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).