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Luke 14

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

And they could not answer him again to these things.

And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

What does Luke 14:32 mean?

Explanation

This verse, Luke 14:32, is part of a parable Jesus tells to illustrate the cost of discipleship. In this specific verse, Jesus is describing a situation where a king, after considering the strength and size of an opposing army, decides to seek peace before the battle begins.

The verse emphasizes the importance of assessing one's ability and readiness before taking on a significant commitment.

In a deeper sense, Jesus is using this analogy to suggest that one must consider the demands of being His disciple and be willing to compromise or surrender anything that could hinder their complete commitment to following Him.

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Historical Context

Luke 14:32 is set within the wider context of Jesus' journey towards Jerusalem, where He is teaching large crowds about the kingdom of God and what it means to follow Him.

The culture of the time respected the wisdom in preparing for conflict and taking stock of one's resources before engaging in battle.

The concept of sending an ambassage, or a delegation, to negotiate terms would have been familiar to Jesus' audience as a common diplomatic practice in the ancient Near East.

Theological Insights

Different Christian traditions draw varied theological insights from this verse. In general, most Christians see this as a teaching about the commitment required of Jesus’ followers.

It suggests a sober reflection on whether one has the spiritual resources necessary to live out the Christian life.

Some say it encourages complete surrender to God's will, showing that discipleship may require abandoning one's personal ambitions.

Furthermore, some theologians suggest the "other" king symbolizes God, and the verse illustrates the futility of resisting His kingdom, thus interpreting the passage as a call to reconciliation with God.

Practical Applications

The practical application of Luke 14:32 is about considering the cost and making wise decisions when faced with important commitments, whether in faith, relationships, or life choices.

This might mean engaging in self-reflection before making major decisions, seeking reconciliation rather than conflict, or prioritizing one's life to align with personal values and beliefs.

For Christians, it can mean evaluating if one's lifestyle is in alignment with their commitment to following Christ.

Cross-References

Matthew 5:25: "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison."
Proverbs 20:18: "Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war."
Luke 14:28-30: "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?"

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text include:

"Ambassage" (πρεσβείαν - presbeian): Can mean an embassy, delegation, or entreaty.

It connotes the idea of formally requesting peace.

"Desireth" (ἐρωτᾷ - erōta): Means to ask, request, or petition, implying a diplomatic negotiation.
"Conditions of peace" (εἰρηνεύοντα - eirēneuonta): The term for peace here is rooted in the Greek "eirene," which means a state of national tranquillity, exemption from the rage and havoc of war.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures, warfare and the negotiation of peace were deeply ritualized.

Comparable to the biblical narrative, other ancient cultures, such as the Hittites and Egyptians, also had formal protocols for engaging in diplomacy and seeking peace.

In many religious traditions, the idea of contemplating one's commitment to a particular path or deity is also emphasized, and the notion of "counting the cost" can be found in other religious and philosophical teachings.

Scientific Perspectives

There is less of a direct connection between this verse and scientific perspectives, as it is more focused on strategy and decision-making which falls under the realm of psychology.

However, the verse's underlying principle of evaluating one's capabilities before making a commitment can be seen in various scientific fields that value planning and strategy, such as game theory, risk assessment, and project management.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators interpret this verse in the context of Jesus teaching on discipleship.

For instance, John MacArthur states that this parable is a call for self-denial and total commitment to Christ as king.

Matthew Henry's commentary suggests that this teaching implies the wisdom of not persisting in enmity against God, and rather, accepting the terms of reconciliation that He offers.

These are just a sample of the various perspectives that different theological experts have on this passage of Scripture.

Luke 14

Luke 14

What does Luke 14:32 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 14:32 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?