If a human being tries to seat himself in the “place of honor,” he will ultimately be put to shame; but if he seats himself in the “lowest place” (the place of Jesus Christ), God will exalt him. “Now He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, ‘When 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, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, “Give your place to this man,” and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be e...
Seven words on the cross (2) [Luke 23:34-43] This is the second words of Jesus on the cross: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk. 23:43). Who was the “you” Jesus is talking about here? In other words, to whom did Jesus say, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”? He is one of the two criminals (v. 39) and two robbers (Mt. 27:38) who were crucified with Jesus. We do not know whether that one was the robber who was hanged on Jesus' right hand or the one on Jesus' left (Lk. 23:33). Although the punishment that robbers received at that time was not only crucifixion, when we see these two robbers crucified with Jesus, we can guess that they were robbers among robbers. These two robbers insulted the crucified Jesus. Look at Mat...