Luke 14:25–35

The natural heart likes the sound of this: "great crowds accompanied Him." We can understand that, because we know something of our own hearts. But this had to be tested. Did they know who they were following? Did they understand the path He was walking here? He was not yet the Reigning One, surrounded by the splendour and glory of the kingdom. All of that will be seen in its day. For now, men despised and rejected Him.

The crowd follows Him. But this will not do. It happened every day. Thousands were around Him all the time, crowding and pressing Him along the streets and roads. That does not reach the heart of Christ. Neither does this move by the crowd, because it does not express any felt need of Him as a Saviour. Instead, they are taking Him as a Teacher or an Example. And that, as the first thing, will not do. So He turns to this crowd with words of solemn warning.

They might have thought that at any rate they would treat the Lord better than His message — so little does man know of himself. The Lord would not let the crowd then following Him flatter themselves. They imagined that they at least were willing to share in the supper, and that they could never treat God with the contempt described in the parable. So the Lord tells them what following Him involves.

They followed Him as an easy thing, interested and attracted, but not knowing where He was going or where it led them. He tells them plainly: You cannot follow Me without sacrificing all, life and all.

I tremble when I see people set out claiming to follow Christ without counting the cost. It is God's way to put the barrier right at the start. If you can jump that, you will do. Obedience to rules will not last; following Christ will. If He is in the path, it is happy and easy — but it is a narrow path, hedged in on both sides. If Christ is not with you there, you will find nothing but trouble and difficulty.

Those four closing words come three times over (vv. 26, 27, and 33). Note it well: not "he cannot be saved," but "he cannot be My DISCIPLE."

In Luke 14 there are two "F's," feasting and following. "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many." He brings them there to feast. They eat until they are satisfied. Now they come out to follow. We go in to feast, and come out to follow. In the feast, He meets all the cost. He provides everything. They only have to come and share in what He provides.

There can be no discipleship until we understand this fully. Trying to follow Christ before we know grace is mere legalism, and it displeases Him. We must know Him as a giver before we can speak of giving up anything for His sake. He gives all, He asks no payment, He does not ask us to give anything up. This is grace.

It costs to be a disciple, but it does not cost too much! The fact is, our gloomy-looking friend was not saved, he had never tasted grace, and therefore had nothing to spend. When a man goes to market with no money in his pocket everything costs too much!

Of all four Gospels, Luke's is the one that emphasises grace. In fact, in Luke 14 the paragraph just before this one contains the parable of the great supper (Luke 14:15-24), a wonderful unfolding of the grace of God. Isn't it worth noticing what comes next? He unfolded divine grace in a way that brought great crowds around Him, eager to listen. Then the Lord turns on them and tests their reality by setting out the terms of discipleship. Shall we not do well to notice the difference between the two, and still keep them together in the order in which He put them?

Notice that Matthew, the first of our Gospels, softens the language here ("hate"). The word translated "hate" means to renounce the claims or influence of the person or thing concerned (Hahn). Paley takes it as "to be indifferent to." Compare Matthew 10:37, "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me."

The disciple must follow Christ so plainly and so firmly that other eyes would see it as a complete neglect of natural ties. It would look like indifference to the nearest and strongest family claims. The Lord does not call for a lack of affection. But that is how it might and must look to those left behind in His name. The attractive power of grace must outweigh all natural bonds, and every other claim of any kind, on the person who would be His disciple.

There is only one case in which the Lord shows the necessity of forsaking father and mother: when the child is commanded to forsake Christ. In every other case it is sin against Him who said long ago, "Honor your father and your mother," and who also said through the apostle, "Children, obey your parents." When father or mother — yes, or wife or life — comes into competition with Christ, then all must be "hated"; the disciple must bear the cross and follow Him. If any of these stand in the way of confessing Christ as Saviour, it is better to be driven from home and disowned by parents than to be without Christ.

The point is that He must have the very first place in the hearts of His own. The time is short. Things here, whatever they may be, must be held with a loose hand. It cuts very close when we read "and his own life also." Paul knew the meaning of this better than anyone. He always carried the sentence of death in his person. How far along are we in such a path? This rises above nature — indeed, it cuts across nature. Are we prepared for it?

Turn to Luke 14 and read the paragraph, Luke 14:25-35. The same thoughts appear again there, and those four closing words — "cannot be my disciple" — come three times over (verses 26, 27 and 33). Notice: not "he cannot be saved," but "he cannot be my disciple."

The same thoughts reappear here: "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." Those four closing words are repeated three times (vv. 26, 27, and 33). Not, note carefully, "he cannot be saved," but "he cannot be My DISCIPLE."

Of all four Gospels, Luke's is the one that emphasizes grace. In Luke 14 the paragraph just before this one holds the parable of the "great supper" (Luke 14:15-24), a marvellous unfolding of the grace of God. He had unfolded divine grace in a way that brought great crowds around Him, eager to hear. Is it not worth noting, then, that He now turns to them and tests their reality by setting out the terms of discipleship? The two are distinct. And shall we not do well to keep them together in the order in which He put them?

"Self-denial" — denying yourself something — hardly captures the force of "deny himself." What the Lord speaks of is saying "no" to yourself. And "take up his cross" does not mean just bearing trials and troubles. In those days, a man who took up his cross was on his way to execution. He had to accept death at the hands of the world. Saying "no" to yourself is accepting death inside, in your own spirit. Taking up your cross is accepting death from outside, at the hands of the world. That is what discipleship must mean, since we follow the Christ who died, rejected by the world.

Every disciple of Christ bears a cross. It is his — the disciple's — cross. Without it he cannot be a disciple, that is, Jesus' disciple (Luke 14:27). It is the reproach of Christ — Christ as reproached by man. Christ did not say, "And whoever does not bear My cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." That would mean bearing reproach perfectly, and so would call for a perfect walk. But every believer, in his measure, suffers reproach. It is the same character as Christ's, and therefore it is called a cross; but it is his cross and not Christ's.

People use the word loosely for every kind of trial and suffering, and even unbelievers use it of themselves. It is clear that, using the language of Scripture, no unbeliever bears a cross. The world loves, not hates, its own (John 15:19). Again we hear of "crosses," meaning bad turns of circumstances. How wrong this is! Every believer bears a cross, but he has only one, and he should bear it "daily," not now and then. That cross is the reproach of Christ. No suffering or reproach counts as a cross unless it flows from man's unjust judgment on what is like Christ in us.

Grace must pull harder on the man who would be His disciple than all natural bonds or any other claims. And more than this: it is a question of carrying one's cross and going after Him. It is not enough to come to Him at first. We must follow Him day by day.

The moral of all this is that man is not enough in himself. God alone can enable a man to leave the world for Christ and to keep following after Christ. The worst of all is to renounce Him after bearing such a name — salt that has lost its taste.

Of all the four Gospels, Luke's is the one which emphasizes grace. In fact, the paragraph just before this one holds the parable of the great banquet (Luke 14:15-24). That parable is a marvellous unfolding of the grace of God. He unfolded grace in a way that brought great crowds around Him, eager to hear. Then the Lord turns on them and tests how real they are: He puts the terms of discipleship to them. Is that not worth noticing? And should we not keep the two together in the order He put them, while still seeing the difference between them?

It costs to be a disciple, but it does not cost too much! The fact is, our gloomy-looking friend was not saved, he had never tasted grace, and so had nothing to spend. When a man goes to market with no money in his pocket, everything costs too much! He was putting discipleship before grace. That is the same as putting demand before supply, and responsibility before the power that meets it.

A "tower" is a building that stands out and rises high. For that reason it needs to be especially solid. It may be for defence; it may be for overlooking what is around it. Our Christian discipleship should have all these features.

Is a person prepared for all this when he takes a Christian stand? It is far wiser to count the cost of building before beginning. To honestly follow Christ is no light matter. On the other hand, one should count the cost of not following Him. Lazy self-pleasing will always end in tragic disappointment.

How many unfinished buildings we see across the wide field of Christian profession! They give onlookers sad reason to mock. How many set out on a path of discipleship under some sudden impulse, or under nothing more than human pressure. They never properly understood or carefully weighed all that it involves. Then difficulties arise. Trials come. The path turns out to be narrow, rough, lonely, unpopular. So they give it up. This proves they had never counted the cost, never taken the path in communion with God, never understood what they were doing.

If we count the cost on our side, we shall always find it more than we have resources for. Yet we do need to consider the cost. We must look at it long and seriously, until we feel how completely insufficient we are. Then faith takes root in God's almighty power, and finds the ability to stand where God calls.

Yet this is not about gathering resources in a human way. It is about giving up all your own, and so being Christ's disciple. There is such a thing as people beginning well and turning out good for nothing.

Here the Lord guards against the shallow attitude we so easily fall into. The cost must be counted. A breakdown is humbling. It dishonours the Lord. It amounts to saying that He called the soul out into a path where He cannot sustain it. That is how it looks to those who are watching. And people mock the one who fails — "This man began to build and was not able to finish."

In Luke 14:25-35 we read: "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." Those four closing words come three times (vv. 26, 27, and 33). Notice that it does not say "he cannot be saved," but "he cannot be My DISCIPLE."

He meant, "It costs too much to be a disciple." He was wrong. It costs to be a disciple, but it does not cost too much! The fact is, our gloomy-looking friend was not saved. He had never tasted grace, and so he had nothing to spend. When a man goes to market with no money in his pocket, everything costs too much! He was putting discipleship before grace, which is the same as putting demand before supply, and responsibility before the power that meets it.

A "tower" is a building that stands out and catches the eye. For that reason it needs special solidity. It may be for defence. It may be for overlooking what is round it. Our Christian discipleship should have all these qualities.

"Faith" is the hand that builds. "The faith" — and we find it in the Word of God — is the mighty foundation on which we build. Prayer is the attitude best suited to these building operations. The love of God, consciously known, is our tower of defence.

The cost must be counted. A man intending to build a tower must count whether he has enough to finish it... It is easy to say, "I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." A breakdown is humbling. It dishonours the Lord. It amounts to saying that He called the soul out into a path where He cannot sustain it. That is how it looks to those who watch. And the failing one is mocked — "This man began to build and was not able to finish."

How many unfinished buildings we see as we look out over the wide field of Christian profession! They give onlookers sad occasion for mockery. How many set out on a path of discipleship under some sudden impulse, or under nothing more than human pressure, without properly understanding or weighing up all that it involves. Then difficulties arise. Trials come. The path turns out to be narrow, rough, lonely and unpopular — and they give it up. This proves they had never counted the cost, never taken the path in communion with God, never understood what they were doing.

The resources are certainly not natural abilities. If we are to continue, Christ must be the object of our devotion — Christ, in whom are the resources for every need that may arise. In other words, let the disciple check himself closely. Is his confidence fully in the One he claims to follow?

Adding up the cost may seem to bring nothing but discouragement. That is exactly what it is meant to bring — discouragement of all flippancy and all self-confidence. If you are setting out in either of these moods, you may as well give up at once. But if you are in serious earnest, the Lord's words are meant only to throw you on resources better than your own, resources that are enough for everything.

The tower stands for Christianity. A tower is a place to watch from, a high place that everyone can see, and a place of defence. Is a person ready for these things when he takes a Christian stand? It is far wiser to count the cost of building before beginning. To honestly follow Christ is no light matter. On the other hand, one should count the cost of not following Him. Lazy self-pleasing will always end in tragic disappointment.

Look out over the wide field of Christian profession. How many unfinished buildings meet our eyes! They give onlookers sad occasion for mockery. How many set out on a path of discipleship under some sudden impulse, or under the pressure of mere human influence! They never properly understood or weighed all that is involved. Then difficulties arise, trials come, and they find the path narrow, rough, lonely and unpopular. So they give it up.

The cost must be counted. A man intending to build a tower must count whether he has enough to finish it. A breakdown is humbling. The Lord is dishonoured. It is the same as saying that He has called the soul out into a path in which He is not able to sustain it. Such is the appearance to those who observe. And the failing one is mocked — "This man began to build and was not able to finish."

Suppose someone tries to be a disciple in his own strength, by the working of his own will. He would be like a man who begins to build a tower without counting the cost. Or like a king who goes to war with ten thousand men against another king with twenty thousand. The cost of being a disciple is beyond the resources of man.

If, as verse 33 says, we do indeed forsake all that we have, we shall rest wholly on the resources of the great Master we follow. Then the path of discipleship becomes gloriously possible for us.

It costs to be a disciple, but it does not cost too much! The fact is, our gloomy-looking friend was not saved, he had never tasted grace, and therefore had nothing to spend. When a man goes to market with no money in his pocket everything costs too much! He was putting discipleship before grace. That is the same as putting demand before supply, and responsibility before the power that meets it — in everyday language, "putting the cart before the horse."

Perhaps you began 25 years ago, perhaps more — well, go on... Time tests us as Christians. It is not the first blush. We get to know things. We gain a knowledge of Christianity. We receive certain truths. But unless they become real in the secret of our souls, that tower will stop building, and all who look on will mock, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish."

The Lord does not hide the difficulties of the way, but sets them out in two comparisons... The second is like a king going to war against one who has twice as many forces. Unless I am well backed up, it is impossible for me to resist him who comes against me with twice my army. If God is not for us, the result is certain. While the enemy is still a long way off, we have to send messengers and ask for terms of peace. But is that not peace with Satan, and everlasting ruin?

One king is going out to meet another king. And you must indeed be like a king yourself to face the forces that are against you in the world. What is more, these are not just scattered, irregular fighters. They are organised under a king of their own, the dreaded "prince of this world." He holds more than the power of this world in his hand — more than you are likely to be able to meet, however high you rate your own competence. If you come to a reckoning here, everything is against you, and the result of failure is worse than in the first picture... Provoke the hatred of the world against you, and it is an enemy that does not forgive easily.

The grace of God imposes no conditions. But the gospel that announces that grace does lead our feet into the path of discipleship, and that path can only be walked rightly as we accept very strict conditions... (3) There must be a counting of the cost when it comes to our resources: a right estimate of all that is ours in the Christ we follow. (4) There must equally be a right estimate of the powers lined up against us.

So the effect of counting may seem to be mere discouragement. And that is just what it is meant to be — discouragement of all light-hearted carelessness and all self-confidence. If you are setting out in either of those moods, you may as well give up at once. But suppose you are in serious earnest. Then the Lord's words are meant only to throw you back on resources better than your own — resources that are completely enough.

A king going to war is careful to first weigh the strength of his own forces against the enemy's. Satan is a formidable foe, and he holds sway over the whole world (1 John 5:19). Who can stand against him? The Lord Jesus did, and He overcame the world (John 16:33) with all the power of Satan behind it... If in faith one fully counts on the Lord, he is fully equipped to face the enemy. If a person does not have this faith, he will make peace with the world. That avoids conflict, but in effect it makes him an enemy of God (James 4:4)! Let each one carefully consider the issues!

Salvation is no small thing. A person must be ready to give up what is nearest and dearest to nature, instead of trying to build a tower or fight a war he is not ready for. Let him rather seek those conditions of peace that point to the blessed gospel, which always stays close to the most solemn warnings.

When they heard things like this, great crowds went with Him. Many people like to hear of something they can have for nothing. The Lord turned, and set out for them the conditions of discipleship. The grace of God lays down no conditions. But the Gospel that announces that grace does lead our feet into the path of discipleship, and that path can only be walked rightly as we accept very strict conditions. Four are named here... (3) There must be a counting of the cost as to our resources: a right estimate of all that is ours in the Christ we follow. (4) There must just as truly be a right estimate of the powers lined up against us.

A king is going out to meet another king. You too must be like a king to face the forces that are against you in the world. And these are not just loose bands of raiders. They are an organised army under a king of their own — the dreaded "prince of this world." He holds more than the power of this world in his hand, and he is more than you are likely to be able to meet, however highly you rate your own ability.

Simply the people sent as ambassadors, with their attendants, and usually with gifts.

erotao carries a certain equality or closeness between the two people it is used of, as of king with king (Luke 14:32). The Lord uses this word of His own asking of the Father (John 14:16; John 16:26; John 17:9, 15, 20) — never aiteo.

Unless I have strong backing, I cannot resist a man who comes against me with twice my forces. Still less can I make headway against him. If God is not for us, the result is certain. While the enemy is still far off, we have to send a delegation and ask for terms of peace. But is that not peace with Satan, and everlasting ruin?

If we do not count rightly in either direction, we shall very likely go beyond our measure on the one hand, or grow afraid and compromise with the enemy on the other. If we really do give up all that we have, as verse 33 says, we shall depend wholly on the resources of the great Master we follow. Then the path of discipleship becomes gloriously possible for us.

I do not call it bravery to enter a fight when a man knows he must lose. It is folly. "Discretion is the better part of valour." If you know you cannot beat the enemy, it is better to leave him to another who can... So the wise man will say, "I cannot meet this power."

So the effect of counting the cost may seem to be nothing but discouragement. And that is what it is meant to be: it discourages all light-heartedness and all self-confidence. If you are setting out in either of these moods, you may as well give up at once. But if you are in earnest, the Lord's words are meant only to throw you on resources better than your own — resources that are fully enough.

The Lord repeats those four closing words three times (vv. 26, 27, and 33). Notice: not "he cannot be saved," but "he cannot be My disciple."

Discipleship and salvation do not run in parallel lines. The Lord in Luke does not say, Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be saved — though only the true disciple knows the full joy of salvation. There may be people who are justified at the cross but who can barely be called followers and hearers of the Lord Jesus. On the other hand, John 6 shows that there were disciples who were not saved: "After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him."

A man like Luther may speak of "buying" the riches of free grace, and so, no doubt, does Scripture; but it never speaks of selling all that one has to do it. God says instead, "Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." And the Lord does indeed say, "Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33). But He has taught us elsewhere how to understand all such expressions. The would-be disciple does not "buy" the grace of God by this. He must receive that grace first, and it is that grace which makes such whole-hearted discipleship possible... Love must be the motive power, or there is nothing that can count.

We "forsake …" that is, the affections are severed from our possessions; they are no longer ours, but our Master's, to be held for Him. It may mean parting with everything, as in the case of the early Christians, or, like Levi, we may leave all and yet still have. Levi's house was still "his own," and his money was used to make a great feast for Christ and draw sinners to Him (Luke 5:27-29). A very good example for some of us!

But those who entered in must count the cost (v. 25-33). All must be forsaken in this world; every link with this world must be broken. The nearer anything was to the heart, the more dangerous, the more it must be hated. Not that the affections are evil things; but, Christ being rejected by this world, everything that binds us to earth must be sacrificed for Him.

He does not mean that one should literally ignore his wife, his children or other natural responsibilities (1 Tim. 5:8), but to allow none of them to have a prior place. Christ must be first.

No one, and nothing that we possess, can be allowed to hinder the true disciple from following in the steps of his Master and Lord. When the Lord said to Levi, "Follow me," the call brought with it the power to follow, and "leaving everything, he rose and followed him" (Luke 5:27-28). In Jesus, Levi found a new object, and the attraction of Him enabled Levi to leave all and take the path of discipleship.

Yet it is not a matter of gathering our own resources in a human way. It is a matter of forsaking all that is our own, and so being Christ's disciple.

If, as verse 33 says, we do forsake all that we have, we shall depend wholly on the resources of the great Master we follow. Then the path of discipleship becomes gloriously possible for us.

First He insists on a thorough break with nature, and next that this shall continue. So in His illustrations He shows the need of purpose, and the danger of taking on such a task. Otherwise a man is sure to leave the work undone... The moral of all this is that man is not enough in himself. Only God can enable a man to leave the world for Christ and to keep following after Christ. The worst of all is to renounce Him after bearing such a name — salt that has lost its savour.

Salt, which the Lord calls "good," stands opposed to leaven, the type of corrupting evil. Salt keeps things pure without any violence, and that use among people fits such an application... The salt of the covenant was God's pledge of a savour that never passed away. On our side there is the need of a holy separating energy toward God, to keep us from corrupt words and ways.

"Salt" is grace in spiritual energy. It means the saints are witnesses in the world of the power of holy love, instead of selfishness. Salt is the setting-apart principle of grace. If that is gone, what is left to preserve? Salt is grace seen as holy separateness to God, more than as kindness and meekness... Whatever weakens attachment to Christ destroys power. It is not gross sin that does it — that of course will be met and judged. It is the little things of everyday life that we are apt to choose before Christ. When the world creeps in, the salt has lost its savour, and we show that a rejected Christ has little power in our eyes.

By His question and comment He showed that the true and holy savour, once lost, could never be repaired. Grace may still work in one person, or in a few here and there, but nothing can restore the pure position. Salt is itself. Nothing outside can give the saltness that disappears.

Mercy may indeed recover us. But as saints we should have the savour of Christ.

What in the world is as useless as salt that has lost the one property people value it for?... So with the disciple who ceases to be Christ's disciple. He is not suited for the world's purposes, and he has abandoned God's. He has too much light or knowledge to join in the empty pleasures and sins of the world. And he has no enjoyment of grace and truth to keep him in the path of Christ.

The very highest truths of God have become the topic of the world's conversation. Many believers hold them in a way that loses their edge and power. They join worldly talk and behaviour to a head knowledge of these same truths.

Among the children of God, self-judgment and peace are to rule within. Outside, gracious speech (kept by the truth), wisdom and zeal are to mark them. We need the salt of the covenant of our God to keep peace inside and to show divine grace outside. We must apply it to ourselves first, and then let it give savour to our speech.

"Salt" is grace in spiritual energy. That is, the saints are witnesses in the world to the power of holy love, instead of selfishness. Salt is the consecrating principle of grace: if that is gone, what is to preserve? Salt stands for grace as holy separateness to God, more than as kindness and meekness. Of course, kindness and meekness cannot be separated from grace either.

What is there in the world so useless as salt when it has lost the one property for which it is valued? "It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away." It is worse than useless for any other purpose. So with the disciple who ceases to be Christ's disciple. He is not suited for the world's purposes, and he has forsaken God's. He has too much light and knowledge to plunge into the empty pleasures and sins of the world. And he has no enjoyment of grace and truth to keep him in the path of Christ. Salt that has lost its taste becomes an object of contempt and judgment.

Eastern salt was different from the salt we use now. It was not pure sodium chloride. It also contained plant and earthy material. Sun and rain could wear it down until it turned tasteless and useless.

But tasteless salt — what use is it? Just as little is discipleship without reality. Israel had been, in God's thought for her, such a purifying salt for the nations of the earth. It had become tasteless; and God's new good news had not succeeded in giving back to it the quality it had lost. It could only be cast out. The same would be true of anyone who now has only the label of discipleship without the reality.

Whatever weakens attachment to Christ destroys power. It is not gross sin that does it; that of course will be met and judged. It is the little things of everyday life that we are apt to choose before Christ. When the world creeps in, the salt has lost its savour and we show that a rejected Christ has little power in our eyes.

His question and His comment showed that the true and holy savour, once lost, could never be repaired. Grace may still work in one person, or in a few here and there. Even so, nothing brings back the pure position. Salt is itself. Nothing outside can give the saltiness that disappears.

If the disciple compromises he becomes like salt that has lost its savour, and he is fit for nothing. What a word for us! Grace has called us, and has set our feet in the path of discipleship. Are we meeting its solemn conditions, so that we are disciples indeed? May we indeed have ears to hear!