WHEN THOU ART BIDDEN OF ANY MAN TO A WEDDING

Jesus, the carpenter of despised Nazareth, in the house of one of the most important Jewish leaders! How did this come about? Recently, they had warned Him to leave Herod’s hostile terri­tory for the apparent safety of Jerusalem. Now, one of their leaders invites Him to a meal in his house. All the time they were plotting His death, but they could find nothing of which to accuse Him. And so, one Sabbath day, this Pharisee invited his influential friends, and, as a token of his supposed godliness, included Jesus of despised Nazareth and a diseased stranger. The plot unfolds. If Jesus heals the dying man, they would accuse Him of Sabbath breaking. The Saviour answers their unspoken accusation by healing the man and challenging them. Would they not rescue a trapped animal on the Sabbath? Did they have more compassion for an animal than a dying man? They were silenced.

And now the Master turns the spotlight on the guests. As He had entered the house they had watched Him, hoping to entrap Him. But He had been watching them! Nothing escapes His attention. He had watched the guests jostle for the most impor­tant reclining places at the table. The nearer the host, the more important the guest. The Saviour teaches a lesson in humility. If a man has to gain an important place to establish his greatness, he is not great at all! And he is in danger of being demoted to give place to a more important guest. Far better to choose a hum­ble position and be promoted by the host to a higher place. Pride of place has always been a problem. Disciples argued over who would be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. But the Saviour taught that the way up is down! He taught by example, for He who is equal with God, made Himself of no reputation and hum­bled Himself, even to the death of the cross. But He who humbled Himself has been exalted by the Father. For Him, the way up was down. Paul exhorts us, ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus’, Phil. 2. 5 The prophet asks, ‘What doth the Lord require of thee, but to … walk humbly with thy God?’ Mic. 6. 8. May we walk humbly today!