Luke 14: Luke presents Theophilus with a bitter rather than sweet dish
Luke 14: Luke presents Theophilus with a bitter rather than sweet dish
5 He said to them, "If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?"
23 Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
34 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."
Just as Jesus would save a person or livestock that has fallen into the water even if it violates the Sabbath law, he leaps over the barriers between Jews and Gentiles for Theophilus (verses 1-6). Similarly, Jesus hosts a banquet and invites everyone. However, there are countless reasons to refuse the banquet invitation, such as wealth, business, and human relationships. The distance between Jesus and us/people is greater than we think (verses 7-24). Though Jesus calls it a banquet because he was invited to a meal, considering verses 25 and following, Jesus' banquet invitation is a call to follow him as a disciple (verses 25-35). This is Luke's interpretation, connecting the banquet invitation with becoming/following Jesus as a disciple. Luke delivers Jesus' invitation to Theophilus.
Jesus demands that those who want to follow him must hate wealth, business, human relationships, and even family (verses 25-33). Those invited to the banquet must lay down all the countless reasons they cannot respond to the invitation. Luke saw such renunciation as taking up one's cross (verse 27). However, the connection between pre-calculating and renouncing possessions in following Jesus (becoming a disciple) does not seem related. Why did Luke leave it as is? Isn't it more common not to give up possessions when calculating in advance? Luke emphasizes the relationship between these by repeatedly presenting the cost estimation of building a tower and assessing the chances of winning a war. Furthermore, Luke connects the value of salt with renouncing possessions and becoming a disciple. What is Luke binding together with pre-calculation, renunciation of possessions, and salt? What does Luke want to convey to Theophilus through these words of Jesus?
Not only building a tower and calculating the chances of winning a war but all human affairs require budgeting and forecasting. If human affairs are countless, pre-calculations are also countless. Even becoming a disciple of Jesus must be calculated in advance. It means comparing and evaluating the value of one's possessions and desires with following Jesus. Jesus rejected requests to become a disciple based on a momentary emotional impulse. He does not desire blind discipleship. Jesus surely understands the value of deciding to become a disciple after fierce contemplation and firm resolution. Following Jesus is not a one-time decision but is as integrated into daily life as the reasons for refusing a banquet invitation. Hence, a devout senior believer taught, "Think about what Jesus would do in every situation." Choosing Jesus when money is an issue, including Jesus in business decisions, and placing Jesus between oneself and others in relationships ultimately means choosing Jesus after careful consideration and decision in every situation. It is like a cross on one's shoulder, just like Jesus. Salt is salt; salt that has lost its saltiness cannot exist, so following Jesus is not a one-time decision but a daily commitment. Luke candidly tells Theophilus that believing in Jesus is a thoughtful faith, and the scope of that thought encompasses everything. Luke wants Theophilus to know that Christians who willingly died by frying in oil, being dismembered and beheaded, being sawn in half, or becoming lion fodder in the arena did not die because of blind faith in Jesus. They all chose to renounce themselves and choose Jesus as their final, utmost decision, risking their lives. Luke asks Theophilus, "Will you still follow Jesus?" and tells him to flee quickly if he wants to run away. The one with ears to hear in verse 35 likely refers to Theophilus. Given that Theophilus received Luke's second letter, it seems he decided to become a disciple of Jesus or at least did not flee for his life.