Luke 14:7-14

On Seeking Seats of Honor

14:7 Then ¹  when Jesus ²  noticed how the guests ³  chose the places of honor, ⁴  he told them a parable. He said to them, 14:8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, ⁵  do not take ⁶  the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host. ⁷  14:9 So ⁸  the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed, ⁹  you will begin to move to the least important ¹⁰  place. 14:10 But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host ¹¹  approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ ¹²  Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but ¹³  the one who humbles ¹⁴  himself will be exalted.”

14:12 He ¹⁵  said also to the man ¹⁶  who had invited him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, ¹⁷  don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. 14:13 But when you host an elaborate meal, ¹⁸  invite the poor, the crippled, ¹⁹  the lame, and ²⁰  the blind. ²¹  14:14 Then ²²  you will be blessed, ²³  because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid ²⁴  at the resurrection of the righteous.”

[14:7]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:7]  ² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:7]  ³ tn Grk “those who were invited.”

[14:7]  ⁴ tn Or “the best places.” The “places of honor” at the meal would be those closest to the host.

[14:8]  ⁵ tn Or “banquet.” This may not refer only to a wedding feast, because this term can have broader sense (note the usage in Esth 2:18; 9:22 LXX). However, this difference does not affect the point of the parable.

[14:8]  ⁶ tn Grk “do not recline in the place of honor.” 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.

[14:8]  ⁷ tn Grk “by him”; the referent (the host) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:9]  ⁸ tn Grk “host, and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate this action is a result of the situation described in the previous verse. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[14:9]  ⁹ tn Or “then in disgrace”; Grk “with shame.” In this culture avoiding shame was important.

[14:9]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “lowest place” (also in the repetition of the phrase in the next verse).

[14:10]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the one who invited you.”

[14:10]  ¹² tn Grk “Go up higher.” This means to move to a more important place.

[14:11]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context, which involves the reversal of expected roles.

[14:11]  ¹⁴ sn The point of the statement the one who humbles himself will be exalted is humility and the reversal imagery used to underline it is common: Luke 1:52-53; 6:21; 10:15; 18:14.

[14:12]  ¹⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[14:12]  ¹⁶ sn That is, the leader of the Pharisees (v. 1).

[14:12]  ¹⁷ tn The meaning of the two terms for meals here, ἄριστον (ariston) and δεῖπνον (deipnon), essentially overlap (L&N 23.22). Translators usually try to find two terms for a meal to use as equivalents (e.g., lunch and dinner, dinner and supper, etc.). In this translation “dinner” and “banquet” have been used, since the expected presence of rich neighbors later in the verse suggests a rather more elaborate occasion than an ordinary meal.

[14:13]  ¹⁸ tn This term, δοχή (doch), is a third term for a meal (see v. 12) that could also be translated “banquet, feast.”

[14:13]  ¹⁹ sn Normally the term means crippled as a result of being maimed or mutilated (L&N 23.177).

[14:13]  ²⁰ tn Here “and” has been supplied between the last two elements in the series in keeping with English style.

[14:13]  ²¹ sn This list of needy is like Luke 7:22. See Deut 14:28-29; 16:11-14; 26:11-13.

[14:14]  ²² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate that this follows from the preceding action. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[14:14]  ²³ sn You will be blessed. God notes and approves of such generosity.

[14:14]  ²⁴ sn The passive verb will be repaid looks at God’s commendation.