John Calvin Commentary Luke 11:37

"Now as he spake, a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat." — Luke 11:37 (ASV)

This narrative agrees in some respects, but not entirely, with the doctrine taught by Matthew (Matthew 10:1–20), that Christ, in order to correct the superstition of the people, and particularly of the scribes, intentionally disregarded outward ceremonies of human invention, which the Jews were overly concerned with observing.

God had prescribed in his Law certain kinds of washings, so that through them he might effectively train his people to consider true purity. The Jews, not satisfied with this moderate portion, had added many other washings. More especially, they required that no person should eat until he had been washed with the water of purification, as Mark relates in more detail (Mark 12:3–4), and as is also evident from John (John 2:6).

This fault was accompanied by wicked confidence, for they cared little about the spiritual worship of God and thought they had perfectly fulfilled their duty when outward form was substituted for God. Christ is fully aware that his neglect of this ceremony will give offense, but he declines to observe it, in order to show that God sets very little value on outward cleanness but demands the spiritual righteousness of the heart.