Luke 14:18

“And they all with one consent began to make excuse, etc.] Or, “they all together”, as the Vulgate Latin version, tjab, “in one”, or “at once”: in (<241008>Jeremiah 10:8) rendered “altogether”; and so the Ethiopic version, which adds, “with one voice”: but their words and language were not the same: their excuses are differently expressed. Some render apo miav, “from one hour”: or the selfsame hour; immediately, directly, as soon as ever they were bidden, they began to frame excuses; they at once agreed, as by common consent, to excuse themselves from coming. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, or a field, and I must needs go and see it: he ought to have seen it before…”

“all began to make excuse--(Compare Mat 22:5). Three excuses, given as specimens of the rest, answer to "the care of this world" (Luk 14:18), "the deceitfulness of riches" (Luk 14:19), and "the pleasures of this life" (Luk 14:20), which "choke the word" (Mat 13:22 and Luk 8:14). Each differs from the other, and each has its own plausibility, but all come to the same result: "We have other things to attend to, more pressing just now." Nobody is represented as saying, I will not come; nay, all the answers imply that but for certain things they would come, and when these are out of the way they will come. So it certainly is in the case intended, for the last words clearly imply that the refusers…”

“I have bought a piece of ground - Perhaps he had purchased it on condition that he found it as good as it had been represented to him. I must needs go - I have necessity, or am obliged to go and see it; possibly pleading a contract or an agreement that he would go soon and examine it. However, we may learn from this that sinners sometimes plead that they are under a “necessity” to neglect the affairs of religion. The affairs of the world, they pretend, are so pressing that they cannot find time to attend to their souls. They have no time to pray, or read the Scriptures, or keep up the worship of God. In this way many lose their souls. God cannot regard such an excuse for neglecting religion…”

“They all began to make excuse - One of them pleads only his own will, I go: another, a pretended necessity, I must needs go: the third, impossibility, I cannot come: all of them want the holy hatred mentioned Luk 14:26. All of them perish by things in themselves lawful. I must needs go - The most urgent worldly affairs frequently fall out just at the time when God makes the freest offers of salvation. Luke 14:21”

“14:18 they all began making excuses: All such excuses would have been a great affront to the host, who had made a great investment in this important social event. These guests had previously accepted the invitation, and all of their excuses were weak. Clearly, they just didn’t want to attend the banquet. • I have just bought a field and must inspect it: No one would buy a field without first inspecting it.”

“all: Luk 20:4, Luk 20:5; Isa 28:12, Isa 28:13, Isa 29:11, Isa 29:12; Jer 5:4, Jer 5:5, Jer 6:10, Jer 6:16, Jer 6:17; Mat 22:5, Mat 22:6; Joh 1:11, Joh 5:40; Act 13:45, Act 13:46, Act 18:5, Act 18:6, Act 28:25-27 I have: Luk 8:14, Luk 17:26-31, Luk 18:24; Mat 24:38, Mat 24:39; Ti1 6:9, Ti1 6:10; Ti2 4:4, Ti2 4:10; Heb 12:16; Jo1 2:15, Jo1 2:16 Luke 14:20”