Luke 14:10, commentary and pictures

Spoken at a Sabbath meal in a leading Pharisee's house where guests were watching Him and picking out the best seats, Jesus drew from real social life a rule for conduct that is also a law of God's kingdom. In plain terms, a guest who is invited should take the lowest place instead of seizing the highest, so the host may invite him to move up and he will receive honor before the others. The heart of it is humility rather than self-exaltation, leaving advancement and honor to be given by another and by God instead of claiming them for self. Pushing for first place and preeminence offends God and endangers the soul, and those who exalt themselves will be brought low and put to shame. Those who faithfully do small humble duties, learn meekness from Christ, and keep self out of sight are the ones God in His own time lifts to greater trust, with the call to come up higher meaning both daily growth in holy character now and a final welcome into His presence and eternal glory.

Setting and Wording

It was spoken on the Sabbath day at a meal in the house of a chief Pharisee, where the guests were watching Christ and choosing out the chief rooms.

Though spoken as a parable, it described scenes He Himself had witnessed in actual life. At a feast He used this practical lesson in social conduct to teach humility as a law of God's kingdom. It instructs in the duties and regulations of true social life, which are the same as the laws of the kingdom of God. It was spoken with authority and with great clearness and simplicity.

Its literal command is that when bidden a guest should go and sit down in the lowest room rather than take or claim the highest place. Then the host may come and say Friend, go up higher. The guest will then have honor in the presence of fellow guests who sit at meat with him. Its promise rests on the rule that whoever exalts himself shall be abased and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Humility and Exaltation

The verse requires humility rather than self-exaltation, calling the invited guest not to claim the highest place but to take the lowest and leave honor and advancement to be given by the host, by another, or by God. It rebukes settling into fixed lines of work, being displeased with those who work differently, and teaching the law without bringing its living principles into life. Applied to missionary work it means beginning humbly, keeping self out of sight and letting Jesus appear, putting forward nothing savoring of self-exaltation. Applied to cooperation it means no one should claim the foremost place or regard himself as God's only agent.

Striving for the highest place imperils the soul, for it is far better to take the low place and be honored by being lifted up than to lift up and exalt self. Desire for pre-eminence is a besetting, soul-deceiving, spirit-blinding sin that has caused the loss of millions of souls, even among ministers and missionaries. Ambition and self-esteem of this kind draw a person away from God and prevent understanding the principles of Christ's kingdom. God's blessing comes to the lowly in heart, not to souls uplifted with pride and clothed with selfish vanity, and He calls the most humble to a higher place because they are willing to wear His yoke and learn His meekness and lowliness. In sudden, unexpected changes the Lord will choose whom He can use, usefulness being estimated by God alone, so each must work with earnest fidelity, be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and walk humbly in the path of God's appointment in safety.

Seeking the highest position for the sake of human honor and outward appearance lowers a person and can end in shameful humiliation, having to take the lowest place after reaching beyond capacity. Seeking a position of influence in this way fosters self-importance instead of Christlike meekness and lowliness. A high position is no proof of superior talents or wisdom, while genuine merit is seen and appreciated, so pretense should be given up for worth grounded in Christ.

Striving to be first and putting self first is offensive to God, and those who exalt themselves shall be abased. That abasement is sometimes accomplished in a way painful to human nature. When God judges such ambition, those who pursued it will be ashamed, bow low before Him, and end up in the lowest place.

The lesson is to reject pride and seek meekness and lowliness of heart following Jesus' example rather than displaying self. The nearer people come to Jesus the less they desire the highest place. They should remain humble and keep learning in Christ's school. Humility with justice and mercy leads through sharing Christ's suffering to sharing His glory, as shown by His own meekness and humiliation.

For fellow workers the verse teaches valuing one another rightly and maintaining a humble attitude toward one another, trusting the humble will be called to go up higher. It means not seeking the highest place in God's work but taking the lowest place and cooperating with God and with brethren so there is standing room for everyone who does the work. Doing one's best for Christ's sake without one ungrateful word to God or to brethren brings the Lord's blessing and His cooperation.

Those who reject Christ's way and cling to their own ways will be brought low like guests required to take the lowest seat. Those who think they can improve upon God's plan, hold fast to their own wisdom and judgment, harden their hearts and close their eyes to the Lord's ways and prefer their own ways, and refuse to be corrected and humbled, will be requested to take the lowest seat unless transformed in thought, word, and deed. People in positions of trust must follow God's counsel and remain faithful to His word to receive His commendation in the judgment.

Faithfulness in Service

Faithfulness in the smallest humble daily duty is the path to advancement, for the low place taken in service is answered in God's own time by His call to greater responsibility, and the worker is to let God, not people, raise him to honor. The Lord may bring this about through those who have tested qualified workers and know their worth, moving them forward to where they are needed. Such promotion is no ground for vanity or self-exaltation.

Those who do what they can where they are, trusting God and bringing honest experience and love to His work, may be invited to fill a vacancy or take greater responsibility when the need arises. Faithful labor and the sharing of precious truth open the way to this higher place, and even when reluctant the worker should move forward in faith and fresh zeal. Beginning at the lowest place and climbing step by step need not discourage, for determined advance from round to round leads upward until Christ Himself bids higher. That bidding is the commendation of a good and faithful servant made ruler over many things and welcomed into the joy of his lord, and youth are therefore to train their minds to be intelligent for acceptable service, improving every providential opportunity to learn in revelation and science and placing a proper estimate on God-given powers.

God exalts the humble one whose daily life bears Christ's meekness and lowliness, who faithfully uses even a small gift, accepts a lowly place, learns from God, loves God supremely and loves others as himself. Faithful learners who endure life's difficult lessons of duty and happiness, whose trials and temptations prepare them for the society of the pure and holy, must not grow weary in learning from Christ, for at last the Master will call them higher. In missionary work this means beginning humbly and making no great spread, keeping self out of sight and letting Jesus appear. Nothing is to be put before others savoring of self-exaltation, no elevating of self as smart or great, no quoting the praises of men.

In opening work in a place like Geneva this requires starting quietly in small buildings with simple notices as an evangelist to open the Word, rather than distinctly advertising American nationality and missionary status or personal capabilities. It forbids entering large halls only to come down to smaller buildings, and forbids arousing the special attention of the clergy, choosing instead gentle labor so that prejudice and bitter opposition are not aroused. The new and startling truth is left to speak for itself and work like leaven, and then, as limited access to the people is found, advance moves and still broader efforts are made. In church life the same law holds, for one who patiently takes his proper lower place instead of demanding recognition may prove useful and have his merits recognized by others. Walking humbly with God without striving for recognition leads in time to being called to come up higher, with Christ Himself speaking the call, and those who patiently trust God and cease exalting themselves will hear Jesus call them higher through communion with God and faith for spiritual growth. Humility and character-building must come first, for the invitation to come up higher is Christ's approval and promotion, and one must undergo God's testing and learn from Christ before being fit to lead.

Call to Come Higher

The words Friend, go up higher are God's invitation to all, given through His law as the echo of His own voice. The call means continual progress in knowledge and virtue as God's purpose, advancing every day in perfection of Christian character so as to be holy and holier still. High and holy attainments are within reach through a constant fresh revelation of Christ and a daily experience that harmonizes with His teachings.

God calls those who have received great light to come up higher by drawing nearer to Him and to heaven. That higher place is advancement in faith, in sincere love for fellow believers, and in caring involvement in their needs and work. The invitation is God's welcome into a higher place in His presence for those who seek His way, do justice, show mercy, and walk humbly with Him. Only those who obey God's law will hear that call from His lips to go up higher, because the law is the transcript of His character, every departure from obedience is rebellion, and conformity to its principles forms a righteous character for man's highest interests. The rules of life the Lord has given make men pure, happy, and holy, and only those who obey them are accepted and told to come up higher, with humility and trust in God rather than reliance on self, wisdom, riches, or human power as the fitting response.

The invitation is heard during probationary life by those who study Scripture, for the Bible contains what they need to learn, and earnest study of it prepares them to receive that invitation and leads toward eternal life. It expresses God's approval of faithful workers who unite with Christ, bear His burdens, and put aside selfish ambition, whom God has tested and found trustworthy and welcomes into heaven's courts, while those who cherish selfishness and have no connection with Christ cannot enter the kingdom. Christ is the Master whose coming brings the invitation to a higher place, and He gives it to those found ready when He comes. Such readiness means refusing the first wrong step when tempted, living with an eye single to God's glory, keeping the record in the books of heaven clear, and keeping oneself able to lift up holy hands to God and lay the soul open before the Saviour without shame.

The final reward after serving God in this life is to hear Him say Son, daughter, come up higher. Jesus Himself will at last speak that call to those who humbled themselves at the foot of the cross and learned in that school every day. The call welcomes them into the city of God as conquerors, not as beggars, but as those who have a right to a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Then what was not understood on earth is unfolded and the redeemed dwell with Jesus through ceaseless eternity, carrying the knowledge of God and heaven gained here as spiritual wealth into immortal life.