Luke 14

Luke 14:2

Let your loins be girt - An allusion to the long garments, worn by the eastern nations, which they girded or tucked up about their loins, when they journeyed or were employed in any labour: as also to the lights that servants used to carry at weddings, which were generally in the night.

Luke 14:4

He will come and serve them - The meaning is, he will show them his love, in the most condescending and tender manner.

Luke 14:5

The Jews frequently divided the night into three watches, to which our Lord seems here to allude.

Luke 14:8

Speakest thou this parable to us - Apostles and disciples: Or to all - The people? Does it concern us alone? Or all men?

Luke 14:9

Who is that faithful and wise steward - Our Lord’s answer manifestly implies, that he had spoken this parable primarily (though not wholly) to the ministers of his word: Whom his lord shall make ruler over his household - For his wisdom and faithfulness.

Luke 14:10

Happy is that servant - God himself pronounces him wise, faithful, happy! Yet we see, he might fall from all, and perish for ever.

Luke 14:13

The Lord will appoint him his portion - His everlasting portion, with the unfaithful - As faithful as he was once, God himself being the Judge!

Luke 14:14

And that servant who knew his Lord’s will shall be beaten with many stripes - And his having much knowledge will increase, not lessen, his punishment.

Luke 14:16

I am come to send fire - To spread the fire of heavenly love over all the earth.

Luke 14:17

But I have a baptism to be baptized with - I must suffer first, before I can set up my kingdom. And how I long to fight my way through all!

Luke 14:18

Suppose ye that I am come to send peace upon earth - That universal peace will be the immediate effect of my coming? Not so, but quite the contrary. Matthew 10:34.

Luke 14:19

There shall be five in one house, three against two, and two against three - There being an irreconcilable enmity between the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of the world.

Luke 14:20

The father against the son - For those who reject me will be implacable toward their very nearest relations who receive me. At this day also is this scripture fulfilled. Now likewise there is no concord between Christ and Belial.

Luke 14:21

And he said to the people also - In the preceding verses he speaks only to his disciples. From the west - In Judea, the west wind, blowing from the sea, usually brought rain: the south wind, blowing from the deserts of Arabia, occasioned sultry heat. Matthew 16:2.

Luke 14:23

How do ye not discern this season - Of the Messiah’s coming, distinguishable by so many surer signs.

Luke 14:24

Why even of yourselves, without any external sign, judge ye not what is right? - Why do ye not discern and acknowledge the intrinsic excellence of my doctrine?

Luke 14:25

When thou art going - As if he had said, And ye have not a moment to lose. For the executioners of God’s vengeance are at hand. And when he hath once delivered you over to them, ye are undone for ever. Matthew 5:25.

Luke 14:26

A mite - was about the third part of a farthing sterling.

Luke 14:28

The Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices - Some of the followers of Judas Gaulonites. They absolutely refused to own the Roman authority. Pilate surrounded and slew them, while they were worshipping in the temple, at a public feast.

Luke 14:30

Ye shall all likewise perish - All ye of Galilee and of Jerusalem shall perish in the very same manner. So the Greek word implies. And so they did. There was a remarkable resemblance between the fate of these Galileans and of the main body of the Jewish nation; the flower of which was slain at Jerusalem by the Roman sword, while they were assembled at one of their great festivals. And many thousands of them perished in the temple itself, and were literally buried under its ruins.

Luke 14:33

A man had a fig tree - Either we may understand God the Father by him that had the vineyard , and Christ by him that kept it: or Christ himself is he that hath it, and his ministers they that keep it. Psalms 80:8. &c.

Luke 14:34

Three years - Christ was then in the third year of his ministry. But it may mean only several years; a certain number being put for an uncertain. Why doth it also cumber the ground? - That is, not only bear no fruit itself, but take up the ground of another tree that would.