Luke chapter 14

vs 1

I have a feeling that Jesus was always being carefully watched, but moreso today because it was the Sabbath.

vs 2

I'm not sure what dropsy is - regardless, I think it's interesting that all 3 of the translations I use translate it as 'dropsy'. The word, hudropikos, is given the definition dropsy. It took me 4 dictionary definitions to actually understand what it means. Wordnet says "swelling from excessive accumulation of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or serous cavities ". Which sounds horrible.

vs 3

They were, after all, watching him because it was the sabbath.

vs 4

I would love to know what happened - did the water go sploosh out of him, or just disappear, or what? Anyway, since the Pharisees say nothing, he just does what he was going to do and is done with it.

And I might make a quick, somewhat tangential point here - that if someone does something, and you don't tell them that you think it's wrong, then they're just going to keep on doing it. In fact, the Pharisees were absolutely sinister in this regard - they wanted him to do things so they could charge him and murder him.

vs 5

Interesting that some translations have 'donkey' for 'son', which makes the point of even more value - that they would save their livestock if it were in their power on the sabbath, but they are upset that Jesus would heal on the sabbath even though he does have the power.

vs 6

Of course, what are they going to say? They've worked themselves into a tizz about it now, and they're just building up their rage so that when they do their unspeakable act, they have the courage and energy to go through with it.

vs 7

Jesus has a parable for everything. The placing of little reserve cards at a wedding reception today is just as much a cultural more as getting the proper place around a triclinium was back then.

vs 8-9

I guess we as people have this idea of self-importance - we like to know where we fit in society, and we think about that in terms of how many people we have below us. The problem then comes, of course, when people who are higher than us enter the scene and we are forced to take notice - usually because we have to be put in our place.

vs 10

Jesus offers an alternative to the jostling that took place (and still takes place) around table settings. Rather than thinking yourself from the top down, and then getting bustled and shuffled down, put yourself at the bottom, and let the people in charge exalt you. Note Jesus' reason for this - it is for your own honour! I think there's two points - one is that you don't need a fancy place at the table to show that you're honoured - if you are honourable, you will be honoured. But also, that Jesus has no problem with those who deserve honour being honoured! And in fact, thinks that it is better for people to honour those who deserve it, than for those who deserve it to go and seek it out for themselves.

vs 11

And here's the quick summary statement of the whole parable. Of course, not every parable has such a statement, which is a shame, because it makes it a whole lot easier to understand.