And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when
He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table,
saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not
take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been
invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give
your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last
place. “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that
when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up
higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with
you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:7-11 NASB)
Jesus is the
invited guest at the home of a leader of the Pharisees on the Sabbath. The other invitees are lawyers and other
Pharisees. They have just been trapped
with what they tried to trap Jesus. The
host is busy wiping egg from his face and the meal is about ready to begin. The “enemy” they hoped would have been routed
proving excellent entertainment is still among them, and is now watching
them. Seeing how they behave at the
table, Jesus decides to tell a “parable.”
This parable
is a rebuke, but softened because the setting is changed to a “wedding” instead
of an embarrassing Sabbath rabbi trap.
Jesus has noticed that the guests are jostling for “pole position” at
the table. He corrects them by telling
them to take the lowest spot instead. This
had to get stares. Sure, it makes sense,
but it’s risky. What if the host thinks
that the guest actually wants that spot and leaves him there? What if, believing he would embarrass the
guest, he leaves the guest to his choice?
There’s the danger that the choice of the lowest place will become the
seat I eat at; not very “Pharisee.”
See, if I
grab the highest seat, there’s a good chance that, rather than embarrass me,
the host will let me keep it. Now that’s
how a Pharisee thinks. But they are in a
room full of these guys. Sure among the
general population, they have a good chance of keeping the seat (but still, you
never know). But here it is mostly
posturing among peers to grab for the chief seat. The host is probably enjoying the only
entertainment he will get all afternoon watching his guests vie for the top
seat that he alone can give. He gets to
humiliate someone once the fray dies down.
This is great for him.
This account
is in such contrast to Abraham serving Yahweh in Genesis 18. Where Abraham stands at the ready to serve
his exalted Guest, this host stands ready to dishonor then dismiss his
Creator. Abraham recognized Yahweh
immediately; this host hasn’t a clue, even after the event. This host is rude to his guests where Abraham
is extremely polite. The Pharisee leader
doesn’t settle the seating issue right at the beginning; why does he let the
fray happen at all? This Pharisee leader
is really a lousy host.
The irony
from the previous part continues as now the Master of the entire universe turns
to correct his fellow guests. They had
tried to trap him with the callous use of a disabled person, “Old Swollen Joe”,
and were hung on their own gallows. Now
it’s Jesus’ turn. His shot at them
drives right to a very interesting character quality. There is an inherent risk in taking the last
place. This concept only works if I can
see myself as really belonging in the last place. That is not easy for these guys, but is it
any easier for me?
This is a
fun account to read. The reversal on the
Pharisees has the listening crowds in stitches and cheering for Jesus, their
hero. But I think I hear my Master calling
me to take the lower place, pick up the towel and broom, and roll up my
sleeves. Sure it’s fun to read, but I
need to consider the parable in its own light.
It applies to me as well. I am in
a position in my current church where I will need to make this perspective a
spiritual discipline. This is something
I need to apply wherever I am called to serve.
In my
setting, it’s like taking the seat with its back toward the door, the farthest
one away from the pastor, whatever row happens to be available on Sunday (not
my favorite, let’s hurry and get that one!).
These may seem like small things, but they reflect an attitude more in
line with my Master. Whatever I can do
to better align myself with Him should be a priority. But there are other areas in which I need to
apply this parable. They maybe more
important, but they may not.
I have
skills dealing with Scripture that are not common. Because of that, they can seem
impressive. But any impression they make
is an impression of me, of my skill. I want
to make very soft impressions so that I don’t take away from my Master’s much
more important and impressive impression.
My skills can either enhance or distract from the view of my
Master. It’s my choice how I use
them. This parable teaches me that, from
my Master’s perspective, I must choose to enhance.
Except for
the idea of “humility” this may not seem to fit the parable very well. But I get that from the requirement here that
I be willing to take the lower place, and be left there. I may not be, but that’s what I shoot
for. If I seek to enhance the view of my
Master enjoyed by others, then perhaps I may get some attention, but it will be
as a conduit of the view of my Master.
That is as it should be. I
suppose that my interpretation stems from my belief that I am to be “set
dressing” not center-stage. Jesus is to
be center stage. So, I will take the
lower place, and I will choose to enhance the view of others.
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