Luke 14:18 Commentary and Bible Study

But the three people mentioned specifically in the parable all made excuses. Now there were obviously more than three people invited to the dinner. Far more than three were expected. How do we know? Because when they didn't come, the servant was sent out to gather in everybody he could possibly find. There were hundreds expected in the first place. The three excuses we are given are just samples of the scores, even hundreds of excuses that were received. They made their excuses instantly and definitely. They didn't stop to think; they instantly all knew exactly what they were going to do. They made an immediate decision not to go. ‘All with one consent, began to make excuse.’ When you look at the excuses, you realise they did not want to go to the feast. All the excuses were so foolish. One there says that he has bought a piece of ground and he has to go and see it, but if he had already bought the piece of ground, there was no reason why he shouldn't go and see it tomorrow. There is no terrible emergency; he is not saying, ‘You don't understand. There has been a terrible accident on my land, and I must go and attend to it.’ Nothing like that. It is an excuse which really has no substance at all. Why has he got to go today and insult his host? The problem was that he was consumed by material things. He could have been a wealthy man, he could have possessed a hundred pieces of ground, but his heart was so chained to possessions and property and covetousness, that he had to go and rush out and look at it then and there. That is the reason why some people possibly keep right away from the claims of God: they are just hooked on the things of this life.