Luke 14:31-33 31Or what king, going out to fight another king in war, will not sitting down first decide if he is able with ten thousand to meet the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32And if not, while the other is yet far away, by sending a delegation he asks for terms of peace. 33So therefore, any one of you who does not give up all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Jesus told a second short story that illustrates the need to count the cost of discipleship. This story is on a much grander scale than the previous one about a tower building. War is a serious matter. Lives are at stake. The parable is a bit sad in that the kings who fight wars treat the soldiers like property to be disposed at will. The king who has the most “players in the game” will likely win because the soldiers will kill each other. The side that has the most standing in the winner. Modern sports are no different. Whoever has the best players or the most standing at the end is the winner. The way the world operates is also similar. In the business world, the company with the best workers or most resources often comes out at the top. Soldiers, workers, and players are treated like pawns in chess that are used to further the agendas of those in charge.
In this short story, the king has to consider if his ten thousand and beat the twenty thousand of the opposing king. In rare cases, as we see in some stories in the Old Testament, the few can beat the many with God’s help. But there is no reference to divine intervention in this story. The wise king will realize that his forces are outnumbered two to one. There will be a great loss of life; possibly every soldier will be killed or at least seriously injured. The best option is to avoid fighting in the first place. Strength can deter a war when one side realizes that the other side can destroy them. The best option is to seek peace. Unfortunately, this is the way nations operate today. With the threat of nuclear annihilation, nations come to terms of peace.
Verse 33 gives the application of the two stories using a fortiori logic. If counting the cost is true for these two examples, how much more should it be true for those who want to follow Jesus. The verb give up (apotassetai) means to leave behind or renounce. God’s kingdom is open to all, but grace demands commitment. Grace is not cheap but came at the price of Jesus’ life. God’s grace draws us to an encounter with the Holy Spirit that demands we make a decision about sovereignty. Following Jesus requires that he become Lord of all. Only when he is Lord does the rest of our life begin to fall into its proper priority and find deep meaning and satisfaction.
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