THE KING’S BUSINESS
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In u s jt is absolutely without excuse (Phil. 2:5-8). Jesus told them not to sit down in the chief places. The probable result o f inviting one’s self to the place o f honor would be that the host would invite him to the place o f dishonor. Our Lord’s advice on this matter is good to follow in its literal sense, but has a far wider and deeper appli cation to all our relations to our fellow-men and especially to . fellow-Christians. We should ever esteem others as having super ior* rights to . our own and seek for our selves the lowly position and not the lofty one (Phil. 2:3, 6 , 7; Matt. 18:4). This teaching in its lower application was not original with Jesus; it is found in Proverbs (Prov. 25:6, 7), and also in Rabbinical writings. The deeper meaning and appli cation were original with Jesus. Jesus took current proverbial teaching and gave to it a newer and deeper meaning. Jesus bade them take “the lowest place.” Not a low place, but the lowest. Then and only then will we be sure We are low enough. If we get too low a place some one else will find it out.. The reason we are not oftener invited by the Lord to come up higher is because we did not pick out a lower place than we deserved. Humility goes before honor (cf. Prov. 15:33). Jesus gives a profound and far-reaching application to His apparently ' commonplace parable, “ Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” The vast importance o f this "truth in God’s sight is seen in the frequency o f its occurrence in the Bible (ch. 18:14; Matt. 23:12; Ps. 18:27; 138:6; Prov. 15:33; 29:23; Isa. 2:11, 17; 57:15; Jas. 4 :6 ; 1 Peter 5:5 ). I f we wish to get up we must first get down. The lower we get down the higher God will exalt us (cf. Phil. 2:6-11). Friday, January 7 . Luke 14 : 12 - 14 . Having taught the guests a needed les son, Jesus next addressed Himself to the host. That man was abundantly repaid for inviting Jesus to his table, by hearing from Him the word o f life. If we invite the Lord to be a guest with us, we may be sure He will repay us in a similar way. He told
the same argument used then. His argu ment is so conclusive that it would seem as if it would be unnecessary to repeat it, but men are slow to believe what they do not wish to believe. The question is an im portant one, and the answer Jesus gave on the former occasion is deeply significant, “ It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.” Mercy and love are more than cere monies, even though the ceremonies be of divine appointment. God would have mercy and not sacrifice. Love is the divinest thing in the universe (1 John 4:8) ; therefore the demands o f divinely appointed ceremonies must give way before the activities and exi gencies o f love, which is itself divine. Lower law must yield to higher law. The Pharisees themselves acted upon this prin ciple when it concerned an ass or an ox, but not when it concerned a man. They had not yet learned that “a man is o f more value than an ass.” There are a good many who have not learned it even yet. The Pharisees had no pity on the poor man with the dropsy. They only saw in him an op portunity to catch Jesus in a trap; they saw in him no appeal whatever to their pity or sympathy. The Pharisees were the most religious people of their day; they were great sticklers for the letter o f the law, but withered in heart. Jesus silenced them; “they could not answer Him again unto these things.” But while silenced they were not convinced; that kind o f men never are convinced. Thursday, January 6 . Luke 14 : 7 - 1 1 . The use o f the word parable in verse 7 indicates that we are to look for some deeper meaning in these verses than the mere teaching that lies on the surface, viz., as to our conduct in social life. The words were addressed to those who were invited with Him to the ruler’s house, where He noticed the scramble for the best seats. He “marked ” their conduct, and He always marks our conduct at social and other gath erings. It was characteristic o f those times for men to squabble for the places o f honor (ch. 11:43; 20:46), and it is not altogether unknown in modern “ Christianized” society.
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