I.
Think about the description of the Pharisees,

“… they were watching him closely…. they were silent…. they could not reply to this.”

And this is in the context of Jesus “going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath …”

What is the atmosphere in that dining room?

II.
Luke 14:1-6 (NRSVue)

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had edema. And Jesus asked the experts in the law and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to cure people on the Sabbath or not?” But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him and sent him away. Then he said to them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a Sabbath day?” And they could not reply to this.

III.
Was Jesus invited for a meal? Did he tell a Pharisee he would dine with him that day? Did Jesus expect others to be at the meal?

Or do you suspect this may have been another “set-up” by some of the Pharisees to “catch” Jesus breaking Torah and thereby discredit him in the eyes of the people? Or, perhaps Jesus wanted a conversation with this religious leader?

As is so often the case, Jesus asks questions. Did he expect a reply?

What do you think kept the Pharisees silent in the face of Jesus’ questions?

When was the last time you were asked a question, only to reply in silence? Why were you silent?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}