Luke 14:10

Now let no one deem the above precepts of Christ to be trifling, and unworthy of the sublimity and grandeur of the Word of God. For you would not call him a merciful physician who professed to heal the gout, but refused to cure a scar on the finger or a tooth-ache. Besides, how can that passion of vainglory appear slight, which moved or agitated those who sought the first seats. It became then the Master of humility to cut off every branch of the bad root. But observe this also, that when the supper was ready, and the wretched guests were contending for precedency before the eyes of the Saviour, there was a fit occasion for advice. Moreover, he is not to be respected in the end, nor by all men, who thrusts himself into honours; but while by some he is honoured, by others he is disparaged, and sometimes even by the very men who outwardly honour him.

So that when the one who invited you comes, he may say to you: Friend, move up higher. The Lord, coming and finding him humble, calling him blessed by the name of friend, will order him to ascend higher. For whoever humbles himself as a …

Then you will have glory in the presence of those who recline with you. It is beautifully said: Then you will have glory, so that you do not begin to seek now what is reserved for you at the end; for, as Solomon says, an …

But a man sits in the lowest place according to that verse, The greater thou art, humble thyself in all things. (Eccles. 3:18.) But the Lord when He cometh, whomsoever He shall find humble, blessing him with the name of friend, He will command him to go up higher. For whoever humbleth himself as a little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. But it is well said, Then shalt thou have glory, that thou mayest not begin to seek now what is kept for thee in the end. It may also be understood, even in this life, for daily does God come to His marriage feast, despising the proud; and often giving to the humble such great gifts of His Spirit, that the assembly of those who sit at meat, i. e. the faithful, glorify them in wonder.

But when you are invited, go, recline in the lowest place. The more you are, he says, humble yourself in everything (Eccli. III). And the Psalmist boasts: "I have been humbled in every way, Lord, revive me according to your word" (Ps. CXVIII). Clearly indicating …

On the contrary, how praiseworthy it is when one who is worthy of the first place initially sits below others, and then turns out to be the one presiding, so that everyone yields precedence to him. Does it really seem to you a small thing, …

But when you shall have been invited. After he has censured arrogance, here secondly he invites to reverence; which indeed he does by persuading to perfect humility, by assigning the attendant benefit, by confirming through divine equity. First, therefore, persuading to perfect humility, he says: …

): "Go, and seat thyself in the lowest room, as taking it for granted that thy friend, who invited thee, has guests to come that are of better rank and quality than thou are; but perhaps it may not prove so, and then it will be said to thee, Friend, go up higher.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes

But when thou art bidden,....

The lowest room - The lowest seat at the table; showing that you are not desirous of distinctions, or greedy of that honor which may properly belong to you. Shalt have worship - The word “worship” here means “honor.” They who are sitting with you shall treat you with respect. They will learn your rank by your being invited nearer to the head of the table, and it will be better to learn it thus than by putting yourself forward. They will do you honor because you have shown a humble spirit.

Friend--said to the modest guest only, not the proud one (Lu 14:9) [BENGEL]. worship--honor. The whole of this is but a reproduction of Pr 25:6, 7. But it was reserved for the matchless Teacher to utter articulately, and apply to the regulation of the minutest features of social life, such great laws of the Kingdom of God, as that of Lu 14:11.

a parable--showing that His design was not so much to inculcate mere politeness or good manners, as underneath this to teach something deeper (Lu 14:11). chief rooms--principal seats, in the middle part of the couch on which they reclined at meals, esteemed the most honorable.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

Let us first learn from these verses — the value of humility . This is a lesson which our Lord teaches in two ways. Firstly, He advises those who are bidden to a wedding to "sit down in the lowest place." Secondly, He backs up His advice by declaring a great principle, which frequently fell from His lips, "Whoever exalts himself — shall be abased; and he who humbles himself — shall be exalted." Humility may well be called the queen of the Christian graces. To know our own sinfulness and weakness, and to feel our need of Christ — is the start of saving religion. Humility is a grace which has always been a distinguishing feature in the character of the holiest saints in every age. Abraham and Moses and Job and David and Daniel and Paul — were all eminently humble men. Above all, humility is a grace within the reach of every true Christian . All do not have money to give away. All do not have time and opportunities for working directly for Christ. All do not have gifts of speech, and knowledge, in order to do good in the world. But all converted men should labor to adorn the doctrine they profess by humility. If they can do nothing else — they can strive to be humble. Do you want to know the root and spring of humility? One word describes it. The root of humility is right knowledge. The person . . . who really knows himself and his own heart, who knows God and his infinite majesty and holiness, who knows Christ and the price at which he was redeemed — that person will never be a proud person. He will count himself, like Jacob, unworthy of the least of all God's mercies. He will say of himself, like Job, "I am vile!" He will cry, like Paul, "I am the chief of sinners!" He will consider others better than himself (Philippians 2:3). Ignorance — nothing but sheer ignorance, ignorance of self, of God, and of Christ — is the real secret of pride.

Let us first learn from these verses — the value of humility . This is a lesson which our Lord teaches in two ways. Firstly, He advises those who are bidden to a wedding to "sit down in the lowest place." Secondly, He backs up His advice by declaring a great principle, which frequently fell from His lips, "Whoever exalts himself — shall be abased; and he who humbles himself — shall be exalted." Humility may well be called the queen of the Christian graces.

Now, this is one of the two or three vital defences of working democracy. The mere machinery of voting is not democracy, though at present it is not easy to effect any simpler democratic method. But even the machinery of voting is profoundly Christian in …