The excuses given, like "I've bought a field and must see it," aren't outright rejections, but rather express a prioritizing of immediate, earthly concerns over the divine invitation. This highlights how even seemingly legitimate matters can become spiritual stumbling blocks when they are allowed to overshadow God's call.
But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is at a dinner party in the home of a Pharisee, and the conversation turns to blessedness and the kingdom of God. In response, Jesus tells a parable about a great banquet, where the host sends out invitations, but those first invited make increasingly flimsy excuses to avoid coming. This parable is a pointed critique of the religious leaders and the Jewish people who were rejecting God's gracious invitation to salvation through Jesus.
Why does Jesus highlight the need to see a newly purchased field? It’s more than just a casual glance; it speaks to a deeper priority shift.
In this parable, the man who bought a field immediately makes an excuse: 'I must go out and see it.' The word 'must' here isn't just a suggestion; it signifies a perceived necessity, an obligation that can't be postponed.
The Plausibility of Priority
This excuse sounds reasonable on the surface. Buying land is a significant investment, and checking its condition would seem prudent. However, in the context of the parable, it reveals a heart that is already prioritizing earthly possessions and immediate concerns over the king's invitation.
Worldly 'Necessities'
Often, we use similar language. 'I have to finish this project,' 'I need to catch up on emails,' 'I've got to clean the house.' While these tasks are often legitimate, when they consistently take precedence over spiritual responsibilities or God's call, they become our 'fields' – demanding our attention and causing us to 'beg off' from what truly matters. This isn't about avoiding work; it's about discerning where our true 'necessities' lie.
It wasn't a 'bad' thing to buy a field, or even to get married. So what makes these seemingly normal life events excuses to ignore God's call?
The power of these excuses lies in their legitimacy. The parable doesn't feature people engaged in gross sin; instead, it presents common, everyday activities:
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The Peril of 'Good' Things
These aren't inherently wrong. God allows and even blesses many of these things. The danger emerges when these legitimate pursuits become idols, consuming our time, energy, and affection to the point where they crowd out our devotion to God.
A Shifted Foundation
When the 'good' things of life become our ultimate security or joy, they cease to be gifts from God and instead become barriers to Him. The parable warns that even lawful things can become criminal and destructive if they prevent us from responding to God's gracious invitation.
The invited guests all make excuses, but the host's reaction is far from casual indifference. What does his anger reveal about God's perspective?
The parable doesn't just show people refusing an invitation; it reveals the host's response. The guests, in their 'unanimity,' treat the host's generous provision with contempt. They don't offer reasoned objections; they simply beg off.
Contempt, Not Just Inconvenience
Their excuses, though sounding plausible, are perceived by the host as a deep disrespect. It's not merely that they are busy; it's that they are unwilling to prioritize his great supper. This is a rejection of his person and his generosity.
God's Righteous Response
When we consistently allow lesser things to overshadow God's gracious invitations—whether to worship, to serve, or to grow in Him—we are, in essence, acting like those invited guests. God's invitation to the 'great supper' (representing His kingdom and salvation) is precious. His anger, described in the parable, is a righteous response to the profound insult of such neglect. It underscores that while God's grace is immense, it is not to be trifled with.
Understand the original words
paraiteomai · Greek Verb
To renounce, decline, or offer a pretext for refusing a call or obligation; in a spiritual sense, it represents the human tendency to prioritize worldly concerns over the urgent invitation of God.
agros · Greek Noun
A piece of land or property; in a biblical context, it often relates to earthly possessions, stewardship, or physical inheritance which can sometimes distract from eternal priorities.
zeugos · Greek Noun
A pair of draft animals used for agricultural labor; symbolically represents the daily labor, business, or material investments that can occupy a person’s focus away from divine calling.
gameō · Greek Verb
The act of becoming a spouse; a covenantal union that is divinely instituted, though in this context, it is cited as a competing priority to the call of the Kingdom.
c. 27-30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Teaching
Jesus travels and teaches, often sharing parables about the Kingdom of God. This teaching occurs during a period of significant religious and social ferment in Judea.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified and resurrected, marking a pivotal moment for his followers and the early Christian movement.
c. 40s-60s AD
Early Spread of the Gospel
The apostles and early Christians begin to spread the message of Jesus beyond Jewish communities, facing opposition and persecution.
c. 60s AD
Luke Writes His Gospel
The Gospel of Luke is written, aiming to provide a well-ordered account of Jesus' life and teachings for a wider audience, likely including Gentile believers.
This passage parallels Luke's parable, detailing how those invited to a wedding feast made light of it, with one going to his farm and another to his business, highlighting the theme of worldly distractions preventing attendance.
Matthew 13:22Jesus explains that the 'cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word,' directly connecting the excuses in Luke's parable to how material concerns can prevent spiritual reception.
1 Samuel 15:22Samuel's rebuke to Saul, 'To obey is better than sacrifice,' underscores that prioritizing worldly affairs over divine commands, as the invited guests do, is unacceptable to God.
Romans 12:2This verse calls believers not to be conformed to the world, which is a direct contrast to the guests in Luke who are so engrossed in their worldly possessions and duties that they miss a divine invitation.
2 Corinthians 4:18The exhortation to 'set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth' directly addresses the spiritual blindness of those who excuse themselves from God's feast due to earthly attachments.
barnesLuke 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."
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 t…
calvinLuke 14:15-24: "And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God."
- And Jesus answering, spoke again by parables, and said, 2. The kingdom of heaven is like a human king who made a marriage for his son, 3. And sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage, and they refused to come. 4. Again he sent out other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, Lo, I have prepared my di…
The excuses given, like "I've bought a field and must see it," aren't outright rejections, but rather express a prioritizing of immediate, earthly concerns over the divine invitation. This highlights how even seemingly legitimate matters can become spiritual stumbling blocks when they are allowed to overshadow God's call.
Jesus is at a dinner party in the home of a Pharisee, and the conversation turns to blessedness and the kingdom of God. In response, Jesus tells a parable about a great banquet, where the host sends out invitations, but those first invited make increasingly flimsy excuses to avoid coming. This parable is a pointed critique of the religious leaders and the Jewish people who were rejecting God's gracious invitation to salvation through Jesus.
Jesus is at a dinner party in the home of a Pharisee, and the conversation turns to blessedness and the kingdom of God. In response, Jesus tells a parable about a great banquet, where the host sends out invitations, but those first invited make increasingly flimsy excuses to avoid coming. This parable is a pointed critique of the religious leaders and the Jewish people who were rejecting God's gracious invitation to salvation through Jesus.
"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me ex…" — The excuses given, like "I've bought a field and must see it," aren't outright rejections, but rather express a prioritizing of immediate, earthly concerns over the divine invitation. This highligh…
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Last reviewed October 2026
