Commentaries on Gospel Events

Demands of Discipleship

Winter A. D. 29

Perea

So much time Jesus spends on stiffening up the resolve of the candidates for discipleship. 

Common sense would say forget being a disciple, this man's main message is put your trust in this man's soon to be shed  blood.  That's a free ticket to heaven.  Why go through the agony of  giving up wealth and family and work my way there as a disciple?

Has Jesus really made the options open?  I don't think so.  Salvation through faith alone, not through works of faithful discipleship does not seem to be really put across until somewhere after the first five or six chapters of Acts and then very little stress is placed on recruiting disciples.

Maybe this has something to do with the putting into writing of the Gospels and Letters of Paul and the other apostles.

 

Luke

Luk 14:25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

Luk 14:26 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.

Luk 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luk 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Luk 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

Luk 14:30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Luk 14:31 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?

Luk 14:32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

Luk 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Luk 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

Luk 14:35 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.