Jesus has dined with Pharisees before (Luke 7:36–50; 11:37–54). Now, however, He's with a ruler of the Pharisees: a man of that sect who holds some kind of synagogue or civil government leadership. It appears other Pharisees are present at the meal. During formal meals (Luke 14:15), the door would be left open and others who were not invited could quietly come in, stand along the walls, and listen to the conversation. That is likely where the man with dropsy is; he wouldn't be invited to dine because his condition makes him and anything he touches ceremonially unclean (Luke 14:1–2; Leviticus 15:4–12). It's also possible the host did invite the man, to tempt Jesus to heal on the Sabbath again.

Fitting the setting, Jesus responds to the on-going conversation by asking a theological question. He has used this tactic before (Luke 6:9). Discussing such questions was common, and rabbis and lawyers would often debate, each using quotes from prior religious leaders to prove their point. The Pharisees know that Jesus' question is not just theoretical, however. He can and has healed on the Sabbath (Luke 6:6–11; 13:10–17).

The Jews of Jesus' time are bound by the law God gave Moses on Mount Sinai and which Moses wrote down. Several hundred years later, the southern kingdom of Judah sinned against God so egregiously that God allowed Babylon to take them into exile. Seventy years after their exile, they were released to return to Jerusalem. The religious lawyers—scribes—were so afraid that God would send them to exile again, they created the "rabbinic law" or Oral Law. These laws created significantly more detail about what—supposedly—the Mosaic laws meant. The scribes hoped that if the people observed their new rules very carefully, they wouldn't come close to breaking the Mosaic law. Jesus interprets these laws to be unreasonable, counter to what God intends for His people, and unfairly enforced (Luke 11:46).

Even the rabbinic laws were up for interpretation, however, and rabbis, scribes, and other religious leaders loved to debate the specifics: especially laws related to the definition of the "work" that the Mosaic law prohibited on the Sabbath. The scope of allowable medical care seems to have been a popular topic. For instance, it is okay to eat any type of food that healthy people eat on the Sabbath, even if it is also used to cure diseases, but not food that is exclusively used as a cure for a disease [Mishnah Shabbat 14.3–4].

After Jesus' time, rabbis eventually agreed that it is okay to treat a person to save a life because a dead person cannot worship God. But it is not okay to deliberately treat a chronic, non-life-threatening condition. Dropsy, although painful and debilitating, is not immediately fatal. Jesus is asking the Pharisees to stop and think. What would YHWH (Exodus 3:15) really say about this situation? Is He a gracious God who wishes to restore and heal His children? Or is He so wrapped up in the letter of the law that they should let the man continue to suffer?

The Pharisees refuse to answer. If they say that God would want them to follow the strict law, they reveal their religious practices are abusive and do not reflect a loving God. If they approve of healing on the Sabbath, they admit that Jesus is not breaking the Mosaic law, which would validate His ministry. Jesus points out that the fact they would rescue an ox or their son from a well proves their blatant hypocrisy (Luke 14:5).

Luke 14:1–6 begins a section discussing who can enter the kingdom of God, and how they must do so. God's kingdom isn't just about salvation. It's also about the blessings of God's sovereignty and character. While arriving at the home of a Pharisee for a formal banquet on the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man. The other guests remain silent while Jesus indirectly explains that the kingdom of God is about kindness for all God's creatures. It is not a matter of blindly following man-made laws. Jesus follows with three parables about humility, generosity, and the importance of accepting God's invitation to His kingdom (Luke 14:7—15:24).

A Pharisee invites Jesus to a formal dinner. There, Jesus teaches lessons using invitations and feasts as a theme. These emphasize humility and the importance of not making excuses. After the dinner, Jesus warns that those who seek to follow Him will experience hardship. Believers should "count the cost" and understand what aspects of this world they may have to give up.

Luke 14 continues Jesus' doctrinal march to Jerusalem and the cross. Luke 14 and 15 contain the second grouping of one miracle and a series of discussions about the kingdom of God and salvation; Luke 13:10–35 is the first. Next will be a collection of warnings about rejecting God's kingdom (Luke 16:1—17:10) and two more sets of lessons about the kingdom and salvation, each beginning with a single miracle (Luke 17:11—18:34; 18:35—19:27). After this comes Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 11/22/2024 12:22:19 PM

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