Healing on the Sabbath Again
Study note
While eating at a leading Pharisee's house, Jesus encounters a man with swelling in his body. Under the watchful eyes of the religious leaders, He asks whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. When they remain silent, He heals the man and sends him away. Jesus then asks who among them would not rescue their own animal on the Sabbath, exposing the inconsistency of valuing animals over people and showing that doing good is always appropriate.
1 One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat a meal at the home of a leading Pharisee. Everyone there was keeping a close eye on him. And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.
2 There in front of Jesus was a man whose body was badly swollen. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
3 Jesus looked at the legal experts and Pharisees and asked, "Does the law allow healing on the Sabbath, or not?" And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
4 Nobody said a word. So Jesus reached out, healed the man, and let him go. And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
5 Then Jesus asked them, "If your donkey or ox fell into a deep hole on the Sabbath, wouldn't you pull it out right away?" And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
6 They had nothing to say to that. And they could not answer him again to these things.
Lessons on Humility
Study note
Observing guests choosing places of honor at the table, Jesus teaches that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. He then tells the host not to invite friends and rich neighbors who can repay, but rather the poor, crippled, lame, and blind who cannot reciprocate. True generosity expects nothing in return and will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
7 Jesus noticed how the dinner guests had scrambled to grab the best seats at the table. So he shared this lesson: And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
8 "When someone invites you to a wedding dinner, do not rush to sit in the place of honor. There might be a more important guest who was also invited." When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
9 "Then the host will come over and tell you, 'Please let this person sit here.' And you will have to get up and move to the only seat left -- the worst one in the room. How embarrassing!" 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.
10 "Instead, when you are invited, go sit in the least important spot. Then when the host sees you, he may come and say, 'Friend, come sit in a better place!' You will be honored in front of all the other guests." But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
11 "Anyone who tries to look important will be brought low. Anyone who humbly steps back will be lifted up." For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
12 Then Jesus told the man hosting the dinner, "When you have a dinner party, do not invite your friends, your brothers and sisters, your family, or your rich neighbors. They will invite you back, and that will be your reward." Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
13 "When you host a meal, invite people who are poor. Invite people with disabilities, people who cannot walk, and people who cannot see." But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14 "Then you will be truly blessed because those people cannot pay you back. God himself will reward you when the righteous are raised to life." And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
The Parable of the Great Banquet
Study note
When a guest says 'Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God,' Jesus tells of a great banquet where the invited guests all make excuses. The furious host then sends servants to bring in the poor, crippled, blind, and lame from the streets and lanes, and even compels people from the roads and country lanes. The originally invited guests will never taste the banquet. This parable warns Israel's religious leaders that their refusal of God's invitation opens the way for the marginalized and the Gentiles.
15 Someone at the table heard this and said, "What a blessing it will be to eat at the feast in God's kingdom!" And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16 Jesus told a story: "A man planned a great banquet. He sent out many invitations." Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 "When everything was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come on over! Everything is prepared and waiting for you.'" And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 "But one after another, they all started backing out. The first one said, 'I purchased some land and I need to go look it over. Please forgive me for not coming.'" And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 "Another said, 'I bought five pairs of oxen and need to go test them out. Please understand.'" And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 "Another said, 'I just got married, so it is impossible for me to attend.'" And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21 "The servant came back and told his master everything. The master was furious. He ordered his servant, 'Get out there fast! Go through every street and alley in town and bring back anyone who is poor, disabled, unable to walk, or unable to see.'" So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 "The servant reported back, 'Sir, I did what you said, but there is still room for more.'" And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23 "The master said, 'Then go out to the roads and country lanes. Talk people into coming in until my house is completely full.'" And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 "'Because I am telling you, not one of those people I first invited will taste a single bite of my banquet.'" For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Counting the Cost of Discipleship
Study note
Turning to the large crowds following Him, Jesus sets the bar startlingly high: anyone who does not place Him above family and even their own life cannot be His disciple. Using illustrations of a builder who must count the cost before constructing a tower and a king who must assess his army before going to war, Jesus warns against superficial commitment. The call to give up everything is not optional -- like salt that has lost its flavor, a disciple without total commitment is useless.
25 Huge crowds were traveling along with Jesus. He turned around to face them and said, And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26 "You might want to follow me. But you must put me before father, mother, wife, and children. You must put me before brothers, sisters, and even your own life. If not, you cannot be my follower." If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 "Anyone who will not carry their own cross and walk behind me cannot be my disciple." And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 "If you wanted to build a tower, would you not sit down first and figure out the price to make sure you can afford to finish it?" For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 "Otherwise, after pouring the foundation, you might run out of money. Then everyone passing by would make fun of you," Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 "saying, 'Look at that person who started building but could not finish!'" Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 "Or imagine a king about to go to war against another king. Would he not first sit down and think about whether his ten thousand soldiers can defeat the other king's twenty thousand?" Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 "If the answer is no, he would send messengers while the other army is still far off and try to work out a peace deal." Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 "The point is this: if you are not ready to let go of everything you have, you cannot be my disciple." So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34 "Salt is useful. But if salt loses its taste, how do you make it salty again?" Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35 "Tasteless salt is worthless -- you cannot even use it as fertilizer. People throw it out. If you are willing to listen, then listen carefully." It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.