John Calvin Commentary Luke 14:23

"And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain [them] to come in, that my house may be filled." — Luke 14:23 (ASV)

Compel them to come in. This expression means that the master of the house would give orders to use, as it were, force to ensure the attendance of the poor and to leave out none of the lowest dregs of society.

By these words, Christ declares that he would gather together all the outcasts of the world rather than ever admit such ungrateful people to his table.

The allusion seems to be to the way the Gospel invites us; for the grace of God is not merely offered to us, but doctrine is accompanied by exhortations designed to stir our minds. This demonstrates the astonishing goodness of God, who, after freely inviting us and seeing our spiritual lethargy, addresses our slothfulness with earnest pleas. He not only rouses us by exhortations but even compels us by threats to draw near to him.

At the same time, I do not disapprove of the use Augustine frequently made of this passage against the Donatists to prove that godly rulers may lawfully issue edicts for compelling obstinate and rebellious people to worship the true God and to maintain the unity of the faith; for, though faith is voluntary, yet we see that such methods are useful for subduing the obstinacy of those who will not yield until they are compelled.