Entertained By A Pharisee

JESUS is still in the home of a prominent Pharisee and has just healed a man suffering from dropsy. As he observes fellow guests choosing prominent places at the meal, he teaches a lesson in humility. "When you are invited by someone to a marriage feast," Jesus then explains, "do not lie down in the most prominent place. Perhaps someone more distinguished than you may at the time have been invited by him, and that invited you and him will come and say t0o you, 'let this man have the place.' And then you will start off with shame to occupy the lowest place.

So Jesus advises: "When you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, that when the man that has invited you comes he will say to you, 'Friend, go on up higher.' Then you will have honor in front of your fellow guests." Concluding, Jesus says: "For everyone that exalts himself will be humbled and he that humbles himself will be exalted. Next Jesus addresses the Pharisee who invited him and describes how to provide a dinner having real merit with God.

"When you spread a dinner or evening meal, do not call your friends or brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors. Perhaps sometime they might also invite you in return and it would become repayment to you. but when you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you."

Providing such a meal for the unfortunate will bring happiness to the provider of it because, as Jesus explains to his host, "You will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones." Jesus' description of this meritorious meal calls to the mind of a fellow guest another kind of meal. "Happy is he who eats bread in the Kingdom of God," this guest says. Yet, not all properly prize that happy prospect, as Jesus goes on to show by and illustration.

"A certain man was spreading a grand evening meal, and he invited many. And he sent his slave out . . . to say to the invited ones, 'Come, because things are now ready.' But they all in common started to beg off. The first said to him, 'I bought a field and need to go out and see it; I ask you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I bought five yoke of cattle and am going to examine them; I ask you, have me excused.' Still another said, 'I just married a wife and for this reason I cannot come.'"

Next time: Conclusion of Entertained By A Pharisee

The Greatest Man Who Ever lived, 1991