The Gospel of Luke
Jesus with the Pharisees: Lk 14,1-24
Jesus: Guest or Host
Verses 1-24 form one scene and there is continuity running through them. Yet the terms of verses 1 and 24 are quite different. In verse 1, Jesus goes to (literally) "eat bread" with the Pharisees while in verse 24 he says "none of those invited will taste my dinner". The ending is left open, only the following verse, 14,25, marks a change of scene.
Within the scene and following the healing, the markers are the references to Jesus speaking in verse 7, 12, 16. This may seem obvious but many commentators take verse 15 as the introduction to the parable. The phrase "on hearing this" indicates that the verse is really a response to Jesus' beatitude in verse 14. To take this a step further, we find the strongest marker within the dinner scene to be that of verse 12 when Jesus begins to speak to his host. We can therefore read verses 12 to 24 as a whole: both parts are about the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame (verses 13 and 21). With just the one comment coming from a guest in verse 15, we can see how Jesus dominates the dinner: is he guest or host, we might wonder.
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Dropsy Lk 14,1-6
The setting is once again a dinner with the Pharisees as in 11,37, but this time the meal takes place on the sabbath (see 6,9, 13,14). They were watching Jesus closely - but as verse 7 indicates, Jesus was also observing.
The man with dropsy seems to be simply the occasion for another controversy about healing on the sabbath. He's just there (6,2), he is just healed and dismissed (6,4).
His ailment is dropsy, known today as oedema. This is a swelling of the body due to excess fluid and with that comes an insatiable thirst. We can possibly see that as a symbol of greed which would make it an appropriate illness for this passage.
As in 6,9, but not 13,14, it is Jesus who here takes the initiative by asking those present if it is lawful to heal on the sabbath. He is the Lord of the Sabbath (6,5).
For the case quoted by Jesus in verse 5 the best evidence is that this time it is a son and an ox which has fallen into the pit, rather than a donkey and an ox as in 13,15.
The Pharisees just remain silent, expressing no opinion even though they were aware of what was at sake: Sabbath observance or compassion. Apart from the one comment in verse 15, they remain silent throughout the meal. The initiative lies with Jesus.
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The Place of Honour: Lk 14,7-11
In his first teaching, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees at the dinner (verses 7-11).
Proverbs 25,6-7 is a typical wisdom teaching, in this case indicating the importance of knowing one's place.
Only in verse 8 is the invitation said to be to a wedding banquet, as also in Mt 22,2. In verse 16 Luke mentions just a great dinner.
Jesus' main point goes beyond the honour and shame of society at the time. Perhaps it can be seen in the Magnificat (1,52) : he has put down the proud and raised up the lowly. This is the point about to be developed as Jesus turns to his host in verse 12 and criticises the guest list.
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The Invitation: Lk 14,12-15
Jesus now makes the humble of verse 14 more specific. They are not the host's kin (4 groups) but rather the poor (again, 4 groups). As is normal in a society depending on reciprocal favours (see 6,32-35), the host invites those who can do him favours. (He is after all a leading Pharisee with a position to keep up.) Jesus' values are quite different, totally opposed.
Thus Jesus pronounces his blessing in verse 14, with repayment at the resurrection.
To this, the response in verse 15 is inadequate, indeed complacent. The dinner guest still sees the invitation as open to anyone, which includes himself.
So Jesus has to take the point further, and the parable unfolds.
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The Great Dinner: Lk 14,16-24
As we noted above, Jesus is here speaking of someone giving a great dinner (14,16). Levi by contrast after his call did give a great banquet (5,29). In Matthew 22,2 we find it is a king who is inviting guests to a wedding banquet.
What is special to Luke are the excuses for rejecting the invitation (verses 18-21) and the first bring in of the poor in verses 21-22. Whereas Matthew is placing more emphasis on the banquet at the end of time, for Luke as always, the need is now (6,20).
The slave does his rounds three times, first to receive the rejections, then two rounds to fill the hall. Those rejecting the invitation are those whose priorities have just been stated by Jesus in 14,12-15. You cannot serve God and mammon (16,13). Anyone needing five yoke of oxen will be very wealthy.
Anger is to be expected of the master: he could not have been more seriously insulted. It is his reaction that follows which is so surprising: there are still plenty who can be invited to his meal even if they are not the usual guests (see verse 13).
"Compel" in verse 23 is a strong word, but it shows the reluctance of the poor themselves to accept what is on offer. They have a strong sense of their unworthiness which needs to be overcome.
It is hard to tell whether verse 24 is the conclusion of the parable or Jesus' comment on the parable. Something of both would be a good possibility.
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The Sunday Gospel
The Gospel focuses on just one part of this banquet scene, verses 7 to 14 where the emphasis is placed on humility - as the reading from Ecclesiasticus makes clear. Yet just highlights the saying in 7,11 when the theme of the Gospel is more about honour.
It may be that the reference to a son or ox falling into a cistern on the sabbath (14,5) was left out because thought to be too difficult for a Sunday congregation.
The Parable of the Great Dinner (14,15-24) may have been omitted because Matthew's similar parable (Mt 22,1-14) is read on the 28th Sunday in cycle A. Yet as so often, Matthew's parable is actually more different than similar to Luke's version.
There is a tendency to keep the Old Testament readings short so the the two halves of the reading give the necessary focus on humility and pride. Yet the full passage (Sir 3,14-29) could have been a richer reading and a better sample of typical wisdom teaching.
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