Luke 14:8

8 "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host.

Luke 14:8 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 14:8

When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding
To a wedding dinner, or to any other; such an one as the present entertainment was, which was not a marriage feast, for they might not marry on the sabbath day; (See Gill on John 2:1) but a common sabbath meal:

sit not down in the highest room:
in the chief place at table, as soon as come in:

lest a more honourable man;
for age, office, dignity, wisdom, learning, or riches:

than thou be bidden of him:
the master of the feast; and who may not yet be come, and for whom the chief place may be designed, and will better suit him.

Luke 14:8 In-Context

6 They were stumped. There was nothing they could say to that.
7 He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said,
8 "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host.
9 Then he'll come and call out in front of everybody, 'You're in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.' Red-faced, you'll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.
10 "When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about!
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.