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In Luke, Jesus tells a parable where those who seek honor are humbled, and those who take the lowest place are honored. This is similar to Rabbinic tradition, where Hillel teaches that his humiliation is exaltation and his exaltation is humiliation.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Luke 14:11
New Testament
7 Then when Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. He said to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host. 9 So the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed, you will begin to move to the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Leviticus Rabbah 1:5
Aggadah
Rabbinic
Rabbi Akiva taught it in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Azai: Distance yourself two or three seats from your rightful place and sit until they say to you, ascend. But do not ascend, as they will say to you, descend. It is preferable that they say to you, ascend, ascend, and that they not say to you, descend, descend. Likewise, Hillel says: My lowering is my elevation; my elevation is my lowering. What is the source? “Who sits on High, who looks down to see” (Psalms 113:5–6). You find that when the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself to Moses from the midst of the bush, he concealed his face from Him, as it is stated: “Moses concealed his face…” (Exodus 3:6). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Go [lekha], and I will send you to Pharaoh, [and you will bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt]” (Exodus 3:10).
Date: 500 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... There was a general pool of literary motifs, stock stories. phrases and words from which the ancient teachers of Israel chose. Although a saying was transmitted in the name of a sage who lived several generations after Jesus, the sage may have independently preserved a rabbinic tradition that predates Jesus, perhaps the very same tradition upon which Jesus drew. According to Luke 14:11, Jesus said: 'Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.' Rabbinic literature preserves very similar statements in at least two places. Hillel, who lived a generation before Jesus, used to say: 'My humiliation is my exaltation and my exaltation is my humiliation' (Leviticus Rabbah 1:5). Hillel's disciples and the disciples of his disciples, referred to collectively as 'the house of Hillel' were noted for their humility ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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