Shamed - Luke 14:9

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus, “put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When you are bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than you be bidden of him”, and in chapter fourteen and verse nine of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “he that bade you says … give this man place … and you begin with shame to take the lowest room” where we read:

And he that bade you and him come and say to you,

Give this man place; and you begin with shame to take the lowest room.

The verse reads, “And he that bade you and him come and say to you, ...” Luke began with the words, “and he that bade you” or “and the person whether male or female who invited and called your name to attend his feast” “and him come and say to you” which means “and the person who invited you arise and appear to utter, declare and proclaim” the following words to the ones invited. Luke shared how Jesus said the host who invited a person would come to the one who attended his feast and sat in a “higher” or more important “seat” and say the following words to him.

The verse goes on to say, “... Give this man place; and you begin with shame to take the lowest room.” Luke continued with the words, “Give this man place” or “grant, bestow, let have, supply and furnish the more important person the higher seat”; “and you begin with shame” which means “and the person who assumed they should have the more important seat commence with embarrassment, ignominy, disgrace and dishonor” “to take the lowest room” or “to be seated, fixed and established within the place which was least in rank, worth and grade”. Luke shared how Jesus said the host of the dinner would tell the man who assumed he should have the “higher seat” to take the “lowest seat”, and he would be embarrassed as he moved.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see Jesus refer to the difference between a “prideful” person and the “humble”. A person who believes themselves to be more important than others will assume they should have the “highest rooms” or positions when they enter a feast or meeting. Jesus said this should not be done because the assumption may be wrong as the person hosting the feast or meeting may ask them to be “seated” lower. Embarrassment and shame are not experienced when a person “humbles” themselves even when they may think they deserve better, and because God provided the greatest example of humility through Jesus, “For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (See 2 Corinthians 5:21), all who carefully consider Jesus should fall in line with His example as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “when you are bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".