Church Fathers Commentary Luke 14:28-33

"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have [wherewith] to complete it? Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace. So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." — Luke 14:28-33 (ASV)

St. Gregory the Great: Because He had been giving high and lofty precepts, the comparison of building a tower immediately follows, where He says, For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost? For everything we do should be preceded by careful consideration. If we desire to build a tower of humility, we must first brace ourselves against the evils of this world.

St. Basil the Great: The tower can also be seen as a lofty watchtower, equipped for the protection of the city and for discovering an enemy’s approach. In the same way, our understanding was given to us to preserve what is good and to guard against what is evil. For the building of this tower, the Lord tells us to sit down and count our resources to see if we have enough to finish.

Gregory of Nyssa: We must always be pressing onward to reach the end of each difficult undertaking by progressively adding the commandments of God, and so complete the divine work. For one stone is not the whole structure of the tower, nor does a single command lead to the perfection of the soul. We must lay the foundation and, according to the Apostle, upon it must be placed a store of gold, silver, and precious stones. This is why it is added, Lest perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: We should not lay a foundation—that is, begin to follow Christ—and then not bring the work to completion, like those of whom St. John writes, that many of his disciples went back. Alternatively, understand the foundation as the word of teaching, for instance, concerning abstinence. Therefore, this foundation is needed so that the structure of our works may be established as a tower of strength against the enemy. Otherwise, a person is laughed at by those who see him—both men and devils.

St. Gregory the Great: For when we are engaged in good works, unless we watch carefully against evil spirits, we will find that they become our mockers, persuading us toward evil. But another comparison is added, moving from the lesser to the greater, so that from the smallest things the greatest may be understood. For it follows, Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

St. Cyril of Alexandria: For we are fighting against spiritual wickedness in high places. But a multitude of other enemies also presses upon us: fleshly lust, the law of sin raging in our members, and various passions—truly a dreadful multitude of enemies.

St. Augustine of Hippo: The ten thousand soldiers of the one going to fight the king with twenty thousand signify the simplicity of the Christian who is about to contend with the subtlety of the devil.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The king is sin reigning in our mortal body, but our understanding was also created to be a king. If, then, our understanding wishes to fight against sin, it must consider this with its whole mind. For the devils are the attendants of sin, and as they are twenty thousand, they seem to surpass our ten thousand in number. This is because, being spiritual compared to us who are physical, they have come to possess much greater strength.

St. Augustine of Hippo: But regarding the unfinished tower, He alarms us with the reproaches of those who say, This man began to build and was not able to finish. So also, regarding the king with whom the battle was to be fought, He rebuked even the idea of making peace, adding, Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. This signifies that those who forsake all they have cannot endure the devil's threats of even future temptations, and so they make peace with him by consenting to sin.

St. Gregory the Great: Alternatively, in that awesome trial, we do not come to the judgment as a match for our King, for it is ten thousand against twenty thousand—two against one. He comes with a double army against our single one. For while we are prepared only in our deeds, He tests us at once in both thought and deed. Therefore, while He is still far off—He who, though already present in judgment, is not yet seen—let us send Him an embassy: our tears, our works of mercy, and the atoning sacrifice. This is our message that appeases the coming King.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Now, He sufficiently explained what these comparisons refer to on the same occasion, when He said, So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple. Therefore, the cost of building the tower and the strength of the ten thousand against the king with twenty thousand mean nothing less than that each one of us must forsake all that he has.

The introduction, then, matches the final conclusion. For the command to forsake all that one has also contains the command to hate one's father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and yes, even one's own life. For all these things are a person's own possessions, which entangle him and prevent him from obtaining not the particular possessions that will pass away with time, but the common blessings that will last forever.

St. Basil the Great: Our Lord’s intention in this example is not to give anyone the option or liberty to become His disciple or not—in the same way that it is permissible not to begin a foundation or not to negotiate for peace. Rather, His intention is to show the impossibility of pleasing God in the midst of things that distract the soul, and which put it in danger of becoming easy prey to the snares and schemes of the devil.

The Venerable Bede: There is a difference between renouncing all things and leaving all things. For it is the path of a few perfect people to leave all things—that is, to cast the cares of the world behind them—but it is the duty of all the faithful to renounce all things. This means to hold the things of the world in such a way that they are not held captive by the world.