25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 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. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 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? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 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? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-33 KJV)
The Cost of Discipleship
See how Christ in his teaching adapted himself to his audience and gave each person their appropriate portion. To Pharisees he preached humility and charity. In these verses, he directs his message to the crowds that followed him, urging them to understand the cost of discipleship before committing to it.
How zealous people were in their attendance on Christ (Luke 14:25): Great multitudes followed him—some out of love, but more likely for the company. Where there are many, more tend to join. It was a mixed multitude, like the one that left Egypt with Israel, which we can expect in the church always. Ministers must therefore carefully distinguish between the sincere and the insincere.
He wanted them to be thoughtful in their zeal. Those who decide to follow Christ must expect hardship and be ready for it. He tells them what to expect—hardships similar to those he himself endured. They likely assumed that discipleship would lead to wealth and honor. But he told them the opposite.
They had to be ready to give up what was dear to them and come to him completely detached from worldly comforts, willing to give them up rather than lose Christ (Luke 14:26). A man cannot truly follow Christ unless he loves Christ more than anyone else, including his own life. When we are asked to give up what we love most—either as a sacrifice for Christ’s glory or to avoid temptation—we must be ready. Abraham left his homeland, and Moses left Pharaoh’s court.
Every good person loves their family, but a disciple must love them less than Christ. This doesn’t mean hating them personally, but loving them less in comparison, as Leah was said to be hated when Rachel was preferred. If we have to choose between obeying Christ and maintaining family relationships, we must choose Christ. If following Christ means losing loved ones, we must accept that.
Everyone loves their own life, but we must love Christ more, even to the point of enduring cruelty or death rather than deny him. Spiritual joy and the hope of eternal life make this easier. Even in peaceful times, this choice is tested. Those who avoid Christ’s service out of fear of upsetting family or friends, or losing customers, may love others more than Christ.
They must also be ready to endure hardship (Luke 14:27). “Whoever does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Though not all disciples are crucified, each must be ready for suffering, disgrace, and persecution. To carry the cross means submitting to hardship when duty demands it, looking to Christ for strength, and hoping for eternal reward.
He tells them to count the cost and consider it. Since Christ has been clear about the trials of following him, we should seriously consider the commitment before professing religion. Joshua made Israel think before promising to serve God (Joshua 24:19). It’s better never to start than to stop halfway. So we should consider carefully before we begin. This is reasonable and wise. The cause of Christ will stand up to scrutiny. Satan hides the worst because his rewards don’t make up for the costs. Christ shows both, and his blessings far outweigh the burdens. Counting the cost helps us persevere, especially in suffering.
Jesus illustrates this with two examples—one about cost, the other about danger.
When we commit to following Christ, it’s like building a tower—we must consider the cost (Luke 14:28-30): Who would build a tower without first estimating if he can finish it? Otherwise, he risks ridicule for starting what he can’t complete.
All who take up a Christian profession are building a tower—not like Babel, in defiance of heaven, but in obedience. If the foundation is laid deep and secure, we can aim as high as heaven. Those building the tower must count the cost. It will cost them the death of sin, even cherished sin; a life of self-denial, prayer, and holiness; and possibly their reputation, freedom, possessions, or life. But what is that compared to what Christ gave to make salvation free for us?
Many start building but don’t finish. Lacking courage or a firm commitment, they achieve nothing. True, none of us can finish the tower alone—but Christ said, “My grace is sufficient for you,” and it will be if we seek it.
Nothing is more shameful than starting in religion and quitting. They lose all they’ve worked for (2 John 8), and all their effort is in vain (Galatians 3:4).
Discipleship is also like going to war, so we must consider the risks and difficulties (Luke 14:31-32). A king planning war against another first asks if he has the strength to win. If not, he seeks peace.
The Christian life is a warfare. Every step forward is contested by spiritual enemies.
We must consider whether we can endure the hardships that come with being Christ’s soldier, and face spiritual enemies as strong as twenty thousand. It’s better to come to terms with the world than to pretend to forsake it and then return when trouble comes. The rich young ruler who left Christ sorrowfully was better off than if he had stayed while pretending.
This parable can also be seen as urging us to begin the Christian life without delay, echoing Matthew 5:25, “Agree with your adversary quickly.” Sinners wage war against God—a most unjust war—and are no match for him. We provoke him in vain. So it is in our interest to make peace with him, and we don’t need to request terms—he offers them freely, and they are for our good. Let us accept them while there’s still time, for delays are dangerous and future opportunities may not come.
The parable’s application (Luke 14:33) is that we must understand what it means to profess Christ. Proverbs 20:18 says, “Make war with good advice,” for once the sword is drawn, there’s no turning back. Likewise, enter Christian discipleship knowing that unless you’re ready to forsake all, you cannot be Christ’s disciple. That means being willing and prepared to give up everything, because all who live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer—and still continue to live godly.