Luke 14:2

And behold, a certain man who had the dropsy. After having described the watching of the Pharisees, here secondly he describes the exposure of the observers; concerning which three things are introduced, namely: The infirmity disposing toward the exposure, the question that exposes, and the …

Now, with these things having been treated according to the letter, three things present themselves for our consideration according to the spiritual understanding, which according to the Saints can be drawn from the aforesaid words. The first is the disease of dropsy, whose property is, …

Mystically, the dropsical man is compared to him who is weighed down by an overflowing stream of carnal pleasures. For the disease of dropsy derives the name from a watery humour.

(14 Mor. c. 6.) Rightly then is the dropsical man healed in the Pharisees' presence, for by the bodily infirmity of the one, is expressed the mental disease of the other.

There was a certain man before him - It does not appear that he was come thither with any insidious design. Probably he came, hoping for a cure, or perhaps was one of the family.

We do not find that he offered himself, or that his friends offered him to be Christ's patient, but Christ prevented him with the blessings of his goodness, and before he called he answered him. Note, It is a happy thing to be where Christ is, to be present before him, though we be not presented to him.

And behold, there was a certain man before him,....

Let us first mark in this passage — how our Lord Jesus Christ accepted the hospitality of those who were not His disciples. We read that "He went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread." We cannot reasonably suppose that this Pharisee was a friend of Christ. It is more probable that he only did what was customary for a man in his position. He saw a stranger teaching religion, whom some regarded as a prophet, and he invited Him to eat at his table.

man before him--not one of the company, since this was apparently before the guests sat down, and probably the man came in hope of a cure, though not expressly soliciting it [DE WETTE].

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

Let us first mark in this passage — how our Lord Jesus Christ accepted the hospitality of those who were not His disciples. We read that "He went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread." We cannot reasonably suppose that this Pharisee was a friend of Christ. It is more probable that he only did what was customary for a man in his position. He saw a stranger teaching religion, whom some regarded as a prophet, and he invited Him to eat at his table. The point that most concerns us, is this — that when the invitation was given, it was accepted. If we want to know how our Lord conducted Himself at a Pharisee's table, we have only to read attentively the first twenty-four verses of this chapter. We shall find Him the same there, that He was elsewhere — always about His Father's business. We shall see Him first defending the true observance of the Sabbath-day — then expounding the nature of true humility — then urging on His host the character of true hospitality — and finally delivering that most relevant and striking parable — the parable of the great supper . And all this is done in the most wise, and calm, and dignified manner. The words are all words in season. The speech is "always with grace, seasoned with salt." (Colossians 4:6.) The perfection of our Lord's conduct appears on this, as on all other occasions. He always said the right thing , at the right time , and in the right way . He never forgot, for a moment — who He was, and where He was. The example of Christ in this passage deserves the close attention of all Christians, and especially of ministers of the Gospel. It throws strong light on some most difficult points, of our interaction with unconverted people — the extent to which we should carry it — the manner in which we should behave when we are with them.

A certain man before him - In what way he came there we know not. He might have been one of the Pharisee’s family, or might have been placed there by the Pharisees to see whether he would heal him. This last supposition is not improbable, since it is said in Luk 14:1 that they watched him. The dropsy - A disease produced by the accumulation of water in various parts of the body; very distressing, and commonly incurable.