Lucas 14
J.C. Ryle · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 14
Ryle applies the fact that the enemies of Jesus were watching closely - The circumstance here recorded, is only a type of what our Lord was constantly subjected to, all through His earthly ministry. The eyes of His enemies were continually observing Him. They watched for His halting, and waited eagerly for some word or deed on which they could lay hold and build an accusation. Yet they found none. Our blessed Lord was ever holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from evil (cf Heb 7:26+). Perfect indeed must that life have been, in which the bitterest enemy could find no flaw, or blemish, or spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing! He that desires to serve Christ must make up his mind to be “watched” and observed, no less than His Master. He must never forget that the eyes of the world are upon him, and that the wicked are looking narrowly at all his ways. Specially ought he to remember this when he goes into the society of the unconverted. If he makes a slip there, in word or deed, and acts inconsistently, he may rest assured it will not be forgotten. Let us endeavor to live daily as in the sight of a holy God (cf Pr 15:3, John the Baptist in Lk 1:15-note). So living, it will matter little how much we are “watched” by an ill-natured and malicious world. Let us exercise ourselves to have a conscience void of offence toward God and man, and to do nothing which can give occasion to the Lord’s enemies to blaspheme. The thing is possible. By the grace of God it can be done. The haters of Daniel were obliged to confess, “we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” (Dan. 6:5+; See also notes on Daniel a Man of Integrity; See also Study on Integrity) (Ed: I might add one point to Ryle's application of "watching" - The true test of our integrity comes when no one [humanly speaking] is watching us.) J C Ryle - Let us mark in this passage, how our Lord Jesus Christ accepted the hospitality of those who were not His disciples....If we want to know how our Lord carried Himself at a Pharisee’s table, we have only to read attentively the first twenty-four verses of this chapter. We shall find Him the same there that He was elsewhere, always about His Father’s business. We shall see Him first defending the true observance of the Sabbath-day,—then expounding to those who were bidden together with Him the nature of true humility,—then urging on His host the character of true hospitality,—and finally delivering that most apposite and striking parable, the parable of the great supper. And all this is done in the most wise, and calm, and dignified manner. The words are all words in season. The speech is “always with grace, seasoned with salt. (Coloss. 4:6.) The perfection of our Lord’s conduct appears on this, as on all other occasions. He always said the right thing, at the right time, and in the right way. He never forgot, for a moment, who He was and where He was. The example of Christ in this passage deserves the close attention of all Christians, and specially of ministers of the Gospel. It throws strong light on some most difficult points,—our intercourse with unconverted people,—the extent to which we should carry it,—the manner in which we should behave when we are with them. Our Lord has left us a pattern for our conduct in this chapter. It will be our wisdom to endeavor to walk in His steps. We ought not to withdraw entirely from all intercourse with unconverted people. It would be cowardice and indolence to do so, even if it were possible. It would shut us out from many opportunities of doing good. But we ought to go into their society moderately, watchfully, and prayerfully, and with a firm resolution to carry our Master and our Master’s business with us. The house from which Christ is deliberately excluded is not the house at which Christians ought to receive hospitalities, and keep up intimacy.—The extent to which we should carry our intercourse with the unconverted, is a point which each believer must settle for himself. Some can go much further than others in this direction, with advantage to their company, and without injury to themselves. “Every man hath his proper gift.” (1 Cor. 7:7.) There are two questions which we should often put to ourselves, in reference to this subject. “Do I, in company, spend all my time in light and worldly conversation? Or do I endeavor to follow, however feebly, the example of Christ?” The society in which we cannot answer these questions satisfactorily, is society from which we had better withdraw.—So long as we go into company as Christ went to the Pharisee’s house, we shall take no harm. Jesus' opponents were aware of the previous Sabbath healings Luke 6:6-11+ On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him. 8 But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” 10 After looking around at them all, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did so; and his hand was restored. 11 But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus. Luke 13:10-17+ And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” 13 And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. 14 But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? 16 “And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him. Lowell
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Ryle - Let us notice in this passage, how our Lord asserts the lawfulness of doing deeds of mercy on the Sabbath day. The qualification which our Lord here puts on the requirements of the fourth commandment is evidently based on Scripture, reason, and common sense. The Sabbath was made for man, for his benefit, not for his harm – for his advantage, not for his disadvantage. Interpreting God's law about the Sabbath was never meant to impinge on charity, kindness and the real needs of human nature. Our Lord shows that deeds of necessity and mercy do not break the observance of the Sabbath. (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels) Recall that in another Sabbath healing confrontation Jesus had deflected the Pharisees' legalistic rebuke with a gracious reply - And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” (Lk 6:9). Do you recall their answer? They had none, just as in this vignette. Grace and law do not mix. Recall their reaction in Lk 6:11 "they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus." Life Application Bible Commentary – SORTING RIGHT FROM WRONG Sometimes matters of right and wrong can get very complicated, as they had here concerning "lawful" Sabbath activities. Jesus cut through all the complications with a simple appeal to love. Is your faith in gridlock (like the Pharisees) because of overlapping and conflicting regulations that hardly seem to make sense? With each action ask yourself—what does love require? Love will always respect God's rules (the Ten Commandments, for example) and will always serve people's best interests. Often a simple appeal to love will cut through the fog and clarify a plan of action. Gilbrant on apokrinomai - The translators of the Septuagint used apokrinō to render the Hebrew phrase “to answer and say” or “to begin to speak.” This phrase was a very somber introduction to an important exhortation. It is thought by some to introduce words that were divinely inspired. (Compare this principle of Biblical interpretation from the Second Century A.D.: “Whenever it says [in the OT]: He answered and said this, lo, the one concerned spoke in the Holy Ghost” [Büchsel, “krinō,” Kittel, 3:945].) Thus, while it is appropriate to translate apokrinō as “answer,” it must be remembered that the answer was not always to a question. The word could be used of any situation, whether word or deed, which demanded a response. Moreover, the word was not taken from everyday language. Its use reminded readers of the solemn and formal tone the verb evoked in their Old Testament Bible. The Gospel writers seem to have relied heavily on the meaning found in the Septuagint. (Complete Biblical Library) Lawyers (3544)(nomikos from nomos - law) means related to the law and generally refers to a legal scholar, an expert in the Mosaiac law, in interpreting Jewish law (Ed: but certainly not "experts" in practicing it as God intended!).
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Ryle- Let us mark, lastly, in this passage, how our Lord asserts the lawfulness of doing works of mercy on the Sabbath day....The qualification which our Lord here puts on the requirements of the fourth commandment, is evidently founded on Scripture, reason, and common sense. The Sabbath was made for man,—for his benefit, not for his injury,—for his advantage, not for his hurt (Mk 2:27-28). The interpretation of God’s law respecting the Sabbath was never intended to be strained so far as to interfere with charity, kindness, and the real wants of human nature. All such interpretations only defeat their own end. They require that which fallen man cannot perform, and thus bring the whole commandment into disrepute. Our Lord saw this clearly, and labored throughout His ministry to restore this precious part of God’s law to its just position. Kept silent (2270)(hesuchazo from hesuchos = quiet, still) means to be still or to be silent. In classical Greek hēsuchazō generally denotes a termination of speech, conflict, or work; an imposition of silence; or a self-induced calming. It is interesting that Luke uses this same verb in Lk 23:56 after Jesus' was crucified "and on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment." Luke used it of himself when Paul would not be persuaded from going to Jerusalem (where danger lurked) writing "we fell silent remarking 'The will of the Lord be done.'" Hesuchazo - 6x/5v - fell silent(1), kept silent(1), lead a quiet life(1), quiet life(1), quieted down(1), rested(1). Lk. 14:4; Lk. 23:56; Acts 11:18; Acts 21:14; 1 Thess. 4:11 Took hold (seized) (1949)(epilambano from epi = upon + lambano = take hold of) means to lay hold of, get a good grip on, take possession of. The meaning of epilambano is determined by the context as to whether the action of laying hold of someone is favorable or unfavorable. In this case it is clearly favorable. In a clearly unfavorable metaphorical use in Luke 20:20 Jesus enemies "watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch (epilambano) Him in some statement, but Luke records they "were unable to catch Him in a saying" against Caesar (Lk 20:26, context - Lk 20:20-25). Norman Crawford - This is the only time in the NT that epilambanō ("he took him") is used in a case of healing. Luke uses this word about the child that the Lord "took ... and set him by him" (Lk 9:47), but its other uses give its usual meaning "that they might take hold of his words" (Lk 20:20, 26), and "they laid hold upon one Simon" (Lk 23:26). In Acts 16:19, "they caught Paul and Silas" suggests a sudden, violent arrest. Perhaps the meaning in connection with this victim of dropsy relates to his far advance in the disease and utter helplessness to come to the Lord of his own volition, so the Lord "took him" and then "healed him". (What the Bible Teaches - Luke) Luke's uses of epilambano - Lk. 9:47 = "took a child"; Lk. 14:4; Lk. 20:20; Lk. 20:26; Lk. 23:26; Acts 9:27; Acts 16:19; Acts 17:19; Acts 18:17; Acts 21:30; Acts 21:33; Acts 23:19 Luke 20:20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor. Luke 20:26 And they were unable to catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people; and being amazed at His answer, they became silent. Luke 23:26 When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus. Healed (cured) (2390)(iaomai) means to cure, to heal, to restore. Iaomai is used literally of deliverance from physical diseases and afflictions and so to make whole, restore to bodily health and refers primarily to physical healing in the NT (although clearly there is overlap with spiritual healing because some of the instances involved demonic oppression - Lk 9:42-note). Less commonly iaomai referred to spiritual healing or healing (saving) from "moral illnesses" and the consequences of sin. When used in this sense iaomai has much the same meaning as sozo, to save, make whole, restore to spiritual health. Here are the uses of iaomai used with a spiritual meaning = Mt 13:15, John 12:40, Acts 28:27 - preceding quotes from Isa 6:10, 1Pe 2:24 = quote from Isa 53:5. Most of the NT uses in the Gospels refer to physical healing by Jesus, however in the OT (Lxx) iaomai refers primarily to spiritual healing by the Messiah (Isa 53:5, Isa 61:1, et al). Iaomai - 26v - curing(1), heal(4), healed(16), healing(2), heals(1), perform healing(2). Matt. 8:8; Matt. 8:13; Matt. 13:15; Matt. 15:28; Mk. 5:29; Lk. 5:17; Lk. 6:18; Lk. 6:19; Lk. 7:7; Lk. 8:47; Lk. 9:2; Lk. 9:11; Lk. 9:42; Lk. 14:4; Lk. 17:15; Lk. 22:51; Jn. 4:47; Jn. 5:13; Jn. 12:40; Acts 9:34; Acts 10:38; Acts 28:8; Acts 28:27; Heb. 12:13; Jas. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:24 Sent away (630)(apoluo from apó = marker of dissociation, implying a rupture from a former association, separation + luo = loose) is used often of sending a person or a group away from someone (Mt 14:15, 22, 23, 32, etc). Apoluo frequently has the sense of to let loose from or to release, to let go free or set at liberty. Apoluo is used in all four Gospels describing the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus (Jn 18:39, Mt 27:15, 17, 21, etc, cf Acts 16:35) Apoluo was used in secular Greco-Roman writings of discharge from the military, of release from jail or of setting a debtor free. In the legal context it means to dismiss (as innocent), to grant acquittal, set free, release, pardon. The text does not tell us whether this man's external healing was also accompanied by an internal saving of his soul. We'll have to wait to heaven, but if so, can you imagine this man's testimony! Every believer will in fact have a glorious testimony to having experienced a miracle from the "touch" of Jesus and His fully atoning, substitutionary work! Crawford on sent away - The man was healed and dismissed, indicating that he was present for healing and as a test for the Lord, not as a guest at the supper. (What the Bible Teaches - Luke) Apoluo in Luke and Acts - Lk. 2:29; Lk. 6:37; Lk. 8:38; Lk. 9:12; Lk. 13:12; Lk. 14:4; Lk. 16:18; Lk. 23:16; Lk. 23:17; Lk. 23:18; Lk. 23:20; Lk. 23:22; Lk. 23:25; Acts 3:13; Acts 4:21; Acts 4:23; Acts 5:40; Acts 13:3; Acts 15:30; Acts 15:33; Acts 16:35; Acts 16:36; Acts 17:9; Acts 19:41; Acts 23:22; Acts 26:32; Acts 28:18; Acts 28:25 Luke 14:5 And He said to them, "Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?" KJV Luke 14:5 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? Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath dayLk 13:15; Exodus 23:4,5; Da 4:24; Mt 12:11,12 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:1-14 Jesus the Confronter - Steven Cole Luke 14:1-6 The Healing Savior vs the Hypocritical System - John MacArthur GOTCHA!...NOT! At that instant of healing, the religious leaders were thinking "We've got Him now!" But not so fast, for Jesus has a probing question. And this before they could even open their mouth an utter an accusation! Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately (eutheos) pull him out (anaspaō) on a Sabbath day?" - Notice that the phrase which one of you directly draws Jesus' listeners into the illustration. Jesus followed up the miracle by asking them a rhetorical question to underscore His point. Of course the logic of His question is indisputable. Motivated by either love of son or love of money one would effect this rescue operation without any loss of time, lest there be loss of life. All of them would pull out their son or their ox, even on the Sabbath. They would not want to lose a son they loved or an ox they knew would incur financial cost to replace. They were "pious pragmatists!" As we saw in Lk 13:15+ each of them "on the Sabbath (would) untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him." Open wells were quite common in Israel, and were frequently the cause of accidents. (Ex 21:33) What happened when one fell into a well of water? If not rescued, of course they would drown, for even if they could swim, they would eventually become too weak to continue paddling. And so here was a man with dropsy who was in a sense "drowning" in his own fluids (edema), and they were unwilling to see him "rescued!" Jesus is showing that they cared about their animals more than about this man suffering in a swollen, miserable state! Jesus was exposing their lack of love and their religious hypocrisy. Technical note - Some manuscripts read “donkey” instead of “son,” but the evidence is clearly in favor of “son” as the original reading. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary – In the interest of keeping the Sabbath holy, as a day of rest, the Jews had expanded on the OT Sabbath laws, developing 39 rules concerning activities forbidden on the Sabbath (cf. Exod 34:21). (See Luke, Acts) William
Lucas 14
Ryle has an interesting comment - We must never explain any verses of Scripture in such a way that they contradict other verses of Scripture. Our Lord is not telling us here to hate our relatives. This would be against the fifth commandment. He only meant that those who follow him must love him with a deeper love than their nearest and dearest, or their own lives. He must be prepared to offend his family, rather than offend Christ. Thousands of Christians will bless God on the last day that they had relatives and friends who chose to displease them rather than Christ. That very decision was the first thing that made them think seriously, and led finally to the conversion of their souls. In Matthew and Luke Jesus warned that families would be divided over Him: Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. (Matthew 10:34-36+) Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; 52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53“They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (Luke 12:51-53+) Rod Mattoon - The word "hate" that is used here does not mean you are to be hateful, bitter, and angry with your family. This word is a word of contrast, emphasizing "position" not "feelings." He is contrasting our attitude about Christ with respects to others. Our love for Christ is to be greater than our love for our family. Jesus Christ is to be number one in our lives. This is what Jesus is teaching here. If your love for Christ is not greater than your love for others, you cannot be His disciple. Other people will hinder you from serving Him and doing the will of God in your life. They will distract you from obeying God if you let them. So let me ask, "Is Jesus Christ first in your life?" Almost everyone wants the kingdom of God, the problem is few want it first. Your purpose in life is to put the Lord first in your life in every area and decision. He is to be first in our time and in our giving. As a Christian, your life does not belong to you. Sometimes a Christian will shout, "It's my life! Don't tell me what to do!" No, beloved, it is not your life. It belongs to the Lord and when we realize this and yield to this truth, we begin to fulfill God's purpose for our lives. (Treasures from the Scriptures) Robert Stein - A person who commits himself or herself to Christ will develop a greater love for both neighbor and family, although at times loving and following Christ may be seen as renunciation, rejection, or hate if the family does not share the same commitment to Christ. (See Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Darrell Bock - Discipleship is fundamentally a call to allegiance. Jesus is to have first place over all, including family....Following Jesus is to be the disciple’s “first love.” This pursuit is to have priority over any family member and one’s own life, which means that other concerns are to take second place to following Jesus (Luke 8:19–21; 9:59–62; 12:4, 49–53; 16:13). (See Luke : 2 Volumes (Baker Exegetical Commentary) Hate...yes, and even his own life - If you are a believer, your life is no longer your own! 1 Corinthians 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 7:23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
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Ryle - WE learn, firstly, from this passage, that true Christians must be ready, if need be, to give up everything for Christ’s sake. This is a lesson which is taught in very remarkable language. Our lord says, “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.” This expression must doubtless be interpreted with some qualification. We must never explain any text of Scripture in such a manner as to make it contradict another. Our Lord did not mean us to understand that it is the duty of Christians to hate their relatives. This would have been to contradict the fifth commandment. He only meant that those who follow Him must love Him with a deeper love even than their nearest and dearest connections, or their own lives.—He did not mean that it is an essential part of Christianity to quarrel with our relatives and friends. But He did mean that if the claims of our relatives and the claims of Christ come into collision, the claims of relatives must give way. We must choose rather to displease those we love most upon earth, than to displease Him who died for us on the cross. The demand which our Lord makes upon us here is peculiarly stringent and heart-searching. Yet it is a wise and a necessary one. Experience shows, both in the church at home, and in the mission-field abroad, that the greatest foes to a man’s soul are sometimes those of his own house. It sometimes happens that the greatest hindrance in the way of an awakened conscience, is the opposition of relatives and friends. Ungodly fathers cannot bear to see their sons “taking up new views” of religion. Worldly mothers are vexed to see their daughters unwilling to enter into the gaieties of the world. A collision of opinion takes place frequently, as soon as grace enters into a family. And then comes the time when the true Christian must remember the spirit of our Lord’s words in this passage. He must be willing to offend his family, rather than offend Christ. The line of duty in such cases is doubtless very painful. It is a heavy cross to disagree with those we love, and specially about spiritual things. But if this cross be laid upon us, we must remember that firmness and decision are true kindness. It can never be true love to relatives to do wrong, in order to please them. And, best of all, firmness accompanied by gentleness and consistency, in the long run of life, often brings its own reward. Thousands of Christians will bless God at the last day, that they had relatives and friends who chose to displease them rather than Christ. That very decision was the first thing that made them think seriously, and led finally to the conversion of their souls. Mike Andrus says "The message in this three-fold repetition ("cannot be My disciple" Lk 14:26, 27, 33) is that we must count the cost of following Jesus. The true disciple must realign personal relationships. There is hardly a statement in the entire Bible more shocking and perplexing than Luke 14:26...Hatred seems to be utterly paradoxical to the nature and teaching of Christ. After all, didn’t Jesus Himself say on at least four occasions, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”? And if the neighbor must be loved, isn’t it even more true that one’s family must be loved? Furthermore, isn’t hatred forbidden in Scripture? 1 John 4:20 reads, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” John also says that the one who hates his brother is a murderer. How can we possibly reconcile such statements with this demand of our Lord to hate our families? I believe the answer is that Jesus is employing a figure of speech here. The stunning juxtaposition of words like “hate” with “father and mother” is designed by Jesus to convey the truth that our love and devotion to Him should be so great, so pure, so unqualified, and so unconditional, that the fondest love we have for anything or anyone else will, by comparison, appear to be hatred. I think we find in our Lord’s own words in Mt 10:37 the proper interpretation of Luke 14:26: “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” In other words, when Jesus calls upon us to hate our family members, He is really just asking us to love them less than we love Him. You know, it is precisely because family ties are so precious that Jesus uses them in this context. It would make no sense were He to say, “If any man hate not mosquitoes or tornadoes or child abuse, he cannot be my disciple,” because hatred of such things comes naturally to most people. All of us love Jesus more than mosquitoes. But not all of us love Him more than our families. How do we know whether we love Jesus more than our human relations? That’s perhaps difficult to gauge. But ask yourself, “If God asked me to, could I leave my parents and go to the mission field or could I accept having my child go? If God were to take my wife or child in death, would I get bitter and quit God? If my family were to threaten to disown me because of my faith in Christ, would I renounce my faith?” Most of us have never had to make such decisions, but many, many Christians make them every day. And someday every one of us may have to. (Luke 14:25-35 Come at All Cost, But Count the Cost) Killer Plants If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, . . . he cannot be My disciple. —Luke 14:26 Some forest workers fight fires. Others battle fast-growing plants. A Mercury Newsarticle reported that teams of volunteers are working hard to remove invasive plants from the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Workers point out that many of the non-native species they are fighting are sold in garden stores. The German ivy plant, for example, has become a serious problem in California. This fast-growing exotic house plant competes with the native species, smothering and shading everything in its path. It can completely cover and destroy a tree. Thinking about these home-grown invaders can help us understand something even more crucial than saving trees. Jesus warned us that anything that competes with Him for our hearts can choke our spiritual lives. He said that even the natural love of family can be dangerous and keep us from following Him (Luke 14:16-26). Our Lord demands our undivided love and loyalty. Once we value Christ above everything else, we will learn to love our family with a deeper and healthier love. But until our ultimate loyalty is determined, home-grown affection will do in our hearts what fire or German ivy will do in a forest. To follow Christ we must let go Of all that we hold dear; And once we have denied ourselves, Our gains become more clear. —Sper The more we love Christ, the more we’ll love others. ILLUSTRATION - In the late 19th century John Wanamaker opened a department store in Philadelphia. Within a few years, that enterprise had become one of the most successful businesses in the country. Operating his store, however, wasn't Wanamaker's only responsibility. He was also named Postmaster General of the United States, and he served as superintendent for what was then the largest Sunday school in the world at Bethany Presbyterian Church.When someone asked him how he could hold all those positions at once, he explained. "Early in life I read, 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.' The Sunday school is my business, all the rest are the things." One evidence of Wanamaker's desire to keep the Lord's work first in his life was a specially constructed soundproof room in his store. Every day he spent 30 minutes there praying and meditating upon God's Word. He had his priorities straight! Thomas Constable's note on Luke 14:25-26 - "Now Luke recorded Jesus' teaching that though salvation was free, discipleship was costly. This is important balancing revelation. Salvation guarantees heaven, but it also calls for complete commitment to Jesus, not to secure heaven but to express gratitude for heaven." (Notes) COMMENT: NOTE HIS DISTINCTION OF "SALVATION" FROM "DISCIPLESHIP" - JESUS EQUATES SALVATION WITH DISCIPLESHIP "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it." Mark 8:35 in context of His description of discipleship - Mark 8:34+. IN SHORT EVERY BELIEVER IS A DISCIPLE.! SEE PIPER'S NOTE BELOW). Is Christ Worth It? 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. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26–27) Jesus is unashamed and unafraid of telling us up front the “worst” — the painful cost of being a Christian: hating family (v. 26), carrying a cross (v. 27), renouncing possessions (v. 33). There is no small print in the covenant of grace. It is all big, and bold. No cheap grace! Very costly! Come, and be my disciple. But Satan hides his worst and shows only his best. All that really matters in the deal with Satan is in small print on the back page. On the front page in big, bold letters are the words, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4), and “All these things I will give to you, if you fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). But on the back page in small print — so small you can only read it with the magnifying glass of the Bible — it says: “And after the fleeting pleasures, you will suffer with me forever in hell.” Why is Jesus willing to show us his “worst” as well as his best, while Satan will only show us his best? Matthew Henry answers, “Satan shows the best, but hides the worst, because his best will not [counterbalance] his worst; but Christ’s will abundantly.” The call of Jesus is not just a call to suffering and self–denial; it is first a call to a banquet. This is the point of the parable in Luke 14:16–24. Jesus also promises a glorious resurrection where all the losses of this life will be repaid (Luke 14:14). He also tells us that he will help us endure the hardships (Luke 22:32+). He also tells us he will give us the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). He promises that even if we are killed for the kingdom, “not a hair of your head will perish” (Luke 21:18). Which means that when we sit down to calculate the cost of following Jesus — when we weigh the “worst” and the “best” — he is worth it. Abundantly worth it (see Romans 8:18). Not so with Satan. Stolen bread is sweet, but afterward the mouth is full of gravel (see Proverbs 20:17). (John Piper) A Christian medical doctor in China shares his experience when he refused to bow down or "kowtow" to an image of Mao because of his love for Jesus. After severe beatings did not succeed in influencing him, the authorities resorted to a more subtle strategy by getting his whole family to stand around him and weep. Here is the story in his own words: I had seven children as well as my wife all surrounding me and weeping. Crying bitterly, my wife said to me, “If you don't kowtow you will surely die and then what will we do?” For three days they stood around me weeping until my wife’s eyes were dreadfully swollen. “After you have died, what will happen to these children? Please, for the sake of your family, just kowtow.” They cried and cried. I really did not know what to do. I felt that I had no more strength so I prayed, “Lord I have no strength left, what must I do?” On the third day, the Lord’s word [Luke 14:26] came, Hallelujah! There is no word of the Lord that is without power. The Lord through His Word filled me with the life and power of God. I said to my wife, “Stop crying. It’s no use your crying. I am the Lord’s disciple. For the Lord’s sake I am ready to die!” Then the day came when the authorities called me and said, “You had better consider your situation carefully. If you want to live, you must kowtow otherwise it will mean certain death for you. Tonight we will make you eat the “steel bean” (bullet). You will be executed! This is your very last opportunity!” And so he sent me back to think it over. There was, however, no need for me to think it over. I was ready for the bullet. But the night passed without my being called. Next day I saw that outside folk were running hither and thither and I wondered whatever had happened to cause such alarm. Later I was to learn that immediately after I had left the office, black swellings appeared on the prison warden’s legs and it was frightfully painful. Because he was the chief, all the doctors in the hospital were rushed to his side to give him aid. But within twenty-four hours he was dead. The doctor was later released from prison and returned to his family and medical practice. (Chip Ingram) Oswald Chambers - The Conditions of Discipleship If any man come to Me, and hate not . . . he cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26, 27, 33) If the closest relationships of life clash with the claims of Jesus Christ, He says it must be instant obedience to Himself. Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person, Our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a difference between devotion to a Person and devotion to principles or to a cause. Our Lord never proclaimed a cause; He proclaimed personal devotion to Himself. To be a disciple is to be a devoted love-slave of the Lord Jesus. Many of us who call ourselves Christians are not devoted to Jesus Christ. No man on earth has this passionate love to the Lord Jesus unless the Holy Ghost has imparted it to him. We may admire Him, we may respect Him and reverence Him, but we cannot love Him. The only Lover of the Lord Jesus is the Holy Ghost, and He sheds abroad the very love of God in our hearts. Whenever the Holy Ghost sees a chance of glorifying Jesus, He will take your heart, your nerves, your whole personality, and simply make you blaze and glow with devotion to Jesus Christ. The Christian life is stamped by 'moral spontaneous originality,' consequently the disciple is open to the same charge that Jesus Christ was, viz., that of inconsistency. But Jesus Christ was always consistent to God, and the Christian must be consistent to the life of the Son of God in him, not consistent to hard and fast creeds. Men pour them selves into creeds, and God has to blast them out of their prejudices before they can become devoted to Jesus Christ. Consumed with Christ By David Wilkerson "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:26 The Greek word for hate means "to love less by comparison." Jesus is calling us to have a love for Him that is so all-inclusive, fervent and absolute that all our earthly affections cannot come close. If we had that red-hot, all-consuming, intense and joyous love for Christ, we would not need outlines, diagrams and instructions telling us how to pray; we would pray because our hearts would be on fire with love for Him. We would not grow bored trying to fill up an hour praying ambiguously for needs all over the world; Christ would be the object of our prayers, and our prayer time would be precious. We would spend hours behind closed doors, expressing the overflowing admiration and sweet love that flood our hearts for Him. Reading His Word would never be a burden; we wouldn't need formulas on how to finish the Bible in a year. If we loved Jesus passionately, we would be drawn magnetically to His Word to learn more about Him. And we would not become bogged down with endless genealogies and end-time speculations. We would want only to know Him better-to see more of His beauty and glory so that we could become more like Him. Think about it: Do we know what it is like to come into His sweet presence and ask nothing? To reach out to Him only because we are grateful that He loves us so completely? We have become selfish and self-centered in our prayers: "GIVE US, MEET US, HELP US, BLESS US, USE US, PROTECT US" All this may be scriptural, but the focus remains on us. We go to His Word for answers to our problems, for guidance and comfort, and this also is right and commendable. But where is the love-motivated soul who searches the Scriptures diligently, who wants only to discover more and more about his beloved Lord? One Passion If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. —Luke 14:26 Nechayev, a 19th-century disciple of Karl Marx who had a role in the assassination of Czar Alexander II, wrote: “The revolutionary man . . . has no personal interests, no business affairs, no emotions, no attachments, no property, and no name. Everything in him is wholly absorbed in the single thought and the single passion for revolution.” Although his motives and goals were wrong, Nechayev’s statement shows the singlemindedness of commitment. Jesus wanted true commitment from His disciples. In Luke 14, we read that large crowds joined Him as He traveled toward Jerusalem (v.25). Perhaps these casual followers considered themselves to be His true disciples, but Jesus taught that following Him was more than just knowing facts about Him. He explained what it really meant to be His disciple when He defined the cost of discipleship: Nothing, not love for father or mother or even one’s own life, was to take precedence over loyalty to Jesus (vv.26-33). His disciples (then and now) must acknowledge that if God is to be primary in their lives, possessions and even social relationships have to be secondary. Set us afire, Lord, stir us we pray! While the world perishes, we go our way Purposeless, passionless, day after day; Set us afire, Lord, stir us we pray! —Cushman Our love for Jesus is the key to spiritual passion. Luke 14:27 "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. KJV Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. NET Luke 14:27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. CSB Luke 14:27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. ESV Luke 14:27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. NIV Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. NLT Luke 14:27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. NRS Luke 14:27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me Lk 9:23-25; Mt 10:38; 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-37; 10:21; 15:21; Jn 19:17; 2 Ti 3:12 cannot be My disciple Mt 13:21; Acts 14:22; 2 Ti 1:12 Luke 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 14:25-27 The Extreme Nature of True Discipleship, Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 14:25-35 The Extreme Nature of True Discipleship, Part 2 - John MacArthur Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleship - Steven Cole Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 1 - Steven Lawson - Listen at your own risk! You will be challenged! Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Discipleshp 2 - Steven Lawson - Listen at your own risk! You will be challenged! Related Passages: Lk 9:23-25+ And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25 “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? Mt 16:24-26+ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:34-37+ And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Whoever does not carry (bastazo) his own cross (stauros) and come after (follow) Me cannot be My disciple (mathetes) - The cross does not symbolize our "problems" but our death (death to self and for some martyrdom)! As you study this verse, try to imagine yourself as present in the huge crowd that was following Jesus. They had witnessed miracle after miracle and were filled with enthusiasm for Him. Then Jesus drops a bomb by mentioning the Cross! They must have been utterly shocked by His call to carry their own cross! Clearly Jesus was separating the wheat from the chaff, superficial professors from committed followers (cf Ps 1:1-6+). And He says the same thing today by His ministers who proclaim truth without compromise (cf Acts 20:27+). And that is why it is so critical that the "Hard Sayings of Jesus" be preached to the enthusiastic multitude. Jesus does not desire for any man or woman to find themselves before Him one day proclaiming "Lord, Lord," and then hear "I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice (present tense - a sin-oriented, Hell bent, lifestyle as described in the false teaching of "carnal Christianity!) lawlessness." (Mt 7:21-23+) Jesus is not calling us to wear a cross around our neck! A dictionary of English idioms defines "bearing one's cross" this way - "To cope with a burden or challenging situation. I'm sure it's not easy to live with such a serious illness, but she bears her cross with such humor and grace." We have all heard Christians describe burdensome circumstances in their life as their "cross." But this is NOT what Jesus is referring to when He calls for those who profess to be His disciples to carry their own cross. The audience He was addressing knew full well that the cross was an instrument of torturous death. The Romans knew this mode of death was so horrible that they would only inflict it on those who were not Roman citizens. To carry one's cross was to die to self and self-interests! The heart of Jesus' teaching on discipleship is the issue of our heart -- are we willing to deny self (even to the point of death -- see illustration below). "The believer's own cross is whatever it costs him in self-denial and opposition from others to follow the Lord Jesus." (Crawford) The image of a man carrying his own cross is of a condemned man on his way to the place of execution, shouldering the cross-bar of his own cross and walking through the mocking crowds, just as Jesus did on the way to Calvary. Thus it is a graphic picture of one who is dead to his own will. He is ready to accept whatever costs are involved in following Jesus. So the Cross ultimately speaks of death. For a Christian this represents both a point in time (Ro 6:4-6, Ga 2:20) and also a process in which daily we are called to deny and die, putting to death the old habits and corrupting lusts of deceit and putting on the garments of resurrection power (Php 3:10) Was Jesus calling for His disciples to experience literal death? For some this has been the case but the more difficult death (in my opinion) is daily death to self. Whether literal or figurative death is death and by its very meaning speaks of separation, either physically or figuratively (spiritually). The important point is that the true disciple of Christ must be willing to die that he might truly live. It was James Denney who wrote that, “The man who has nothing to die for has nothing to live for; he does not know what life is.” The disciple, however, has everything to live for, because he has chosen what and who he will die for. His life has been placed at the full disposal of the Lord Jesus. Jesus is calling us to a radical and costly identification with Him and will not force the cross upon us. We must daily choose to take it up out of devotion to the Lord Himself (Lk 9:23-note) It requires a personal decision. Following Jesus costs more than anything—except not following Him. Darrell Bock - The figure of cross-bearing denotes a willingness to bear the pain of persecution as a result of following Jesus. It is another way to express willingness to “hate one’s soul” in self-sacrifice. The picture is similar to Luke 9:23–24, with its portrait of daily cross-bearing (Plummer 1896: 364), as well as Matt. 16:24 = Mark 8:34; Acts 14:22; and Heb. 13:13 (Ibid)
Lucas 14
Ryle- The man who does well for himself is the man who gives up everything for Christ's sake. He makes the best of bargains; he carries the cross for a few years in this world, and in the world to come has everlasting life. He obtains the best of possessions; he carries his riches with him beyond the grave. He is rich in grace here, and he is rich in glory hereafter. And, best of all, what he obtains by faith in Christ he never loses. It is "that good part which is never taken away." Robin Mark has a "theme song" for Luke 14:33 - By God's amazing grace may it be evey disciple's song... All I Once Held Dear All I once held dear Built my life upon All this world reveres And wants to own All I once thought gain I have counted loss Spent and worthless now Compared to this REFRAIN Knowing You Jesus, knowing You There is no greater thing You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness And I love You Lord Now my heart's desire Is to know You more To be found in You And known as Yours To possess by faith What I could not earn All surpassing gift of righteousness Knowing You Jesus, knowing You There is no greater thing You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness And I love You Lord Oh to know the power of Your risen life And to know You in Your sufferings To become like You In Your death my Lord So with You to live and never die Knowing You Jesus, knowing You There is no greater thing You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness And I love You Lord And I love You Lord You're my all - spoken You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness And I love You Lord Give up (657)(apotasso from apo = from + tasso = to place in order) means to assign to different place, to allot. However in the NT it is only found in the middle voice and has the meaning of to part from, to take leave of, to say good-bye. Figuratively, apotasso means to dismiss, forsake, renounce or give up as Jesus says in Lk 14:33 of one's possessions. This meaning carries the notion of putting something aside (perhaps in its correct priority) to prevent it from being a hindrance or gaining excessive control. It is interesting that Jesus did not say the disciple must be “willing” to “renounce” everything; He said that person must give it up! In the majority of the NT uses apotasso means separating oneself from others, places, or things and so bidding them farewell or saying good-bye (Mark 6:46; Acts 18:18, 21; 2 Cor. 2:13). Apotasso - 6v - bidding...farewell(1), give(1), say good-bye(1), taking...leave(1), taking leave(1), took leave(1). Mk. 6:46; Lk. 9:61; Lk. 14:33; Acts 18:18; Acts 18:21; 2 Co. 2:13 ILLUSTRATION - When I think of this, I always tend to think of a story I once heard about how animal catchers used to catch wild monkeys for zoos. (I don't know if this is true or not; but I suppose that if I ever have to catch a monkey, this would be a good way to do it.) (Ed: See blog on this subject) I was told that they would set an empty glass bottle (Ed: Actually a coconut with a hole) in an open field with a peanut dropped into it. Then they'd hide in the bushes and wait. After a while, a monkey would sneak up to the bottle, squeeze its paw down into the narrow neck of the bottle and grab the peanut. Once it had grabbed a hold of the peanut, it couldn't withdraw its peanut-filled paw from the bottle. Then, all that the catchers had to do was walk out and take the monkey into captivity - bottle and all. They could walk, not run; because no matter what might be about to happen to him, the greedy little monkey would refuse to let go of the peanut. Would-be followers of Jesus are often like that monkey. They hear about Jesus, and they even begin to follow; but they also wont let go of the grip they have on the possessions of this life - the income, the home, the cars, the life-style, the security. They would like to follow Jesus dragging their 'pop-bottle' of this world's riches in tow if Jesus would accept that. But when Jesus suddenly turns to them and says, "Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple;" they find that the cost is higher than they are willing to pay; and they can't go any further. Hampton Keathley III summarizes the principles in Luke 14:25-33: Loving Christ above all other relationships is the priority of discipleship. The cross becomes the focal point of identification with Christ. His death is key. Gal 6:14 Discipleship is not a free expedition. I need to recognize the true owner of all my possessions. The failure in my stewardship from God will cost me my effectiveness for God. (See Counting the Cost) A Proper Perspective - Jesus’ words are neither complicated nor vague. He simply says, “If you are going to call yourself one of My disciples, you must release your grip on materialism.” To keep all this in proper perspective, think of it this way. He is not saying that we cannot posses anything, but things must not be allowed to possess us. To use His words, we must “give up” our possessions. Corrie ten Boom, that saintly lady who endured such brutality from the Nazis in Ravensbruck during World War II, once said that she had learned to hold everything loosely in her hand. She said she discovered, in her years of walking with Him, that when she grasped things tightly, it would hurt when the Lord would have to pry her fingers loose. Disciples hold all “things” loosely. Do you? Can you think of anything that has a tap root to your heart? Let go! Give it up to Him! Yes, it may be painful. . . but how essential! - Charles Swindoll in Strengthening Your Grip. (Bolding Added) The Last Few Pounds Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. —Luke 14:33 Whatever weight-loss plan you choose, you’re bound to lose pounds—at least for a while. But most dieters reach a plateau before they reach their goal, and many get discouraged when the thrill leaves before all the weight does. Many give up and go back to their old ways of eating. Something similar happens in our Christian lives. When we begin our walk with Jesus, we easily shed many of the sins that have weighed us down. We give dramatic testimonies about being freed from addictive behaviors. Then the attention shifts to another new believer, and we discover that “little” sins like jealousy, resentment, and anger don’t drop away as readily as the “big” ones. Some of us get so discouraged that we lose sight of our commitment to Christ and go back to some of our old ways of living. When Jesus talked about the cost of being His disciple (Luke 14:25-35), He wanted those who heard Him to realize that believing in Him and following Him involves more than starting something that is exciting. It means sticking with something that is difficult. Onward and upward your course plan today, Seeking new heights as you walk Jesus' way; Heed not past failures, but strive for the prize, Aiming for goals fit for His holy eyes. —Brandt Perseverance makes the difference between failure and success. Steven
Lucas 14
Ryle - The following quotation from Maundrell deserves reading. He is describing the valley of salt, in his travels, and he says, “Along, on one side, there is a small precipice, occasioned by the continual taking away of the salt. I broke a piece of it, of which the part exposed to the rain, sun, and air, though it had the sparks and particles of salt, had completely lost its savor. The inner part which was connected with the rock, retained its savor.”... This striking and solemn saying about the “salt which has lost its savor,” is found on no less than three distinct occasions in the Gospels. (See Mt. 5:13, and Mk 9:50.) The spiritual lesson of the passage is fearfully overlooked. The sinfulness of sins against light and knowledge, and the possibility of being given over to a reprobate mind, are points not sufficiently dwelt upon by preachers, or considered by hearers. Men seem to forget that there is such a thing as an unpardonable sin,—and that if salt has once lost its savor, it cannot be seasoned again....I can certainly testify, after sixteen years’ ministry, that by far the most hopeless and painful deathbeds I have attended have been those of backsliders. I have seen some such persons go out of the world without hope, whose conscience really appeared dead, buried and gone, and on whom every truth and doctrine, and argument appeared alike thrown away. They seemed to have lost the power of feeling, and could only lie still and despair. I fear the true account of such persons’ state of soul was the sentence of our Lord, on which I have now been dwelling. Gregg Allen on salt that is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile - These words, I believe, are meant to be understood in the context of the cost of following Jesus. In saying this, Jesus is comparing those who would follow Him with salt. Salt has a multitude of positive properties. It adds flavor to food that is bland. It promotes the healing to wounds. It helps preserve things from spoiling or rotting. But if the salt should ever lose its saltiness - if it becomes flat and flavorless - then it becomes absolutely useless for any of these things. You can't 'resalt' salt. It has lost all its potential. It can't be used. It's good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on the ground. This is the picture of a man or woman who seeks to be a follower of Jesus, but who won't pay the price of following. It's a picture of people who call themselves Jesus' 'disciples'; but who still love other people more than they love Him, and who still exalt their own concerns over His, and who still cling to the things of this world more than they cling to Him. As far as He is concerned, such would-be followers are as useless to the cause of discipleship as salt is that has lost its saltiness. They are good for nothing. They cannot - according to Jesus' own words - be His disciples. Now that's a 'hard saying', isn't it? But then, I didn't say it. The very Jesus - whom we propose to follow - is the One who said it. Jesus Himself closes with these words: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" May we hear these words - hard as they may be! (Sermon) Darrell Bock comments on what it means to be thrown out - Salt used for fertilizer wilted weeds and improved the soil at a deeper level, but useless salt was discarded. So, too, the “saltless” disciple is no longer used by God. This remark could allude to final judgment like the “odd man out” in certain parables (Luke 12:46; Lk 19:21–26 with Mt. 25:30) or it could refer to the judgment of physical death that befalls some in the community (1 Cor 11:30). The ambiguity may well be intentional. Failure to pursue discipleship can indicate that faith is not really present, even though it was thought to be, or spiritual rebellion. In either case, the situation displeases God. It is better to obey and not be subject to this threat....To be useful, salt must stay salty. How horrible to be thrown away by God when one could have been used by him. So consider the cost and have the resolve of a disciple who fully pursues God. Luke’s call is to hear the warning and respond with faithfulness. (See Luke Baker Exegetical Commentary) He who has ears to hear, let him hear - The hearing referred to goes beyond physical hearing and implies an inner spiritual reception of truth. In other words, if you can understand these simple, straightforward truths about discipleship, then heed the message. A man with ears needs to hear the invitation. Hearing spiritual truth is a choice which a man must make. He chooses whether to hear or not to hear the truth. Jesus' command to hear calls for a faith response to what Jesus has just said concerning who can be His disciple (Lk 14:25-35). A person's reception or rejection of Jesus' message is a reflection of his openness to God. Jesus knew that most of the multitude while in no need of hearing aids, nevertheless did not really "hear" His Words and receive them into their hearts. We have an old saying "in one ear and out the other!" That's can be a deadly (eternally) defect if it is Jesus' words that fail to take root in our heart! And this applies to His pulpit prophets, who are His mouthpiece to speak forth His word with authority and power. This is all the more reason you want to be attending a church where the pastor is proclaiming the full Gospel, and not skating over the HARD SAYINGS of Jesus on discipleship (salvation)! A W Tozer said that "Faith comes first to the hearing ear, not to the cogitating mind." Compare Jesus' words on hearing and notice it is not just hearing but acting upon what is heard that is critical... “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell–and great was its fall.” (Mt 7:24-27-note) “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. (Luke 8:15-note) “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded (NOTICE HERE JESUS LINKS EFFECTIVE HEARING WITH HEART PERSUASION) even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Lu. 16:31) Paul commends the saints at Thessalonica for their "good hearing"... For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. (1 Th 2:13-note) James has a similar warning about hearing God's Word... "Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive (WELCOME) the WORD implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove (present imperative) yourselves doers of the WORD, and not merely (superficial) hearers who delude (paralogizomai in the present tense = continually delude) themselves." (James 1:21-22-note) Solomon wrote that He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. (Pr. 15:31) Bridges writes - "What a contrast to the “scorner,” lately described, who “goeth not unto the wise.” (Pr 15:12) The circumcised ear heareth the reproof that tends to life (Pr 6:23), and welcomes it as a probing medicine, needful for the soul’s health. (Pr 15: 5, 12:18. cp. Ps. 141:5) This refrain TO HEAR is repeated 6 times in the Gospels and all are in the present imperative - a command for continual hearing (and heeding). But mark it down that dead men cannot hear spiritual truth (Eph 2:1), UNLESS the Holy Spirit opens our ears (and eyes) Matthew 11:15+ “He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 13:9+ “He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:43+ “Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. Mark 4:9+ And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 8:8+ “Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 14:35 “It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” A similar call TO HEAR and heed is given at the end of every message to the Churches in Revelation 2-3. - All 7 declaration are in the aorist imperative a command that can convey a sense of urgency. Do this now! Don't delay! Revelation 2:7+ 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.' Revelation 2:11+ 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.' Revelation 2:17+ 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.' Revelation 2:29+ 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' Revelation 3:6+ 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' Revelation 3:13+ 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' Revelation 3:22+ 'He who has an ear,let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'" Gene Brooks - If one became a disciple without due thought and then forsook Him under persecution, such a one would be like salt with no saltiness. Worth nothing. Defection would prove that he was not a true disciple after all. He would be rejected. (Sodium chloride cannot actually lose its saltiness, but Dead Sea salt is a mixture of NaCl and other compounds. When water evaporates from the mixture, the sodium chloride crystallizes first and may be removed. The gypsum and other impurities remaining is salt which has lost its saltiness.) (The Cost of Being a Disciple) Steven