Luke 14:26-30

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Luke 14:25-35

See how Christ in his doctrine suited himself to those to whom he spoke, and gave every one his portion of meat. To Pharisees he preached humility and charity. He is in these verses directing his discourse to the multitudes that crowded after him, and seemed zealous in following him; and his exhortation to them is to understand the terms of discipleship, before they undertook the profession of it, and to consider what they did. See here, I. How zealous people were in their attendance on Christ... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Luke 14:25-33

14:25-33 Great crowds were on the way with Jesus. He turned and said to them, "If any man comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you, if he wishes to build a tower, does not first sit down and reckon up the expense, to see whether he has enough to finish it? This he does lest, when he has laid the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 14:26

If any man come to me ,.... Not in a corporeal, but in a spiritual way; nor barely to hear him preach; but so come, as that he believes in him, applies to him for grace, pardon, righteousness, life, and salvation; professes to be his, submits to his ordinances, and desires to be a disciple of his; 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 : not that proper hatred of any, or all of these, is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 14:27

Whosoever doth not bear his cross ,.... All reproach, afflictions, persecutions, and death itself, cheerfully and patiently; the Ethiopic version renders it, "of his death the cross"; it signifies whatever is trying and disagreeable to flesh and blood: and come after me ; bearing his cross; as Christ himself was about to do, and which doubtless he had in view; cannot be my disciple ; he is not so in reality, nor does he deserve the name. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 14:28

For which of you intending to build a tower ,.... Taking up a profession of Christ and his Gospel, is like building a tower; which, as a tower, must be laid on a good foundation; not on carnal descent and parentage; nor on a sober and religious education; nor on a civil, moral life and conversation; nor on a bare knowledge of Gospel truths and a flash of affection for them, and the people of God; but upon Christ the sure foundation; and on principles of grace formed by his Spirit, in their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 14:29

Lest haply after he hath laid the foundation ,.... Has begun to build, has taken up a profession, has submitted to ordinances, and got into a church state: and is not able to finish it ; a foundation may be laid, and the building may never be finished, because the foundation is not laid right; was it, it would continue, and the building go on, and at last be finished; though no man is able to finish it of himself, yet those hands which have laid the foundation, will raise up the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 14:30

Saying, this man began to build ,.... He set out well, he promised great things, and made a considerable bluster and stir, as if he would carry things at once to a very high pitch: and was not able to finish ; it was all noise and talk, and nothing else: falling off from a profession of religion, exposes men to contempt and scorn; such are not only cast out of churches with disgrace, but are despised by men, by wicked men; and are a reproach, a proverb, and a taunt in all places; and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:26

And hate not - Matthew, Matthew 10:37 , expresses the true meaning of this word, when he says, He who loveth his father and mother More than me. In Matthew 6:24 , he uses the word hate in the same sense. When we read, Romans 9:13 , Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, the meaning is simply, I have loved Jacob - the Israelites, more than Esau - the Edomites; and that this is no arbitrary interpretation of the word hate, but one agreeable to the Hebrew idiom, appears from what is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:27

Doth not bear his cross - See on Matthew 10:38 ; (note); Matthew 16:24 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 14:28

To build a tower - Probably this means no more than a dwelling house, on the top of which, according to the Asiatic manner, battlements were built, both to take the fresh air on, and to serve for refuge from and defense against an enemy. It was also used for prayer and meditation. This parable represents the absurdity of those who undertook to be disciples of Christ, without considering what difficulties they were to meet with, and what strength they had to enable them to go through with... read more

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