Luke 14:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

NIV: And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

NASB: Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

CSB: Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

NLT: And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

KJV: And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

NKJV: And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Jesus is repeating to a crowd what He has already told the Twelve about being His disciple (Luke 9:23–24). He began by saying His disciples need to be so devoted to Him that their love for family looks like hate in comparison (Luke 14:26). Finishing off His warning that disciples must be willing to die for Him, Jesus explains they must be willing to die in the most humiliating and excruciating way possible.

These are not requirements to acquire salvation. Rather, they are part of a lifestyle which must be adopted to be a long-lasting, useful disciple (Luke 14:34–35). We cannot earn salvation, even by dying a martyr's death. Salvation must be humbly accepted when God offers (Luke 14:16–24).

The term "bear his own cross" is often misinterpreted. It does not mean to endure a particular long-term hardship, although Jesus followers are often called to do so. It means to be willing to follow Jesus even if the repercussions are death. Losing a job, a business, or a social media account is not the same. The persecution Jesus is talking about is physical death, the horrors of which pale in comparison to the spiritual life God promises (Luke 12:4–5).

Discipleship in the culture of Jesus' era was a serious decision. Students find a teacher whose character and doctrine are trustworthy and devote themselves to the teacher's way of life. Choosing to become Jesus' disciple demands a hard look at the sacrifices required as well as the blessings He promises.

Prepositions in Greek are not as distinct as English. In Luke 14:26, Jesus says coming "to" Him requires valuing Him more than family or self. Here, He says coming "after" Him requires carrying one's cross. The concepts are two different ways of talking about one ongoing relationship.

Luke 14:25–33 continues Jesus' lessons on who will experience the kingdom of God. Humble, generous, and responsive people will receive God's blessings (Luke 14:1–24). Those who would be Jesus' disciples must count the cost of dedicating their lives to Him and make sure they're willing to pay it. Entering God's kingdom is free, but being a useful citizen takes sacrifice. This section on the cost of discipleship resembles Matthew 10:37–38.

A Pharisee invites Jesus to a formal dinner. There, Jesus teaches lessons using invitations and feasts as a theme. These emphasize humility and the importance of not making excuses. After the dinner, Jesus warns that those who seek to follow Him will experience hardship. Believers should "count the cost" and understand what aspects of this world they may have to give up.

Luke 14 continues Jesus' doctrinal march to Jerusalem and the cross. Luke 14 and 15 contain the second grouping of one miracle and a series of discussions about the kingdom of God and salvation; Luke 13:10–35 is the first. Next will be a collection of warnings about rejecting God's kingdom (Luke 16:1—17:10) and two more sets of lessons about the kingdom and salvation, each beginning with a single miracle (Luke 17:11—18:34; 18:35—19:27). After this comes Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.