Luke 14:6-10

Luke 14:6 (KJB)
And they could not answer him again to these things.

As usual they could not answer His question because if they answered either way, they were caught. If they said to pull the animals out of the ditch, then it would look like they were advocating working on the Sabbath and if they answered to let them remain until the next day, then they would be accused of no compassion. Excessive legalism normally boxes one into a corner without escape.

Luke 14:7 (KJB)
And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

Jesus then begins to speak a parable aimed at the self-centered attitudes of the Pharisees‘ guests, especially concerning their lack of compassion toward the man with dropsy and their desire to take the best seats in the feasts or the synagogue. In the feasts which were given by hosts, it was their decision as to where certain people would sit and not those of the guests. Jesus no doubt had observed how the guests were acting and wanted to give them a reality concerning being invited to certain functions.

Luke 14:8 (KJB)
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;

When Jesus is speaking of a room, he is not speaking of a separate room but a main place of seating at the table. In fact the word “room” in the Greek means “first place.“ He then proceeds to speak the parable. He states that if you are invited to a wedding, you should not immediately go and sit down in the best seat which would be closest to the groom. If you are seated there then what will happen of someone greater comes into the wedding and the host tells you to vacate your seat and give it to the greater man. In the mind of the Pharisees, who could be greater than them?

Luke 14:9 (KJB)
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.

If a person was already seated in the first place, he probably had already begun to bask in the false notion that he is an honored guest. Now when the host will come along and tells him to vacate the seat and give it to another, and then go sit down in the lower position, it would result in a humiliating loss of face before those he was trying to impress. By the time he was asked to vacate the seat, the only seats left would be the very lowest seats. It would be a major blow to the pride of a person who is egotistical, which basically describes the Pharisees and scribes.

Luke 14:10 (KJB)
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.

Then Jesus gives the second half of that parable. This is the third time that Jesus mentions “bidden” because those invited cannot choose their own place to sit but must sit where they are told. Jesus then tells them that when they are bidden to the wedding, when they arrive that they should sit down in the lowest places. Then if the host of the wedding asks you take a position higher then where you have already sat, then instead of being humiliated in front of everyone, you will have praise and honor by those who you will sit with. Jesus is not endorsing the clever action of intentionally sitting lower so you will have praise by others knowing you will be called up. Jesus is endorsing a person to live the true humble life whether anyone notices you or not. (Heb 6:10 KJV) For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. God does not forget nor ignore as man does.

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