The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 26

he.d e.ccepted the invitation and were gone rest to the Gentile miAsionari~s ,md tn the in to tho bcmquct, "yet there was room." rapidly growing Gentile congregations nf tho 'fhe mo.ater of the house, e.pproving his first Christian centuries. In time it ce"sed servo.nt's words, confirms them by repeating, to he used e.s e. piece of warning history "Bring in more e.nd yet more, that my house and of instructive prophecy, and the Churcli me.y be fllle<l." Bengel comments here with in every succeeding e.ge has recognized its his quniut grace in words to which no tre.ns- deep practical wisdom, and is ever discover- lation cnn do justice : "Nec naturrL nee ing in it fresh lessons which belong to the gratie. patitur vacuum." Our God, with his life of the day, e.nd which seemingly were burning love for souls, will never bear to drawn from it and intended for its Bpecial contemplate a he.If-empty heaven. "Messiah instruction, for its warning 11.nd for it~ will see of the tra ve.il of hie soul, e.nd be comfort. satisfied." "The love of God," ee.ys Godet, Vere. 25-35.-The qualijfoatiom of his "is great; it requires e. multitude of guests; real disciples. Tu;o short parables illustrative it will not he.ve e. seat empty. Tbe number of the high price sueh a real dis~ple must of the e:lect is, o.s it were, determined before- pay (f he would fodeed be hi~. 'l'he halj- hand by the riches of the Divine glory, hearted disciple is compared to flavourless which cannot find complete reflection with- salt. out e. certain number of hume.u beings. The Ver. 25.-And there went g:-eat multi- invitation will, therefore, be continued, e.nd tudes with him. These great multitudes consequently the history of our re.ce pro- were made up now of enemies as well as longed, until the.t number be reached." friends. Curiosity doubtless attracted many : Ver. 24.-l!'or I ae.y unto you, The.t none the fame of the Teacher had gone throngh of those men which were bidden she.ll taste the length e.nd breadth of the land. The of my supper. Whose words lll'e these ? end, the Master well knew, was very near, Are they spoken by the host of the parable- e.nd, in the full view of his own self-sacrifice, story : and if eo, to whom does he e.dclxess the higher and the more ideal were the them? For in the original Greek it is not claims he made upon those who profesBed to "I say unto tl~e" (singular), the servant be his followers. He was anxious now, at with whow throughout he has been holding the end, c!011Ily to make it known to all 11, colloquy, but "I say unto you" (plural). these multitudes whe.t sermng him really ,vho does he mean by " you" ? The assem- signified-entire self-renunciation; a real, bled guests? or especie.lly the already in- not a poetic or sentimental, taking up the troduced poor of ver. 21 (so Bengel)? But cross (ver. 27). Even hfa own chosen dis- whe.t conceivable purpose, as Stier well e.sks, ciples were yet a long way from apprehend- would be served by addressing these stern ing the terrible meaning of this cros3 he words to the guests admitted ? Would their spoke of, and which to him now bore so bliss be increased by e. side-glance e.t those ghastly a significance. who bud lost whe.t they were to enjoy? Ver. 26.-If any man oome to me, and How inharmonious e. close would this be of hate not his father, and mother, and wife, a po.re.hie constn1cted with such tender gra- and children, and brethren, and sisters, yee., ciousness throughout! It is better, there- and his own life also, he cannot be my dis- fore, to understnnd it as spoken with deep ciple. The Lord's teaching throughout, in solemnity by the Master himself to the parable and in direct saying, pressed home nssembled guests in the Phe.risee's house, to his followers that no home love, no with whom he was then sitting at meat, and earthly affection, must ever come into com- for whose special instruction he had spoken petition with the love of God. If home and the foregoing parable of the great supper. his cause came ever into collision, home and "I say unto you, that none of those who all belonging to it must gently be put e.side, were bidden in the pare.hie-story (o.nd ye and everything must be sacrificed to the know full well that you yourselves are in- cause. Farrar quotes here from Lovelnce- cluded in that number) shall sit at my table " I could not love thee, dear, so much, in heaven." This identification of himself Loved I not honour more." as the Host of the greo.t heavenly banquet was quite in accorde.uoe with the lofty and Vere. 28-30.-For whioh of you, intending unveiled claims of the Master during the to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and last period of his publio ministry. Through- oounteth the oost, whether he he.ve sufficient out this exposition of the groat supper to finish it ? Lest haply, after he he.th laid parable, the idea. of the primary reference the foundation, e.nd is not e.ble to finish it, to the J owish people has been stendily kept all that bohold it begin to mock him, saying, in view. It wns a distinct piece of tenching, This man began to build, e.nd we.a not able historic and prophetic, e.dclxossed to the Jew to finish, 'l'he imagery we.a uot an un- of the days of our Lord. As yee.re passed familiar one in those de.ys. The magnifi- on, it became a saying of the deepest inte- cent Herodie.n house had a. passion for 28 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE. [en. xiv. 1-35.