Luke 14:13 · Bible study
Luke 14:13 Commentary: Why Jesus Commands Inviting the Poor
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus redefines hospitality: invite those who cannot repay. A study of Luke 14:13 and the radical welcome of God's kingdom.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus commands hospitality toward those who cannot repay, revealing kingdom grace over social reciprocity.
- Key words: δοχήν (feast/banquet, used only by Luke), πτωχούς (destitute poor), ἀναπείρους (crippled/maimed), χωλούς (lame), τυφλούς (blind); the verb κάλει is present imperative (keep on calling).
- Main debate: Whether Jesus forbids all reciprocal invitations (absolute command) or teaches a priority of gracious hospitality (a corrective).
- Theological theme: God’s unmerited favor reflected in our welcome of the powerless; the reversal of worldly honor and the promise of resurrection reward.
- Best use: Examining motives in hospitality; guiding church outreach to the poor and marginalized; preaching on grace and generosity.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind,
WEB World English Bible 2000
But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind;
KJV King James Version 1769
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
but when thou mayest make a feast, be calling poor, maimed, lame, blind,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But when thou makest a feast, call poor, crippled, lame, blind:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas cuando haces banquete, llama á los pobres, los mancos, los cojos, los ciegos;
Mas quando fizeres convite, chama aos pobres, aleijados, mancos e cegos.
Mais, lorsque tu donnes un festin, invite des pauvres, des estropiés, des boiteux, des aveugles.
Sondern wenn du ein Mahl machst, so lade die Armen, die Krüppel, die Lahmen, die Blinden,
Maar wanneer gij een maaltijd zult houden, zo nood armen, verminkten, kreupelen, blinden;
ma quando fai un convito, chiama i poveri, gli storpi, gli zoppi, i ciechi;
Ale gdy sprawujesz ucztę, wezwijże ubogich, ułomnych, chromych i ślepych,
Но, когда делаешь пир, зови нищих, увечных, хромых, слепых,
你擺設 筵席，倒要 請 那貧窮的、殘廢的、瘸腿的、瞎眼的，你就 有 福了！
But when you give a feast, send for the poor and the blind and those who are broken in body:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 14:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Jesus gives a concrete, not merely symbolic, command. Barnes defines the poor as those 'destitute of comfortable food' and the maimed as those lacking a limb or its use. Gill sharpens the point: Jesus means 'the poor maimed, the poor lame, and the poor blind', not wealthy people who happen to be disabled. The Cambridge Bible connects the command to Nehemiah 8:10, 'send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared.' Jamison-Fausset-Brown, quoting Bengel, add: 'Such God Himself calls' (Luke 14:21). Vincent notes that 'feast' (δοχήν) is a word Luke alone uses, suggesting a formal reception. The consensus is that Jesus contrasts the reciprocity-driven hospitality of his culture, inviting friends and relatives who can return the favor, with a gracious hospitality that mirrors God's own generosity toward the powerless. This teaching is not a ban on family meals but a reordering of priorities: kingdom hospitality begins with those who can offer nothing in return.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus calls his followers to extend hospitality to those who cannot repay the favor, reflecting the free grace of God and the values of the coming kingdom.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Literal command or guiding principle | Jesus intends a real, concrete change in how his followers practice hospitality. | Some Christians read this as a direct command binding on all believers; others (following Poole) see it as a hyperbolic correction against selfish motives, not an absolute ban on family gatherings. |
| Identity of the invited | The four categories refer to people who are poor and physically disabled. | Gill specifies these are 'the poor maimed, the poor lame, and the poor blind', not wealthy but disabled individuals. Other commentators simply list the categories as given. |
| Ban on inviting family and friends | Jesus warns against a reciprocal system where hospitality is a social transaction. | Protestant scholars generally treat this as a priority principle; Catholic social teaching incorporates it into the preferential option for the poor; both traditions agree the command does not forbid ordinary hospitality. |
| Motivation and reward | God will repay the generous at the resurrection of the righteous (v.14). | Some worry this reward undermines pure grace; others view it as the natural fruit of living in God’s kingdom, a promise that frees us from needing repayment from people. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jesus speaks these words at a Sabbath meal in the home of a leading Pharisee (Luke 14:1). Lange observes that such meals were social occasions where honor was carefully managed, guests jostled for the best seats, and hosts extended invitations to cement alliances. Reciprocal banqueting was a pillar of Jewish social life; inviting someone obligated them to return the favor. Against this backdrop, Jesus’ command cuts hard.
Old Testament law repeatedly commands care for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner (Deuteronomy 14:29; 16:11; 26:12, 13). The Passover and Feast of Weeks explicitly include provision for those who cannot provide for themselves. Nehemiah 8:10 instructs the people to 'send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared.' Yet these provisions typically assume the needy will receive leftovers or tithes, not a seat at the host’s own table. Jesus radicalizes the tradition: the poor and disabled are to be invited as honored guests, not afterthoughts.
The four categories, poor, crippled, lame, blind, cover every kind of physical and economic vulnerability. In that society, such individuals were often reduced to begging (Barnes) and were excluded from full participation in temple worship (Leviticus 21:18, 20, though not supplied here, reflects common practice). To invite them to a feast was not merely generous; it was a public act that challenged the social and religious boundaries of the day. Jesus calls his followers to a hospitality that mirrors God’s own indiscriminate welcome.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Luke 14:13. The phrasing is consistent across the major manuscript traditions. Vincent mentions that δοχήν ('feast' or 'reception') is a word found only in Luke’s gospel, but this is a lexical observation, not a variant.
Reception History
From the early church through the patristic period, Luke 14:13 was read as a literal mandate to care for the poor within Christian communities. John Chrysostom and Augustine urged believers to invite the needy to their tables as an expression of Christ’s own welcome. In the medieval period, monasteries and parishes hosted feasts for the poor on feast days, echoing Jesus’ command. The Reformation saw this verse used to critique works-righteousness: generosity flows from faith, not to earn salvation. In modern times, liberation theologians have lifted this passage as a model for solidarity with the marginalized, while many churches incorporate it into their mission statements for urban outreach. The verse remains a touchstone for every tradition that takes Jesus’ social teaching seriously.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Identify the invited. Jesus names the overlooked, the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. He does not say “also invite the poor.” He says “call the poor.” The guest list is the point.
- Break the cycle of repayment. The command is set against the natural human pattern of inviting those who can invite us back. Jesus calls for a break: hospitality as grace, not leverage.
- Trust the exchange that matters. The poor cannot repay, but God will, at the resurrection of the righteous (v.14). The economy of the kingdom runs on a different currency.
Five-point outline
- The setting: a Pharisee’s table, where social climbing is on display (Luke 14:1, 6).
- The first lesson to guests: humility in seating (vv.7, 11).
- The second lesson to the host: reconsider your guest list (v.12).
- The radical alternative: invite the powerless (v.13).
- The promise: joy now and eternal reward later (v.14, v.15).
Illustration hooks
- The workplace potluck. Everyone brings food and talks to their usual circle. Someone from a different department, new and shy, stands alone. Jesus says: go to that person first.
- The neighborhood block party. Neighbors trade invitations expecting a return. One family is known to have little and never hosts. Jesus asks: will you still put out a chair for them?
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean I can never invite family or friends over? (Poole notes the command is not absolute but a corrective of priorities.)
- How do I practice this in daily life without being patronizing? (Invite people as equals, not as projects.)
- What if the people I invite are unsafe to have in my home? (Practical wisdom and safety are not canceled by this command; church hospitality can be a corporate act.)
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts the way we naturally organize our social lives. We tend to invest in people who can give something back, status, friendship, future favors. Jesus invites us into a different kind of table fellowship, one that mirrors the welcome of God himself.
Discussion questions
- Read Luke 14:1, 14 as a whole. What patterns do you see in Jesus’ teaching at this meal?
- Why do you think Jesus specifically names the poor, crippled, lame, and blind? What do they share in common?
- Gill points out that the maimed, lame, and blind here are also poor. Does that distinction change how you read the command? Why or why not?
- Jesus says “do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors” (v.12). How do we balance this with other Scripture passages that value family and community life? (See Poole’s note that it is not an absolute prohibition.)
- What does it mean that God will repay you at the resurrection of the righteous? Does a promised reward undermine grace, or reinforce it?
- Think of one person in your life who fits Jesus’ guest list. What would it take to invite them into your home or your church community in a genuine way?
- What fears or practical concerns hold you back from this kind of hospitality? How can your small group support one another to act?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 14:29 | The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living among you, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. |
| Deuteronomy 16:11 | You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there. |
| Deuteronomy 16:14 | You shall rejoice in your feast, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates. |
| Deuteronomy 26:12 | When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates and be filled. |
| Deuteronomy 26:13 | You shall say before Yahweh your God, “I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them. |
| II Samuel 6:19 | He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed, each to his own house. |
| II Chronicles 30:24 | For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. |
| Nehemiah 8:10 | Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes defines the poor strictly as those lacking adequate food, not merely those with little money. He then specifies that the maimed are people missing a limb or unable to use one, making them physically unable to work for their own support. His reading is concrete and material, rooted in actual bodily and economic hardship.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator observes that Jesus' instruction to invite the poor to a feast is also reflected in Nehemiah. Nehemiah commanded the people to send portions of their festive food to those who had nothing prepared, showing that including the needy in celebrations was already an established duty in the Old Testament.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the specific groups Jesus names: the poor, crippled, lame, and blind. The point is deliberate: invite those who cannot return the favor, so your kindness is offered without expectation of earthly repayment.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that Jesus is not talking about any maimed, lame, or blind person, but specifically those who are poor and disabled. A wealthy person with a physical impairment would not need the meal, so the command targets the doubly needy who would truly welcome the invitation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that when Scripture speaks of calling the poor, it means God Himself extends the invitation. The reference to Luke 14:21 confirms this is not a human gesture but a divine summons from the Lord.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights that Jesus turned everyday table conversation into an opportunity for spiritual instruction, even when surrounded by hostile observers. Unlike David, who kept silent among the wicked, Jesus used the occasion to teach humility and generosity, showing that no social setting is wasted for godly edification.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek word translated as "feast" can also mean "reception". He observes that Luke is the only Gospel writer who uses this particular word.