Discipleship Standard

Sermon: Discipleship Gift: A Higher Standard

Matt 10:24-25 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! (RVR) El discípulo no es más que su maestro, ni el siervo más que su señor. 25 Bástale al discípulo ser como su maestro, y al siervo como su señor. Si al padre de familia llamaron Beelzebú, ¿cuánto más a los de su casa? (VP) “Ningún discípulo es más que su maestro, y ningún criado es más que su amo. 25 El discípulo debe conformarse con llegar a ser como su maestro, y el criado como su amo. Si al jefe de la casa lo llaman Beelzebú, ¿qué dirán de los de su familia?

John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. (RVR) Dijo entonces Jesús a los judíos que habían creído en él: Si vosotros permaneciereis en mi palabra, seréis verdaderamente mis discípulos. (VP) Jesús les dijo a los judíos que habían creído en él: —Si ustedes se mantienen fieles a mi palabra, serán de veras mis discípulos

John 13:35  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (RVR) En esto conocerán todos que sois mis discípulos, si tuviereis amor los unos con los otros. (VP) Si se aman los unos a los otros, todo el mundo se dará cuenta de que son discípulos míos.

John 15:8  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (RVR) En esto es glorificado mi Padre, en que llevéis mucho fruto, y seáis así mis discípulos. (VP) En esto se muestra la gloria de mi Padre, en que den mucho fruto y lleguen así a ser verdaderos discípulos míos.

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (RVR) Y decía a todos: Si alguno quiere venir en pos de mí, niéguese a sí mismo, tome su cruz cada día, y sígame.  (VP) Después les dijo a todos: —Si alguno quiere ser discípulo mío, olvídese de sí mismo, cargue con su cruz cada día y sígame.

9:57-62 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Luke 14:26  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. (RVR) Si alguno viene a mí, y no aborrece a su padre, y madre, y mujer, e hijos, y hermanos, y hermanas, y aun también su propia vida, no puede ser mi discípulo. (VP) Y el que no toma su propia cruz y me sigue, no puede ser mi discípulo.

Lk 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (RVR) Y el que no lleva su cruz y viene en pos de mí, no puede ser mi discípulo (VP) Y el que no toma su propia cruz y me sigue, no puede ser mi discípulo.

Luke 14:33 “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. (RVR) Así, pues, cualquiera de vosotros que no renuncia a todo lo que posee, no puede ser mi discípulo. (VP) Así pues, cualquiera de ustedes que no deje todo lo que tiene, no puede ser mi discípulo

Sermon: (Luke 14) God’s Gift of a Higher Standard …….Jesus raises the bar on Discipleship

1 – he went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee [& heals a man….value of each person]

12- luncheon/dinner illustration [value of the poor]

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and “make them come in”, so that my house will be full  (RVR) Dijo el señor al siervo: Vé por los caminos y por los vallados, y fuérzalos a entrar, para que se llene mi casa. (VP) Entonces el amo le dijo al criado: ‘Ve por los caminos y los cercados, y obliga a otros a entrar, para que se llene mi casa.

GOD WANTS AS MANY AS POSSIBLE IN HEAVEN!...EACH ONE IS VALUABLE

Luke 14:25  Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: (RVR) Grandes multitudes iban con él; y volviéndose, les dijo: (VP) Mucha gente seguía a Jesús; y él se volvió y dijo:

            SURPRISE ! He reduces the number ..by making them count the cost of discipleship

They want him to take the throne as the new kings so he can give them freedom

            Why are you his disciple? Because of what he gives or because of who he is?

Luke 14:25  Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: (RVR) Grandes multitudes iban con él; y volviéndose, les dijo: (VP) Mucha gente seguía a Jesús; y él se volvió y dijo:

            He is headed to Jerusalem (17:11)….to the cross (18:31-34)

            Are you willing to travel with Jesus no matter where it takes you, where you end up?

Luke 14:26  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even [hate ] his own life—he cannot be my disciple. (RVR) Si alguno viene a mí, y no aborrece a su padre, y madre, y mujer, e hijos, y hermanos, y hermanas, y aun también su propia vida, no puede ser mi discípulo. (VP) “Si alguno viene a mí y no me ama más que a su padre, a su madre, a su esposa, a sus hijos, a sus hermanos y a sus hermanas, y aun más que a sí mismo, no puede ser mi discípulo.

Exod 20:12  “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you

Matt 10:37  “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (RVR) El que ama a padre o madre más que a mí, no es digno de mí; el que ama a hijo o hija más que a mí, no es digno de mí;

            Rom 9:13, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated

Gen 29:30 Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. 31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

            Discipleship requires Jesus be your priority over your most valued Relationships

                        How do you get to the point where you love Jesus more than anyone else?

                        It is a daily learning process….

            What does ___X___ want me to do?     VS               What does Jesus want me to do?

Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (RVR) Y el que no lleva su cruz y viene en pos de mí, no puede ser mi discípulo. (VP) Y el que no toma su propia cruz y me sigue, no puede ser mi discípulo.

Carry his cross – symbol of death

Carry his cross – symbol of submission….. to a higher authority

                        The will of one imposed over the other…..The stronger over the weaker!

            The will of Rome was imposed by force….or the will of God can be done by choice!

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (RVR) Y decía a todos: Si alguno quiere venir en pos de mí, niéguese a sí mismo, tome su cruz cada día, y sígame.  (VP) Después les dijo a todos: —Si alguno quiere ser discípulo mío, olvídese de sí mismo, cargue con su cruz cada día y sígame.

                        Daily submission and surrender

                        Daily denial of self and chosing His will over ours

Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow ME cannot be my disciple. (RVR) Y el que no lleva su cruz y viene en pos de mí, no puede ser mi discípulo. (VP) Y el que no toma su propia cruz y me sigue, no puede ser mi discípulo.

Follow me –same path (of suffering)….same end (death)…..same purpose (God’ glory)

Luke 14:28-30 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate [count, calculate] the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ (RVR) Porque ¿quién de vosotros, queriendo edificar una torre, no se sienta primero y calcula los gastos, [calcula el costo] a ver si tiene lo que necesita para acabarla? 29 No sea que después que haya puesto el cimiento, y no pueda acabarla, todos los que lo vean comiencen a hacer burla de él, 30 diciendo: Este hombre comenzó a edificar, y no pudo acabar. (VP) Si alguno de ustedes quiere construir una torre, ¿acaso no se sienta primero a calcular los gastos, para ver si tiene con qué terminarla? 29 De otra manera, si pone los cimientos y después no puede terminarla, todos los que lo vean comenzarán a burlarse de él, 30 diciendo: ‘Este hombre empezó a construir, pero no pudo terminar.’

            COUNT THE COST

Rev. 13:18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666 / NBLH Aquí hay sabiduría. El que tiene entendimiento, que calcule el número de la bestia, porque el número es el de un hombre, y su número es 666).

Luke 14:31-32 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. (RVR)  ¿O qué rey, al marchar a la guerra contra otro rey, no se sienta primero y considera si puede hacer frente con diez mil al que viene contra él con veinte mil? 32 Y si no puede, cuando el otro está todavía lejos, le envía una embajada y le pide condiciones de paz.  (VP) O si algún rey tiene que ir a la guerra contra otro rey, ¿acaso no se sienta primero a calcular si con diez mil soldados puede hacer frente a quien va a atacarlo con veinte mil? 32 Y si no puede hacerle frente, cuando el otro rey esté todavía lejos, le mandará mensajeros a pedir la paz.

            CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES

John 11:53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

John 12:10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,

Luke 14:33 In the same way, [so] any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple / Asi,  pues,

            Prioritize me in your Relationships

            Daily bear your cross

            Count the cost of being my disciple

            Count the consequences of being my disciple

Following Jesus has its privileges/blessings—but also its costs / consequences,

Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything [all you own, all you have, all your possessions] he has cannot be my disciple   (RVR) Así, pues, cualquiera de vosotros que no renuncia a todo lo que posee, no puede ser mi discípulo, (VP) Así pues, cualquiera de ustedes que no deje todo lo que tiene, no puede ser mi discípulo (NBLH) “Así pues, cualquiera de ustedes que no renuncie a todas sus posesiones, [sus bienes NVI] no puede ser Mi discípulo.

            This standard applies to all believers!!!!

Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything [all you own, all you have, all your possessions] he has cannot be my disciple  (RVR) Así, pues, cualquiera de vosotros que no renuncia a todo lo que posee, no puede ser mi discípulo, (VP) Así pues, cualquiera de ustedes que no deje todo lo que tiene, no puede ser mi discípulo

Luke 9:61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by [Adios] to my family. (NVI) Otro afirmó: —Te seguiré, Señor; pero primero déjame despedirme de mi familia

Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything [all you own, all you have, all your possessions] he has cannot be my disciple (RVR) Así, pues, cualquiera de vosotros que no renuncia a todo lo que posee, no puede ser mi discípulo, (VP) Así pues, cualquiera de ustedes que no deje todo lo que tiene, no puede ser mi discípulo. disciple  (NBLH) “Así pues, cualquiera de ustedes que no renuncie a todas sus posesiones, [sus bienes NVI] no puede ser Mi discípulo.

Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (RVR) Y les dijo: Mirad, y guardaos de toda avaricia; porque la vida del hombre no consiste en la abundancia de los bienes que posee. (VP) También dijo: —Cuídense ustedes de toda avaricia; porque la vida no depende del poseer muchas cosas.

Luke 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. (RVR) Vended lo que poseéis, y dad limosna; haceos bolsas que no se envejezcan, tesoro en los cielos que no se agote, donde ladrón no llega, ni polilla destruye. (VP) Vendan lo que tienen, y den a los necesitados; procúrense bolsas que no se hagan viejas, riqueza sin fin en el cielo, donde el ladrón no puede entrar ni la polilla destruir.

Luke 12:44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. (RVR)  En verdad os digo que le pondrá sobre todos sus bienes.

Luke 18:18-23 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” 21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. (VP) Uno de los jefes le preguntó a Jesús: —Maestro bueno, ¿qué debo hacer para alcanzar la vida eterna? 19 Jesús le contestó: —¿Por qué me llamas bueno? Bueno solamente hay uno: Dios. 20 Ya sabes los mandamientos: ‘No cometas adulterio, no mates, no robes, no digas mentiras en perjuicio de nadie, y honra a tu padre y a tu madre.’ 21 El hombre le dijo: —Todo eso lo he cumplido desde joven. 22 Al oir esto, Jesús le contestó: —Todavía te falta una cosa: vende todo lo que tienes y dáselo a los pobres. Así tendrás riqueza en el cielo. Luego ven y sígueme. 23 Pero cuando el hombre oyó esto, se puso muy triste, porque era muy rico.

SIGN IT OVER TO JESUS: TITLE DEED TO ALL YOU HAVE:

            Relationships…..Possessions – Dreams – Goals – Desires –

The cost is, in a word, everything. Those who are considering becoming followers of Jesus should think long and hard about the cost before making the commitment.

*Matt.10: 1-42                        Mark 6:7-11                Luke 9:1-5

Matt 16:21-26             Mark 8:31-37              *Luke 9:22-25

                                                                                                            John 8:31

*Luke 14:26

*Luke 14:27

                                                                        *Luke 14:33

                                                                                                            John 13:35

                                                                                                            John 15:8

“everything”

5224 ὑπάρχω [KJV] [huparchonta /hoop·ar·khon·tah/] v participle. Neuter plural of present participle active of 5225 as noun; GK 5639; 14 occurrences; AV translates as “goods” seven times, “that (one) has” four times, “things which (one) possesses” twice, and “substance” once. 1 possessions, goods, wealth, property

(NKJV) So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

5225 ὑπάρχω [NASB] [huparcho /hoop·ar·kho/] v. From 5259 and 756; GK 5639; 48 occurrences; AV translates as “be” 42 times, “have” twice, “live” once, “after” once, and not translated twice. 1 to begin below, to make a beginning. 1a to begin. 2 to come forth, hence to be there, be ready, be at hand. 3 to be

NASB95) So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions

5224. ὑπάρχοντα hupárchonta; the pres. part. neut. pl. of hupárchō (5225), to exist. Things which someone has, goods, possessions. It is joined either with a dat. (Luke 8:3; Acts 4:32) or with a gen. of person (Matt. 19:21; 24:47; 25:14; 11:21; 12:15, 33, 44; 14:33; 16:1; 19:8; 1 Cor. 13:3; Heb. 10:34; Sept.: Gen. 12:5; 31:18; 36:6, 7; 1 Chr. 28:1). Syn.: bíos (979), possessions; skeúos (4632), goods, vessel; ploútos (4149), riches; kté̄ma (2933), estate; chōríon (5564), a plot of ground, possession.

5225. ὑπάρχω hupárchō; fut. hupárxō, from hupó (5259), and árchō (757), to begin. To be, live, exist (Luke 7:25; 16:23; 27:34). (I) Generally and in an absolute sense, to exist (Acts 19:40; 27:21; 28:18; 1 Cor. 11:18). Followed by the dat. of person, to be present with someone, implying possession, property (Acts 3:6, “Silver and gold have I none”; 4:37; 28:7; 2 Pet. 1:8; Sept.: Job 2:4). The pl. pres. part. tá hupárchonta (5224) has the same meaning, used as a subst., things present, in hand, possessions. (II) To be, the same as eimí (1510), to be, logically connecting the subj. and predicate. (A) With a subst. as predicate (Luke 8:41; 23:50; Acts 2:30; 4:34; 16:3, 20, 37; 17:24, 29; 21:20; 22:3; 1 Cor. 11:7; 12:22; Gal. 1:14; 2:14; 2 Pet. 2:19).

(B) With an adj. as predicate (Luke 9:48; 11:13; 16:14; Acts 3:2; 7:55; 14:8; 27:12; Rom. 4:19; 1 Cor. 7:26; 2 Cor. 8:17; 12:16; James 2:15; 2 Pet. 3:11). (C) As forming a periphrasis for a finite tense of the same verb (Acts 8:16, “only they were baptized”) (D) With an adv. as predicate (Acts 17:27, God, being not far). (E) With a prep. and its case as predicate. En (1722), in, with the dat. where hupárchei then implies a being, remaining, living in any state or place. En with a dat. of condition (Luke 7:25; 16:23; Acts 5:4; Phil. 2:6). En with the dat. of place (Acts 10:12; Phil. 3:20). Prós (4314), toward, with the gen. (Acts 27:34). Deriv.: proüpárchō (4391), to exist before; húparxis (5223), being, existence. Syn.: gínomai (1096), to become; eimí (1510), to be; záō (2198), to live; anastréphō (390), to live, behave, conduct one’s life. Ant.: apothné̄skō (599), to die off or out; teleutáō (5053), to end one’s life, die; thné̄skō (2348), to die

5224 ὑπάρχοντα. neut. pl. del parti. pres. act. de ὑπάρχω, 5225, Como sust. Bienes. A.T. אוֹן, Job 18:7. יִהיֶה אֲשֶׁר, Dt. 21:16. אֲשֶׁר יֶשׁ־ל׳, Gn. 39:5. אֲשֶׁר ל׳, Gn. 25:5. הוֹן, Pr. 6:31. חַיִל Job 15:29. מִקְנֶה, Gn. 31:18. נְכָסִים, Ec. 5:18. נִכְסִין, Esd. 6:8. קִנְיָן; Gn. 34:23. רְכוּשׁ, רְכֻשׁ, Gn. 12:5. רְכֻלָּה Ez. 26:12.

N.T. Bienes: Mt. 19:21; Mt. 24:47; Mt. 25:14; Lc. 8:3; Lc. 11:21; Lc. 12:15; Lc. 12:33; Lc. 12:44; Lc. 14:33; Lc. 16:1; Lc. 19:8; Hch. 4:32; 1 Co. 13:3; He. 10:34.

5225 ὑπάρχω. (imperf. ὑπῆρχον; fut. ὑπάρξω; 1 aor. ὑπῆρξα; perf. pas. ὑπῆργμαι). Ver ὑπάρχοντα, 5224. Ser, haber, estar, tener a disposición, tener, comenzar. A.T. הָיָה, Ez. 16:49. יֵשׁ, Mal. 1:14. לִין; Jer. 4:14. אָוֶן Am. 5:5. N.T. Lc. 7:25; Lc. 8:41; Lc. 9:48; Lc. 16:14; Lc. 16:23; Lc. 23:50; Hch. 2:30; Hch. 3:2; Hch. 3:6; Hch. 4:34; Hch. 4:37; Hch. 5:4; Hch. 7:55; Hch. 8:16; Hch. 10:12; Hch. 16:3; Hch. 17:24; Hch. 17:27; Hch. 19:36; Hch. 19:40; Hch. 21:20; Hch. 22:3; Hch. 27:21; Hch. 27:34; Hch. 28:7; Hch. 28:18; Ro. 4:19; 1 Co. 7:26; 1 Co. 11:7; 1 Co. 11:18; 1 Co. 12:22; 2 Co. 8:17; 2 Co. 12:16; Gá. 1:14; Gá. 2:14; Fil. 2:6; Fil. 3:20; Stg. 2:15; 2 P. 1:8; 2 P. 2:19; 2 P. 3:11.

GIVE UP

657 ἀποτάσσω [apotassomai /ap·ot·as·som·ahee/] v. Middle voice from 575 and 5021; TDNT 8:33; GK 698; Six occurrences; AV translates as “bid farewell” twice, “take leave” twice, “send away” once, and “forsake” once. 1 to set apart, separate. 1a to separate one’s self, withdraw one’s self from anyone. 1a1 to take leave of, bid farewell to. 1b to renounce, forsake.

657. ἀποτάσσω apotássō; fut. apottáxō, from apó (575), from, and tássō (5021), to place in order. To assign to different places, allot. In the NT, only in the mid. meaning to take leave of, bid farewell; to dismiss, forsake, or renounce. Translated “forsaketh” in Luke 14:33 and carries the notion of putting something aside (perhaps in its correct priority) to prevent it from being a hindrance or gaining excessive control. In Luke 9:61 the man who expressed the desire to follow Jesus wanted first to see that his own family was well cared for. Jesus knew that by the time he did that, he would have forgotten his promise to Him. In other references it means separating oneself from others, places, or things (Mark 6:46; Acts 18:18, 21; 2 Cor. 2:13).

Syn.: kataleípō (2641), to leave behind; egkataleípō (1459), to abandon, leave; aphíēmi (863), to leave, forsake; aníēmi (447), to let go, to go up; apoleípō (620), to leave behind; apaspázomai in Acts 21:6 (UBS) and aspázomai (782 [TR]) to enfold in the arms, embrace, take leave.

Ant.: analambánō (353), to take up; apolambánō (618), to receive; paralambánō (3880), to take to oneself; proslambánō (4355), to receive; prosdéchomai (4327), to receive favorably; eudokéō (2106), to approve, approbate; paradéchomai (3858), to receive with delight; homologéō (3670), to assent, confess.

APOTASSŌ (ἀποτάσσω , (657)) is used in the Middle Voice to signify to bid adieu to a person. It primarily means to set apart, separate (apo, from, tassō, to set, arrange); then, to take leave of, to bid farewell to, Mark 6:46; Luke 9:61; to give parting instructions to, Acts 18:18, 21; 2 Cor. 2:13; to forsake, renounce, Luke 14:33.

ἀποτάσσομαι. (1 aor. ἀπεταξάμην). Separarse de otro, despedirse de, deshacerse de, renunciar a: Mr. 6:46; Lc. 9:61; Lc. 14:33; Hch. 18:18; Hch. 18:21; 2 Co. 2:13.

In the NT we find only the mid.: “to part from,” least emphatically in Ac. 18:18, 21; perhaps stronger in 2 C. 2:13 (cf. 12b), also “to depart,” Mk. 6:46 → line 11 f. The man who makes formal parting from his folks a presupposition of ἀκολουθεῖν (→ I, 213, 34 ff.) is said by Jesus not to be fit for the kingdom of God, Lk. 9:61 f.; cf. 1 K. 19:20 f. In Lk. 14:33 Jesus demands the radical renunciation of all possessions from the man who wants to join Him

11 occurrences NASB

8 occurrences KJV

Bkc - 14:25-27. The setting then changed: large crowds were traveling with Jesus. Jesus intended to impress on the people their need to examine their resolve to follow Him. He was on His way to die on the cross. Ultimately everyone did desert Him when He was alone in the garden and then arrested and put on trial. To emphasize that discipleship is difficult, Jesus said that one must hate his own family and even his own life in order to be His disciple. Literally hating one’s family would have been a violation of the Law. Since Jesus on several occasions admonished others to fulfill the Law, He must not have meant here that one should literally hate his family. The stress here is on the priority of love (Matt. 10:37). One’s loyalty to Jesus must come before his loyalty to his family or even to life itself. Indeed, those who did follow Jesus against their families’ desires were probably thought of as hating their families. The second difficult qualification Jesus stressed was that one must carry his (his own) cross and follow Jesus (Luke 14:27; 9:23). When the Roman Empire crucified a criminal or captive, the victim was often forced to carry his cross part of the way to the crucifixion site. Carrying his cross through the heart of the city was supposed to be a tacit admission that the Roman Empire was correct in the sentence of death imposed on him, an admission that Rome was right and he was wrong. So when Jesus enjoined His followers to carry their crosses and follow Him, He was referring to a public display before others that Jesus was right and that the disciples were following Him even to their deaths. This is exactly what the religious leaders refused to do. 14:28-33. Using two illustrations, Jesus then taught that discipleship must include planning and sacrifice. The first illustration concerned a tower (vv. 28-30). Before a person begins to build, he should be sure he will be able to pay the full cost of the project. Jesus’ followers must also be sure they are willing to pay the full price of discipleship. The second illustration concerned a king who went out to battle. The king should be willing to sacrifice a desired victory if he senses he is unable to win. This principle of sacrifice is also important in the realm of discipleship: one must be willing to give up everything for Jesus. The people who were following Jesus throughout the countryside of Israel had done that. They had given up possessions and employment, knowing that the message Jesus was proclaiming was the most important thing on earth. 14:34-35. Jesus climaxed His teaching on discipleship by proclaiming that salt is good only as long as it contains the characteristics of saltiness. If it loses its saltiness, it has no value at all and is thrown out. The same is true of disciples. They must contain the characteristics of discipleship—planning and willing sacrifice—or they are of no value at all.

Jm - 14:25 great multitudes. Christ’s aim was not to gather appreciative crowds, but to make true disciples (13:23). He never adapted His message to majority preferences, but always plainly declared the high cost of discipleship. Here He made several bold demands that would discourage the half-hearted. 14:26 hate. A similar statement in Matt. 10:37 is the key to understanding this difficult command. The “hatred” called for here is actually a lesser love. Jesus was calling His disciples to cultivate such a devotion to Him that their attachment to everything else—including their own lives—would seem like hatred by comparison. See Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”; Gen. 29:30, 31 for similar usages of the word “hate.” Genesis 29:30 Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. 31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

14:27 bear his cross. willingly. This parallels the idea of hating one’s own life in v. 26. See 9:23; Matt. 10:38; Mark 8:34. 14:28 count the cost. The multitudes were positive but uncommitted. Far from making it easy for them to respond positively, He set the cost of discipleship as high as possible (vv. 26, 27, 33)—and encouraged them to do a careful inventory before declaring their willingness to follow. Cf. 9:57–62. 14:33 forsake all. Only those willing to carefully assess the cost (vv. 28–32) and invest all they had in His kingdom were worthy to enter. This speaks of something far more than mere abandonment of one’s material possessions; it is an absolute, unconditional surrender. His disciples were permitted to retain no privileges and make no demands. They were to safeguard no cherished sins; treasure no earthly possessions; and cling to no secret self-indulgences. Their commitment to Him must be without reservation. See  9:23–26 14:34 Salt is good. See Matt. 5:13; Mark 9:50. Christ employed this same imagery on at least 3 different occasions in His ministry.

Wiersbe - When Jesus left the Pharisee’s house, great crowds followed Him, but He was not impressed by their enthusiasm. He knew that most of those in the crowd were not the least bit interested in spiritual things. Some wanted only to see miracles, others heard that He fed the hungry, and a few hoped He would overthrow Rome and establish David’s promised kingdom. They were expecting the wrong things. Jesus turned to the multitude and preached a sermon that deliberately thinned out the ranks. He made it clear that, when it comes to personal discipleship, He is more interested in quality than quantity. In the matter of saving lost souls, He wants His house to be filled (Luke 14:23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full); but in the matter of personal discipleship, He wants only those who are willing to pay the price. A “disciple” is a learner, one who attaches himself or herself to a teacher in order to learn a trade or a subject. Perhaps our nearest modern equivalent is “apprentice,” one who learns by watching and by doing. The word disciple was the most common name for the followers of Jesus Christ and is used 264 times in the Gospels and the Book of Acts.  Jesus seems to make a distinction between salvation and discipleship. Salvation is open to all who will come by faith, while discipleship is for believers willing to pay a price. Salvation means coming to the cross and trusting Jesus Christ, while discipleship means carrying the cross and following Jesus Christ. Jesus wants as many sinners saved as possible (“that My house may be filled”), but He cautions us not to take discipleship lightly; and in the three parables He gave, He made it clear that there is a price to pay. To begin with, we must love Christ supremely, even more than we love our own flesh and blood (Luke 14:26–27). The word hate does not suggest positive antagonism but rather “to love less” (Gen. 29:30–31; Mal. 1:2–3; Matt. 10:37). Our love for Christ must be so strong that all other love is like hatred in comparison. In fact, we must hate our own lives and be willing to bear the cross after Him. What does it mean to “carry the cross”? It means daily identification with Christ in shame, suffering, and surrender to God’s will. It means death to self, to our own plans and ambitions, and a willingness to serve Him as He directs (John 12:23–28). A “cross” is something we willingly accept from God as part of His will for our lives. The Christian who called his noisy neighbors the “cross” he had to bear certainly did not understand the meaning of dying to self. Jesus gave three parables to explain why He makes such costly demands on His followers: the man building a tower, the king fighting a war, and the salt losing its flavor. The usual interpretation is that believers are represented by the man building the tower and the king fighting the war, and we had better “count the cost” before we start, lest we start and not be able to finish. But I agree with Campbell Morgan that the builder and the king represent not the believer but Jesus Christ. He is the One who must “count the cost” to see whether we are the kind of material He can use to build the church and battle the enemy. He cannot get the job done with halfhearted followers who will not pay the price. As I write this chapter, I can look up and see on my library shelves hundreds of volumes of Christian biographies and autobiographies, the stories of godly men and women who made great contributions to the building of the church and the battle against the enemy. They were willing to pay the price, and God blessed them and used them. They were people with “salt” in their character. Jesus had already told His disciples that they were “the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). When the sinner trusts Jesus Christ as Saviour, a miracle takes place and “clay” is turned into “salt.” Salt was a valued item in that day; in fact, part of a soldier’s pay was given in salt. (The words salt and salary are related; hence, the saying, “He’s not worth his salt.”) Salt is a preservative, and God’s people in this world are helping to retard the growth of evil and decay. Salt is also a purifying agent, an antiseptic that makes things cleaner. It may sting when it touches the wound, but it helps to kill infection. Salt gives flavor to things and, most of all, makes people thirsty. By our character and conduct, we ought to make others thirsty for the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that He alone can give. Our modern salt is pure and does not lose its flavor, but the salt in Jesus’ day was impure and could lose its flavor, especially if it came in contact with earth. Once the saltiness was gone, there was no way to restore it, and the salt was thrown out into the street to be walked on. When a disciple loses his Christian character, he is “good for nothing” and will eventually be “walked on” by others and bring disgrace to Christ. Discipleship is serious business. If we are not true disciples, then Jesus cannot build the tower and fight the war. “There is always an if in connection with discipleship,” wrote Oswald Chambers, “and it implies that we need not [be disciples] unless we like. There is never any compulsion; Jesus does not coerce us. There is only one way of being a disciple, and that is by being devoted to Jesus.” If we tell Jesus that we want to take up our cross and follow Him as His disciples, then He wants us to know exactly what we are getting into. He wants no false expectancy, no illusions, no bargains. He wants to use us as stones for building His church, soldiers for battling His enemies, and salt for bettering His world; and He is looking for quality. After all, He was on His way to Jerusalem when He spoke these words, and look what happened to Him there! He does not ask us to do anything for Him that He has not already done for us. To some, Jesus says, “You cannot be My disciples!” Why? Because they will not forsake all for Him, bear shame and reproach for Him, and let their love for Him control them.

Life App - 14:25–26 Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” Jesus was still traveling toward Jerusalem, and large crowds had joined him. Perhaps all these casual followers considered themselves “disciples” of this popular teacher. Perhaps they thought he was the Messiah and wanted to be there when he inaugurated his kingdom. But Jesus needed to explain that following him did not mean receiving goodies, like so many children. He wanted to explain what it meant to truly be his disciple. So he turned and spoke to them. His disciples had to hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself. Certainly this caused a stir among the people. Who would possibly ask his followers to hate their family members and life itself? Yet remember that God never contradicts himself. Never has Jesus advocated “hatred”—in fact, he even commanded his followers to love their enemies (6:27, 35). In these words, therefore, Jesus was not going against his own commands of love, or the fifth commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12). Nor was he attempting to subvert the natural love that exists among family members, which is a blessing from God. Instead, the word “hate” is a Semitic hyperbole—an obvious exaggeration to make a point (Gen 29:30–33; Prov 13:24). Their love for Jesus should be so complete and wholehearted that their love for family members, and for life itself would pale in comparison, to the point of being like hatred. In first-century Jewish family settings, deciding for Jesus could mean alienation from the family. Jesus warned the would-be disciples that they must be clear about their true allegiance. Jesus’ point was that those who wanted to be his followers would have demands placed upon them. The task would not be easy. Sometimes relationships would be severed, and his followers would have to turn away and remain with Jesus (12:51–53). Those who cannot make that kind of commitment cannot be [his] disciple. CASUAL DISCIPLESHIPIs your interest in living for God halfhearted? The time may come for you to make hard choices because God doesn’t take fourth priority for long. If you make career your idol, or sports or wealth, perhaps you should reevaluate. You will have to decide: to what are you really devoted? to whom are you really loyal? Following Jesus must be your first priority. 14:27 “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Besides being willing to love Jesus more than any others and more than life itself, the true disciple must be ready to carry the cross and follow (9:23). Jesus’ audience was well aware of what it meant to “carry the cross.” When the Romans led a criminal to his execution site, the criminal would be forced to carry the cross on which he would die. This showed submission to Rome and warned observers that they had better submit too. Jesus gave this teaching to get the crowds to think through their enthusiasm for him. He encouraged those who were superficial either to go deeper or to turn back. Following Christ means total submission to him—perhaps even to the point of death. 14:28–30 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh at you! They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!’ ” Jesus gave two examples of what people should consider before joining his band of followers. There is a cost in following Jesus. It is not a joyride, nor is it a passage to health and wealth. Jesus promised his followers a kingdom, but he also said that they would face difficulty and suffering because of their faith. He did not paint an unrealistic picture for his followers. Those on the fence needed to count the cost. When a builder doesn’t count the cost or estimates it inaccurately, his building may be left half-completed. What are those “costs” to believers? Christians may face loss of social status or wealth. They may have to give up control over their money, time, or career. They may be hated, separated from their family, and even put to death. Following Christ does not mean living trouble-free. All people must carefully count the cost of becoming Christ’s disciple so that they will know what they are getting into and won’t be tempted to turn back when the going gets tough.14:31–32 “Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten thousand is strong enough to defeat the twenty thousand soldiers who are marching against him? If he is not able, then while the enemy is still far away, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace.” In this second example, Jesus described a wise king’s decision to consider whether his ten thousand soldiers could defeat twice that number coming against him. He has to act, but should he fight or send a delegation to discuss terms of peace? To rush out with his soldiers, without first discussing the options, would invite disaster for his nation. Far better to think it through beforehand. So those who want to follow Jesus should carefully consider their decision. EASY DECISION? If you made a decision sometime in the past to trust Christ for salvation but since then you haven’t paid much attention to your devotion and discipleship, you may be one of those followers who hasn’t counted the cost. A decision to trust Christ means that God Almighty is now your Lord and Savior. You had better listen to him, read his Word, follow his teaching. To “walk the aisle” and then drift along is no decision at all. If you have trusted Christ, show you mean it by doing what God commands. 14:33 “So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me.” The cost to be counted is a willingness to give up everything for Jesus. For some, this may be literal, such as the rich young man in 18:18–23

Luke 18:18-23 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” 21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.

and many of Jesus’ early followers; for others it may be a willingness to hold loosely to material possessions. To be preoccupied with money or possessions is to miss the demands and joys of true discipleship, as with the people who refused the host’s invitation to the kingdom (14:18–20). Again Jesus painted no rosy picture of a high-paying job with all the benefits. He said that the way would be rough and would be a way of self-sacrifice. Oddly enough, however, this is the only way to true fulfillment and satisfaction. Unfortunately, too many refuse to count the cost or, having counted, decide it is too high. They do not count the cost to God—the life of his Son—or the immense treasures awaiting all disciples in the kingdom. Jesus does not ask anyone to give anything up without having given it up himself. Jesus’ promise is: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29). 14:34–35 “Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; they throw it away. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” In the ancient world, salt was used as a seasoning and as a preservative. The salt came mostly from salt marshes in the area southwest of the Dead Sea. This impure salt was susceptible to deterioration and could lose its flavor, leaving only useless crystals fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. Such salt was simply thrown away. Jesus’ question “How can its saltiness be restored?” did not require an answer—for once salt has deteriorated, nothing is left but worthless residue. Many Christians blend into the world and avoid the cost of standing up for Christ. But Jesus says if Christians lose their distinctive saltiness, they become worthless. Just as salt flavors and preserves food, Christ’s disciples are to preserve the good in the world, help keep it from spoiling, and bring new flavor to life. This requires careful planning, willing sacrifice, and unswerving commitment to Christ’s kingdom. Being “salty” is not easy, but if Christians fail in this function, they fail to represent Christ in the world. The person with ears should be able to understand these words and apply them.

Word in Life st bib - The Cost of Following Jesus 14:25–33 Following Jesus has its privileges—but also its costs, as Luke 14:25–33 reveals:

The cost of service (14:26). Jesus’ followers must serve Him before all others.

The cost of sacrifice (14:27). Jesus’ followers must subordinate their own interests to the interests of Christ.

The cost of self-assessment (14:28–30). Jesus’ followers must be fully in touch with who they are and how Christ has equipped and empowered them to do what He asks.

The cost of strategy (14:31–33). Jesus’ followers must think through the issues and have the courage to act in the face of uncertainty.

Crossway - Self-denial; counting the cost; salt which has lost its saltiness (14:25-35)

1. Christians must be prepared to give up everything for Christ. We learn, first, from this passage that true Christians must be ready, if necessary, to give up everything for Christ’s sake. Our Lord says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple” (verses 26–27). We must never explain any verses of Scripture in such a way that they contradict other verses of Scripture. Our Lord is not telling us here to hate our relatives. This would be against the fifth commandment. He only meant that those who follow him must love him with a deeper love than their nearest and dearest, or even their own lives. He must be prepared to offend his family rather than offend Christ. Thousands of Christians will bless God on the last day that they had relatives and friends who chose to displease them rather than Christ. That very decision was the first thing that made them think seriously and led finally to the conversion of their souls.

2. Counting the cost We learn, second, from this passage that those who are thinking of following Christ should be warned to “count the cost” (verse 28). This was a lesson for the multitudes who followed our Lord without any thought. This teaching was underlined with two illustrations—one about a person who wanted to build a tower, and the other about a king engaging in war. This lesson is beneficial for the church in every age. It costs something to be a true Christian. To be a mere nominal Christian and go to church is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice and follow Christ and believe in Christ and confess Christ requires much self-denial. It will cost us our sins and our self-righteousness and our ease and our worldliness. All must be given up. We must fight an enemy who comes against us with thousands of followers. We must build a tower in troublesome times. Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to completely understand this. He tells us to count the cost. Our Lord spoke as he did to prevent men from following him lightly and inconsiderately, from mere excitement, men who in time of temptation would fall away. He knew that nothing does such harm to religion as backsliding, and that nothing causes backsliding like enlisting disciples without telling them what discipleship will involve.

3. Backsliders and apostates We learn, lastly, from this passage how miserable is the condition of backsliders and apostates. This is a lesson which is intimately connected with the preceding one. The necessity of counting the cost is underlined by a picture of the consequences of failing to do so. The person who has once made a profession of religion but later falls away is like salt which “loses its saltiness” (verse 34). Such salt is useless. “It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out” (verse 35). The condition of that salt is a warning to backsliders. No wonder our Lord said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (verse 35).

This is a very painful but necessary truth. Nobody, it must be remembered, is in so dangerous a state as someone who has once known the truth and professed to love it and has later fallen away from that profession and gone back to the world. Such a person has not sinned in ignorance, like many have, but has gone away from Christ with open eyes. He has sinned against a known and not an unknown God. His case is almost desperate. All things are possible with God. Yet it is written: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance” (Hebrews 6:4–6). Once we have started, let us pray for grace that we may persevere and never fall away.

26. “Comes to me and does not hate.” The word hate in this verse must clearly be taken comparatively. The following quotation from Pearce deserves reading: “Besides the proof from Matthew 10:37, that the word ‘hate’ here means ‘love less,’ it may be added that in Matthew 6:24 the word ‘hate’ is used in the same way. Also, when we read in Romans 9:13, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated,’ the meaning is that I have loved Jacob more than Esau. That this is no arbitrary interpretation of the word ‘hate,’ but one agreeable to the Hebrew idiom, appears from what is said in Genesis 29:30–31, where Leah being ‘hated’ is explained by Rachel being loved more than Leah. See also Deuteronomy 21:15–17.”

34. “Loses its saltiness.” This striking and solemn saying about the salt that “loses its saltiness” is found on three occasions in the Gospels (Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:50). The sinfulness of sins against light and knowledge and the possibility of being given over to a reprobate mind are fearful points to ponder. People seem to forget that there is such a thing as an unpardonable sin, and that if salt has once lost is saltiness, it cannot be seasoned again. The Bible teaches that no sinner is so unlikely to be saved as the person who after making a strong spiritual profession of faith falls away and returns to the world. There is no heart so unlikely to be changed as the heart which once professed to love the Gospel but later becomes cold and indifferent.

IVP - Pure Discipleship (14:25–35) With this very short subunit in the journey section, Jesus’ attention turns almost totally to his disciples. The leadership has been warned and rebuked. But what does following Jesus really require? The previous parable had hinted that other issues became higher priorities for the original invitees to God’s kingdom. This single unit will make it clear that disciples should count the cost of following Jesus, because success will not come easily.  This passage is unique to Luke, though verses 26–27 are like Matthew 10:37–38 and verses 34–35 are similar to Matthew 5:13 and Mark 9:49–50. It is extremely significant that this passage is addressed to large crowds. Jesus offered himself to all, but he also was honest from the very beginning of his preaching about what the journey would involve. What Jesus asks for is first place in one’s heart. That is what successful discipleship requires. So Jesus calls for a follower who will hate his mother and father, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life. The point of the list is that no other relationship is first for a disciple. “Hate” is used figuratively and suggests a priority of relationship. Jesus is first. To follow Jesus means to follow Jesus, not anyone or anything else. A disciple is a learner, and the primary teacher in life is Jesus. This total loyalty is crucial, given the rejection and persecution that lie ahead. If his followers care more about family than about Jesus, when families are divided under pressure of persecution, they will choose against Jesus. This is what lies behind Jesus’ remarks. Discipleship is not possible if Jesus is not the teacher. This is why bearing the cross and coming after Jesus is the issue of discipleship. Learning from Jesus means following him, experiencing the rejection he experienced and so bearing the cross he bore. We cannot “learn Jesus” without being prepared to walk this path. Discipleship is basically allegiance. To follow Jesus is to rely on him. Paul makes the same point in different imagery in Romans 6. Two pictures illustrate the teaching, though each has a slightly different point. The first picture involves the building of what is probably a watchtower for a vineyard. To be a success, this building program must be planned out carefully; otherwise the builder may well start the project but not finish it. Failure to finish would make the builder a laughingstock to neighbors, as his half-finished shell of a tower casts its incomplete shadow over the land. So Jesus asks what person does not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it. How sad it is to start something and not finish it. The failure is evident to all. Verse 30 expresses the public response in very mocking terms, as all around belittle “this fellow.” The shell of the building echoes the shell that remains of this man’s reputation. The implication is that embarking on discipleship is just the same: we do well to reflect on what it will take to finish what we have started. The second picture is of a king who finds his forces outnumbered as he considers going to battle. After calculating the cost in terms of destruction, he decides that appealing for peace is a better idea. The king reflects, then acts. Many readers take this to be a second example of taking stock, just like the first illustration. But there may be something more here. In the case of building the tower, all the options lay with the builder. In the case of potential war, the situation is forced on the king. Only a foolish king would try to take on a stronger foe when he is outnumbered two to one. So it is prudent to seek peace with the stronger foe. There is a “more powerful one” than Satan to deal with in life: God. It is wise to count the cost of facing him. There are benefits in allying ourselves with God rather than having him as the decidedly stronger enemy. The application Jesus states without apology: “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Jesus must be first. Those who are disposed to oppose God’s will should count the cost. Much better sue for peace with God on his terms. His terms for peace are gracious, but disciples must acknowledge that he is the source of life and spiritual well-being. A final warning closes the exhortation. Salt is good as long as it is salty. If not, it is thrown away. Now salt in the ancient world was used in several ways: as a catalyst for a fire, as seasoning, as a preservative and as fertilizer. In each case the presence of salt facilitated some function. But once salt ceases to perform its role, it is good for nothing. Similarly, the disciple who loses “saltiness” can become useless to God. There are a couple of possible ways to interpret thrown out here. It could refer to being rejected for never having been genuine to begin with, like the “odd man out” in many of Jesus’ parables (12:46; 19:21–26; Mt 25:20), or it could warn of the physical judgment that comes on those who displease God (1 Cor 11:30). Jesus’ remark is ambiguous and may be purposely so to allow for both possibilities. Clearly, however, the warning should be heeded, since Jesus closes his remarks with “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Discipleship is serious business to Jesus. To be a disciple and complete the task, we must count the cost. It is a good idea to sue for peace and come to terms with God. But that means we must humbly come to him on his terms. Successful discipleship requires that God be first.

College - Jesus continues to talk about the high cost of discipleship

Luke 9:57-62 57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”). The cost is, in a word, everything. Those who are considering becoming followers of Jesus should think long and hard about the cost before making the commitment.

25–26a. Jesus’ disciples have already made the commitment, but Jesus wants the large crowds to understand that the messianic banquet will be enjoyed only by those who have paid a high price. The reader knows that they are traveling with Jesus to Jerusalem, where it will no longer be easy to follow him. Therefore he announces that no one can be his disciple unless he or she hates father and mother … wife (or husband) and children … brothers and sisters. The term “hate” reflects a hyperbolic Hebrew idiom which means “love less,” as Matthew 10:37 makes clear. Matthew 10:37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; To say that Jesus’ words are hyperbole or overstatement does not lessen the demand at all. The kingdom must come before even family, a point Jesus has made before in 12:53, in which the kingdom divides families, “father against son, … and mother against daughter.” 26b. The disciple must even hate his own life. This most likely means that Jesus’ followers must be willing to die for him. However, it could also mean to “deny oneself” the many desires of the self (Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it). To “carry the cross” is a similar phrase, in that it conveys a willingness to face martyrdom as well as the more symbolic sense of a willingness to endure great personal sacrifice. Jesus has already said that his followers take up the cross daily, which points to daily sacrifice and not daily death.  28–30. The two parables which follow illustrate the need to commit to discipleship only after carefully considering Jesus’ demands. In the first-century world an individual would build a tower for protection for a vineyard or a house. It would serve as a lookout tower to detect thieves or approaching enemies. If he does not have enough money, he is best advised not to start. Otherwise, everyone who sees it will ridicule him. 31–33. Similarly, the king who is about to go to war must assess his soldiers and arms before engaging the battle. Most likely, the king with ten thousand should not attempt to oppose the one … with twenty thousand. The wise king who knows he cannot win the battle will send a delegation . . . and will ask for terms of peace. Just as the tower builder and the king need to know before committing, the crowds are now told that to be a disciple one must give up everything. 34–35. There can be no half-hearted disciples, because the essence of following Jesus is a total commitment. Just as salt which has lost its saltiness is worthless, a disciple who will not deny self will never have any positive influence on anyone. Here salt is valued for its ability to season. If it cannot do that, it has no value. It would ruin the soil and even the manure pile. Having spoken another set of parables (see 8:8), Jesus reminds his hearers that it is now up to them to understand and act on his words: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Baker - 14:25–33 The Cost of Discipleship. The Parable of The Rash Builder and The Reasonable King For 14:26, 27 cf. Matt. 10:37, 38

 The Cost of Discipleship 25, 26. Now huge crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he suddenly turned and said to them, If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. The topical connection between this and the preceding section is close. On his way toward Jerusalem, through Perea, huge crowds are following Jesus. All at once he turns to them and addresses them in words which in substance, though not exactly, are found also in Matt. 10:37. He tells the people that devotion to himself must be so wholehearted that even attachment to parents and to the other members of one’s family must not be allowed to stand in the way. What has bothered many people is the word hate which Jesus uses here. Does the Master really mean that a true disciple must dislike, detest, abhor, loathe his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters? A good rule to follow is always this one: “Let Scripture be its own interpreter.” The two parallel passages should be placed side by side.

Matthew 10:37 Compared with Luke 14:26

Clearly, then, the meaning of hate in the Lucan passage is to love less. In all things Christ must always have the pre-eminence (Col. 1:18).

Other arguments in support of this view:

a. The word hate has the same meaning—to love less—in Gen. 29:31, “Jehovah saw that Leah was hated.” The explanation of “hated” is given in the immediate context, verse 30, “Jacob … loved Rachel more than Leah.” In other words, he loved Leah less than Rachel. It was in that sense that he “hated” Leah.

b. That the word hate in Luke 14:26 cannot have the meaning which we generally attach to it is clear also from the fact that Jesus tells us to love even our enemies (Matt. 5:44). Then we should certainly love and not hate members of our immediate family. What the Savior demands in Luke 14:26 and other passages is complete devotion, the type of loyalty that is so true and unswerving that every other attachment, even that to one’s own life, must be subjected to it. When an alien wishes to become a citizen of the United States of America he must renounce allegiance to his native land and take an oath of loyalty to the country of his choice. This does not mean that he cannot continue to think highly of the nation to which he has said Farewell, but it does mean that from now on he must serve “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Even far more absolute and unconditional must be the loyalty which citizens of the kingdom of God sustain toward their heavenly country and its “Lord of lords and King of kings.” If a person is unwilling to tender that unconditional devotion, then, says Jesus, “he cannot be my disciple.” That same expression is found also in the next verse:

27. Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Cf. Matt. 10:38. This negative statement is implied in its positive parallel, found in Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. The Parable of The Rash Builder One might also call this “The Parable of The Reasonable Builder,” for that reasonable or sensible man is certainly implied in the words, “Who of you does not first sit down and figure out the cost,” etc. But though that title must be allowed, it remains true that in this little illustration more is said about the rash builder than about his opposite. 28–30. For who of you, wishing to erect a tower [or farm building] does not first sit down and figure out the cost, (to see) whether he has enough money to complete it? Lest perhaps, when he has laid a foundation but is unable to complete the building, all the onlookers poke fun of him, saying, This fellow began to build but was not able to finish. The lesson is Look Before You Leap. Here is a man who is thinking about building a “tower.” What kind of tower? The original does not make this clear. Perhaps a watchtower for his vineyard, so that he can be protected against pillagers, etc., and will have a place—or an extra place—for storage, and even for temporary residence. Or the “tower” of which the text speaks may have meant an entire farm building. Whatever it be, the point is that before a man starts to erect the structure he should count the cost. If he does not, he will become a laughingstock, an object of ridicule. Similarly, before one decides to be Christ’s follower, he should realize that being a Christian is not “a bed of roses.” Did not Jesus make this very clear? See Matt. 7:14; Luke 13:24; cf. John 16:33; II Tim. 3:12. To be sure, a true believer is never lost (John 10:27, 28; I John 2:19), but there are many people who seem to have cast their lot with Christ and then … fall away. Think of Demas and of Judas. What, then, is the solution? Perhaps I can remain neutral? Read on:  The Parable of The Reasonable King 31, 32. Or what king, setting out to wage war with another king, does not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet in battle the one coming against him with twenty thousand? And if he is not able, then, while the other king is still a long way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. No, you cannot remain neutral. You must leap.The title The Parable of The Reckless King is based upon the fact that such a king is indeed implied, one who does not first sit down and consider, etc. But, again, though that title is applicable, the emphasis is on the reasonable, sensible king. This king is not in the same position as the builder of the preceding parable. That man was free to act or not to act, to build or not to build. The king, however, is being attacked. Someone is coming against him with twenty thousand soldiers, but he himself has only ten thousand. So he must make a decision. That decision will probably be to send a delegation and make peace with the attacker. The illustration is apt. The foe is formidable. See I Peter 5:8; I John 2:16. The sinner too must act. Neutrality is impossible. What, then, should he do? He should become reconciled with God. That is the wise, sensible, reasonable thing to do. And is not that exactly what Jesus has been saying all along? See 12:57–59; 13:3, 5, 24, 34. Cf. II Cor. 5:20, 21. The two little parables form a unit. “Look before you leap.” “But be sure to leap … in the right direction!” Jesus is nearing the cross. Now is the critical hour. “Today, O that you would hear his voice!” (Ps. 95:7). Jesus sums it all up in these words: 33. Similarly, therefore, no one of you who does not give up all that belongs to him can be my disciple. Wholehearted devotion, all-out loyalty, complete self-denial, so that one places himself, his time, his earthly possessions, his talents, etc., at the disposal of Christ, is what Jesus asks. 34 “Salt, indeed, is good; but if even the salt becomes tasteless, what will restore it? 35 It is fit neither for soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Jesus has been emphasizing that his followers must be wholeheartedly devoted to him. They must not be merely nominal disciples. They should be genuine salt, salt that has not lost its flavor: 34, 35. Salt, indeed, is good; but if even the salt becomes tasteless, what will restore it? It is fit neither for soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. As to the underlying figure, it is easy to understand that salt is good. It is good because it preserves (combats deterioration) and imparts flavor. However, salt may lose its flavor and become tasteless. The salt from the marshes and lagoons or from the rocks in the neighborhood of the Dead Sea easily acquires a stale or alkaline taste, because of its mixture with gypsum, etc. It is then literally useless. It cannot fertilize the soil, and throwing it on the manure pile will not help any. Jesus, as he walked on earth, saw many Pharisees and scribes, people who advocated a formal, legalistic religion in the place of the true religion proclaimed by the ancient prophets in the name of the Lord. Thus by and large the salt had lost its flavor in the religious life of Israel. Many “sons of the kingdom” would be cast out (Matt. 8:12). The implication is clear. Just as salt having lost its saltiness cannot be restored, so also those who were trained in the knowledge of the truth but who then resolutely set themselves against the exhortation of the Holy Spirit and become hardened in their opposition are not renewed unto repentance (Matt. 12:32; Heb. 6:4–6). Because unswerving loyalty to Jesus Christ, and thus to God Triune, is not at all in harmony with the natural cravings of sinful human nature, and yet is absolutely necessary, Jesus concludes with the words He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

1 John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did (RVR) El que dice que permanece en él, debe andar como él anduvo.  (VP) El que dice que está unido a Dios, debe vivir como vivió Jesucristo

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and “make them come in”, so that my house will be full

GOD WANTS AS MANY AS POSSIBLE IN HEAVEN!

Luke 14:23 “make them come in” 315. ἀναγκάζω anagkázō; fut. anagkásō, from anágkē (318), necessity. To force, compel by external violence (*Acts 26:11; Gal. 2:3; 6:12). To force, compel in a moral sense as by authoritative command (Matt. 14:22; Mark 6:45); by importunate persuasion (Luke 14:23); by prevalent example (Gal. 2:14); by injustice (Acts 28:19)

ANANKAZŌ (ἀναγκάζω , (315)) denotes to put constraint upon (from anankē, necessity), to constrain, whether by threat, entreaty, force or persuasion; Christ “constrained” the disciples to get into a boat, Matt. 14:22; Mark 6:45; the servants of the man who made a great supper were to constrain people to come in, Luke 14:23 (R.V., “constrain”); Saul of Tarsus “strove” to make saints blaspheme, Acts 26:11, R.V. (A.V., “compelled”); Titus, though a Greek, was not “compelled” to be circumcised, Gal. 2:3, as Galatian converts were, 6:12, R.V.; Peter was “compelling” Gentiles to live as Jews, Gal. 2:14; Paul was “constrained” to appeal to Caesar, Acts 28:19, and was “compelled” by the church at Corinth to become foolish in speaking of himself, 2 Cor. 12:11

Obligar, constreñir, forzar, convencer, imponer

Luke 14:25  Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:

            He is headed to Jerusalem (17:11)….to the cross (18:31-34)

            Are you willing to travel with Jesus no matter where it takes you, where you end up?

συμπορεύομαι [sumporeuomai /soom·por·yoo·om·ahee/] v. From 4862 and 4198; GK 5233; Four occurrences; AV translates as “go with” three times, and “resort” once.

1 to go or journey together. 2 to come together, to assemble. 4848. συμπορεύομαι sumporeúomai; fut. sumporeúsomai, from sún (4862), together or together with, and poreúomai (4198), to go or come. To go together, accompany, with the dat. (Luke 7:11; 14:25; 24:15); with metá (3326), with, and the gen. (Sept.: Gen. 13:5; 14:24; 18:16). Of a multitude, to come together, assemble (Mark 10:1; Sept.: Job 1:4)

Luke 14:28-30 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate [count, calculate] the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ (RVR) Porque ¿quién de vosotros, queriendo edificar una torre, no se sienta primero y calcula los gastos, [calcula el costo] a ver si tiene lo que necesita para acabarla? 29 No sea que después que haya puesto el cimiento, y no pueda acabarla, todos los que lo vean comiencen a hacer burla de él, 30 diciendo: Este hombre comenzó a edificar, y no pudo acabar. (VP) Si alguno de ustedes quiere construir una torre, ¿acaso no se sienta primero a calcular los gastos, para ver si tiene con qué terminarla? 29 De otra manera, si pone los cimientos y después no puede terminarla, todos los que lo vean comenzarán a burlarse de él, 30 diciendo: ‘Este hombre empezó a construir, pero no pudo terminar.’

            COUNT THE COST

Rev. 13:18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666 / NBLH Aquí hay sabiduría. El que tiene entendimiento, que calcule el número de la bestia, porque el número es el de un hombre, y su número es 666).

5585 ψηφίζω [psephizo /psay·fid·zo/] v. From 5586; TDNT 9:604; TDNTA 1341; GK 6028; Two occurrences; AV translates as “count” twice. 1 to count with pebbles, to compute, calculate, reckon. 2 to give one’s vote by casting a pebble into the urn. 3 to decide by voting.

5585. ψηφίζω psēphízō; fut. psēphísō, from psé̄phos (5586), a small stone or pebble used particularly by the Greeks and Egyptians in their calculations. To reckon, compute, calculate, figure out (Luke 14:28; Rev. 13:18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666 / NBLH Aquí hay sabiduría. El que tiene entendimiento, que calcule el número de la bestia, porque el número es el de un hombre, y su número es 666). In the classics also in the mid. meaning to give one’s vote, vote for, decree. Deriv.: sugkatapsēphizō (4785), to be reckoned or numbered with; sumpsēphízō (4860), to count up, reckon together. Syn.: logízomai (3049), to reckon, count; sunaírō (4868), to make a reckoning together. PSĒPHIZŌ (ψηφίζω , (5585)), akin to psēphos, a stone, used in voting, occurs in Luke 14:28; Rev. 13:18.

δαπάνη, ης, ἡ. Gastos Esd. 6:4 Ezra 6:4 with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury. Lc. 14:28. δαπάνη, ης, ἡ. Gastos:  Esd. 6:4. Lc. 14:28. 

Luke 14:31-32 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. (RVR)  ¿O qué rey, al marchar a la guerra contra otro rey, no se sienta primero y considera si puede hacer frente con diez mil al que viene contra él con veinte mil? 32 Y si no puede, cuando el otro está todavía lejos, le envía una embajada y le pide condiciones de paz.  (VP) O si algún rey tiene que ir a la guerra contra otro rey, ¿acaso no se sienta primero a calcular si con diez mil soldados puede hacer frente a quien va a atacarlo con veinte mil? 32 Y si no puede hacerle frente, cuando el otro rey esté todavía lejos, le mandará mensajeros a pedir la paz.

            CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES

John 11:53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

John 12:10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,

1011 βουλεύω [bouleuo /bool·yoo·o/] v. From 1012; GK 1086; Eight occurrences; AV translates as “consult” twice, “be minded” twice, “purpose” twice, “determine” once, and “take counsel” once. 1 to deliberate with one’s self, consider. 2 to take counsel, resolve.

1011. βουλεύω bouleúō; fut. bouleúsō, from boulé̄ (1012), counsel, will. To resolve in council, to decree. In the NT, only in the mid., bouleúomai, fut. bouleúsomai, to take counsel, with the meaning of to consult, determine, deliberate with oneself or with one another in counsel.

(I) To consult, to deliberate as spoken of a single person (Luke 14:31; Sept.: 1 Kgs. 12:28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”; Neh. 5:7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are exacting usury from your own countrymen!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them). (II) To resolve, determine, purpose after deliberation in particular, used with the acc. (2 Cor. 1:17; Sept.: Is. 14:26, 27; 19:17; 46:10; 14:26, 27; 19:17); used with the aor. inf. (Acts 5:33; 15:37; 27:39; Sept.: Esth. 3:6). Followed by hína (2443), so that (John 12:10). Deriv.: bouleuté̄s (1010), a councilman, a member of a council; parabouleúomai (3851), to disregard; sumbouleúō (4823), to counsel with someone. Syn.: thélō (2309), to will, which means not only to wish and decide but also to have the power to execute.

BOULEUŌ (βουλεύω , (1011)), used in the Middle Voice, means (a) to consult, Luke 14:31; (b) to resolve, John 12:10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,, “consulted;” R.V., “took counsel.”

Luke 14:33

NLT) So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

NASB “So 3779  then 3767 , none 3956 3756  of you can 1410  be My disciple 3101  who 3739  does not give 657  up all 3956  his own 1438  possessions 5225

KJV - So 3767  likewise, 3779  whosoever 3956  , he be of 1537  you 5216  that 3739  forsaketh 657  not 3756  all 3956  , that he hath, 5224  ,/ he cannot 1410  be 1511  my 3450  disciple. 3101  /

(NKJV) So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

(NVI) De la misma manera, cualquiera de ustedes que no renuncie a todos sus bienes, no puede ser mi discípulo.

Luke 14:33

(NASB95) “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

(NASB) “So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

NLT) So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.