Luke 14:23-35

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:26

And hate not - Matthew, Matthew 10:37 , expresses the true meaning of this word, when he says, He who loveth his father and mother More than me. In Matthew 6:24 , he uses the word hate in the same sense. When we read, Romans 9:13 , Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, the meaning is simply, I have loved Jacob - the Israelites, more than Esau - the Edomites; and that this is no arbitrary interpretation of the word hate, but one agreeable to the Hebrew idiom, appears from what is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:27

Doth not bear his cross - See on Matthew 10:38 ; (note); Matthew 16:24 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:28

To build a tower - Probably this means no more than a dwelling house, on the top of which, according to the Asiatic manner, battlements were built, both to take the fresh air on, and to serve for refuge from and defense against an enemy. It was also used for prayer and meditation. This parable represents the absurdity of those who undertook to be disciples of Christ, without considering what difficulties they were to meet with, and what strength they had to enable them to go through with... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:33

Whosoever he be of you - This seems to be addressed particularly to those who were then, and who were to be, preachers of his Gospel; and who were to travel over all countries, publishing salvation to a lost world. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:34

Salt is good - See on Matthew 5:13 ; (note), and Mark 9:50 ; (note). On the subject referred to this place from Luke 14:23 , Compel them to come in, which has been adduced to favor religious persecution, I find the following sensible and just observations in Dr. Dodd's notes. "1st. Persecution for conscience' sake, that is, inflicting penalty upon men merely for their religious principles or worship, is plainly founded on a supposition that one man has a right to judge for another... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:23

Verse 23 Luke 14:23.Compel them to come in. This expression means, that the master of the house would give orders to make use, as it were, of violence for compelling the attendance of the poor, and to leave out none of the lowest dregs of the people. By these words Christ declares that he would rake together all the offscourings of the world, rather than he would ever admit such ungrateful persons to his table. The allusion appears to be to the manner in which the Gospel invites us; for the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:28

Verse 28 Luke 14:28.For which of you, etc , That no one may think it hard to follow Christ on the condition of renouncing all his desires, a useful warning is here given. We must consider beforehand what the profession of the gospel demands. The reason why many persons yield to very slight temptations is, that they have pictured to themselves unmixed enjoyment, as if they were to be always in the shade and at their ease. No man will ever become fit to serve Christ till he has undergone a long... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:33

Verse 33 Luke 14:33.So then every one of you This clause shows what is meant by the calculation of expenses, with which Christ enjoins his followers to begin: it is to lead them to consider that they must forsake all In vain do persons who are delighted with an easy, indolent life, and with exemption from the cross, undertake a profession of Christianity. Those persons are said to forsake all who prefer Christ so greatly, both to their own life, and to all the wishes of the flesh, that nothing... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 14:1-24

The great supper. The feast of which Christ, was partaking had been carefully prepared, and was an event of some consequence in the town. This may be inferred not only from the tone of the Lord's remarks, but also from the intimations of the evangelists. Thus from Luke 14:12 it appears that the Pharisee had gathered together the elite of the place, along with his more intimate friends and his kinsmen. From Luke 14:7 we learn that there had been an eager scramble on the part of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 14:1-24

Table-talk of Jesus. We have now brought before us an interesting conversation which Jesus had with certain guests at an entertainment in the house of "one of the chief Pharisees." It was a sabbath-day feast, indicating that sociality was not incompatible even with Jewish sabbath-keeping. Into the guest-chamber had come a poor man afflicted with the dropsy, and, to the compassionate eye of our Lord, he afforded an opportunity for a miracle of mercy. But, before performing it, he tests... read more

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