Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
all began to make excuse—(Compare Matthew 22:5). Three excuses, given as specimens of the rest, answer to "the care of this world" (Luke 14:18), "the deceitfulness of riches" (Luke 14:19), and "the pleasures of this life" (Luke 14:20), which "choke the word" (Matthew 13:22 and Luke 8:14). Each differs from the other, and each has its own plausibility, but all come to the same result: "We have other things to attend to, more pressing just now." Nobody is represented as saying, I will not come; nay, all the answers imply that but for certain things they would come, and when these are out of the way they will come. So it certainly is in the case intended, for the last words clearly imply that the refusers will one day become petitioners.
when one . . . heard . . . he said, Blessed, etc.—As our Lord's words seemed to hold forth the future "recompense" under the idea of a great Feast, the thought passes through this man's mind, how blessed they would be who should be honored to sit down to it. Our Lord's reply is in substance this: "The great Feast is prepared already; the invitations are issued, but declined; the feast, notwithstanding, shall not want abundance of guests; but not one of its present contemners—who shall yet come to sue for admission—shall be allowed to taste of it." This shows what was lacking in the seemingly pious exclamation of this man. It was Balaam's, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his" (Numbers 23:10), without any anxiety about living his life; fondly wishing that all were right with him at last, while all heedless of the precious present.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Luke 14:18:
Proverbs 9:1
Song of Solomon 5:3
Isaiah 55:2
Luke 14:18
1 John 2:16
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