Luke 14:31-33 interpretation

[theCardinalbird]

14:30. Saying: This man began to build and was not able to finish.

14:31. Or, what king, about to go to make war against another king, doth not first sit down and think whether he be able, with ten thousand, to meet him that, with twenty thousand, cometh against him?

14:32. Or else, while the other is yet afar off, sending an embassy, he desireth conditions of peace.

14:33. So likewise every one of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth cannot be my disciple.

14:34. Salt is good. But if the salt shall lose its savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

14:35. It is neither profitable for the land nor for the dunghill: but shall be cast out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

How do I interpret this? Does this mean I have to give away everything (house, clothes, phone, etc.) I own in order to have a shot at eternal life?

 

[Limoncello4021]

Not at all. What Jesus is saying, however, is that you need to make God the #1 priority in your life. If anything (house, clothes, phone, family, friends, possessions, your health, job, money) comes before God in your life, you have to be prepared to renounce it.

 

[theCardinalbird]

that makes sense

 

[End_Timer]

The church has Religious Orders for those wanting to follow Christ more deeply

Christianity is a Mystical, Bloody Religion of faith & self-sacrificing love
for others. We are called to give out / use ourselves up for the true
good of others, especially on behalf of their salvation

John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this:
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

 

[Dan_Defender]

The meaning is not literal, but detachment of material things and attachment to spiritual things. Also:
'And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” ’ - Luke 19:8-10

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Don’t be so attached to material possessions that you would be devastated without them. If you lost it all today, where would you be? (The answer I believe He’s looking for is in counting or blessings nonetheless… Health, family, faith)

 

[Jezra]

In the context, I think it means that even if you have an army, it is better not to fight, but to find peace. In other words, even if you have the money and possessions to fight, it is actually better to make peace one on one because that levels the playing field. Think David and Goliath. Even without an army and the smallest of possessions, David won the war which led to peace.

 

[Telstar]

14:30. Saying: This man began to build and was not able to finish. 14:31. Or, what king, about to go to make war against another king, doth not first sit down and think whether he be able, with ten thousand, to meet him that, with twenty thousand, cometh against him? 14:32. Or else, while the other is yet afar off, sending an embassy, he desireth conditions of peace. 14:33. So likewise every one of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth cannot be my disciple. 14:34. Salt is good. But if the salt shall lose its savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 14:35. It is neither profitable for the land nor for the dunghill: but shall be cast out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

I think the entire passage is to tell us that if we truly want to follow Him, then we must be willing, at any moment, to give up everything we have and everyone we love, for His sake. We should always be willing to accept any trial or tribulation, without complaining, for His greater Glory.

He’s certainly not telling us all that we should literally sell everything we have. Or, that we should abandon all of our responsibilities to our family and friends, as if we didn’t love them anymore. But, we should live our entire lives doing whatever He taught us to do for all those around us, as if our life was one supreme act of love offered up to Him. At the same time, we shouldn’t just do it halfheartedly, either. In other words, we should live our entire lives for His sake, and offer it all up to Him. In the end, He will repay us “a hundred fold” for our ultimate act of love, in Heaven.