Read Luke 14 at Bible Gateway.
Luk 14 outline:
Luk 14:1-6, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath
Luk 14:7-11, Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and humbles himself will be exalted
Luk 14:12-15, When giving a feast, invite those who cannot repay
Luk 14:16-24, Parable of the poor + outcast brought in to the great feast
Luk 14:25-26, Count the cost of discipleship
Luk 13 and 14 chiastic structures:
Luk 13:6-14:6
1a.1) Luk 13:6-9, The parable of the fig tree which does not bear fruit;
1a.2) Luk 13:10-17, a woman with a spirit of infirmity healed on the Sabbath/ is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath;
1) Luk 13:10, He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath;
2) Luk 13:11, There was a woman with a spirit of infirmity 18 years + was bent over and could not straighten;
3) Luk 13:12-13, Jesus said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” He laid His hands on her + she was made straight + glorified God;
4) Luk 13:14, The ruler of the synagogue indignant/ there are 6 days in which to be healed;
5) Luk 13:15-16, The Lord answered: “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”
6) Luk 13:17, All His adversaries were put to shame/ the multitude rejoiced for the glorious things that were done by Him;
1b) Luk 13:18-19, The parable of the mustard seed;
2b) Luke 13:20-21, The parable of the leaven hidden in three measures of meal;
2a.1) Luk 13:22-35, Enter through the narrow gate/ those who knock, working iniquity, thrust out;
1a) Luk 13:22, He went through the cities + villages, teaching, journeying toward Jerusalem;
1b) Luk 13:23-24, Few saved/ enter through the narrow gate/ many who will not enter;
1c) Luk 13:25a, The householder who has shut the door + those outside knocking to be let in;
1d) Luk 13:25b, He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from;’
central axis) Luk 13;26, You will say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets;’
2d) Luk 13:27a, But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from;’
2c) Luk 13:27b, ‘Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity;’
2b) Luk 13:28-30,Thrust out of the kingdom/ those from the east, west, north, and south/ the last first + first last;
2a) Luk 13:31-35, He was warned that Herod planned to kill Him as he journeyed toward Jerusalem;
2a.2) Luk 14:1-6, A man with dropsy healed on the Sabbath/ is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath;
1) Luk 14:1, He went to the house of a ruler of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath + they watched Him closely;
2) Luk 14:2, There was a certain man before Him who had dropsy;
4) Luk 14:3-4a, Jesus spoke to the lawyers + Pharisees: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” But they kept silent;
3) Luk 14:4b, He took him and healed him, and let him go;
5) Luk 14:5, He answered: “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”
6) Luk 14:6, And they could not answer Him regarding these things.
Luk 14:7-11
1a) Luk 14:7, He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted that they chose the best places;
1b.1) Luk 14:8a, When you are invited to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place;
1b.2) Luk 14:8b-9a, Lest your place be given to one more honorable than you;
1b.3) Luk 14:9b, And then you begin with shame to take the lowest place;
2b.1) Luk 14:10a, But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place;
2b.2) Luk 14:10b, So that your host may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher;’
2b.3) Luk 14:10c, Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you;
2a) Luk 14:11, For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Luk 14:12-14
1a) Luk 14:12, When you give a feast, do not ask your friends + family + neighbors, lest they repay you;
1b) Luk 14:13, But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind;
central axis) Luk 14:14a, And you will be blessed;
2b) Luk 14:14b, Because they cannot repay you;
2a) Luk 14:14c, For you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.
Luk 14:16-24
1a) Luk 14:16-21a, The great supper, and those who were invited made excuses, and did not come;
1b) Luk 14:21b, The master, being angry, instructed the poor + maimed + lame + blind be brought to the feast;
central axis) Luk 14:22, The servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room;’
2b) Luk 14:23, The master instructed they be compelled to come from the highways + hedges, that his house may be filled;
2a) Luk 14:24, “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.”
Luk 14:25-33
1a) Luk 14:25-27, Those who do not hate their family + life, or bear their cross, cannot be My disciple;
1b) Luk 14:28-30, He who builds a tower first counts the cost, that he may finish it;
2b) Luk 14:31-32, The king who makes war against another, first considers whether he can meet him;
2a) Luk 14:33, So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
What does Jesus mean when He says that if you do not hate father and mother or wife and children, you cannot be His disciple? Jesus is not teaching us to hate our family. We know, because elsewhere in Scripture we are commanded to honor our father and mother, and to love our wives as Messiah loves the Church and gave Himself for her. Truth never contradicts itself, so our interpretation must harmonize with the rest of Scripture.
Matthew records this same teaching in his gospel a little differently, which brings clarity to the issue:
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. Mat 10:37-39
Jesus is not teaching us to hate our family, but to love Him preeminently above even our love for our family, above even the love we have for our own life. If our father and mother, or wife or children, came to us to encourage us to forsake Christ, we cannot love them so much that we comply. Being a disciple of Jesus will cost us everything, even our lives. We lay down our own life in order to take up His life, His eternal life, that He is giving us.
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