Lk. 14:1 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.
Again, a Pharisee invites Yeshua into his home for dinner. Also once again it is for ulterior motives. Unlike earlier invitations, this one is done by one of the “rulers of the Pharisees,” meaning he was a member of the Sanhedrin.
Lk. 14:2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.
It was customary for the rich to open their homes to the poor and infirmed to participate in the Sabbath meal. It is very possible this man was intentionally invited here to lay a trap for Yeshua. But, Yeshua takes the opportunity to teach that true Sabbath rest also includes being healed.
This is another example of the Pharisees wanting to accuse Yeshua of breaking the Sabbath by healing. In reality the Oral Law permitted healing as long as it was with a spoken word, and not physical action. Obviously Yeshua knew He was within the Mosaic Law when He healed on the Sabbath, and even the Mishnah permitted it. M:Shabbat 22:6, for instance, says they may anoint and rub the stomach as long as one does not get fatigued. It should be noted that Yeshua was never charged with breaking any part of the Oral Law, although His disciples were occasionally accused of disobeying certain aspects of these traditions. On such occasions, when the disciples were accused the Lord so frustrated the Sages by knowing the Oral Law better than the accusers that they left Him alone.
Source: M:Shabbat 22:6
Lk. 14:4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go.
Lk. 14:5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”
Lk. 14:6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.
Lk. 14:7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:
Lk. 14:8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;”
Yeshua mentions not to take the highest seat first, but wait until you are called up. This is a Rabbinic ruling that is discussed in Avoth Rabba 1:5. The healing by Yeshua obviously did not cause fatigue. Therefore He did not technically break any law.
Source: Avoth Rabba 1:5
Lk. 14:9 “And he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.”
Lk. 14:10 “But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.”
Lk. 14:11 “For whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
In these verses Yeshua gives a lesson in humility. “Do not raise yourself into a higher position, rather stay humble and let someone else raise you in a higher position from which you will not be easily removed or shamed.”
Lk. 14:12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor your rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.”
Lk. 14:13 “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.”
Normally the Pharisees despised the common people, but the Oral Law required to do otherwise. M:Avoth 1:5 says, “R. Yosi ben Yochanan said, ‘Let your house be open to the street and let the poor be the children of your house.’”
Source: M:Avoth 1:5
Lk. 14:14 “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Some of the Pharisees enjoyed handing out hospitality, but they were choosy in their hospitality in that they always invited people out that they knew would be able to invite them back and return the favor. True hospitality is not of this nature. Pharisaic hospitality was self-seeking and self-righteous. True Biblical hospitality is to invite those who are totally incapable of ever being able to return the favor. Our recompense will come in Heaven at the resurrection of the just.
Lk. 14:15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God!”
To the Jews of Biblical times, as well as the traditional Jews of today, meals have great significance. They are looked on as times of hospitality, fellowship, rest and joy. For these reasons meals are an important part of Jewish culture. They are integral to such Jewish holy days as the Sabbath, Passover, and Shavuoth. The symbolism in Jewish meals is important. For the orthodox, prescribed rituals and prayers are used throughout the meal. The meal therefore becomes an act of worship and a reminder of both the individual Jews and the nation of Israel’s relationship with God. A primary symbol used in Jewish meals is bread, including the well known unleavened bread (matzah) used at Passover and the robust, leavened loaves (hallot) used at the Sabbath meals. Every meal has some form of bread. This tradition was practiced even during New Testament times. Bread is a symbol of all that is produced from the earth. The host take the loaf, tears off pieces, and hands to each person. The sharing represents the fellowship and hospitality that are being offered.
The hospitality of sharing food and lodging is a requirement of Jewish Law. Strangers and even enemies are to receive the same cordiality that is given to members of the household. All outsiders are considered to be sent by God, and therefore deserving all kindness. Welcoming others to a meal is considered a privilege from God; to dine alone is as disappointment.
Lk. 14:16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,”
Lk. 14:17 “And sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘come, for all things are now ready.’”
Lk. 14:18 “But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a pieces of ground, and I must go asnd see it. I ask you to have me excused.’”
Lk. 14:19 “And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’”
Lk. 14:20 “Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’”
Lk. 14:21 “So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, s aid to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’”
Lk. 14:22 “And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’”
Lk. 14:23 “Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.’”
According to William L. Coleman in his book “those Pharisees,” the Pharisees had 300 years of aggressive and effective evangelism, especially during the time of Yeshua. We notice this in such New Testament phrases as “you travel over land and sea to make one convert,” and “go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in.” Jewish Biblical scholar Yehezkel Kaufmann points out that during the Hasmonean Era (second century B.C.E. – 37 B.C.E.), the Jews took the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah that all nations would come to worship the One God literally and began evangelism (Isa. 2:20; Jere. 16:19). During that era Judaism spread by means of religious conversion to all parts of the known world.
Source: Isa. 2:20; Jere. 16:19
Lk. 14:24 “‘For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.’”
Yeshua closes this segment with a parable. The parable has to do with the preparation of a supper to whom certain ones were invited. When the supper was ready, they one by one managed to make excuses as to why they were unable to attend, and so the master, being angry with the ones who had received an invitation, then sends out his servants to bring others in. There is one stage for one group, and a second stage for another group, until the supper is filled. Now the meaning of the parable is essentially this: the preparor of the supper is God. The means by which the supper was prepared was through the prophets. The declaration that the supper (the Kingdom of God) was now ready came by means of Yochanan haMatbil and Yeshua. Those who had been bidden are the Jewish leaders of that generation, and the leaders of that generation rejected the invitation when the supper was finally ready. So now, the feast will be for those who have need of it. The ones that were sent into the streets and lanes of the city would refer to the Jewish believers who are brought in, and yet, there is plenty of room left. The servants are sent out again, but this time into the highways and hedges of the country. These are the Gentiles.
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