Luke 14:33

My Notes

What Does Luke 14:33 Mean?

Jesus states the cost of discipleship with absolute clarity: "whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." The word "all" (pas) is comprehensive — every possession, every attachment, every claim. The word "cannot" (ou dynatai) is absolute — it's not difficult; it's impossible. Without forsaking all, discipleship doesn't happen.

This comes after two parables about counting the cost — a builder calculating expenses before starting a tower (verses 28-30) and a king assessing military strength before going to war (verses 31-32). The point of both parables is the same: calculate what this will cost before you commit, because the cost is everything.

The word "forsaketh" (apotasso) means to say goodbye to, to take leave of, to renounce. It's a relational word, not just an economic one. You're not just giving up things; you're saying goodbye to your relationship with them. The attachment is what must be released, not necessarily the possession itself.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What are you holding onto that you haven't yet 'said goodbye to' in your relationship with Jesus?
• 2.How does the distinction between surrendering possessions and surrendering attachment change the practical application?
• 3.Have you counted the full cost of discipleship — and are you willing to pay it?
• 4.What would total surrender look like in your specific circumstances — not theoretically but practically?

Devotional

All. Not some. Not most. Not a significant portion. All. If you don't forsake everything you have, you cannot — not "should not," cannot — be Jesus' disciple.

This is the verse that makes comfortable Christianity impossible. Jesus doesn't say discipleship is expensive. He says it costs everything. The all is absolute. The cannot is definitive. There is no discount discipleship, no partial-commitment option, no payment plan that lets you keep some of what you have while following Jesus.

The parables that precede this verse are about calculating cost before committing. The builder who starts a tower without enough money is mocked. The king who goes to war without enough soldiers is defeated. The message: figure out the price before you sign up. And the price is all that you have.

The word "forsaketh" is about saying goodbye — not just to possessions but to your relationship with them. You can hold things without being held by them. You can use money without being owned by money. The forsaking is about the attachment, not necessarily the asset. Abraham didn't forsake Isaac permanently — he forsook his grip on Isaac. The surrender is internal before it's external.

But make no mistake: the internal surrender must be total. All that you have. Your finances, your relationships, your reputation, your comfort, your plans, your future — all of it surrendered to Jesus' authority. Not destroyed. Surrendered. The difference is crucial: what you surrender to Jesus, Jesus can give back. But it has to be surrendered first.

Have you counted the cost? And is the calculation complete?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture