Luke 14:23

Highways and hedges. Those originally invited to the gospel feast were the Jews (see on verses 16, 21). God had called them first, not because He loved them more than He loved their fellow men, nor because they were more worthy, but in order that they might share with others the sacred privileges entrusted to them (see Vol. IV, pp. 25-38).

Jesus was often found associating with publicans and sinners, the outcasts of society, much to the consternation of the Jewish leaders (see on Mark 2:15-17). During His Galilean ministry He labored earnestly for these, the spiritually “poor” and “maimed,” in the “streets and lanes” of Galilee (see on Luke 14:21). But when the people of Galilee rejected Him, in the spring of A.D. 30 (see on Matthew 15:21; John 6:66), Jesus repeatedly ministered to the Gentiles and the Samaritans as well as to the Jews (see on Matthew 15:21). However, the giving of the gospel invitation to those in “the highways and hedges” refers primarily to the giving of the gospel to the Gentiles following the Jews’ final rejection, as a nation, of the gospel invitation, a rejection culminating in the stoning of Stephen (see Vol. IV, pp. 33-36; Acts 1:8). The “highways and hedges” of the parable are outside the “city,” and therefore may appropriately represent non-Jewish regions — in other words, the heathen (see on Luke 14:21). When the apostles, in their evangelization of the world, encountered the opposition of their fellow countrymen they turned to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46-48; cf. Romans 1:16; 2:9).

Compel. Greek anagkazo, “to constrain,” or “to compel,” whether by force or by persuasion. Some have considered that this statement justifies the use of force to convert men to Christ. But the very fact that Jesus Himself never resorted to force to compel men to believe in Him, that He never instructed His disciples to do so, and that the apostolic church never did so, makes evident that Jesus intended no such interpretation to be placed upon His words. In fact, by precept and example the Lord repeatedly counseled His disciples to avoid controversy and retaliation for grievances (see on Matthew 5:43-47; 6:14, 15; 7:1-5, 12; etc.), either as individuals or as the official heralds of the gospel (see on Matthew 10:14; 15:21; 16:13; 26:51, 52; Luke 9:55-56). Not only were the disciples not to persecute others (Luke 9:54-56); they were meekly to endure persecution (see on Matthew 5:10-12; 10:18-24, 28).

By the words “compel them to come in” Jesus here simply emphasizes the urgency of the invitation and the compelling force of divine grace. Loving-kindness was to be the compelling force (see COL 235). Anagkazo is used in this same sense in reference to an occasion when Jesus “constrained” His disciples to enter a boat (Matthew 14:22). There is a vast difference between the insistent appeal that Jesus had in mind and the resort to physical force that many professed Christians in centuries gone by have considered appropriate, and that some who profess the name of Christ would rely on today if they had the opportunity to do so.

That my house may be filled. See on verse 22. The host had invited “many” guests (see verse 16). Furthermore, when the servant first went out into the streets and lanes of the city, he was unable to find enough persons to fill the guestchamber (see verse 22).