Lukas 13:18--14:35
Konteks13:18 Thus Jesus 1 asked, 2 “What is the kingdom of God 3 like? 4 To 5 what should I compare it? 13:19 It is like a mustard seed 6 that a man took and sowed 7 in his garden. It 8 grew and became a tree, 9 and the wild birds 10 nested in its branches.” 11
13:20 Again 12 he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? 13 13:21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with 14 three measures 15 of flour until all the dough had risen.” 16
13:22 Then 17 Jesus 18 traveled throughout 19 towns 20 and villages, teaching and making his way toward 21 Jerusalem. 22 13:23 Someone 23 asked 24 him, “Lord, will only a few 25 be saved?” So 26 he said to them, 13:24 “Exert every effort 27 to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 13:25 Once 28 the head of the house 29 gets up 30 and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord, 31 let us in!’ 32 But he will answer you, 33 ‘I don’t know where you come from.’ 34 13:26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 35 13:27 But 36 he will reply, 37 ‘I don’t know where you come from! 38 Go away from me, all you evildoers!’ 39 13:28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth 40 when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, 41 and all the prophets in the kingdom of God 42 but you yourselves thrown out. 43 13:29 Then 44 people 45 will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table 46 in the kingdom of God. 47 13:30 But 48 indeed, 49 some are last 50 who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
13:31 At that time, 51 some Pharisees 52 came up and said to Jesus, 53 “Get away from here, 54 because Herod 55 wants to kill you.” 13:32 But 56 he said to them, “Go 57 and tell that fox, 58 ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day 59 I will complete my work. 60 13:33 Nevertheless I must 61 go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is impossible 62 that a prophet should be killed 63 outside Jerusalem.’ 64 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 65 you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! 66 How often I have longed 67 to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but 68 you would have none of it! 69 13:35 Look, your house is forsaken! 70 And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” 71
14:1 Now 72 one Sabbath when Jesus went to dine 73 at the house of a leader 74 of the Pharisees, 75 they were watching 76 him closely. 14:2 There 77 right 78 in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 79 14:3 So 80 Jesus asked 81 the experts in religious law 82 and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath 83 or not?” 14:4 But they remained silent. So 84 Jesus 85 took hold of the man, 86 healed him, and sent him away. 87 14:5 Then 88 he said to them, “Which of you, if you have a son 89 or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 14:6 But 90 they could not reply 91 to this.
14:7 Then 92 when Jesus 93 noticed how the guests 94 chose the places of honor, 95 he told them a parable. He said to them, 14:8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, 96 do not take 97 the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host. 98 14:9 So 99 the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed, 100 you will begin to move to the least important 101 place. 14:10 But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host 102 approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ 103 Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but 104 the one who humbles 105 himself will be exalted.”
14:12 He 106 said also to the man 107 who had invited him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, 108 don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. 14:13 But when you host an elaborate meal, 109 invite the poor, the crippled, 110 the lame, and 111 the blind. 112 14:14 Then 113 you will be blessed, 114 because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid 115 at the resurrection of the righteous.”
14:15 When 116 one of those at the meal with Jesus 117 heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone 118 who will feast 119 in the kingdom of God!” 120 14:16 But Jesus 121 said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet 122 and invited 123 many guests. 124 14:17 At 125 the time for the banquet 126 he sent his slave 127 to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ 14:18 But one after another they all 128 began to make excuses. 129 The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, 130 and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’ 131 14:19 Another 132 said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, 133 and I am going out 134 to examine them. Please excuse me.’ 14:20 Another 135 said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’ 136 14:21 So 137 the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious 138 and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly 139 to the streets and alleys of the city, 140 and bring in the poor, 141 the crippled, 142 the blind, and the lame.’ 14:22 Then 143 the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’ 144 14:23 So 145 the master said to his 146 slave, ‘Go out to the highways 147 and country roads 148 and urge 149 people 150 to come in, so that my house will be filled. 151 14:24 For I tell you, not one of those individuals 152 who were invited 153 will taste my banquet!’” 154
14:25 Now large crowds 155 were accompanying Jesus, 156 and turning to them he said, 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate 157 his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, 158 he cannot be my disciple. 14:27 Whoever does not carry his own cross 159 and follow 160 me cannot be my disciple. 14:28 For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down 161 first and compute the cost 162 to see if he has enough money to complete it? 14:29 Otherwise, 163 when he has laid 164 a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, 165 all who see it 166 will begin to make fun of 167 him. 14:30 They will say, 168 ‘This man 169 began to build and was not able to finish!’ 170 14:31 Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down 171 first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose 172 the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 14:32 If he cannot succeed, 173 he will send a representative 174 while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace. 175 14:33 In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions. 176
14:34 “Salt 177 is good, but if salt loses its flavor, 178 how can its flavor be restored? 14:35 It is of no value 179 for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out. 180 The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” 181
[13:18] 1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:18] 2 tn Grk “said,” but what follows is a question.
[13:18] 3 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
[13:18] 4 sn What is the kingdom of God like? Unlike Mark 4 or Matt 13, where the kingdom parables tend to be all in one location in the narrative, Luke scatters his examples throughout the Gospel.
[13:18] 5 tn Grk “And to.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[13:19] 6 sn The mustard seed was noted for its tiny size.
[13:19] 8 tn Grk “garden, and it.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[13:19] 9 sn Calling the mustard plant a tree is rhetorical hyperbole, since technically it is not one. This plant could be one of two types of mustard popular in Palestine and would be either 10 or 25 ft (3 or 7.5 m) tall.
[13:19] 10 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
[13:19] 11 sn The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of the mustard seed that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22-24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.
[13:20] 12 tn Grk “And again.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[13:20] 13 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
[13:21] 15 sn This measure was a saton, the Greek name for the Hebrew term “seah.” Three of these was a very large quantity of flour, since a saton is a little over 16 lbs (7 kg) of dry measure (or 13.13 liters). So this was over 47 lbs (21 kg) of flour total, enough to feed over a hundred people.
[13:21] 16 tn Grk “it was all leavened.”
[13:21] sn The parable of the yeast and the dough teaches that the kingdom of God will start small but eventually grow to permeate everything. Jesus’ point was not to be deceived by its seemingly small start, the same point made in the parable of the mustard seed, which preceded this one.
[13:22] 17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[13:22] 18 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:22] 19 tn This is a distributive use of κατά (kata); see L&N 83:12.
[13:22] 21 tn Grk “making his journey toward.” This is the first of several travel notes in Luke’s Jerusalem journey section of Luke 9-19; other notes appear at 17:11; 18:31; 19:28, 41.
[13:22] 22 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[13:23] 23 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[13:23] 25 sn The warnings earlier in Jesus’ teaching have led to the question whether only a few will be saved.
[13:23] 26 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ reply was triggered by the preceding question.
[13:24] 27 tn Or “Make every effort” (L&N 68.74; cf. NIV); “Do your best” (TEV); “Work hard” (NLT); Grk “Struggle.” The idea is to exert one’s maximum effort (cf. BDAG 17 s.v. ἀγωνίζομαι 2.b, “strain every nerve to enter”) because of the supreme importance of attaining entry into the kingdom of God.
[13:25] 28 tn The syntactical relationship between vv. 24-25 is disputed. The question turns on whether v. 25 is connected to v. 24 or not. A lack of a clear connective makes an independent idea more likely. However, one must then determine what the beginning of the sentence connects to. Though it makes for slightly awkward English, the translation has opted to connect it to “he will answer” so that this functions, in effect, as an apodosis. One could end the sentence after “us” and begin a new sentence with “He will answer” to make simpler sentences, although the connection between the two sentences is thereby less clear. The point of the passage, however, is clear. Once the door is shut, because one failed to come in through the narrow way, it is closed permanently. The moral: Do not be too late in deciding to respond.
[13:25] 29 tn Or “the master of the household.”
[13:25] 30 tn Or “rises,” or “stands up.”
[13:25] 32 tn Grk “Open to us.”
[13:25] 33 tn Grk “and answering, he will say to you.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “he will answer you.”
[13:25] 34 sn For the imagery behind the statement “I do not know where you come from,” see Ps 138:6; Isa 63:16; Jer 1:5; Hos 5:3.
[13:26] 35 sn This term refers to wide streets, and thus suggests the major streets of a city.
[13:27] 36 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[13:27] 37 tc Most
[13:27] tn Grk “he will say, saying to you.” The participle λέγων (legwn) and its indirect object ὑμῖν (Jumin) are redundant in contemporary English and have not been translated.
[13:27] 38 sn The issue is not familiarity (with Jesus’ teaching) or even shared activity (eating and drinking with him), but knowing Jesus. Those who do not know him, he will not know where they come from (i.e., will not acknowledge) at the judgment.
[13:27] 39 tn Grk “all you workers of iniquity.” The phrase resembles Ps 6:8.
[13:28] 40 sn Weeping and gnashing of teeth is a figure for remorse and trauma, which occurs here because of exclusion from God’s promise.
[13:28] 41 tn Grk “and Isaac and Jacob,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[13:28] 42 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
[13:28] 43 tn Or “being thrown out.” The present accusative participle, ἐκβαλλομένους (ekballomenous), related to the object ὑμᾶς (Jumas), seems to suggest that these evildoers will witness their own expulsion from the kingdom.
[13:29] 44 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the discourse.
[13:29] 45 tn Grk “they”; the referent (people who will come to participate in the kingdom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:29] 46 tn Grk “and recline at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away. The word “banquet” has been supplied to clarify for the modern reader the festive nature of the imagery The banquet imagery is a way to describe the fellowship and celebration of accompanying those who are included as the people of God at the end.
[13:29] 47 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
[13:30] 48 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[13:30] 50 sn Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last. Jesus’ answer is that some who are expected to be there (many from Israel) will not be there, while others not expected to be present (from other nations) will be present. The question is not, “Will the saved be few?” (see v. 23), but “Will it be you?”
[13:31] 51 tn Grk “At that very hour.”
[13:31] 52 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
[13:31] 53 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:31] 54 tn Grk “Go away and leave from here,” which is redundant in English and has been shortened to “Get away from here.”
[13:31] 55 sn Herod refers here to Herod Antipas. See the note on Herod Antipas in 3:1.
[13:32] 56 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[13:32] 57 tn The participle πορευθέντες (poreuqente") has been taken as indicating attendant circumstance.
[13:32] 58 sn That fox. This is not fundamentally a figure for cleverness as in modern western culture, but could indicate (1) an insignificant person (Neh 4:3; 2 Esd 13:35 LXX); (2) a deceiver (Song Rabbah 2.15.1 on 2:15); or someone destructive, a destroyer (Ezek 13:4; Lam 5:18; 1 En. 89:10, 42-49, 55). Luke’s emphasis seems to be on destructiveness, since Herod killed John the Baptist, whom Luke calls “the greatest born of women” (Luke 7:28) and later stands opposed to Jesus (Acts 4:26-28). In addition, “a person who is designated a fox is an insignificant or base person. He lacks real power and dignity, using cunning deceit to achieve his aims” (H. W. Hoehner, Herod Antipas [SNTSMS], 347).
[13:32] 59 sn The third day is a figurative reference to being further on in time, not a reference to three days from now. Jesus is not even in Jerusalem yet, and the events of the last days in Jerusalem take a good week.
[13:32] 60 tn Or “I reach my goal.” The verb τελειόω (teleiow) is a key NT term for the completion of God’s plan: See Luke 12:50; 22:37; John 19:30; and (where it has the additional component of meaning “to perfect”) Heb 2:10; 5:8-9; 7:28.
[13:33] 61 tn This is the frequent expression δεῖ (dei, “it is necessary”) that notes something that is a part of God’s plan.
[13:33] 62 tn Or “unthinkable.” See L&N 71.4 for both possible meanings.
[13:33] 63 tn Or “should perish away from.”
[13:33] 64 sn Death in Jerusalem is another key theme in Luke’s material: 7:16, 34; 24:19; Acts 3:22-23. Notice that Jesus sees himself in the role of a prophet here. Jesus’ statement, it is impossible that a prophet should be killed outside Jerusalem, is filled with irony; Jesus, traveling about in Galilee (most likely), has nothing to fear from Herod; it is his own people living in the very center of Jewish religion and worship who present the greatest danger to his life. The underlying idea is that Jerusalem, though she stands at the very heart of the worship of God, often kills the prophets God sends to her (v. 34). In the end, Herod will be much less a threat than Jerusalem.
[13:33] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[13:34] 65 sn The double use of the city’s name betrays intense emotion.
[13:34] 66 tn Although the opening address (“Jerusalem, Jerusalem”) is direct (second person), the remainder of this sentence in the Greek text is third person (“who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her”). The following sentences then revert to second person (“your… you”), so to keep all this consistent in English, the third person pronouns in the present verse were translated as second person (“you who kill… sent to you”).
[13:34] 67 sn How often I have longed to gather your children. Jesus, like a lamenting prophet, speaks for God here, who longed to care tenderly for Israel and protect her.
[13:34] 68 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[13:34] 69 tn Grk “you were not willing.”
[13:35] 70 sn Your house is forsaken. The language here is from Jer 12:7 and 22:5. It recalls exilic judgment.
[13:35] 71 sn A quotation from Ps 118:26. The judgment to come will not be lifted until the Lord returns. See Luke 19:41-44.
[14:1] 72 tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[14:1] 73 tn Grk “to eat bread,” an idiom for participating in a meal.
[14:1] 74 tn Grk “a ruler of the Pharisees.” He was probably a synagogue official.
[14:1] 75 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
[14:1] 76 sn Watching…closely is a graphic term meaning to lurk and watch; see Luke 11:53-54.
[14:2] 77 tn Grk “And there.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[14:2] 78 tn Grk “behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1). Here it has been translated as “right” in the phrase “right in front of him,” giving a similar effect of vividness in the translation.
[14:2] 79 sn The condition called dropsy involves swollen limbs resulting from the accumulation of fluid in the body’s tissues, especially the legs.
[14:3] 80 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the sequence of events (Jesus’ question was prompted by the man’s appearance).
[14:3] 81 tn Grk “Jesus, answering, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English. In addition, since the context does not describe a previous question to Jesus (although one may well be implied), the phrase has been translated here as “Jesus asked.”
[14:3] 82 tn That is, experts in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (traditionally, “lawyers”).
[14:3] 83 sn “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” Will the Pharisees and experts in religious law defend tradition and speak out against doing good on the Sabbath? Has anything at all been learned since Luke 13:10-17? Has repentance come (13:6-9)?
[14:4] 84 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the sequence of events (Jesus’ healing the man was in response to their refusal to answer).
[14:4] 85 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:4] 86 tn Grk “taking hold [of the man].” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενος (epilabomeno") has been taken as indicating attendant circumstance.
[14:4] 87 tn Or “and let him go.”
[14:5] 88 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:5] 89 tc Here “son,” found in Ì45,75 (A) B W Ï, is the preferred reading. The other reading, “donkey” (found in א K L Ψ Ë1,13 33 579 892 1241 2542 al lat bo), looks like an assimilation to Luke 13:15 and Deut 22:4; Isa 32:20, and was perhaps motivated by an attempt to soften the unusual collocation of “son” and “ox.” The Western ms D differs from all others and reads “sheep.”
[14:6] 90 tn καί (kai) has been translated here as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. The experts, who should be expected to know the law, are unable to respond to Jesus’ question.
[14:6] 91 sn They could not reply. Twice in the scene, the experts remain silent (see v. 4). That, along with the presence of power working through Jesus, serves to indicate endorsement of his work and message.
[14:7] 92 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:7] 93 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:7] 94 tn Grk “those who were invited.”
[14:7] 95 tn Or “the best places.” The “places of honor” at the meal would be those closest to the host.
[14:8] 96 tn Or “banquet.” This may not refer only to a wedding feast, because this term can have broader sense (note the usage in Esth 2:18; 9:22 LXX). However, this difference does not affect the point of the parable.
[14:8] 97 tn Grk “do not recline in the place of honor.” 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
[14:8] 98 tn Grk “by him”; the referent (the host) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:9] 99 tn Grk “host, and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate this action is a result of the situation described in the previous verse. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[14:9] 100 tn Or “then in disgrace”; Grk “with shame.” In this culture avoiding shame was important.
[14:9] 101 tn Grk “lowest place” (also in the repetition of the phrase in the next verse).
[14:10] 102 tn Grk “the one who invited you.”
[14:10] 103 tn Grk “Go up higher.” This means to move to a more important place.
[14:11] 104 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context, which involves the reversal of expected roles.
[14:11] 105 sn The point of the statement the one who humbles himself will be exalted is humility and the reversal imagery used to underline it is common: Luke 1:52-53; 6:21; 10:15; 18:14.
[14:12] 106 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[14:12] 107 sn That is, the leader of the Pharisees (v. 1).
[14:12] 108 tn The meaning of the two terms for meals here, ἄριστον (ariston) and δεῖπνον (deipnon), essentially overlap (L&N 23.22). Translators usually try to find two terms for a meal to use as equivalents (e.g., lunch and dinner, dinner and supper, etc.). In this translation “dinner” and “banquet” have been used, since the expected presence of rich neighbors later in the verse suggests a rather more elaborate occasion than an ordinary meal.
[14:13] 109 tn This term, δοχή (doch), is a third term for a meal (see v. 12) that could also be translated “banquet, feast.”
[14:13] 110 sn Normally the term means crippled as a result of being maimed or mutilated (L&N 23.177).
[14:13] 111 tn Here “and” has been supplied between the last two elements in the series in keeping with English style.
[14:13] 112 sn This list of needy is like Luke 7:22. See Deut 14:28-29; 16:11-14; 26:11-13.
[14:14] 113 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate that this follows from the preceding action. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[14:14] 114 sn You will be blessed. God notes and approves of such generosity.
[14:14] 115 sn The passive verb will be repaid looks at God’s commendation.
[14:15] 116 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[14:15] 117 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:15] 118 tn Grk “whoever” (the indefinite relative pronoun). This has been translated as “everyone who” to conform to contemporary English style.
[14:15] 119 tn Or “will dine”; Grk “eat bread.” This refers to those who enjoy the endless fellowship of God’s coming rule.
[14:15] 120 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
[14:16] 121 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:16] 123 sn Presumably those invited would have sent a reply with the invitation stating their desire to attend, much like a modern R.S.V.P. Then they waited for the servant to announce the beginning of the celebration (D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 2:1272).
[14:16] 124 tn The word “guests” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[14:17] 125 tn Grk “And at.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[14:17] 127 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
[14:18] 128 tn Or “all unanimously” (BDAG 107 s.v. ἀπό 6). "One after another" is suggested by L&N 61.2.
[14:18] 129 sn To make excuses and cancel at this point was an insult in the culture of the time. Regardless of customs concerning responses to invitations, refusal at this point was rude.
[14:18] 130 sn I have bought a field. An examination of newly bought land was a common practice. It was this person’s priority.
[14:18] 131 sn The expression Please excuse me is probably a polite way of refusing, given the dynamics of the situation, although it is important to note that an initial acceptance had probably been indicated and it was now a bit late for a refusal. The semantic equivalent of the phrase may well be “please accept my apologies.”
[14:19] 132 tn Grk “And another.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[14:19] 133 sn Five yoke of oxen. This was a wealthy man, because the normal farmer had one or two yoke of oxen.
[14:19] 134 tn The translation “going out” for πορεύομαι (poreuomai) is used because “going” in this context could be understood to mean “I am about to” rather than the correct nuance, “I am on my way to.”
[14:20] 135 tn Grk “And another.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[14:20] 136 sn I just got married, and I cannot come. There is no request to be excused here; just a refusal. Why this disqualifies attendance is not clear. The OT freed a newly married man from certain responsibilities such as serving in the army (Deut 20:7; 24:5), but that would hardly apply to a banquet. The invitation is not respected in any of the three cases.
[14:21] 137 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the preceding responses.
[14:21] 138 tn Grk “being furious, said.” The participle ὀργισθείς (orgisqei") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[14:21] 139 sn It was necessary to go out quickly because the banquet was already prepared. All the food would spoil if not eaten immediately.
[14:21] 141 sn The poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. Note how the list matches v. 13, illustrating that point. Note also how the party goes on; it is not postponed until a later date. Instead new guests are invited.
[14:21] 142 tn Grk “and the crippled.” Normally crippled as a result of being maimed or mutilated (L&N 23.177). Καί (kai) has not been translated here and before the following category (Grk “and the blind and the lame”) since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[14:22] 143 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the order of events within the parable.
[14:22] 144 sn And still there is room. This comment suggests the celebration was quite a big one, picturing the openness of God’s grace.
[14:23] 145 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the master’s response to the slave’s report.
[14:23] 146 tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
[14:23] 147 sn Go out to the highways and country roads. This suggests the inclusion of people outside the town, even beyond the needy (poor, crippled, blind, and lame) in the town, and so is an allusion to the inclusion of the Gentiles.
[14:23] 148 tn The Greek word φραγμός (fragmo") refers to a fence, wall, or hedge surrounding a vineyard (BDAG 1064 s.v. 1). “Highways” and “country roads” probably refer not to separate places, but to the situation outside the town where the rural roads run right alongside the hedges or fences surrounding the fields (cf. J. A. Fitzmyer, Luke [AB], 1057).
[14:23] 149 tn Traditionally “force” or “compel,” but according to BDAG 60 s.v. ἀναγκάζω 2 this is a weakened nuance: “strongly urge/invite.” The meaning in this context is more like “persuade.”
[14:23] 150 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[14:23] 151 sn So that my house will be filled. God will bless many people.
[14:24] 152 tn The Greek word here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which frequently stresses males or husbands (in contrast to women or wives). However, the emphasis in the present context is on identifying these individuals as the ones previously invited, examples of which were given in vv. 18-20. Cf. also BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 2.
[14:24] 153 sn None of those individuals who were invited. This is both the point and the warning. To be a part of the original invitation does not mean one automatically has access to blessing. One must respond when the summons comes in order to participate. The summons came in the person of Jesus and his proclamation of the kingdom. The statement here refers to the fact that many in Israel will not be blessed with participation, for they have ignored the summons when it came.
[14:25] 155 sn It is important to note that the following remarks are not just to disciples, but to the large crowds who were following Jesus.
[14:25] 156 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:26] 157 tn This figurative use operates on a relative scale. God is to be loved more than family or self.
[14:26] 158 tn Grk “his own soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.
[14:27] 159 sn It was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion for the prisoner to be made to carry his own cross. Jesus is speaking figuratively here in the context of rejection. If the priority is not one’s allegiance to Jesus, then one will not follow him in the face of possible rejection; see Luke 9:23.
[14:27] 160 tn Grk “and come after.” In combination with the verb ἔρχομαι (ercomai) the improper preposition ὀπίσω (opisw) means “follow.”
[14:28] 161 tn The participle καθίσας (kaqisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[14:28] 162 tn The first illustration involves checking to see if enough funds exist to build a watchtower. Both ψηφίζω (yhfizw, “compute”) and δαπάνη (dapanh, “cost”) are economic terms.
[14:29] 163 tn Grk “to complete it, lest.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and ἵνα μήποτε ({ina mhpote, “lest”) has been translated as “Otherwise.”
[14:29] 164 tn The participle θέντος (qentos) has been taken temporally.
[14:29] 165 tn The words “the tower” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[14:29] 166 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[14:29] 167 tn Or “mock,” “ridicule.” The person who did not plan ahead becomes an object of joking and ridicule.
[14:30] 168 tn Grk “make fun of him, saying.”
[14:30] 169 sn The phrase this man is often used in Luke in a derogatory sense; see “this one” and expressions like it in Luke 5:21; 7:39; 13:32; 23:4, 14, 22, 35.
[14:30] 170 sn The failure to finish the building project leads to embarrassment (in a culture where avoiding public shame was extremely important). The half completed tower testified to poor preparation and planning.
[14:31] 171 tn The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[14:31] 172 tn On the meaning of this verb see also L&N 55.3, “to meet in battle, to face in battle.”
[14:32] 173 tn Grk “And if not.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated; “succeed” is implied and has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[14:32] 174 tn Grk “a messenger.”
[14:32] 175 sn This image is slightly different from the former one about the tower (vv. 28-30). The first part of the illustration (sit down first and determine) deals with preparation. The second part of the illustration (ask for terms of peace) has to do with recognizing who is stronger. This could well suggest thinking about what refusing the “stronger one” (God) might mean, and thus constitutes a warning. Achieving peace with God, the more powerful king, is the point of the illustration.
[14:33] 176 tn Grk “Likewise therefore every one of you who does not renounce all his own possessions cannot be my disciple.” The complex double negation is potentially confusing to the modern reader and has been simplified in the translation. See L&N 57.70.
[14:33] sn The application of the saying is this: Discipleship requires that God be in first place. The reference to renunciation of all his own possessions refers to all earthly attachments that have first place.
[14:34] 177 tn Grk “Now salt…”; here οὖν has not been translated.
[14:34] sn Salt was used as seasoning or fertilizer (BDAG 41 s.v. ἅλας a), or as a preservative. If salt ceased to be useful, it was thrown away. With this illustration Jesus warned about a disciple who ceased to follow him.
[14:34] 178 sn The difficulty of this saying is understanding how salt could lose its flavor since its chemical properties cannot change. It is thus often assumed that Jesus was referring to chemically impure salt, perhaps a natural salt which, when exposed to the elements, had all the genuine salt leached out, leaving only the sediment or impurities behind. Others have suggested the background of the saying is the use of salt blocks by Arab bakers to line the floor of their ovens: Under the intense heat these blocks would eventually crystallize and undergo a change in chemical composition, finally being thrown out as unserviceable. A saying in the Talmud (b. Bekhorot 8b) attributed to R. Joshua ben Chananja (ca.
[14:35] 179 tn Or “It is not useful” (L&N 65.32).
[14:35] 180 tn Grk “they throw it out.” The third person plural with unspecified subject is a circumlocution for the passive here.
[14:35] 181 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8).
