christ. Here, Jesus says to the crowds who were interested enough to be going along with Him, “Consider the cost of following Me.” (The Cost of Discipleship) POSB (Borrow Luke Commentary) - The point is clear: before a person begins to follow Christ, Christ wants that person to think about it. He wants the person to be sure, absolutely sure. Can he afford to follow through; does he have what it takes to build the tower (life)? Why? Because a false profession damages the Kingdom of God. A false profession causes … the world to mock and charge true believers with being hypocritical prospective believers to turn sour believers to be hampered and hindered in their ministry some believers to become discouraged Bob Utley on Luke 14:28–32 This speaks of the need to recognize the cost of "followship!" No quick decisions! The Gospel is absolutely free, but it costs everything that we are and have (cf. Mt. 13:44–46). In light of this, western modern Christianity is a weak manifestation of “what’s in it for me” cultural religion! Modern western Christians have turned biblical faith into a weekly event, a place we park our car for a few hours instead of a 24 hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week relationship of service to Christ. We only give the leftovers of our busy lives and plans to Him. We worship and praise Him with peripherals and non-essentials. This is why we have such large, beautiful church buildings and elaborate organizations and programs and NO SPIRITUAL POWER, NO CHANGED LIVES, NO WHATEVER-IT-TAKES ATTITUDES!! God forgive us for cultural, peripheral, easy believism! (Luke 14 ) Calculate (5585)(psephizo from psephos = small stone or pebble used by the Greeks and Egyptians in their calculations) means to count with pebbles, to compute, calculate, reckon. Psephizo in classical Greek in the middle voice meant to give one's vote, vote for, decree. Calculate the cost was used both for counting votes and for adding up numbers in business ledgers. Many large cities have structures that were begun in times of prospeority, only to lie half finished bearing witness to inadequate resources. Gilbrant - psephizo refers to the process of counting or calculating. In a powerful presentation concerning the high cost of discipleship, Jesus challenged His listeners to consider the implications of following Jesus. Any decision to follow Jesus that does not consider the costs may result in the humiliating discovery that the cost is too great to continue. This humiliation will come not only in this life but in the judgment to come. (Complete Biblical Library) The only other use of psephizo is by John in the Revelation referring to the Antichrist Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (Rev 13:18-note) Complete (535)(apartismos from from apó = an intensifier + artízō = to perfect, finish) is a noun describing the act of completion or finishing something. Found only here in the Scripture. J C Ryle on Count the Cost - We learn secondly, from this passage, that those who are thinking of following Christ should be warned to “count the cost.” This is a lesson which was intended for the multitudes who followed our Lord without thought and consideration, and was enforced by examples drawn from building and from war. It is a lesson which will be found useful in every age of the church. It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian, and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice, and follow Christ, and believe in Christ, and confess Christ, requires much self-denial. It will cost us our sins, and our self-righteousness, and our ease, and our worldliness. All—all must be given up. We must fight an enemy who comes against us with twenty thousand followers. We must build a tower in troublous times. Our Lord Jesus Christ would have us thoroughly understand this. He bids us “count the cost.” Now, why did our Lord use this language? Did He wish to discourage men from becoming His disciples? Did He mean to make the gate of life appear more narrow than it is? It is not difficult to find an answer to these questions. Our Lord spoke as He did to prevent men following Him lightly and inconsiderately, from mere animal feeling or temporary excitement, who in time of temptation would fall away. He knew that nothing does so much harm to the cause of true religion as backsliding, and that nothing causes so much backsliding as enlisting disciples without letting them know what they take in hand. He had no desire to swell the number of His followers by admitting soldiers who would fail in the hour of need. For this reason He raises a warning voice. He bids all who think of taking service with Him count the cost before they begin. Well would it be for the Church and the world if the ministers of Christ would always remember their Master’s conduct in this passage. Often,—far too often,—people are built up in self-deception, and encouraged to think they are converted when in reality they are not converted at all. Feelings are supposed to be faith. Convictions are supposed to be grace. These things ought not so to be. By all means let us encourage the first beginnings of religion in a soul. But never let us urge people forward without telling them what true Christianity entails. Never let us hide from them the battle and the toil. Let us say to them “come with us,”—but let us also say, “count the cost.” Paying the Price Which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost? (Luke 14:28) We know now that God shut the lions’ mouths, but Daniel didn’t know in advance that it would happen! He simply counted the cost and kept his commitment to God. So did a lot of others. In Hebrews eleven, it went both ways for committed believers—some were taken out, others were taken through, but all of them “obtained a good report” (Hebrews 11:39). To follow Jesus means to discover what you were born to be, pay the price required, and spend the rest of your life pursuing it to the point of excellence! Once you catch a glimpse of “the high calling,” you’ll get up earlier, stay up later, and say “no” more often, because you understand God’s will for you. Is that how you live? Sure, you’ll make mistakes. Les Brown says, “When life knocks you down, fall on your back, for if you can look up, with God’s help you can get up.” Winston Churchill said, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Think about that! Successful people are just the ones who do what the rest of us only talk about, but never get around to doing. God doesn’t measure you by others; He measures you by what you could have been if you’d paid the price. ASK HIM TODAY FOR THE STRENGTH AND THE WILLINGNESS TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT. (Bob Gass - A Fresh Word for Today) Oswald Chambers - Building For Eternity Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it… —Luke 14:28 Our Lord refers not to a cost we have to count, but to a cost which He has counted. The cost was those thirty years in Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal and hatred; the deep unfathomable agony in Gethsemane, and the onslaught at Calvary—the pivot upon which the whole of Time and Eternity turns. Jesus Christ has counted the cost. Men are not going to laugh at Him at last and say—“This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” The conditions of discipleship laid down by Our Lord in vv. 26, 27 and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. “If any man come to Me, and hate not …, he cannot be My disciple.” Our Lord implies that the only men and women He will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately and devotedly beyond any of the closest ties on earth. The conditions are stern, but they are glorious. All that we build is going to be inspected by God. Is God going to detect in His searching fire that we have built on the foundation of Jesus some enterprise of our own? These are days of tremendous enterprises, days when we are trying to work for God, and therein is the snare. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus takes us over for His enterprises, His building schemes entirely, and no soul has any right to claim where he shall be put. Counting The Cost Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost. —Luke 14:28 Several years ago I read an article about the importance of counting the cost before making a major purchase. The advice is particularly appropriate for those of us who overspent this past Christmas season. The writer illustrated his point by adding up the actual cost of the gifts listed in the popular song “Twelve Days of Christmas.” The result was a lot less romantic than the song itself. All the gifts given in the name of love have their price. A pear tree was figured at $14, one partridge—$15, two turtle doves— $10, three French hens—$36, four calling birds—$140, five golden rings—$1,000, six geese a-laying— $1,260, and so on. The total tab for all 12 days came to $10,314.92. (And that was not figured at today’s prices.) Counting the cost is also important in our commitment to Christ. He made this clear in Luke 14, when He talked about what it takes to be His disciple—loving Him more than family relationships, our possessions, or even our own life. When called to do a work for Christ, We can't ignore the cost; For if we fail to think it through, Our efforts may be lost. —JDB Following Jesus costs more than anything—except not following Him. John MacArthur - Discipleship is Serious - Luke 14:28 - You can pay nothing to earn salvation; yet living for Christ is a serious matter of discipleship. To be a Christian means to rely on Christ’s power rather than your own and to be willing to forsake your way for His. Being a Christian can mean facing persecution, ridicule, and tribulation. Jesus forewarned the disciples, “‘If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you’” (John 15:20). But with His warning about the cost of discipleship, the Lord promised that your heart would rejoice “‘and your joy no one will take from you’” (John 16:22). And He also told His followers to “‘be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’” (16:33). You won’t escape the difficulties of discipleship, but Jesus will enable you to handle them. Saying Yes To Jesus Read: Matthew 21:28-32 Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost. —Luke 14:28 An agnostic professor tells his students that as an 8-year-old child he used to give a Christian testimony that moved people to tears of joy. Now, however, he has rejected his former belief in Jesus. His influence has led many young men and women to renounce the faith they once professed. Why does this happen? Part of the answer is in Matthew 21. In Jesus’ parable, a father asked his two sons to go and work in his field. One said he would but didn’t. Jesus directed this to the religious leaders who gave the appearance of saying yes to God, but their hearts were far from Him. Some who grow up in Christian homes may say yes to Jesus without truly understanding what they are doing. Later when their faith is challenged, they turn away from the faith to which they had given lip-service. In contrast, others may initially say no to Christ because they realize that to repent and believe means their lives will belong to the Lord, and they don’t like the demands of following Christ. But eventually they do repent and believe and obey. When we say yes to Jesus as Lord, We pledge to take Him at His Word; If we're sincere He'll give us the grace To follow till we see His face. —DJD Faith in Christ is not just a one-time choice but a lifetime challenge. Luke 14:29 "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, KJV Luke 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, NET Luke 14:29 Otherwise, 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. CSB Luke 14:29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to make fun of him, ESV Luke 14:29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, NIV Luke 14:29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, NLT Luke 14:29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. NRS Luke 14:29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:25-35 The Extreme Nature of True Discipleship, Part 2 - John MacArthur Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleship - Steven Cole Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 1 - Steven Lawson - Listen at your own risk! You will be challenged! Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 2 - Steven Lawson Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 3 - Steven Lawson THE UNFINISHED TOWER Click the picture of the unfinished facade, an ambitious extension project to the Siena Cathedra which was abandoned in 1348. Otherwise (hina - usually introduces a result) when he has laid a foundation (themelios) and is not able to finish all who observe (theoreo) it begin to ridicule (empaizo) him- Recall the tower is something visible so it would be obvious when he was not able to finish. As Bock says " A graphic picture of the result (hina) of not counting the cost is that the project will not be completed....(cf Lk 18:32; 22:63; 23:11, 36) Honor was very important in the Near East and failure to finish the tower would bring dishonor. He would have been the laughingstock of the village. "Such is the danger for a disciple who does not assess what it means to follow Jesus. The failure is not God’s, but the disciple’s—because of lack of commitment, resolve, and reflection." Keener - Several years earlier (A.D. 27) a poorly built amphitheater had collapsed, with an estimated fifty thousand casualties. The failings of inadequate or half-finished structures were well-known. The crucial point here, however, is the builder’s shame in a society obsessed with honor. (See The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament) Foundation (2310) (themelios from théma = that which is laid down in turn from títhemi = to place [see study of related word themelioo]) means something laid or put down, that on which a structure is built or a stone used in the construction of a foundation. It was used literally of buildings foundation (foundation stone Rev 21:14). Themelios - 15v - foundation(11), foundation stone(1), foundation stones(2), foundations(2). Lk. 6:48; Lk. 6:49; Lk. 14:29; Acts 16:26; Rom. 15:20; 1 Co. 3:10; 1 Co. 3:11; 1 Co. 3:12; Eph. 2:20; 1 Tim. 6:19; 2 Tim. 2:19; Heb. 6:1; Heb. 11:10; Rev. 21:14; Rev. 21:19 Observe, (2334)(theoreo from theaomai = to look at closely or attentively or contemplatively - even with a sense of wonder; cp theoros = a spectator) (Gives us English = theater, theorize) usually refers to physical sight but can also refer to perception and understanding. It means to gaze, to look with interest and purpose, to carefully examine with emphasis on or attention to details. To behold intensely or attentively. Ridicule (mock) (1702)(empaizo from empaizo = to play with, deride, mock, scoff) describes those who make fun of another, scoffing at him. The idea of deride means to laugh at contemptuously or to subject to usually bitter contemptuous ridicule. Luke 14:30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' NET Luke 14:30 They will say, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish!' CSB Luke 14:30 saying, 'This man started to build and wasn't able to finish.' ESV Luke 14:30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' NIV Luke 14:30 saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' NLT Luke 14:30 They would say, 'There's the person who started that building and couldn't afford to finish it!' NRS Luke 14:30 saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Mt 7:27; 27:3-8; Acts 1:18,19; 1 Cor 3:11-14; Heb 6:4-8,11; 10:38; 2 Pe 2:19-22; 2 Jn 1:8 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:25-35 The Extreme Nature of True Discipleship, Part 2 - John MacArthur Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleship - Steven Cole Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 1 - Steven Lawson - Listen at your own risk! You will be challenged! Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 2 - Steven Lawson Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 3 - Steven Lawson Saying saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' In context they are not simply stating a fact but in fact are speaking derisively. NET has "make fun of him, saying." Man (NIV = this fellow) - A derogatory address. This phrase was often used in Luke in a derogatory, contemptuous sense. For example, see "this one" and expressions like it in Luke 5:21; 7:39; 13:32; 23:4, 14, 22, 35. The verb finish (1615)(ekteleo) means to bring to an end or to completion, to perform a task completely. BDAG adds "with implication of a job well done." Ekteleo is used only in Lk 14:29,30 (once in Lxx =2 Chr 4:5.) Gary Inrig - Discipleship is not a casual or an occasional activity. Enthusiasm for it is important, but that will be insufficient to sustain a man plodding under the burden of the cross. Discipleship is an exciting adventure, but it is also a draining and demanding lifestyle. Warfare looks thrilling in the movies; it looks very different from the trenches. “Count the cost—it is no small matter to build a life for Me.” (The Parables : Understanding What Jesus Meant - Borrow) Crawford writes that "These two words (apartismos and ekteleo) intensify the meaning of not only having sufficient means to make a start, but to be certain that there will be ability to completely finish what has been started. Many are able to follow the Lord along a flower-strewn pathway which seems at first to be popular, with many happy companions, but when asked to walk alone amid the cruel rocks of adversity or the spears of persecution, they soon discover that they are unable to continue. (What the Bible Teaches - Luke) Two men who come to mind in the New Testament are Judas and Demas. The tragic tale of Judas is well known to most, ending in betrayal of Jesus (Mt 26:24, 25, 49, 50) followed by remorse (but not repentance - Mt 27:3-4) and suicide (Mt 27:5, Acts 1:18, 19). Here is the chronology of Demas, one of Paul's traveling partners: Philemon 1:24 ~60-63A.D. - "as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers (sunergos)." Col 4:14-note - About 5 yr before 2 Timothy was written - "Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas." 2 Ti 4:10-note ~67A.D. - "for Demas, having loved (agapao) this present world (cf warning in 1 Jn 2:15-note), has deserted (egkataleipo = forsaken, left in a lurch!) me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia." Comment: Hebrews 3:14 says "For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end." There is strong evidence that Demas did not hold fast until the end which would suggest that had truly "become (a partaker) of Christ." In fairness, ultimately we will have to wait to heaven to know for certain. John MacArthur writes "His kind are described by our Lord in Mt 13:20, 21; cf. Jn 8:31 ("If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;")." See Vance Havner's Demas, Charmed by the World. The point Jesus is making is that in order to avoid humiliation and embarrassment in the community, one would think very carefully before he began his building project. He would want to be certain he had sufficient funds and fortitude to finish what he began. Robert Stein - The point of the similitude was not made explicit because it was self-evident. Do not promise to follow Jesus unless you understand the “cost” and are willing to “pay” it. This does not imply that salvation must be earned. Rather the point being made is that God’s grace can only be received by those who, in repenting, place him above everything else. (See Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Mike Andrus - We lived briefly in Hollywood, FL in the early 70's, and I remember a magnificent condominium built along the Intercoastal canal between Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale, probably 25 stories tall and just a few hundred yards from the Atlantic ocean. The condos were designed for absolute luxury, with rentals that in today’s dollars would be $5,000-$10,000 a month. But the builder ran out of money. There stood the shell, with half the building finished and huge signs plastered all over it, “Keep out.” He didn’t count the cost and he became a laughing stock. I know people like that–seminary buddies who went through school with flying colors but today are selling insurance because they failed to count the cost of full-time ministry, missionaries who return home after one term because life in another culture was too rough (by the way, don’t criticize them until you’ve walked in their shoes–at least they tried), laymen who quit giving or quit serving because love for this present world became too dominant in their lives. Part of the problem is that the church and its preachers have spent a lot of time covering up the cost–giving people the notion that Christianity is a free ride now and eternal bliss later. Well, it is eternal bliss later, but Jesus never promised a smooth ride with no bumps here and now. Furthermore, I don’t think that’s what most people want to be told–they’d rather get the straight scoop. To me there’s only one thing worse than going into a steak house and seeing prices of $25, $30, or even $35. And that’s going into a steakhouse where the prices aren’t even on the menu. I’m too bashful to ask and too cowardly to leave. I think most people are like me in that they want to see the cost up front. If the quality is good, they’re willing to pay the price. (Luke 14:25-35 Come at All Cost, But Count the Cost) Life Application Bible Commentary – What are those "costs" to believers? Christians may face loss of social status or wealth. They may have to give up control over their money, time, or career. They may be hated, separated from their family, and even put to death. Following Christ does not mean living trouble-free. All people must carefully count the cost of becoming Christ's disciple so that they will know what they are getting into and won't be tempted to turn back when the going gets tough. (Scroll to page 74 in Luke Application Study Notes) Luke 14:31 "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? KJV Luke 14:31 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? NET Luke 14:31 Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? CSB Luke 14:31 "Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with 10,000 to oppose the one who comes against him with 20,000? ESV Luke 14:31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? NIV Luke 14:31 "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? NLT Luke 14:31 "Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? NRS Luke 14:31 Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 1 Ki 20:11; 2 Ki 18:20-22; Pr 20:18; 25:8 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:25-35 The Extreme Nature of True Discipleship, Part 2 - John MacArthur Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleship - Steven Cole Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 1 - Steven Lawson - Listen at your own risk! You will be challenged! Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 2 - Steven Lawson Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 3 - Steven Lawson CONSIDER THE COST BEFORE COMMITTING (2) Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider (bouleuo) whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? - The question is rhetorical. Jesus uses the question to introduce a second illustration of he importance of carefully reflecting before casually reacting! Hampton Keathley III refers to this as the "Saddam Hussein" principle (obviously a principle he failed to consider before beginning his own military endeavors!). As Plummer says "It is folly to begin without much consideration." The clear implication is that is not easy for an army of 10,000 to defeat an army of 20,000. Put yourself in the position of this king. Would he dare make this decision without careful contemplation? Of course not, because to do so would be to risk defeat and even loss of his kingdom. He had to make a choice and do it fairly quickly (while the enemy as still far away). If it is foolish to begin without counting the cost, it is disastrous to delay one’s choice without considering the consequences. -- Gary Inrig Inrig - The second parable poses a very different problem. If it is foolish to begin without counting the cost, it is disastrous to delay one’s choice without considering the consequences. Not only do we need to count the cost of discipleship, we need to consider the consequences of refusing discipleship. One way or another, choice is inevitable. (The Parables : Understanding What Jesus Meant - Borrow) Keener - Herod Antipas had recently lost a war with a neighboring Roman vassal, so the image of foolhardy war should be meaningful to Jesus’ hearers. Jesus’ point (as in 14:28–30) is that one must recognize the cost when one enlists as a disciple of Jesus (cf. Prov 20:18; 24:6). (IVP Background Commentary) Steven
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MacArthur adds that "There are no exceptions or exemptions to these absolute, unqualified requirements." To give up or say good-bye to all one’s possessions does not mean the disciple cannot possess anything, but it does mean that the disciple must understand that all possessions are from God, and are for His use. THOUGHT - I shared Jesus with a dear doctor friend of mine and he was intrigued, but finally said "I can't accept the terms! I love to go hunting with my bird dogs and this means I would have to give them up." That was 20 years ago. I still pray for his eternal soul (pray for Bill R. to come to his senses - thank you). This instruction brings to mind the "rich young ruler" in Luke 18 and it seems for him, Jesus was calling for him to literally give it up... A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20“You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.’” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. (Lk 18:18-23+) COMMENT - The "Rich young ruler" remained rich in time for a short time, but forfeited true riches in eternity. One wonders if he had heard of Jesus' teaching in Lk 14:33, but regardless, he was unwilling to "count the cost" to be a believer, a disciple of Jesus. And as a result, his soul was lost eternally and he will forever be haunted by Jesus' question (and sadly will know the answer!) - "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36) Who would be willing to give up EVERYTHING? It is the individual who recognizes that Jesus is worth EVERYTHING! This person is willing to make an unreserved commitment, holding nothing back. Does this describe you dear reader? MacArthur explains that "Jesus is not advocating socialism, or getting rid of everything and living a life of poverty. His point is that those who would be His disciples must recognize that they are stewards of everything and owners of nothing. And if the Lord asked them to give up all they would be willing, because loving obedience is their highest duty and joy." (See The MacArthur New Testament Commentary ) Darrell Bock - A disciple’s attachments are potentially the most destructive thing for discipleship....The will to renounce all possessions and to ally oneself totally to Jesus is the essence of discipleship. Jesus is first. He is the one object of focus. Persevering with Jesus means being attached to him, not to possessions....If Jesus offers what he says he offers, then there can be no greater possession than following him....Jesus is not a minimalist when it comes to commitment. It is not how little one can give that is the question, but how much God deserves. (See Luke: Baker Exegetical Commentary ) David
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MacArthur - This illustration shows that Jesus does not want temporary disciples, but rather those who will commit to lifelong loyalty to Him. Only those disciples can be used by Him for good in this world. It is true that no one perfectly keeps his commitment to the Lord. There are times when it falters due to family pressures, selfishness, the allure of material possessions, or when believers wonder if they have the resolve to love and obey the Lord to the end. Moments of failure, however, do not invalidate the direction of the heart. (See Luke 11-17 MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Jesus made a similar statement in His Sermon on the Mount - You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. (Mt 5:13-see commentary) Comment: Don't miss a the key principle in Jesus' metaphor of salt. Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven impact society because they are different (not weird or bizarre but distinct) from the Kingdom of this World. When "salt" tries to accommodate to and/or be conformed by the Kingdom of this World, it loses its distinctiveness and potential to impact the decay and the darkness of the this world which is passing away. In the Revelation John records the triumphant cry when "the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." (Revelation 11:15-note) Until then God has left believers in the Kingdom of Darkness and Decay to dispel the darkness (as lights Mt 5:14-16) and retard decay, as peacemakers giving out the word of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:14-21), a word which in some will birth new life and to others will cause them to hate and persecute you (John 3:19-21, Mt 5:10-12-see notes Mt 5:10; 11; 12, Lk 6:22-note). Persecution for the sake of Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven therefore becomes a sign that one truly belongs to the glorious coming Kingdom of our Lord (cp Ro 8:16-18-notes Ro 8:16; 17; 18). Beloved, don't let this world squeeze you into it's mold (Ro 12:2-note) African Bible Commentary - One should not become Jesus’ disciple impulsively, but should make a carefully thought-out commitment, in full awareness of what is involved (14:33). Those who make that sort of commitment will be like salt, enabling God to use this new community as seasoning in the world (14:34–35). Steven
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MacArthur - On the other hand, temporary disciples are ultimately useless to the Lord. Like contaminated salt, those contaminated by worldliness will be thrown out into eternal judgment (13:28; Matt. 8:12; 13:41–42, 50; 22:12–13; 25:30; John 15:6). (See Luke 11-17 MacArthur New Testament Commentary)