THE PARABLE OF THE PLACES AT TABLE (Luke 14:1, 7-14)

1 One Sabbath Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee.
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable:
8 When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.
9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, “Give this man your seat.”  Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.
10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, “Friend, move up to a better place.”  Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests.
11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.
13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
14 and you will be blessed.  Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

GOD VALUES GENUINE HUMILITY

This parable is only found in Luke.  Jesus had been invited to a meal at the home of “a prominent Pharisee.”  On noticing that self-important social climbers were selfishly maneuvering for the best seats, Jesus spoke a parable on humility to the guests (verses 8-11) and to the host (verses 12–14).  He was not simply giving good advice for a social situation, as in Proverbs 25:6–7, for a parable always has a significant spiritual lesson.  This is more than just a caution to avoid social embarrassment.  Jesus used the customary seating arrangements at a banquet that were based on rank and importance to teach the principle of humility.  The way into the kingdom of God is by humbling oneself.

In effect he said: “If you put yourself low, God will put you high; if you put yourself high, God will put you low.”  God values and honours genuine humility.  A “wedding feast” was an understood symbol for the kingdom of God and the enjoyment of heaven (verse 15; Isaiah 25:6) so Jesus used this social occasion to teach the radically different values of heaven.  True generosity, Jesus told his host, is determined by no anticipation of repayment, and has an eternal reward “at the resurrection of the righteous.”  This was not what the “rich and famous” had in mind when they made a list of guests.  In his gospel Luke often comments on Jesus’ interest in the welfare of the poor and social outcasts.

THE SOCIAL SITUATION

Dinner parties in the ancient world reflected the rigid social class structure of that culture.  It was usual to only invite those of one’s own social class.  The guests normally sat at a U-shaped table with the guest of honour at its head, while the other guests were seated according to protocol in a strict hierarchy from the most important to the least important.  The guests seated themselves.  The closer you sat to the host, the more important you were.  As the more important guests would often arrive last, another less important guest might have to move to a lower place.  The host had the final say about the position of his guests.  Therefore it was better to adopt a position of social humility and wait to be invited to a better seat.  Added to these customs were the Jewish ceremonial rules of hand washing and food that the Pharisees loved to observe.  It was against this social background that Jesus taught the radically different values of the kingdom of God.

HUMILITY COMES BEFORE HONOUR (Proverbs 15:33; 18:12)

Status, significance and position are an important part of our society.  Who of us has never been tempted to flaunt an assumed distinction or false merit?  Regrettably, the Church is infected with this attitude, as is our secular society.  Some churches have established a culture of deference based on a spiritual hierarchy.  God’s kingdom offers a complete contrast in values and attitudes.  Jesus taught that places of honour are granted by God, not grasped by man (verse 10).  When an ambitious mother and her sons intrigued for high office in the Church, Jesus said, “To sit at my right or left is not for me to grant.  These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” (Matthew 20:23).  God’s promotion is based on worthiness of character not favouritism.

Jesus reminded the twelve disciples that greatness in God’s kingdom does not result from status or authority but from humble service: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28).  Jesus illustrated this principle himself.  As the Suffering Servant he lived the difference between worldly greatness and heavenly greatness.  God is not impressed by our social status or our position in the Church because he sees the motives of our heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY

God still exalts the humble and humbles the proud.  God resists the proud because he hates the sin of pride: “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:5-6).  Perhaps Peter had in mind Christ’s wearing the apron of a slave and teaching the disciples the duty of humble service by washing their feet (John 13:4-15).  True humility is described of Jesus in Philippians chapter two.  Since Christ humbled himself as a man to a shameful but sacrificial death on the Cross, God has “exalted him to the highest place with the name that is above every name.” (2:9)  In human history Jesus Christ is supreme above every other name.

Jesus often repeated a basic spiritual principle: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Verse 11; Luke 18:14; Matthew 23:12; cf. Matthew 18:4)  In this parable Jesus did not commend the hypocritical attitude that deliberately took a lower place in order to be publicly exalted later.  Those who promote themselves will be humbled, but those who are genuinely humble before God will be exalted by him.  God is the compensator. 

THE GRACE AND GENEROSITY OF GOD

A second parable (verses 12-14) related to the self-interested practice of inviting to meals only one’s friends or relatives or social equals.  Jesus had something special to say to his host.  Instead of hosting the well-to-do, he should invite the poor, the disadvantaged and the disabled who could not return his hospitality.  His words to the Pharisee should not be misunderstood.  He does not say that we should never invite our friends to a meal; he discouraged the exclusive invitation of “rich neighbours” etc.  It is a matter of repayment and the mercenary attitude that does good for the sake of gain.  If a host invited only his wealthy friends, he could expect them to offer equivalent hospitality.  But if the host wanted to be blessed by God and recompensed at “at the resurrection of the righteous”, he should invite those who had only their gratitude to offer. 

In this second parable Jesus illustrated the grace and generosity of God when he commended an unselfishness that does not consider the repayment of favours.  God invites the poor to his heavenly banquet: “Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” (Luke 14:21)  God’s generosity reaches the most unlikely of people.

Jesus taught the principle of unconditional Christian love that helps others, especially the undeserving and one’s enemies: “And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?  Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full.  But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” (Luke 6:34-35).  This kind of selfless love that does not calculate a return in kind is characteristic of the heavenly Father.  It is best to leave recognition and reward to God.  This principle applies to all forms of giving and service.

CONCLUSION

“The Christian faith, which began with an emphasis upon simplicity and humility has succumbed to the temptation to grandeur.  Ostentation [pretension] is born of self-deception.  It is an attempt to maintain the illusion that we are better than we really are.  Far simpler, in the long run, to face reality.  That is the only way genuine growth can take place.”[1]

 FOR REFLECTION

• How important is precedence and prominence to you?  In your local church or denomination?
• Next time I have a party should I invite someone who will not invite me back rather than just my social equals?  Do I need to revise my social habits?
• “For everyone who makes himself important will become insignificant, while the man who makes himself insignificant will find himself important.” (verse 11 Phillips Translation)  Am I guilty of self-importance and self-promotion?.
• “Humility is the passport to promotion in the kingdom of God.”  Do you agree?
• We are invited to the “wedding of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7) by God’s grace.  The wrong response is to think we are special and have earned the right to sit in the best place.  The right response is to recognize that we are undeserving sinners and not sit in the place of honour.  Let the host (God) promote you if he wishes.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you are the greatest example of humility.  May the Holy Spirit live out the grace of humility in me.  Guard me against the false humility and the self-importance of the Pharisees.  Amen.

Jim Peacock (MA (Hons), Diploma of Education.