Pentecost 12 (Proper 17C)-- Wisdom Greater than Solomon

Did you notice that the Gospel reading is really an application of the Old Testament reading? Proverbs 25:6 cautions,“Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great….” The Gospel reading is a direct application of that.

Jesus literally sees the guests at this dinner He has been invited to ignoring, if not breaking, the wise counsel of Solomon.

He is forced to cite Proverbs 25:6-7, “Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.” It’s an interesting pairing of readings because the Gospel reading is a direct application of the Old Testament.

Granted, He’s only showing an ability to apply one part— and quite directly, at that.

But what Jesus does in the rest of the reading shows the depth of His wisdom.

In the last part of the reading, He takes it a step further: not only should you take the lower place when you arrive at a banquet, when you host a banquet, don’t invite those who can invite you in return or repay you in other ways. Invite the poor. Invite beggars. Invite those who couldn’t benefit you in any way. He takes the proverb even further, applying it to his host, as well.

More than that, it’s a rebuke for what happened in the first part of the reading. Here,on the Sabbath, you”ve decided that it’s lawful to host a big dinner and invite all sorts of important people. But it’s not lawful to heal a man. That really makes sense in your mind? If it does, then you clearly don’t grasp the point of the Sabbath.

They found a way to fit feasting— including feasts involving notable individuals who might boost their reputation—into the Law of Moses, but healing was forbidden.

Not only that, they tried to twist God’s law into a way to exalt themselves. Even as they feasted, they internally patted themselves on the back that they were more strict in their keeping of the law than others. What they considered their “more strict” observance made them more righteous in their own eyes (even though their observance was only outward and superficial.

Jesus points out that all they’re actually demonstrating is their own lack of wisdom; their foolishness.

That is to say that they are being ruled by their sinful nature and are under God’s wrath. Yes, here Jesus shows Himself to be every bit Solomon’s equal in wisdom.

The Full Measure of Wisdom

Of course, if we consider the bigger picture, Jesus far exceeds Solomon’s wisdom.

He had every right, by His very nature, to the highest place of all on His throne in heaven.

“Do not stand in the place of the great?” There is no one greater in heaven, on earth, or under the earth. Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence? He was King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Yet He stepped down from that place of power, majesty, and glory and took on the form of a servant,

He became as obedient as the lowliest servant, even to the point of death— even death on a cross.

And, sure enough, the Father came and said to Him, “Come up here to the greater place.”

He seated Jesus at His right hand in power, majesty, glory, and dominion, forever and ever, Amen (Philippians 2).

And He was given the name that is above every name so that, at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow— in heaven and on earth— and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Hebrews 1-2).

By His words in this reading, Jesus shows Himself more than the equal of Solomon’s wisdom. By His actions, He shows how much He far exceeds it.

Wisdom for You

Now, as impressive as this is, you may be wondering, by now: “Why does this comparison matter? What difference does that really make for you and me?”

Here’s why it matters: Because, while Solomon might be an example of wisdom for you to learn from and follow, Jesus is wisdom in the flesh for you.

Obviously, the issue in this text— exalting one’s self— is still a temptation for you and me. There are all sorts of ways that you come up with in order putting yourself first, to rationalize why you are superior to others in some way. You’re generous, you love showing hospitality, but to whom? To those who make you look good when others hear that they have been your guests? To those who can return the invitation or, at least, offer something worthwhile in return.

James warned God’s people, centuries ago, not to show preference to the rich. And yet that doesn’t keep our universities from having special receptions for their biggest donors; it doesn’t keep congregations from running big programs and campaigns by their biggest givers; it doesn’t keep money from running things.

You and I even try to use God’s law to exalt ourselves. You use your outward keeping of the sabbath to feel righteous. You come to church, but why? Are you genuinely keeping the Sabbath— coming to gladly hear and learn God’s word— or do you come out of habit? When you come and receive the Lord’s Supper, do you give more thought to the gift you’re receiving or to who’s here and who is not here?

Here in these walls, true Wisdom is dispensed.

Jesus has invited you here so that He can humble Himself, once again, to serve you: to declare to you the forgiveness of your foolish, wicked hearts; to feed you with His true righteousness in place of your self-righteousness.

Wisdom is Jesus’ invitation to you, even while you were spiritually blind, dead, and unable to offer anything in return, to come and take part in a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb in His kingdom.

And not just from a stool somewhere in the back corner. He has prepared a place of honor there, for you, with Him.

That’s why Christ’s church has been able to boast leaders like St. Lawrence, for example. St. Lawrence was the treasurer of the church in Rome in A.D. 258 when the Roman emperor, hearing that the church had amassed a great deal of wealth, tried to confiscate it. “When the emperor ordered Lawrence to surrender the treasures of the Church, Lawrence replied it would take three days to collect them. On the third day, Lawrence showed him the poor, the lame, the blind and told him, “These are the treasures of the Church.”” [By the way, the emperor ordered him to be killed by roasting him over a fire. If they hoped that the slow death would motivate him to tell them where the church’s money and valuables were, they were sorely disappointed. He had, in fact, given it to the poor. And the pain would not have persuaded him to hand over any money, in any event. After roasting over the fire for a time, he told his executioners, “You can turn me over now. I’m done on this side.” (Zwick, Mark and Louise. “The Poor Are the Wealth of the Church.” 2/26/2016, www.cjd.org. Accessed 8/26/2022.)]

“Remember your leaders (like St. Lawrence)…. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). That is still the wisdom at work in Christ’s church— the wisdom that has humbled you with the Law in order to exalt you by means of the Gospel; the wisdom that leads you to show hospitality, even to strangers; the wisdom to “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3); the wisdom that exalts even your most humble efforts to serve others by promising that, whatever you do for those who could not possibly repay you, you do for Him; and the wisdom which promises that, on the Last Day, your savior will return, not to humble Himself again, but to exalt you, with Him, to the right hand of His Father.

“11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”” There is great wisdom in that statement. There is even more in the One speaking because He has humbled Himself in order to exalt you.

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