When it comes to social etiquette, I am not sure if Jesus would be the first One we would turn to for guidance. Miss Manners or Dear Abby maybe. If you have an Aunt Gertrude (and don’t we all have an Aunt Gertrude somewhere?) she would probably be one to go for direction. My mother was always very firm on social etiquette especially when it came to setting a proper table. Salad fork in, dinner for out, on the left…etc.
But there was a time in Luke 14 (specifically Luke 14:7-14) when Jesus did get involved with such questions as who should sit where at a dinner party. Most of Luke 14 involves the interaction with Jesus and certain guests at a dinner party thrown by one of the rulers of the Pharisees. On a side note, I am amazed how often Jesus got invited to these important parties. Oh, and they were watching Jesus during the whole party so maybe the whole things was a setup from the beginning.
In this particular section, it seems as if prior to eating that everyone is scrambling to find the best place to sit. Maybe they wanted to be close to the head of the table where that ruler of the Pharisees was sitting. Maybe they wanted to sit next to Jesus because they Had heard so much about Him. Luke says that Jesus took note of this free-for-all for the best spots.
-Jesus told them (and like E.F. Hutton everyone got quiet when He spoke) that when you are invited to a dinner party like the one He was at, don’t jump and struggle to get the best seat. Because if you do manage to snag one of those coveted seats, beware, because it could be reserved for someone a lot more important. In that case the host will come to you and say (probably publicly and not just whisper in your ear) that you are in the wrong seat and you belong at the other end of the table (or as in the movie ‘Titanic’ you belong in steerage) That would truly be a great social embarrassment for anyone.
Instead, Jesus says, go take that place down low to begin with. Then perhaps the host will come to you at some point, tell you again that you are in the wrong seat, and move you to a place of greater prominence.
-This is a lesson from Jesus on humility. It is better to go to the lowest place first. The way to get to the top is to start at the bottom. If a man chooses the lowest place the only way he can go is up. A famous Rabbi named Akiba is reported to have advised guests to take a place two or three seats lower than that to which they were entitled. He said, “Better that people say to you ‘come up, come up’ and not say to you ‘go down, go down’.
But Jesus is not giving a piece of worldly advice. He is teaching people to be genuinely humble. He reminds us that the truly humble person will finish up where he ought to be and receive the honor that is due. In following Jesus’ advice we run no other risk that that of being exalted.
By the way, this principle that Jesus gives regarding our conduct is not unique to this passage. It occurs a number of times in slightly different forms (Luke 18:14, Matthew 23:12 and 1 Peter 5:6). To exalt oneself means ultimate abasement. The way to true exaltation is humility.
Jesu reminds us of the shame that often comes with self-exaltation. When we allow others (especially God) to promote and lift us up, then we don’t have the same danger of being exposed as someone who exalted himself.
I just want to close this week with the words from Psalm 75:6-7, which says, “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west, nor from the south, but God is the Judge. He puts down one and exalts another.”