Luke 14:1
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One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat in the home of a leading Pharisee, and those in attendance were watching Him closely.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
HEALING OF A DROPSICAL MAN, AND MANIFOLD TEACHINGS AT A SABBATH FEAST. (Luke 14:1-24) man before him--not one of the company, since this was apparently before the guests sat down, and probably the man came in hope of a cure, though not expressly soliciting it [DE WETTE].
Open source ↗In this passage of story we find, I. That the Son of man came eating and drinking, conversing familiarly with all sorts of people; not declining the society of publicans, though they were of ill fame, nor of Pharisees, though they bore him ill will, but accepting the friendly invitations both of the one and the other, that, if possible, he might do good to both. Here he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees, a ruler, it may be, and a magistrate in his country, to eat bread on the sabbath day, Luk 14:1. See how favourable God is to us, that he allows us time, even on his own day, for bodily refreshments; and how careful we should be not to abuse that liberty, or turn it into licentiousness. Christ went only to eat bread, to take such refreshment as was necessary on the sabbath day. Our sabbath meals must, with a particular care, be guarded against all manner of excess. On sabbath days we must do as Moses and Jethro did, eat bread before God (Exo 18:12), and, as is said of the primitive Christians, on the Lord's day, must eat and drink as those that must pray again before we go to rest, that we may not be unfit for that. II. That he went about doing good. Wherever he came he sought opportunities to do good, and not only improved those that fell in his way. Here was a certain man before him who had the dropsy, Luk 14:2. We do not find that he offered himself, or that his friends offered him to be Christ's patient, but Christ prevented him with the blessings of his goodness, and before he called he answered him. Note, It is a happy thing to be where Christ is, to be present before him, though we be not presented to him. This man had the dropsy, it is probable, in a high degree, and appeared much swoln with it; probably he was some relation of the Pharisee's, tha…
Open source ↗14:1 in the home of a leader of the Pharisees: In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is frequently seen dining.
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah
for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.
Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them,
As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a short time.