Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them, 26 “If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? 29 Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him 30 and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ 31 Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? 32 But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. 33 In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.
As great crowds travel with Jesus toward Jerusalem, He turns to explain what it means to follow Him. Many are attracted by His teaching, but Jesus makes clear that being His disciple requires more than admiration or enthusiasm. A disciple is someone who learns from Jesus and commits to living according to His teaching. Such a commitment must shape every part of one's life.
Jesus begins with a demanding statement: “If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (v. 26). The word hating reflects a biblical expression used to emphasize preference or priority. Jesus is not commanding hostility toward family members or disregard for their needs. In Matthew's account, He expresses the same teaching more directly: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).
Jesus teaches that love for Him, the eternal Son of God, must take precedence over every other attachment, including the closest family relationships. This does not diminish the commandment to honor one's parents or the obligation to love others. Rather, following Christ establishes the proper order of these relationships. The commandment to love God with one's whole heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:4–5) finds its fullest expression in following Jesus, the Son who reveals the Father (John 14:9). Love for God comes first, and faithfulness to Him guides the way His disciples love and fulfill their responsibilities toward others.
Jesus then declares, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (v. 27). For those listening, the cross was a familiar instrument of Roman execution, associated with suffering, humiliation, and death. Jesus uses this powerful image to explain that following Him may require sacrifice, rejection, and suffering. Earlier, He had taught that anyone wishing to follow Him must take up his cross daily (Luke 9:23). Carrying the cross means remaining faithful to Christ even when obedience to His teaching involves personal hardship or the surrender of one's own desires.
Jesus illustrates the seriousness of this commitment through two examples. A person planning to build a tower must first determine whether sufficient resources are available to complete it. Likewise, a king preparing for battle must consider whether his army can withstand a stronger opponent. Both must carefully assess what lies ahead before acting. The examples show that discipleship requires a thoughtful decision and a willingness to persevere. Beginning to follow Jesus is important, but remaining faithful to Him throughout life is essential.
The Gospel concludes with another demanding statement: “In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple” (v. 33). Jesus connects this teaching with the two preceding examples. Just as the builder and the king must recognize what their decisions require, His disciples must be prepared to surrender whatever prevents them from following Him faithfully, whether it involves material possessions, personal attachments, or spiritual obstacles. This demand is illustrated by the rich young man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. When Jesus invited him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him, the man became sad because he was very wealthy (Luke 18:18–23). His attachment to his wealth prevented him from accepting Jesus' invitation
Renouncing possessions means recognizing that material goods are blessings received through God's providence and must never take precedence over one's relationship with Him. As St. Paul reminds us, “What do you possess that you have not received?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Jesus does not require every disciple to dispose of all property in every circumstance, but He does require the willingness to surrender possessions when faithfulness to Him demands it. Material resources remain goods that can support family responsibilities and serve those in need. The early Christians demonstrated this freedom when some voluntarily sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with others (Acts 2:44–45; 4:34–35).
Throughout this Gospel, Jesus repeats that those unwilling to accept these demands “cannot be my disciple” (vv. 26, 27, 33). His words reveal the depth of the commitment involved in following Him. Family relationships, personal ambitions, and material possessions are important parts of human life, but none can take the place of God. Jesus calls His disciples to a love and faithfulness that endure through sacrifice and place their entire lives in His hands.
Lord Jesus, deepen our love for You and strengthen our willingness to follow You faithfully. Help us carry our crosses with courage, use the blessings You have given us wisely, and place our trust in You above all things. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2011. Luke 14:25–33 and accompanying notes; Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 10:37; Luke 9:23; 18:18–23; John 14:9; Acts 2:44–45; 4:34–35; 1 Corinthians 4:7
- Casciaro, Jose Maria, general editor. The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Expanded Edition. Dublin: Four Courts Press; New York: Scepter Publishers, 2008. 313–314.
- Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, editors. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990. 707, §145.
- Aguilar Chiu, Jose Enrique, et al., editors. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. New York: Paulist Press, 2018. 1075.
- Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018. 269–270.
- Collins, John J., Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid, OP, and Donald Senior, CP, editors. The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. London: T&T Clark, 2022. 1334–1335.
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