7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 14:7-11 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
It was observed before, that our blessed Saviour dined publicly on the sabbath day with several Pharisees and lawyers: that which is here worthy of our notice is this; how holy and suitable our Lord’s discourse was to the solemnity of that day; may it be the matter of our imitation! It is not unlawful for friends to dine together on the Lord’s day, provided their discourse be suitable to the day, such as our Lord’s here; for observing how the company then at the table did affect precedence and taking place one of another; he that before their eyes had cured a man of a bodily dropsy, attempts to cure the person that dined with him of the tympany of pride.
Where note, that it is not the taking, but the affecting of the highest places and uppermost rooms, that our Saviour condemns. There may and ought to be a precedence amongst persons; it is according to the will of God, that honor be given to whom honor is due; and that the most honorable person should sit in the most honorable places: for grace gives a man no exterior preference: it makes a man glorious indeed, but it is glorious within.
Note further, the way our Saviour directs persons to, in order to their attaining real honor, both from God and men, namely, by being little in our own eyes, and in lowliness of mind, esteeming others better than ourselves; as God will abase, and men will despise, the proud and haughty, so God will exalt, and men will honor, the humble person: Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
BURKITT | Luke 14:1-6 | Luke 14:7-11 | Luke 14:12-14 | Luke 14:15-24 | Luke 14:25-27 | Luke 14:28-33 | Luke 14:34-35 |