Luke 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? 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? No wise potentate will enter on a war with any hostile power without first seeing to it that, despite formidable odds-of "twenty" to "ten thousand," or two to one-he be able to stand his ground....

25-35 Though the disciples of Christ are not all crucified, yet they all bear their cross, and must bear it in the way of duty. Jesus bids them count upon it, and then consider of it. Our Saviour explains this by two similitudes; the former showing that we must consider the expenses of our religion; the latter, that we must consider the perils of it. Sit down and count the cost; consider it will cost the mortifying of sin, even the most beloved lusts. The proudest and most daring sinner cannot stand against God, for who knows the power of his anger? It is our interest to seek peace with him, and we need not send to ask conditions of peace, they are offered to us, and are highly to our advantage. In some way a disciple of Christ will be put to the trial. May we seek to be disciples indeed, and be careful not to grow slack in our profession, or afraid of the cross; that we may be the good...

WITH TEN THOUSAND TO MEET ... - Whether he will be able, with the forces which he “has,” to meet his enemy. Christ here perhaps intends to denote that the enemies which we have to encounter in following him are many and strong, and that “our” strength is comparatively feeble. “To meet him.” To contend with him. To gain a victory over him....

EXPOSITION LUKE 14:1 _The Pharisee_'_s feast on a sabbath day. The healing of the sick with dropsy._ LUKE 14:1 AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS HE WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF ONE OF THE CHIEF PHARISEES TO EAT BREAD ON THE SABBATH DAY. Still on the same journey; the Lord was approaching gradually nearer Jerusalem. The house into which he entered this sabbath belonged to one who was a leading member of the Pharisee party, probably an influential rabbi, a man of great wealth, or a member of the Sanhedrim "To eat bread on the sabbath day," as a guest, was a usual practice; such entertainments on the sabbath day were very usual; they were often luxurious and costly. The only rule observed was that all the viands provided were cold,, every

OR WHAT KING GOING TO MAKE WAR AGAINST ANOTHER KING,.... Our Lord illustrates the same thing, the business of a profession, by another similitude, or parable; taking up a profession of religion, is like to two kings engaging in a war. The king on the one side, is the Christian professor; true believers are kings, they have the apparel of kings, the royal robe of Christ's righteousness; they live like kings, at the table of the King of kings; have the attendance of kings, angels ministering unto them; have crowns and thrones as kings have, and greater than theirs; and have a kingdom of grace now, and are heirs of the kingdom of glory. The king on the other side, is the devil; who is the king and prince of the rest of the devils, and over the men of the world; a kingdom is ascribed to him, which is a kingdom of darkness; and he is said to be a great king, and is represented as proud, cruel...

Luke 14:25. _And there went great multitudes with him:_ During at least a part of his earthly ministry, Christ was very popular. The people crowded to his feet, and they were willing to make him a king; but you must have observed that he was always faithful in speaking to the populace, he did not flatter them. He dealt in the same fashion also with those who professed to be his followers. He winnowed the heap that was laid upon the floor, and drove away the chaff from the midst of the wheat. Luke 14:25. _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._ Do not misunderstand this passage. Our Lord does not use the word «hat

CHAPTER 14 _ 1. The Man with the Dropsy Healed on the Sabbath. (Luke 14:1)_ 2. The Wisdom of Humility. (Luke 14:7) 3. Recompensed in Resurrection. (Luke 14:12) 4. The Parable of the Great Supper. (Luke 14:15) 5. Conditions of Discipleship. (Luke 14:25 .) Luke 14:1 Again He heals on the Sabbath. In the house of a ruler, a Pharisee, they were watching Him. He had gone there to eat bread. What condescension! They were His enemies, yet He loved

DISCIPLESHIP AND ITS COST. The passage is a reminder that, despite the universality of the Kingdom, the number of its true subjects is small. To the crowd that is following Him Jesus applies a stringent and sifting test. Few after all will reach the Messianic banquet, and only then after much tribulation. The saying of Luke 14:26 f. is in a harder form than Matthew 10:37 f., and it is better to think that Mt. has softened it than for us to do so here. Such uncompromising sayings were quite in Jesus-' manner, and we have to judge them in the light of His whole spirit and teaching. (We may perhaps compare the Blessing of Levi by Moses in Deuteronomy 33:9.) Yet we may very well find in Jesus-' teaching a distinction betwe

UNDER THE SCRUTINY OF HOSTILE MEN (Luke 14:1-6)...

TO MAKE WAR. to encounter for (Greek. _eis._ App-104.) war. WITH. in [the midst of]. Greek _en._ App-104. TO MEET. Greek. _apantao,_ as in Matthew 28:9. AGAINST. Greek. _epi._ App-104....