John Calvin Commentary Luke 14:5

"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day?" — Luke 14:5 (ASV)

Which of you shall have an ox or an ass? Though they did not deserve that Christ should take pains to remove the offense, yet he shows that he did nothing inconsistent with the observance of the Sabbath.

He undoubtedly does this, not so much to instruct them as to protect himself against their slanders; for he knew that they were too blinded by virulent hatred to yield submissively to argument, but wished to triumph over their malice by compelling them through shame to be silent.

If we are at liberty to relieve brute animals on the Sabbath, it would be unreasonable that we should not perform a similar office of kindness to man, who is formed after the image of God.