Chapter
Verse

Luke 14:8

ESV "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him,
NIV "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.
NASB Whenever you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him,
CSB "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don’t recline at the best place, because a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by your host.
NLT When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited?
KJV When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
NKJV “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;

What does Luke 14:8 mean?

As the guests of a formal dinner arrive in the home of "a ruler of the Pharisees," Jesus watches (Luke 14:1, 7). He has a critical message to give but places it in a parable about a "wedding feast" to deflect the more direct application of this Sabbath meal.

As the guests arrive, they consider their social standing in comparison to that of the other guests and seat themselves accordingly. The closer to the head of the table and the host, the more honorable the seat. It wouldn't be unusual for the guest of honor to arrive later than the others.

When that happened, if another guest had assumed the seat of honor, the host would have to tell him to find another seat. If everyone had seated themselves as high as possible, the humiliated guest would have to go to the lowest position. Jesus gives practical advice on to how to prevent this shame: simply sit at the foot of the table. It may be that the host will, in front of the other guests, lead that humble person to a higher seat, thus giving public honor.

In God's economy, human rank means nothing. He judges the heart, not the outward experience (1 Samuel 16:7). Those who humble themselves will be honored by God (Luke 14:11).
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