Luke 14:6

οὐκ ἰσ. ἀνταποκριθῆναι (again in Romans 9:20): silenced but of course not convinced. The difference in the way of thinking too great to be overcome in a moment.

Luke has three Sabbath cures. The present one has no very distinctive features. The accumulation may point to a desire to help weak Christians to get above their scruples by an appeal to the Master (Schanz). In the first and second cases the principle of Christ's defence is indicated: it is lawful to do good (Luke 6:9); you may do for a man, a fortiori, what it is lawful to do for a beast (Luke 13:15). In the present case it is not indicated. It may be: you may do for another what you all do for your own, son or ox (Meyer, J. Weiss); or if need is a valid plea in any case, it is valid in all cases (Schanz).