Luke Chapter 14, Verse 8
From BibleWiki
8: οταν κληθης υπο τινος εις γαμους μη κατακλιθης εις την πρωτοκλισιαν μηποτε εντιμοτερος σου η κεκλημενος υπ αυτου
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;
8: When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the first
place, lest perhaps one more honourable than thou be invited by him:
Art bidden. Art invited.
To a wedding. A wedding was commonly attended with a feast or banquet.
The highest room. The seat at the table nearest the head.
A more honourable man. A more aged man, or a man of higher rank. It is to be remarked that Jesus did not consider the courtesies of life to be beneath his notice. His chief design here was, no doubt, to reprove the pride and ambition of the Pharisees; but, in doing it, he teaches us that religion does not violate the courtesies of life. It does not teach us to be rude, forward, pert, assuming, and despising the proprieties of refined intercourse. It teaches humility and kindness, and a desire to make all happy, and a willingness to occupy our appropriate situation and rank in life; and this is true politeness, for true politeness is a desire to make all others happy, and a readiness to do whatever is necessary to make them so. They have utterly mistaken the nature of religion who suppose that because they are professed Christians, they must be rude and uncivil, and violate all the distinctions in society. The example and precepts of Jesus Christ were utterly unlike such conduct. He teaches us to be kind, and to treat men according to their rank and character. Comp. Mt 22:21 Rom 13:7; 1 Pet 2:17.
