And they could not answer him again to these things.
The verse closes Jesus' confrontation over healing on the Sabbath by recording that the Pharisees who were questioning Him could not answer Him again to these things. They could not answer without exposing their hypocrisy, because they accepted rescuing an animal on the Sabbath and so had no sound reason to condemn relieving human suffering. Their silence demonstrates that doing good and relieving suffering are lawful on the Sabbath. Their silence also shows that Christ's correction of the guests who sought the highest places exposed their error and left them without a reply.
That nearby teaching in Luke 14:8-11 warns of the danger of striving for the highest place, describes scenes actually witnessed in life, and teaches that those who lift themselves up will be brought low while those who humble themselves will be lifted up, a lesson to be practiced by waiting to be honored with lifting up instead of lifting up and exalting self. Within the broader passage of Luke 14:2-14, this message for the people, when spoken with great freedom in the demonstration of the Spirit and power of God, holds hearers spellbound and leads outsiders to admit rightness on the Sabbath question.
The verse closes Jesus' confrontation over healing on the Sabbath by recording that the Pharisees who were questioning Him could not answer Him again to these things. They could not answer without exposing their hypocrisy, because they accepted rescuing an animal on the Sabbath and so had no sound reason to condemn relieving human suffering. Their silence demonstrates that doing good and relieving suffering are lawful on the Sabbath. Their silence also shows that Christ's correction of the guests who sought the highest places exposed their error and left them without a reply.
That nearby teaching in Luke 14:8-11 warns of the danger of striving for the highest place, describes scenes actually witnessed in life, and teaches that those who lift themselves up will be brought low while those who humble themselves will be lifted up, a lesson to be practiced by waiting to be honored with lifting up instead of lifting up and exalting self. Within the broader passage of Luke 14:2-14, this message for the people, when spoken with great freedom in the demonstration of the Spirit and power of God, holds hearers spellbound and leads outsiders to admit rightness on the Sabbath question.