What would you have done if you had been that boy? Perhaps if he had said to the man, "After you", the man would have had to choose the smaller piece and he would have got the big piece he wanted anyway! Yet he mightn't, after all! But do we really care for others? really want the best for them, even if it means we don't get the best ourselves? Those are tough questions, and they aren't just questions for childhood, either - they are adult questions too!
Jesus has been up north, perhaps even in Perea, across the Jordan. The Pharisees whom we meet here appear to have been somewhat more friendly and open to Jesus than those nearer to Jerusalem. They warn him of Herod's intention to kill him (13.31) and one of their leaders even invites him to a meal (14.1). "And people were watching Jesus closely" we are told. Jesus aroused a great deal of curiosity. One writer notes, "a considerable number of prominent guests was present. They watched Jesus; he was a stranger, but known to them by reputation, and they were curious to learn what kind of person he was, especially undoubtedly whether he faithfully observed the traditions of the elders" (Arndt, p.337).
It wasn't long before a man was there right in front of Jesus - "his arms and legs were swollen", we are told - suffering from some form of what we would today call oedema. Jesus asked the other guests a direct question, "Does our Law allow healing on the Sabbath or not?" They wouldn't answer him. This is just the sort of question they spent hours debating among themselves. No doubt they knew that Jesus had healed the sick, perhaps even that he healed on the Sabbath day. They hesitated in stating a rule that would have openly criticised Jesus and have dashed the hopes of the sick person who had come for healing. Better to be silent and to see what Jesus would do! Jesus healed the man.
But now he notes the way the guests are jostling for the best places at the feast and has some words both for the guests and for the host.
In practical terms he is saying to the guests, Don't push yourself forward. Be humble. If you sit down in the best place you may find yourself embarrassed when someone more important comes - you may have to be escorted to the lowest place, while your host gives the seat you had chosen for yourself to someone else. On the other hand, if you sit in the lowest place, your host may move you to a higher place and "this will bring you honour in the presence of the other guests."
Of course, Jesus isn't suggesting that this will automatically happen to us if we go to the lowest place! That isn't humility! Don't sit there glaring at your host with the strong hint that he should move you up! Humility is accepting the lowly place - genuinely accepting it. And Jesus gives the principle, "For everyone who makes himself great will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be made great" (v.11).
I recently read the story of Sammy Morris, a devoted Christian from Africa who came to America to go to school. Although his pathway to service for Christ was not easy, his difficulties never discouraged him. Perhaps this was because he had learned genuine humility. One incident that showed this occurred when he arrived at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. He was asked by the school's president what room he wanted. Sammy replied, "If there is a room nobody wants, give it to me." Later the president commented, "I turned away, for my eyes were full of tears. I was asking myself whether I was willing to take what nobody else wanted."
That's the kind of genuine humility Jesus was talking about. And he was the living example of it himself. Paul wrote about him, "He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to become equal with God. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became a man and appeared in human likeness. He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death - his death on the cross. For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name. And so, in honour of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will fall on their knees, and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil.2.6-11). Do you know what Paul was writing just before he launched into this wonderful statement about Jesus? He was saying, "be humble towards one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own. The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had…" (vv.3b-5).
But now Jesus has a word for the host. Be careful how you choose your guest list! It is so easy to choose our guests for our own benefit!
A few weeks ago our R.E. lesson in primary school began with a little dialogue in which Jim is asking Joe's advice about people he should invite to his party. Joe suggests he should include the following: "You need to think of some popular kids and some useful kids. I suppose you'd better ask Ned for a start, 'cos his dad's really rich and he gives crash-hot presents!" and "Hey, I heard that JB's going to Wonderland for his party - might be cool to invite him to yours!"
Jesus is saying, Don't invite people so that they can invite you back. "When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind; and you will be blessed, because they are not able to pay you back." That sounds a bit upside down, doesn't it? We would expect to be blessed because people can pay us back! But, Jesus says, "God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death" (vv.13-14).
"In God's reign, we are all guests, not by right or by worthiness, but by invitation. God's generous gift of love calls forth from us an equally generous response towards God and others, as we live daily in God's realm."
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