Dinner with a Pharisee

Jesus, knowing he was being "carefully watched" (Luke 14"1), heals upon the Sabbath yet again (cf. Luke 4:31-41; 6:6-11; 13:10-17). There happened to be in this Pharisees' home a man "suffering from dropsy"(Luke 14:2); dropsy being a disease in which fluid collected in the cavities of the body.

Jesus knew what these experts in the law (Luke 14:3) were thinking, so he confronts and confounds their logic. Jesus says, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" (Luke 14:3). Healing on the Sabbath was not forbidden in the law of Moses, although it was forbidden in the scribal regulations (unless there was danger to life). Jesus phrased his argument in such a way that if the Pharisees answered yes, then they would appear hypocritical regarding their own man-made rituals and traditions required for Sabbath observance. But even the Jews would pull a child or even an ox out of a well on the Sabbath (Luke 14:5), though technically this was work. Their acts in an emergency bore witness to the truth that deeds of mercy were lawful on the Sabbath. However, if they said no, then they could be accused of being cruel and uncaring about this man's suffering. So, no matter how his opponents tried to catch Jesus in his words and actions (Luke 11:54), Jesus was ready with the truth, which put his enemies to shame (cf. Luke 13:17; 14:6).

We may term this section as the great eschatological reversal: "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (cf. Luke 14:11; Ezek 17:24; Luke 1:52-53; 6:21, 25; 10:15; 18:14).

Jesus essentially explains one of his proverbs: "Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, "Come up here," than to be put lower in the presence of a noble" (Prov. 25:6-7). Butler summarizes the the parable saying:

"You are invited to a wedding reception. You are among the early arrivals. How do you choose where to sit? Normally, you take the best seat, the one closest to the host, don't you? Listen to me. Do not do that. Why? You have not seen the entire guest list. Someone with VIP credentials may show up later. The host will have to seat that person in the choice place. He may ask you to move down the table to make way for this important guest. All the places being occupied, you will have to move to the worst seat in the house. What an indignity! You will be humiliated." "Listen! Here is a better strategy," Jesus continued. "When you arrive early, seek out the worst seat in the house. Then the host will come and ask you to move up closer to him. You will gain honor in front of all the guests."

Jesus expands upon being merely humble though and says, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous" (Luke 14:12-14). "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (1 Pet 5:5-6).

So, we should not seek a seat of honor, rather a place of humility. Bock states:

If you are a wise person, Jesus says, you will take the least important place, so when the host comes and sees you in a seat that is not worthy, he will beckon you up to a better place. Then, instead of shame, glory (dosa; NIV "honor") - that is, approval and commendation - will result. Such honor God will also give in the age to come. The principle of the passage is clearly stated in Luke 14:11 - God will exalt those who humble themselves. The kingdom is his gift. Though he owes his blessing and divine acceptance to no one, he makes the way to divine favor open to all. Paul shows how Jesus is the greatest example of this truth (Phil. 2:5-11). On the other hand, those who exalt themselves will be humbled by God. The passive verbs in this verse suggest that the humbling and exaltation come in terms of God's assessment. How we treat others impacts how God treats us.

Jesus expands the call in Luke 14:12-14 as he introduces another topic. Beyond worrying about what seats we get as guests at a table, there is the question of whom we seek to serve as guests. Jesus calls us to serve those who cannot repay our kindness. We should not invite friends, relatives, or rich neighbors, for the repayment comes in the fact they will invite us back. Jesus' point is that loving and hosting those who love you and are your friends is not inherently morally commendable. One expects that to be the case. Rather, we should invite "the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind." The best hospitality is that which is given, not exchanged. Then divine commendation will come. Though those invited cannot repay, God will reward such care in the resurrection to come (1 Cor. 4:5). Again, the promise of reward is expressed in the passive voice ("will be blessed"), which means that God gives the response. He commends those who reach out to the needy and minister to them, often in quiet ministries that no one ever sees. True righteousness does not look for a payback but is offered free of charge, graciously, just as God in Christ has forgiven us free of charge (Eph. 4:32; 5:2).

Compare with a similar parable - but not the same - parable in the Gospel of Matthew (below). "When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God"" (Luke 14:15). Jesus responds with a parable of a wealthy man who put on a great banquet. The great banquet pictures the Kingdom banquet, the supper of the Lamb (cf. Luke 13:28, 29; 22:16; Rev. 19:9). This is more than a mere "meal," it is a "feast." Gooding explains, "The metaphor of feasting, as distinct from merely eating a meal assures us that no true potential appetite, desire, or longing given us by God will prove to have been a deception, but all will be granted their richest and most sublime fulfillment." Heaven, and especially its host (Christ) is utter and complete joyous satisfaction.

This feast reminds one of the Book of Esther 5:8; 6:14. None of the participants would attend the feast unless invited twice (Esther 4:2). So when a great banquet was given, invitations were first sent out announcing the time of the upcoming meal. At that time guests indicated their acceptance. Then on the day of the banquet itself, another invitation was extended - to re-invite the already invited guests. To accept the first invitation but decline the second was an insult.

But insults came; excuses were given Luke 14:18-20. The first excuse is rather lame: "The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me'" (Luke 14:18). Where was the field going? Who would purchase a field before they looked it over? This was a very petty excuse.

The second excuse was even more insulting: "I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me'" (Luke 14:19). Who would purchase 10 oxen with out trying them out? Moreover, is not the person inviting you to the feast greater than a mere ox?

The last excuse on its face may seem legitimate. "'I just got married, so I cant come'" (Luke 14:20). But getting married in that era exempted one from duties, not parties (cf. Deut. 24:5).

So, the excuses dealt with possessions and affections. While neither is necessarily bad, when they become idols, they violate God's command (Exod. 20:3). People in that era acted as if the desired the Kingdom, but in reality they didn't. Today, we see a similar pattern of unrighteousness - idols replacing the only and true God.

These lame excuses were reported to the master - the giver of the feast (Luke 14:21). An eternal record is kept. However, the master has already decided that the banquet will proceed according to his own plan. It will go forth without delay. The promised celebration will be held as announced. The invitations picture the arrival of the Kingdom's initial phase. Jesus came in the fulness of time (Gal. 4:4). God's time-table will not be interrupted. There would be no delay to the Kingdom's arrival!

". . . Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' "'Sir, the servant said, what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' 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" (Luke 14:21-23).

So, this parable is a prophecy of the extension of the Gospel to those who were deemed unworthy by the Pharisees. The "poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame" (Luke 14:21) represent the "people of the land" (despised Jews who were unable to observe the traditional laws of ritual purity), and those outside the city on the "roads and country lanes" (Luke 14:23) represent the Gentiles.

Note the words "bring (Luke 14:21) and "make" (Luke 14:23) - "make them come in." Unless the Holy Spirit changes a man's will - which is resistant to the God, his Gospel, his Christ, his Kingdom and its King (Rom 8:7-8; 1 Cor. 2:14) - none can or will to come! One only becomes willing on the day of God's power (cf. Psa. 110:3). They love him, because they first were loved (Rom. 5:8).

Jesus ends the parable with a rebuke. "I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet'" (Luke 14:24). The meaning is clear, for those not entering into the banquet are left "outside" where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Rev. 19:11-21; cf. Matt. 25:1-13). The elite of Israel who would reject the Messiah. Such people would be given no second chance.