The gospel for the upcoming Sunday is taken from the Gospel of Luke describing an encounter with the Pharisees at a banquet.  In a wedding banquet setting it was expected that power and prestige would be placed closest to the head of the table (see Note on 14:7 below). This was probably more formal than most meals, but the words apply to any banquet.  Jesus points out the danger in pursuing seats of honor. He tells the story of a wedding where someone quickly grabs a high seat of honor. But then a person more distinguished walks in, and the host insists that the interloper vacate his position. At that point he may find all the other places occupied, so that the only course open to him is to take the lowest place, with all the shame and loss of face implied (cf. Prov. 25:7). So humiliated, the presumptuous one must head to the last seat. The description of the move down the social ladder is drawn out in Greek to underline the person’s shame (you begin with shame… to head for the last seat) It is as if every step hurts.

However, if one chooses the lowest place, the only way one can go is up. Rabbi Simeon b. Azzai is reported to have advised guests to take a place two or three seats lower than that to which they were entitled: ‘Better that people say to you “come up, come up,” and not say to you, “go down, go down”’ (Leviticus Rabbah I.5). 

The gospel for the upcoming Sunday is taken from the Gospel of Luke describing an encounter with the Pharisees at a banquet. In yesterday’s post we discussed “humility”. Today we consider “honor.” The meal setting is common in many of the gospels as a metaphor for the celebration of the Kingdom’s come. But it is also often a setting of controversy. Consider that 14:1-6 centered on the debate at table regarding the lawfulness of curing on the Sabbath – reminiscent of earlier discussions about appropriate behavior on the Sabbath (e.g., 6:2, 9; 13:14–16). When Jesus asks if it would be lawful to cure the man with dropsy, those at the table are silent. When Jesus next asks if their son or oxen fell into a cistern would they pull them out, again, they are silent. The easiest take on their reaction is that Jesus has them timid and stumped. But there was a long standing tradition for debate about the understanding of the Law. I would suggest that given Jesus’ challenging questions, one would need time to think about the reasoning – and in the face of such challenging wisdom, perhaps there is a struggle for the host to figure out exactly where this wandering preacher from Nazareth should be sitting.

That dynamic then opens the way for Jesus’ larger questions about honor at meals. Notice that vv.7-11, addressed to guests, is parallel to vv. 12-14, addressed to hosts, both showing a common pattern in which humility plays out.

The gospel for the upcoming Sunday is taken from the Gospel of Luke describing an encounter with the Pharisees at a banquet. A key theme from this text is “humility.” This word comes into our language from the Middle English, via Anglo-French, from Latin humilis low, humble, from “humus” the word for earth. Webster’s offers this as a definition

1. not proud or haughty: not arrogant or assertive
2. reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission
3. ranking low in a hierarchy or scale: insignificant, unpretentious –or  : not costly or luxurious 

Does this capture the biblical sense of “humility?” Humility comes from the Greek tapeinoō (make low, humble; EDNT 3:334). In its verbal and noun forms, the word occurs 18 times in the NT and describes appropriate human conduct before God. And yet the use of the word often has a passive aspect to it.  For example, John the Baptist challenges his listeners to ready themselves for God’s salvation by preparing the way of the Lord and making his paths straight. The decisive feature, however, must be performed by God himself, for every valley will be filled (by him) and every mountain made low (by him), i.e., leveled.  The salvific action begins with God’s own actions. In this we are to humbly await actions from the Lord.

The gospel for the upcoming 22nd Sunday (Year C) is taken from the Gospel of Luke. On the journey to Jerusalem one of the principal themes has been that of discipleship. Much of Luke 12 attends to that theme especially in terms of preparedness and service.  As Luke’s gospel narrative moves ahead, Jesus continues to teach about the nature of discipleship (see, judge, and act), the urgency of the decision to become a faithful and prudent disciple, and that our decisions and actions have consequences in terms of the kingdom of heaven. To that end, here is the recent progression of Sunday gospels. You’ll notice there are gaps and skips. 

Among the portions missing from the Sunday gospels are

• Jesus’ call to read the signs of the times as well as one reads the weather in order that one may judge rightly (12:54-59)
• The parable of the fig tree that is permitted to remain in the vineyard for another season even though it has not yet produced fruit (13:1-9)
• A healing of a woman, afflicted for 18 years, who was healed on the Sabbath that Jesus might again teach the meaning of the kingdom of God (13:10-17)
• The parable of the mustard seed (13:18-21)
• The lament of Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness (13:31-35)
• A healing on the Sabbath at table (14:2-6)
• The parable of the great feast (14:15-24)
• The cost of discipleship and the necessity of preparations (14:25-35)

Some of the verses missing from Sunday gospels are well covered in the gospels of daily Mass, but there are some great images (reading the signs of time, the fig tree, and others) that would be great to have for Sunday homilies. 

That being said, one does well to remember and understand that these verses come after Jesus exhortation to strive to enter that place where are gathered “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God” (13:28) (from last Sunday’s gospel) and before the parable of the great feast (14:15-24) which speaks to the OT image of the kingdom of God as likened to a great banquet. The placement points out that the attitudes of discipleship in this life are reflected in the banquet of the kingdom of God.

This week’s gospel is at table. As Johnson [Luke, 223] notes: “If Jesus eats a meal with a Pharisee on the Sabbath, there surely will be conflict! During the meal Jesus addresses a fundamental attitude that is a constituent portion of discipleship: humility.  This is not a new topic addressed to his disciples.  Consider Luke 9: 

⁴⁶ An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side ⁴⁸ and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” 

Image credit: Jesus at Supper | Caravaggio (1606) | National Gallery London | PD-US