Parables Of Jesus Christ

The Parable of the Feast.

Luke 14:7-14
"Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
In the beginning of luke 14 we are told the setting for the parable. It is the Sabbath, and Jesus is invited to a meal at the house of a leading Pharisee. Giving great honor to those who are distinguished. Ignoring those who are ordinary or "defective." Seating charts that are set up to emphasize the high status of some and the lower status of others. So you can gather from that jesus is talking directly to the pharisee. The more and more i look into the parables of jesus the more and more i learn about the pharisee and the jewish leaders. It makes you understand why jesus would be such a threat to them.
We would like to think that these social issues are descriptions of the first-century world of the New Testament and not problems in our own church settings. Yet social distinctions do matter far too often in our Christian communities, as those who experience less privilege would tell you. Though i would like to think our local church and many of them in our town are trying to break these barrier with work in the community. Trying to bring the local church back into the centre of the community. At the meal, Jesus notices " how they chose the places of honor," jesus has a two-fold response. Firstly, he tells a parable. The point of the story is to discourage his listeners from seeking the most prestigious seat at the table to avoid the humiliating situation of being displaced by someone of greater prominence. Instead, they are to take the lowest place so that they might be elevated to a more honorable seat by their host . Jesus' s summary comment is well known ," For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."To understand this response of Jesus to the social ranking at meals. We have to have a look at how that this kind of social ranking was commonplace in jewish society. In fact, meals were situations that highlighted social differences in the first-century world. Sirach(a jewish wisdom book) warns of being greedy and making sure you are always respectful at these meals. While this advice fits the tone of Jesus's remarks in Luke, Jesus goes further in warning against seeking out the most honorable seats. He firmly tells us to pursue humility, a concept with significant status connotations. Humility was very rarely considered a virtue in this society. Yet, humility is to mark the followers of Jesus, according to so much of the New Testament witness for instance, Colossians 3:12, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,"In this parable jesus doesnt castigate the system of honour these meals. He seems to embrace it. The highest and lowest seats figure into his answer. I think this was due to his audience in the parable. Jesus's advice addresses how to navigate the social setting into which they have been invited. Then we move on further into the parable we hear a more counter cultural message. This parable addresses the fabric of the honour and status structures of the time. He is in control, a greater measure of control over the rules for this kind of meal. Jesus's advice to this figure of power in the parable works to undermine the very system that upholds status difference at meals. Jesus exhorts the host not to invite friends, family, or the rich to meals, since they are able to repay with a invitation to their houses. This was the backbone of "proper" system of the time. Instead what does Jesus do? He calls for inclusion of those who cannot return the invitation: "the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind" . Jesus is saying in my opinion that social payment and repayment should govern life in God's kingdom community. His promise is that God will repay such hospitality at the "resurrection of the righteous" In a parable i think represens the eschatological banquet of God, which will include just such marginalized ones, with the "invited guest list" being left out.Jesus is advising us as God's people we should humble ourselves and seek to live by a different social system marked by radical inclusion. We know we can trust God to be faithful and to reward our right ways of living on that final day.
Jesus's is offering the eschatological banquet to all. To all that believe in jesus as the messiah ,the great i am. How much do you want to be part of that banquet. I for one is looking forward to the feast that awaits us.