Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 14:31

Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

31. what king, going to make war against another king ] Rather, to meet another king in battle. There may be an historical allusion here to the disturbed relations between Herod Antipas and his injured father-in-law Hareth, king of Arabia, which (after this time) ended in the total defeat of the former (Jos. Antt. xviii. 5, 3).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

With ten thousand to meet … – Whether he will be able, with the forces which he has, to meet his enemy. Christ here perhaps intends to denote that the enemies which we have to encounter in following him are many and strong, and that our strength is comparatively feeble. To meet him. To contend with him. To gain a victory over him.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Luk 14:31-32

Or what king, going to make war

Consider before you fight

I.

First, then, THERE ARE SOME HERE WHO ARE NOT THE FRIENDS OF GOD, and in this case he that is not with Him is against Him. If you could have what you wish there would be no God. If it were in your power you would never trouble yourself again with thoughts of Him. You would like to live, you say, as you list, and I know how you would list to live. It would be anyhow, rather than as God commands. Now, as you are engaged in antagonism with Him, just think awhile–Can you expect to succeed? Let me put a few things before you which may, perhaps, make you think the conflict too unequal, and thus lead you to abandon the thought at once. Think of Gods stupendous power! What is there which He cannot do? Think, again, O rebellious man, you have to deal not only with almighty, but with an ever-encompassing power. Think, again, how much you are personally in His hand! It is well also to remember the mighty army of the Lord of hosts, and that you live amidst the creatures of God, who all are ready to do His bidding. Remember, moreover, what is the extent of Gods wisdom, and that His foolishness is greater than your highest knowledge. Yet there is another matter I want you to recollect, you that are the enemies of God–that you have a conscience. You have not got rid of it yet. It is not put out; and God has ways of making it to become a terrible plague to you, if you do not accept it as a friend. One other reflection, for I must not keep you thinking on this point long–it is this. Remember you must die, and therefore it is a pity to be at enmity with God. Here is this, too, to think of, there is a future state, so that when you die you have to live again. I should not choose to enter upon the realm of spirits without having God to be my friend. Besides, let me say, you cannot hope to succeed, all experience is against you; there never was one yet that, either in this state or the next, has fought with God and conquered.

II. And now we turn the subject, so as to look at THE SECOND CONTEST, IN WHICH I TRUST MANY ARE ANXIOUS TO BE ENGAGED, Some young spirit that has been touched with a sense of its own condition, and somewhat aroused, may be saying, I will be Gods enemy no longer; I will be His friend. Bowing the knee, that heart cries, Oh God, reconcile me unto Thyself by the death of Thy dear Son. I throw down all my weapons; I confess my guilt; I plead for mercy. For Jesus sake vouchsafe it to me. But, says that soul, if I am the friend of God, I must be the foe of Satan, and from this day I pledge myself to fight for ever with Satan till I get the victory, and am free from sin. My dear friend, I want you to stop. I do not wish you to make peace with the evil one, but I want you to consider what you are at. There are a few things I would whisper in your ear, and one is, that sin is sweet. Remember, again, you may be enticed by friends who will be very pressing. You can give up sin just now, but you do not know who may be the tempter at some future time. If she should allure thee, who has tempted so well before! Then again, remember, man, there is habit. You say you will all of a sudden give up your sins and fight Satan. Do not tell me that; can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Again, you think you will give up sin, but ridicule is very unpleasant, and when the tinges comes to be pointed at you, and they say, Ah, so you have set up for a saint, I see; when they put it as they only can put it, in such a sharp, cutting, grating manner, can you stand that! And yet further, let me say to you, you that are for going to heaven so zealously–gain, gain is a very pretty thing, a very pleasant affair. Who does not like to make money? You know, if you can be religious and grow rich at the same time, that will just suit some of you. Think of this then, for the trial will come to you in the shape of yellow gold, and it will be hard to keep yourself from the glittering bait which the god of this world will lay before you. I am putting these things to you, so that you may calculate whether you can carry on the war against the devil with all these fearful odds against you. If I were a recruiting-serjeant I should not do this. He puts the shilling into the country lads hand, and the lad may say fifty things. Oh, never mind, says the gallant soldier, you know, it is all glory, nothing but glory. There, I will just tie these ribbons round your hat. There are some long strips of glory to begin with, and then all your days it will be just glory, glory for ever; and you will die a general, and be buried at Westminster Abbey, and they will play the Dead March in Saul, and all that kind of thing. Now I cannot thus deceive or try to cheat men to enlist under the banner of the Cross. I do not desire to raise objections to it; all I want of you is to count the cost, lest you should be like unto him who began to build without being able to finish. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The Christian war

The doctrine here is, that a sinner who designs to close with Christ, and become His disciple, should first consult matters well, and then take courage and not fear any enemy, but resolutely pursue his great and good design.

I. SHOW PARTICULARLY WHAT A POOR SINNER, WHO DESIGNS TO ENTER UPON THIS WAR, SHOULD CONSULT.

1. He should consult the charge of this war. He who spares one beloved lust will be worsted and lose the field.

2. He should consult what great hardship he must undergo.

3. He should consult the cause and absolute necessity of the war.

4. He should consult the length or duration of the war.

5. He must consider at whose charge the war is to be carried on and maintained. Christs riches and treasures are infinite and inexhaustible.

6. He should carefully consider the manner and time when he must enlist, and what armour he must wear (Heb 3:13; Eph 6:14-17).

7. He must consider the strength, policy, wrath, and cruelty of Satan and other enemies.

8. He must be sensible of his own weakness, and never engage in his own name or strength.

9. He must consider the power and irresistible strength of his Captain, the Lord Jesus Christ.

10. He must consider the covenant of peace, the oath and promises of God the Father to Christ as Mediator, and in Him to all believers; also, how in that covenant all the elect are put into Christs hand, not only to redeem them, to renew them, but also to aid, help, and assist, and to fight for them; yea, and to strengthen and support them.

11. He must consider the relation in which they stand to their Captain. He has espoused and married them for ever.

12. They should also know that all their enemies are already conquered.

13. They should consider the honour of God, and the honour, exaltation, and glory of their Captain, and prefer that above their lives. While we seek His glory, He will seek our good.

14. They should consider the nature of the crown for which they fight.

II. SHOW WHY SINNERS SHOULD SIT DOWN AND CONSIDER THESE THINGS BEFORE THEY ENTER INTO THESE WARS.

1. Because man is naturally self-confident, and thinks he can do wonderful things by his own strength; but did he know how weak be is, and how deceitful his heart is, and all the powers of his soul, he would not pride it so in himself, nor ever venture to go forth in his own strength against one who is so much stronger than he.

2. Because all who ever engaged these enemies, not considering their own weakness, but went out in their own strength, were put to flight and utterly beaten.

3. Because our Lord would have none of His soldiers be surprised, either by the power, wrath, malice, or subtlety of the enemy.

4. That we may be better prepared for the worst. Forewarned, forearmed.

Application:

1. This informs us that the work of a Christian is no easy, but a very hard and difficult, work.

2. It may inform us what the reason is that so many professors, who seemed zealous in times of peace and liberty, have deserted in an hour of trial and persecution. They did not sit down and consider the strength of their enemies.

3. It may be of use to all poor convinced sinners that purpose to follow Jesus Christ, first of all to ponder and well weigh the nature, troubles, and difficulties of a Christian life.

4. It also may tend to convince us of the great strength and power of Satan and other enemies of our souls, and the need we have to be well armed and to stand always upon our watch and never give way to self-confidence.

5. It shows also the woeful condition of unbelievers, who have not the power of Christ to help and assist them. (B. Keach.)

Unequal to the war

Louis XII., King of France, sent an army into Italy to take the kingdom of Naples, which had been given to Louis XI. by King Rene of Provence. When Alfonso, King of Naples, heard that Louis and other enemies were coming against him, he looked round for help, and actually begged the Sultan of Turkey to aid him. Not getting assistance in this quarter, and having no army fit to oppose that of Louis, he made peace with him, gave up Naples, accepted the Duchy of Anjou, and went to live there.

First weigh, then venture

Count Von Moltke, the great German strategist and general, chose for his motto, Erst wagen, dann wagon (First weigh, then venture), and it is to this he owes his great victories and successes. Slow, cautious, careful in planning, but bold, daring, even seemingly reckless in execution, the moment his resolve is made. Vows must ripen into deeds, decision must go on to performance. (H. O.Mackay.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Or what king going to make war against another king,…. Our Lord illustrates the same thing, the business of a profession, by another similitude, or parable; taking up a profession of religion, is like to two kings engaging in a war. The king on the one side, is the Christian professor; true believers are kings, they have the apparel of kings, the royal robe of Christ’s righteousness; they live like kings, at the table of the King of kings; have the attendance of kings, angels ministering unto them; have crowns and thrones as kings have, and greater than theirs; and have a kingdom of grace now, and are heirs of the kingdom of glory. The king on the other side, is the devil; who is the king and prince of the rest of the devils, and over the men of the world; a kingdom is ascribed to him, which is a kingdom of darkness; and he is said to be a great king, and is represented as proud, cruel, and tyrannical: now the Christian professor’s life is a warfare; he is engaged with many enemies; the corruptions of his own heart within, and the world without; and especially Satan, who is to be resisted, and by no means to be yielded to, though there is a great inequality between them: and therefore what man that engages in such a warfare,

sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand, to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? and such a difference there is between the Christian professor and the devil; the one is flesh and blood, the other a spirit; the one is raw and undisciplined, the other a veteran soldier; the one a stripling, and the other the strong man armed: their numbers are unequal; the people of Christ are few, and their force and strength in themselves small; and they have a large number of devils, and of the men of the world, and of the lusts of their own hearts, to grapple with; wherefore it is necessary to sit down and consult, not with flesh and blood, but with other Christians; and chiefly, and above all, with God himself; what will be the charges of this warfare; the hardships to be endured; in whose name and strength they are to engage; what weapons to take, and how to use them; and how to get knowledge of the designs, methods, and strength of the enemy, and take every advantage of him.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

To encounter (). Second aorist active infinitive of , old and common verb, to throw or bring together, to dispute, to clash in war as here.

Another king ( ), to grapple with another king in war or for war ( ). Associative instrumental case.

Take counsel (). Future middle indicative of old and common verb , from , will, counsel. The middle means to take counsel with oneself, to deliberate, to ponder.

With ten thousand ( ). Literally, in ten thousand. See this so-called instrumental use of in Jude 1:14. Equipped in or with ten thousand. See Lu 1:17. Note just below (midst of twenty thousand).

To meet (). Common verb (like ) from (, end, face to face, from which ) with preposition (or ), to go to meet. Here it has a military meaning.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

To make war against another king [ ] . Lit., to come together with another king for war. So Rev., to encounter another king in war.

“Out he flashed, And into such a song, such fire for fame, Such trumpet – blowings in it, coming down To such a stern and iron – clashing close, That when he stopped we longed to hurl together.” TENNYSON, Idyls of the King.

With ten thousand (ejn deka ciliasin). Lit., in ten thousands : i e., in the midst of; surrounded by. Compare Jude 1:14.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

PARABLE OF A KING FOR WAR V. 31-33

1) “Or what king,” (he tis basileus) “Or just what king” is there or what kind of a king is there, or would he be; a true disciple is a king, a soldier, and a builder.

2) “Going to make war against another,” (poreuomenos hetero basilei sumbalein eis polemon) “Going to attack another king in war,” the prince of this world, in a war engagement, in mortal combat. The former illustration lays stress on the folly of excuses, while this emphasized the danger of outward commitment, without resolute resolve. The Christian life is a battle, a worthy warfare, an “holy war,” 2Ti 4:7-8; Eph 6:11-18.

3) “Sitteth not down first,” (ouchi kathisas proton) “Does not first (in priority) sit down,” in a deliberating manner, evaluating strategy and methodology. And equipment and topography of land and environmental conditions, Jas 4:14-17.

4) “And consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand,” (bouleusetai ei dunatos estin en deka chiliasan) ‘And deliberate or consult whether or not he is able with ten thousand,” considers information and advice from others regarding material, his people, and their strength of numbers and morale, Pro 20:18.

5) “To meet him that cometh against him,” (hupantesai to erchomeno ep’ auton) “To confront or engage the one who is coming upon him,” coming for an attack on him, in military, combat strength.

6) “With twenty thousand?” (meta eikosi chilladon) “With (an army of) twenty thousand?” though Satan has super resources to marshal against the believer, there is a greater power, 1Jn 5:4. With twice the number of military combat people that he himself has in arms. For the midst of counsel, Solomon declared,” there is (exists) a safety,” which is “the principal thing,” Pro 4:7; Pro 11:14.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(31) What king, going to make war against another king . .?Here also there may have been a side-glance at contemporary history. The Tetrarchs divorce of his first wife had involved him in a war with her father Aretas, an Arabian king or ethnarch (see Note on Luk. 3:14), in which his army was destroyed, and the Jewish historian sees in this the commencement of all his subsequent misfortunes (Jos. Ant. v., 18:5, 1).

In the spiritual interpretation of the two parables, the tower reminds us of the house in Mat. 7:24-27, and so stands for the structure of a holy life reared on the one Foundation; the warfare brings to our remembrance the conflict described in Mat. 12:29. Here it stands partly for the conflict which every Christian carries on against sin, the world, and the devil, and of which we should take a clear estimate before we enter on it, partly for the greater war on which Christ Himself had entered, and of which He too had counted the cost that being, in His case, nothing less than the sacrifice of His own life.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

31. What king In this little parable the soul of the would-be disciple is the king; the adversary to his salvation, whether the devil or all opposing evil, is the

another king. Whether he be able Just as the sinner must examine himself and be sure that he is ready to give up all for Christ.

With ten thousand to meet him Let the sinner examine and see whether with the moral force within him he has ability (obtainable from above) to fight the battle of salvation. Let him be sure that he has the right and sufficient strength; otherwise he may find it necessary to capitulate to the devil.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments