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 between simple entrance into the Kingdom and full discipleship with its absolute and complete consecration. The two parabolic questions which follow teach the lesson of Luke 9:62. It is better not to attempt what one cannot thoroughly accomplish; better never begin to be a full disciple than to put down the cross after once you have taken it up. Luke 14:33 is not exactly the conclusion we should have expected; it may be Lk.'s way of fitting the parables into the instruction on renunciation. Luke 14:34 f. (Matthew 5:13) is here used in connexion with the idea of full discipleship, absolute renunciation. Those who attain this are the salt of the earth; if they fall away from it they are not fit for the Kingdom of God.
Luke 14:31. Some commentators see a reference here to Herod Antipas, whose army had been routed by Aretas of Arabia, whose daughter Herod had divorced when he married Herodias. Cf. p. 654.