Luke 14:18

And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

And {G2532} they all {G3956} with {G575} one {G3391} consent began {G756} to make excuse {G3868}. The first {G4413} said {G2036} unto him {G846}, I have bought {G59} a piece of ground {G68}, and {G2532} I must {G2192} needs {G318} go {G1831} and {G2532} see {G1492} it {G846}: I pray {G2065} thee {G4571} have {G2192} me {G3165} excused {G3868}.

But they responded with a chorus of excuses. The first said to him, ‘I’ve just bought a field, and I have to go out and see it. Please accept my apologies.’

But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’

And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.

Commentary

Luke 14:18 is a pivotal verse within Jesus' Parable of the Great Supper, illustrating the varied responses to a generous invitation. After a host has prepared a magnificent feast and sent out his servant to gather the previously invited guests, this verse records the initial, collective wave of refusal.

Context

This verse is part of a larger narrative in Luke 14, where Jesus is teaching about humility, hospitality, and the nature of the Kingdom of God. The parable itself begins in Luke 14:16, prompted by a guest's remark about eating bread in the Kingdom. The social custom of the time involved two invitations: an initial one to gauge interest, and a second, final call when the feast was ready. The unexpected element in this parable is the guests' unanimous and flimsy excuses, starting with the purchase of a piece of ground.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Nature of Excuses: The verse highlights the human tendency to prioritize worldly concerns over spiritual opportunities. The excuses given, like seeing a newly bought piece of ground, seem reasonable on the surface but reveal a deeper disinterest in the host's generosity and the importance of the occasion.
  • Rejection of Divine Invitation: Symbolically, the host represents God, and the feast represents the blessings and salvation offered through the Gospel. The guests' collective rejection of this invitation, even with weak excuses, underscores a spiritual apathy or misplacement of priorities.
  • Misplaced Priorities: The first guest's excuse about new property emphasizes how material possessions can distract people from higher callings. His urgency to "go and see it" immediately, even at the cost of honoring the host, reveals where his true treasure lies. This resonates with warnings about where one's heart and treasure are.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "with one consent" translates the Greek apo mias (ἀπὸ μιᾶς), which literally means "from one" or "from one accord." It emphasizes the unanimous and immediate agreement among the invited guests to decline. The word "excuse" comes from the Greek paraitoumai (παραιτοῦμαι), meaning "to beg off," "to decline," or "to make apology." It signifies not just giving a reason, but actively seeking to be released from an obligation, often with a sense of formality or politeness that thinly veils a lack of genuine desire.

Practical Application

Luke 14:18 serves as a timeless warning against procrastination and misplaced priorities in our spiritual lives. What "pieces of ground" or other worldly acquisitions do we allow to take precedence over God's call? This verse challenges believers to examine their own lives: are we quick to make excuses when invited to serve, worship, or grow in faith? The parable urges an immediate and enthusiastic response to God's gracious invitation, recognizing its ultimate value over fleeting earthly concerns.

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Cross-References

  • 1 Timothy 6:9 (6 votes)

    But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

  • 1 Timothy 6:10 (6 votes)

    For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

  • Luke 17:26 (5 votes)

    And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

  • Luke 17:31 (5 votes)

    In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

  • Luke 18:24 (5 votes)

    And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

  • John 1:11 (4 votes)

    He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

  • 1 John 2:15 (4 votes)

    Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.