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 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. But when you are bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade you comes, he may say unto you, Friend, go up higher: then shall you have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with you. For whosoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted”, and in chapter fourteen and verse twelve of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “when you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, brethren, kinsmen or rich neighbors” where we read:
Then said he also to him that bade him, When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brethren, neither your kinsmen, nor your rich neighbors; lest they also bid you again, and a recompense be made you.
The verse reads, “Then said he also to him that bade him, When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brethren, neither your kinsmen, nor your rich neighbors;” Luke began with the words, “Then said he also to him that bade him” or “at that time uttered, declared and proclaimed Jesus to the chief Pharisee who invited Him to eat”, “when you make a dinner” which means “at the time and moment you, chief Pharisee, bring forth, keep, work and cause a breakfast or luncheon” “or supper” or “a formal meal or chief meal usually held at the evening”, “call not your friends” which means “do not invite or bid the chief Pharisee's associates, neighbors or people whom the chief Pharisee is fond of”, “nor your brethren” or “no and not in any way the chief Pharisee's brothers whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother”, “neither your kinsmen” which means “no and in not in any way the chief Pharisee's relatives, kin folk or fellow countrymen”, “nor your rich neighbors” or “no and not in any way the chief Pharisee's wealthy, abounding in material resources and abundantly supplied associates”. Luke shared how Jesus told the “chief Pharisee” when He prepared a “feast” he should not invite people whom he knew such as brothers, relatives and wealthy friends”.
The verse continues, “lest they also bid you again, and a recompense be made you.” Luke added the words, “lest they also bid you again” or “whether perhaps and the brothers, kinsmen and rich neighbors invite the chief Pharisee in return”, “and a recompense” which means “and a requital or compensation” “be made you” or “come into existence, happen and come to pass”. Luke shared how Jesus said the person who “knows” the “chief Pharisee” either by association or kinship will invite him to their own feast and repay him for inviting them to his place.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn what Jesus said what should take place when someone produces a feast. They should not invite their neighbors, rich friends and kin folk because they will return the invitation and repay them for their meal. Jesus will tell the “chief Pharisee” whom he should invite in the next verse, but for now let it suffice us to know there is a “cost” for caring for people that cannot repay anything that is done for them. God loves people, and when they submit themselves to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they align themselves to the one to whom they shall never be able to repay.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind”, 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".
No comments:
Post a Comment