Proverbs 25:6–14
St. Luke 14:1–11
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
It’s amazing how much humor, even sarcasm, is in the Bible, if you read it closely. I think Jesus is kind of mocking the Pharisees in our Gospel reading today. He’s not doing it simply to be mean, but He is convicting them of sin. Jesus had been invited to Sabbath dinner at a Pharisee’s house, and when He noticed how the other guests chose the places of honor, He told them this parable. I picture them jostling a bit, trying to seem polite, but also angling and quickly moving for the best stop around the dinner table. You know how that can be—we all think we’re rather stealthy, but people notice. Jesus certainly did. And then it seems like He smiles a little bit, and it’s as if He said, “You know, here’s a neat trick for how to get honor… Don’t push for the best seat because you might get kicked out by someone more deserving. But if you go to the lowest spot, then there’s a better chance your host will say, ‘Oh no! Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.”
I can’t help but think this “advice” comes off kinda sneaky, and not so humble (or someone can certainly take it that way). Which is why I think Jesus is having a little fun with them. Obviously, Jesus is not advocating that you should manipulate people and force them to parade you up before everyone so you get more honor. This is not actually practical advice. He is accusing them of sinful pride and false humility.
What He does is a bit like our hymn we just sang, which invites us, challenges us to save ourselves: Seek where you may To find a way That leads to your salvation… Or, Seek whom you may To be your stay, None can redeem his brother (LSB 557:1–2). The hymn does not want us to seriously look for another way of salvation or another Savior besides Jesus Christ. But it’s a rhetorical device: “Hey, if you want to, you can look for some other way to save yourself, but it won’t work.” Which is why the rest of the hymn lays out what Christ has done and how He is our only Redeemer. His parable is doing a similar thing.
Jesus takes His parable from the Proverbs, which we heard earlier in our Old Testament reading: Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. Just as Jesus wasn’t giving practical advice for guests at a dinner party, the Proverbs should not be read as only practical advice for good living. At least, that’s not their only or primary purpose. It is of course true that God’s Law and ethical instruction based on that Law are good and good for you. Those who work to keep God’s Law will have a happier, more satisfying life than those who deliberately break it. However, that cannot be the only intention behind the Law or the Proverbs or any “advice” in Scripture, because we know from experience that no one, no matter how hard they try, can keep the Law perfectly; and Scripture shows us that it is impossible for us to make ourselves righteous enough in God’s sight. So, while the Law, the Proverbs, or Jesus’ parable do instruct us in proper conduct and true humility, at the same time, they are also exposing our sins—particularly in this case, showing and accusing our pride.
But the Law also never gets the last word in Scripture. In that parable Jesus told, there is a deeper spiritual lesson hidden there for us who believe the Gospel—those who have the secret of the kingdom of God revealed to them. Jesus is the One who rightfully held the highest seat at the heavenly Father’s banquet table. And yet, He was the One who was removed, and put into the lowest place. He was humiliated beyond our imagining by taking on our sin, being mocked by His enemies and abandoned by His close friends, and by suffering the eternal wrath and hell of God while hanging naked and forsaken on the cross.
And He did that for you. His humiliation means your forgiveness, your worthiness, your exaltation. He was removed to make a space for you as the Father’s honored guests. And you can hear the gracious invitation: “Friend, move up higher.” But having been moved to the lowest spot, Jesus was also vindicated as the true innocent Son, the Holy One. He was raised up back to life, back to the front seat of honor, not for the sake of His ego, but for the glory of God—that God may get glory for Himself by serving and saving sinners. That is how our God wants to be known, how He wants His name glorified: that He is the God who forgives sinners and raises the dead.
Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. The One who truly humbled Himself and so was exalted is Jesus Himself. But as His Christians, we are to apply this to ourselves as well. And so knowing the Gospel, we are able to return to that instruction that the Law offers.
There are at least three parts to real humility. First, we should be humbled by the knowledge that we are nothing. We are empty. Before men we are just one in a billion, doomed to go the way of all flesh, to return to the dust. And before God, apart from His grace, our lives are ruined by sin. We have nothing to offer Him. While this aspect of humility is objectionable to the world, I think most of us Christians recognize it’s true. After all, we sincerely confess, I, a poor, miserable sinner.
The second part of humility: we should be humbled by patiently enduring wrongs. Now this is much harder to do, and we may even struggle with wanting to do it. We know that we should act humble—we shouldn’t brag about ourselves and we don’t like arrogant people. But it’s much, much harder to not stand up for ourselves when we are wronged. Yet, our Lord Jesus tells us, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:38–39).
This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t care about justice and truth, especially when it comes to defending our neighbors. But we spend so much energy, thought, and time worrying about the wrongs done against us or how we’ve not been properly recognized for our deeds, because we think we deserve better. We are proud—we think we deserve honor and good things in life when all we truly deserve is death and hell. We all fall into the trap of feeling sorry for ourselves and saying, “I’ve got such bad luck.” That’s the proud thinking that I’m so significant that the whole universe must be conspiring against me. This is vanity. Instead, we should learn how to suffer with patience, trusting that God will act to save and vindicate us.
The third part of humility is that we should humbly submit to all people. This is also really difficult for proud sinners, but as Christians we are called to be servants to everyone. Love your neighbor as yourself. Or Jesus also said, Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them (Matthew 7:12). That’s the opposite of how most people think. We are not to treat others in the same way they treat us. We are to treat others the way we would like them to treat us, even when they don’t.
Now, this instruction in humility is very convicting and difficult for us. But think of how Jesus practiced such true humility. He submitted to all people even though He was more powerful and intelligent than any of them. He submitted to His earthly parents, to Pilate and the authorities. And of course, He submits to His heavenly Father and does His will. Jesus also patiently endured wrong: false accusations, mocking, undeserved torture, and wrongful death. No one has ever suffered injustice the way He did. And yet, He did not complain—He bore it gladly while He trusted His Father to care for Him. And Jesus, who was truly equal with God, worthy of the highest honor, He emptied Himself, and counted Himself as nothing.
Not only is Jesus our greatest example in humility, but as we already noticed with the parable, Jesus humbled Himself for our sake. He did that so that we who are empty might be filled with His goodness; so that we who should be brought low might be brought up to where He rightfully sits, exalted to sit with Him in His glory. It’s true that we are prideful, arrogant sinners, each in our own way, but we will not be severed from the love of God because of what our Savior has done for us:
My heart’s delight, My crown most bright,
O Christ, my joy forever.
Not wealth nor pride Nor fortune’s tide
Our bonds of love shall sever.
You are my Lord; Your precious Word
Shall guide my way And help me stay
Forever in Your presence. (LSB 557:4)
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
Most of these ideas came from Rev. David Petersen’s Issues, Etc. interview on Trinity 17. He credits the three points on humility to Thomas Aquinas.
