Preaching and the Land - Luke 14:1, 7-14

The context for Jesus' teaching on humility was a meal in the home of an unidentified ruler of the Pharisees.  As the meal began, there was a flashback to last week's lectionary text about Jesus' healing of the bent woman.  Despite it being the sabbath, Jesus healed a man with dropsy to the displeasure of the host.  To their credit, they remained silent this time.

As the scene shifted from action to teaching, Jesus capitalized on the setting of the meal to teach about honor, shame and humility.  An understanding of meal customs gained from the Fifth Gospel will help the preacher with the thrust of her sermon for Sunday:

• most likely, the wealthy Pharisee would have had the meal around a triclinium (a three-sided table)
• the meal would have been eaten while reclining
• eating and drinking was more often between social equals which explains the concern of many pharisees regarding Jesus' dining with tax collectors and sinners
• meals were important occasions and served to solidify these relationships
• the relationships of the guests to the host determined the seating arrangements
• the co-host was seated so as to assist with details of the meal and service (first position at the table beginning on the left side of the table as in  the drawing)
• the host assumed the second position and the guest of honor third next to the host
• in descending order around the table (left to right), the guests were seated according to their status or relationship to the host
• if this practice seems discriminatory to you, many critics in the first century would have agreed with you
• Jesus with a touch of humor made the occasion a teachable moment as to honor, shame and humility

Jesus concluded with a defense of his table etiquette and inclusion of tax collectors and sinners while at table.  God's ways were not their ways.  All have a place at the table, not just social equals.

HT:  Bruce Malina