The Parable Project: The Campaign Planner


John Dominic Crossan considers Luke 14:31-32 to be an independent parable. I am not so sure that I can fathom this. Consider:

"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace."

This simply seems to be a call for prudence and planning. Nothing remarkable there.

But when the next verse is read, a different meaning emerges: "So likewise, whoseover he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

So what is the message? Prudence or abandon. Or is abadonment the prudence recommended?

Comments: (1)

  • It seems to me that the King who sues for peace is...
    It seems to me that the King who sues for peace is, in fact, abandoning whatever claims he has against the greater king. He knows that if he doesn't, he will eventually lose his kingdom (and thus his life.) He abandons his claims against the other king out of prudence.Likewise, the return of Christ may be "still a long way off" but it is still prudent to abandon everything to the greater King who is coming.
    Posted on February 3, 2009 at 7:03 am by Jeffrey Hall

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