Luke 14:1, 7–14 ESV – Bible Gateway
This is the third time in Luke that Jesus is invited to dine at the house of a Pharisee. This time by a man who is a ruler of the Pharisees. Like a prominent local leader who had political and/or economic clout in the community.[1] In the previous two encounters, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and/or the scribes. So I find it interesting that he is still being invited, even if it seems apparent they are seeking ways to discredit him. The Sadducees never invited him to hear what he had to say.
St. Cyril of Alexandria noted:
Although our Lord knew the malice of the Pharisees, yet He became their guest, that He might benefit by His words and miracles those who were present.[2]
Today’s passage skips over Jesus asking the Scribes and Pharisees if it was lawful to hear on the Sabbath day and concentrates on the Pharisee’s flaw regarding humility. This first parable in today’s reading is addressed to the group in general. Since this takes place in the house of a ruler, no doubt, many were there seeking to raise their social position. To hobnob with those more powerful than them. Being totally concious of where they fit in the social order and determining what would be the highest seat they could take with no one objecting. Jesus reverses all of this in that we should be content to take the lowest place.
Peter Kreeft points out:[3]
So what is Jesus doing here? He’s coming down to the Pharisee’s own level and making the point that even on that low, egotistic, calculating, selfish level, humility lifts you up and pride goes before a fall. He’s bringing the Pharisee up from the lowest level to the middle level so that he can then bring him up to the highest level. The lowest level is overt pride: I deserve the highest place. The middle level is at least feigned humility: I will take the lowest level. The highest level is real humility: I really want the lowest level so you can have the highest one.
He goes on:
So there are really four levels of wisdom in this story. The lowest is the stupid Pharisee, who is the proud egotist who shows what’s in his heart by taking the highest seat. The next is the clever, calculating Pharisee, who is also a proud egotist but who hides what’s in his heart and pretends to be humble only to get the better reward and the higher place here on earth. Third, there is the even more clever and calculating Pharisee, who also pretends to be humble but not to get rewarded on earth but rewarded in heaven. That’s better but not the best; wiser but not the wisest.
The lowest level is doing the wrong thing (the selfish thing) for the wrong reason (the selfish reason). Level two is doing the right thing (the unselfish thing) but for the wrong reason (the selfish reason). Level three is also doing the right thing for the wrong reason, but the wrong reason here is selfishness not in this life but in the next. And level four is doing the right thing for the right reason.
This reminds me of what Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J. talks about in his book “Finding True Happiness” in regards to the four levels of happiness.[4]
- Level 1 represents my fundamental drivers in life such as physical pleasure, immediate gratification, and excitement. This may be manifested in seeking my favorite food, new clothes, or a nice car. The “happiness” that results from this satisfaction, however, is typically short lived, shallow, and impacts no one else except me. Level 1 is not inherently bad, we all need to satisfy those basic pleasures like food and drink, but if we get stuck in level 1 our lives become a roller coaster constantly seeking to satisfy our next desire. After the food is consumed it isn’t long before I am hungry again.
- Level 2 is most evident in the need to satisfy my ego. The universe exists to serve me. I need to be constantly achieving and winning in my life, for example, being recognized at work, getting that next promotion, or making sure my project has top priority. In order for me to win, though, others must lose. I must keep my comparative advantage over others. My focus is on power and control. Like level 1, level 2 is not all bad. We all need to achieve in order to gain self-confidence, and credibility, but if my life gets stuck in level 2 as my dominant source of happiness, I will be constantly obsessed with seeking that next win, and paranoid that others are trying to keep me from it. This happiness is also not very pervasive, enduring or deep.
- Level 3 is also somewhat about ego, but unlike level 2 it is turned outward. My skills and talents are aimed at serving others. It is still about winning, but it’s now more about achieving Win-Win results rather than Win-Lose. My desire is in seeking that meaning and purpose in my life. I want to make an optimal positive difference in the world. My happiness is now growing in its pervasiveness because it impacts other people. It is also lasts much longer and is deeper.
- Level 4 is what I ultimately seek in life. I fundamentally desire ultimate or perfect truth, beauty, love, goodness, and being. But I have to recognize that this ultimate goal is not found strictly in the material elements of the world, it is found in transcendence, what people of faith look for in God. Even if someone doesn’t subscribe to a specific religious faith, they still have the a fundamental yearning for perfect truth, beauty, love, goodness, and being. This happiness is the most pervasive, enduring, and deep.
A point that the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture for Luke brings out is:
In the parable, the meal is described as a wedding banquet, just as in Jesus’ parable about the servants awaiting their master’s return (Luke 12:36). Earlier, at Levi’s banquet (5:34), Jesus referred to himself as the bridegroom and his disciples as wedding guests. Therefore, the parable here, which superficially appears to be a lesson about social etiquette, is ultimately about how to enter and recline at table (12:37; 13:29–30) at the messianic wedding banquet in the kingdom.[5]
Jesus then shifts to telling the local ruler of the Pharisees a parable involving him directly. That when inviting people to a banquet not to do so in order that you will be repaid in kind by others. Instead, he should invite the “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” because they cannot repay him. He specifically references the resurrection of the just as to when he would be repaid.
This parable is about charity, in particular almsgiving. As Brant Pitre references “the word for almsgiving, eleēmosunē, literally means “to have mercy”; eleos is the word for mercy.”
if you invite the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind to your banquet now on earth, you won’t be repaid in this life, but you will be repaid at the resurrection spoken of by the prophet Daniel, at the resurrection of the righteous in the age to come. So he’s talking about the importance (there) of humility and charity.[6]
A key reminder from St. John Chrysostom:
But thou sayest, the poor are unclean and filthy. Wash him, and make him to sit with thee at table. If he has dirty garments, give him clean ones. Christ comes to thee through him, and dost thou stand trifling?[7]
John Bergsma in his commentary says:
This leads us to see the evangelistic thrust of this Gospel. If the banquet table represents the Eucharistic fellowship of the Church, “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” are those broken with sins committed against them and sins they have committed themselves, people who need the good news. Jesus is calling us to go out and invite those outside the Church to come to his banquet.[8]
From Paragraph 546 of the Catechism:
546 Jesus’ invitation to enter his kingdom comes in the form of parables, a characteristic feature of his teaching. Through his parables he invites people to the feast of the kingdom, but he also asks for a radical choice: to gain the kingdom, one must give everything. Words are not enough; deeds are required. The parables are like mirrors for man: will he be hard soil or good earth for the word? What use has he made of the talents he has received? Jesus and the presence of the kingdom in this world are secretly at the heart of the parables. One must enter the kingdom, that is, become a disciple of Christ, in order to “know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.” For those who stay “outside,” everything remains enigmatic.
Sources and References
Finding True Happiness – Magis Center
The Gospel of Luke, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, Rev. Pablo T. Gadenz
Catena Aurea: Commentary on the Four Gospels, Collected out of the Works of the Fathers, Volume 3: St. Luke – Verbum
Peter Kreeft, Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings Year C
– The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year C – John Bergsma
– Catholic Productions, Commentaries by Brant Pitre
– Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition
– Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
- Paraphrased content from Catholic Productions, Brant Pitre ↩
- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Archbishop of Alexandria, A.D. 412. Catena Aurea: St. Luke ↩
- Peter Kreeft, Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings Year C ↩
- Fr. Robert Spitzer, https://spitzercenter.org/what-we-do/educate/four-levels-of-happiness/ ↩
- The Gospel of Luke, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, Rev. Pablo T. Gadenz ↩
- Catholic Productions, Brant Pitre ↩
- St. John Chrysostom, Abp. of Constantinople, A.D.398. Catena Aurea: St. Luke ↩
- The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year C, John Bergsma ↩
