Lucas 14
Marvin Vincent · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 14
Vincent adds that these men were "not legal practioners, but interpreters and doctors of the Mosaic law." Lawful (permitted)(1832)(exesti from from ek = out + eimí = to be) is an impersonal verb, signifying "it is permitted, it is allowed, it is lawful" (or interrogatively, "is it lawful?"). Exesti occurs most frequently in the synoptic Gospels and the Acts, especially in Jesus' conflicts with the Pharisees over His actions (and those of His disciples) on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:2; 12:4; 12:10; 12:12, etc). Exesti - 32x in 30v - Matt. 12:2; Matt. 12:4; Matt. 12:10; Matt. 12:12; Matt. 14:4; Matt. 19:3; Matt. 20:15; Matt. 22:17; Matt. 27:6; Mk. 2:24; Mk. 2:26; Mk. 3:4; Mk. 6:18; Mk. 10:2; Mk. 12:14; Lk. 6:2; Lk. 6:4; Lk. 6:9; Lk. 14:3; Lk. 20:22; Jn. 5:10; Jn. 18:31; Acts 2:29; Acts 8:37; Acts 16:21; Acts 21:37; Acts 22:25; 1 Co. 6:12; 1 Co. 10:23; 2 Co. 12:4 Heal (cure)(2323)(therapeuo from therapon = an attendant, servant) has an interesting evolution in meaning - therapeuō ordinarily originally meant “I serve” in secular Greek. Gradually the term suggested “to care” for someone, and finally it acquired the definition of “to heal” or “to render medical treatment. It has two main senses in the NT, one speaking of rendering service (Acts 17:25) and the more common use as in the present passage describing medical aspects such as to take care of the sick, to heal, to cure (Mt. 4:24; 12:10; Mk 1:34; Lk 6:7; 10:9), to recover health, to restore. Therapeúō means to heal miraculously in Mt. 4:23, 24; 10:1, 8; Acts 4:14. Luke's uses of therapeuo - Lk. 4:23; Lk. 4:40; Lk. 5:15; Lk. 6:7; Lk. 6:18; Lk. 7:21; Lk. 8:2; Lk. 8:43; Lk. 9:1; Lk. 9:6; Lk. 10:9; Lk. 13:14; Lk. 14:3; Acts 4:14; Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7; Acts 17:25; Acts 28:9 Luke 14:4 But they kept silent. And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away. KJV Luke 14:4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; Mt 21:25-27; 22:46 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:1-14 Jesus the Confronter - Steven Cole Luke 14:1-6 The Healing Savior vs the Hypocritical System - John MacArthur SILENT SNAKES But they kept silent (hesuchazo) - Better translated "“they became silent." They weren't even whispering in one another's ears or grumbling, which was something new for them! Why did they not speak? As we commonly say, they were "on the horns of a dilemma (or this interesting note)", "between a rock and a hard place!" If they answered that it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, that would give approval to Jesus performing the healing. They would then be seen as agreeing with Jesus and could not hold Him in "contempt" of their Sabbath regulations. On the other hand ("horn") if they responded that it was unlawful, then Jesus might not perform the healing and they would lose the opportunity of trapping Him in breaking their Sabbatical laws. Pate - If they said no, they would reveal themselves for what they really were – inhumane religious leaders. If they said yes, they would be breaking their own laws governing the Sabbath.
Lucas 14
Vincent remarks that "The Greek writers refer to the absurd contentions which sometimes arose for the chief seats at table. Theophrastus designates one who thrusts him-self into the place next the host as mikrophilotimos, one who seeks petty distinctions." (petty ambitions) By way of application the one who chooses to take the place of honor is the self-righteous person, the one who things they deserve or in some way have earned the place of honor. They seek to be righteous before men, but not before God. First the negative instruction - what NOT to do. Good teachers will include the negative as well as focusing on the positive, and this contrast adds to the effect of the teaching. Do you tend to avoid the "negative" passages in Scripture? If you do so, it is to your shame and the detriment of your sheep! Mattoon says that in essence what Jesus is telling them is that "They are to give preference to other people. Put others first!" To fail to do so would be to their disgrace and embarrassment (and "loss of face!"). (Treasures from the Scriptures) Keener - Social status was important in antiquity and was made obvious by the seating of dinner guests at banquets. This status was especially a problem in well-to-do Greco-Roman circles (see comment on 1 Cor 11:21), but seating by rank is well attested in Palestinian Jewish society, including in the Dead Sea Scrolls. For (because) someone more distinguished (entimos) than you may have been invited (kaleo) by him - For (term of explanation) explains why one should not seek the place of honor for himself, the explanation continuing to the next verse. Brian Bell - Every toddler knows how to play this, “daddy look at me, watch me daddy”; but what’s normal for a toddler is pretty embarrassing when adults are still playing it. The point in this game is to make sure that everyone sees and admires you. Jesus saw men competing for better seats at a banquet.. Seating in those days was ordered. How empty when we act from motives of “what will others think?” . The seats closest to the host were the best seats, and the guests looking for recognition tried to secure them. Nowadays, the gracious host uses place cards for seating guests rather than embarrass someone needlessly by moving them publicly to a more appropriate seat. If where we sit makes us important, then we are not very important! It is what we are, not where we sit that really counts. It is only the little man who is self-important! Jesus probably had Pr 25:6,7 in mind “Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great; For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.” Wedding feast (cf Luke's only other mention = Lk 12:36-note)(1062)(gamos) primarily describes the public ceremony in which a man and a woman entered into a marital relationship and thus speaks of a wedding (Jn 2:1), which often involves feasting. Eschatologically (prophetic, future) gamos refers to the wedding ceremony of the Bridegroom, Christ, with His Bride, the Church, at the outset of the Messianic (Millennial) Kingdom. (Rev 19:7-note, Rev 19:9-note). By metonymy gamos is used for wedding hall, the place where the wedding takes place (Mt 22:10) Do not take (recline)(2625)(kataklino from kata = down or functioning to intensify main verb root + klino = to incline, bend, bow) means literally to incline down, to lie sloping forward and descriptive of the oriental posture at meal (recline). It is interesting that this word occurs in medical contexts of ancient literature contemporary with the NT, used for example, to describe a patient “lying down” for treatment (Moulton-Milligan). It is not surprising that the physician Luke is the only author who used kataklinō. Distinguished (highly regarded)(1784)(entimos from en = in + timḗ=honor, esteem, price) means honored or esteemed. Entimos describes honored or respected men or “valued” objects. It denotes “men of high rank or office”. According to papyri one common application of entimos is to military veterans who were discharged “with honor” (see Moulton-Milligan). Luke used this same adjective in Lk 7:2-note describing the "centurion's slave who was highly valued." Luke 14:9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this man,' and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. KJV Luke 14:9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. NET Luke 14:9 So the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your place.' Then, ashamed, you will begin to move to the least important place. CSB Luke 14:9 The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, 'Give your place to this man,' and then in humiliation, you will proceed to take the lowest place. ESV Luke 14:9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. NIV Luke 14:9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. NLT Luke 14:9 The host will come and say, 'Give this person your seat.' Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place Esther 6:6-12; Pr 3:35; 11:2; 16:18; Ezekiel 28:2-10; Da 4:30-34 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:1-14 Jesus the Confronter - Steven Cole Luke 14:7-14 Humbling the Exalted--Exalting the Humble - John MacArthur THE NEGATIVE PRINCIPLE FOR DEMOTION And he who invited (kaleo) you both will come and say to you "Give (aorist imperative) your place (topos) to this man" - You see the host coming toward you and you immediately have an uneasy feeling. Clearly their scramble for the seats of honor would "backfire" if one of the attendees was more distinguished. The point Jesus is making is that the more distinguished man would confer more honor on the host by being seated in the place of honor (cf Jn 5:44, "they would "scratch each other's back" so to speak"). Mattoon - Albert Einstein was right on target when he said, "Try not to become a man of success, but try to become a man of value." Beloved, love, kindness, godly wisdom, gentleness, helpfulness, holiness, unselfishness, and Christlikeness make an individual a person of value. On the other hand, when we exalt ourselves, like these guests, we damage our testimony for Christ and hurt other people. (Treasures from the Scriptures) And then in disgrace (aischune - ashamed, humiliated) you proceed (archo) to occupy (katecho) the last (eschatos) place - When ask by the host to vacate the place of honor, he will find all the other "good" place already occupied and will be forced to go to the lowest place in front of the entire gathering! Vincent notes that the idea of proceed emphasizes "the shame of the reluctant movement toward the lower place." All of us have been ashamed before others at some time in our life and can envision this person "sulking" down to the seat of least honor. The way of pride will ultimately lead to shame and disgrace. As the next two passages show the striking contrast that the way of humility ultimately leads to reward and honor (Lk 14:10-11). Background Cultural Context Note: The western culture of America and much of Europe is based upon an innocence and guilt mindset. Yet the majority of the people in the world today understand the world through the concept of honor & shame; an understanding which has been passed down for thousands of years. The Mediterranean culture of Yeshua's day as well of the culture of ancient Israel was based upon honor & shame. For them, it was more important to live and die with honor than anything else. (cf "The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame! " = Pr 3:35NLT - see note by Charles Bridges) Jesus alluded to this same spiritual principle ("up" will go down) in Luke 10 “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! (Lk 10:15+) Jesus frequently uses this "reversal imagery" which must have been shocking to those who heard His words.... “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh." (Lk 6:21+) Pr 11:2 says "When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom." (Bridges' note) Mattoon - It would be terribly humiliating and sobering as these folks got a wake up call of reality that they were not as great as they thought. The people they were trying to impress would not be impressed at all. The individuals that they felt were beneath them would all of the sudden be above them in status at the feast. Once they vacated their place to another person, the only seats that would be left would be the lowest seats at the table. The demoted person would not want to risk taking any other seats other than the lower places in fear of being asked to get out of a higher one again for another, more honored person. (Treasures from the Scriptures) Bock - In effect, Jesus tells them that it is better not to overestimate one’s importance, which can put one at risk of public disgrace.