Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Luke: Chapter 14].
14:16 {Made} (\epoiei\). Imperfect active, was on the point of
making (inchoative). {Great supper} (\deipnon\). Or dinner, a
formal feast. Jesus takes up the conventional remark of the guest
and by this parable shows that such an attitude was no guarantee
of godliness (Bruce). This parable of the marriage of the King's
son (Lu 14:15-24) has many points of likeness to the parable of
the wedding garment (Mt 22:1-14) and as many differences also.
The occasions are very different, that in Matthew grows out of
the attempt to arrest Jesus while this one is due to the pious
comment of a guest at the feast and the wording is also quite
different. Hence we conclude that they are distinct parables.
{And he bade many} (\kai ekalesen pollous\). Aorist active, a
distinct and definite act following the imperfect \epoiei\.
14:17 {His servant} (\ton doulon autou\). His bondservant.
_Vocator_ or Summoner (Es 5:8; 6:14). This second summons was
the custom then as now with wealthy Arabs. Tristram (_Eastern
Customs_, p. 82) says: "To refuse the second summons would be an
insult, which is equivalent among the Arab tribes to a
declaration of war."
14:18 {With one consent} (\apo mias\). Some feminine substantive
like \gn•m•s\ or \psuch•s\ has to be supplied. This precise idiom
occurs nowhere else. It looked like a conspiracy for each one in
his turn did the same thing. {To make excuse} (\paraiteisthai\).
This common Greek verb is used in various ways, to ask something
from one (Mr 15:6), to deprecate or ask to avert (Heb 12:19),
to refuse or decline (Ac 25:11), to shun or to avoid (2Ti
2:23), to beg pardon or to make excuses for not doing or to beg
(Lu 14:18ff.). All these ideas are variations of \aite•\, to
ask in the middle voice with \para\ in composition. {The first}
(\ho pr•tos\). In order of time. There are three of the "many"
("all"), whose excuses are given, each more flimsy than the
other. {I must needs} (\ech• anagk•n\). I have necessity. The
land would still be there, a strange "necessity." {Have me
excused} (\eche me par•it•menon\). An unusual idiom somewhat like
the English perfect with the auxiliary "have" and the modern
Greek idiom with \ech•\, but certainly not here a Greek
periphrasis for \par•it•so\. This perfect passive participle is
predicate and agrees with \me\. See a like idiom in Mr 3:1; Lu
12:19 (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 902f.). The Latin had a similar
idiom, _habe me excusatum_. Same language in verse 19.
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