Here we have our Lord's use of the winnowing-fan. Amid the teeming crowds He knew that there were many light and superficial souls who had not realized the cost involved in discipleship. Mark the thrice-repeated words-cannot be my disciple.
Our love must be greater than the ties of family affection, Luke 14:26; must be greater than our love for our own way, which must be nailed to the Cross, Luke 14:27; must be greater than our love of possessions and property, Luke 14:33. Christ has done more than any other teacher to cement the relationships of human love, but He always asks that they should be subordinated to the claims of God. Oh, for the love that Paul had! See Philippians 3:8.
What a comfort it is to realize that God counted the cost before He set about the task of redemption, whether of a world or of us as individuals. He knew all that it would cost, and surely He did not begin what He cannot complete! [source]
Chapter Summary: Luke 14
1Jesus heals the dropsy on the Sabbath; 7teaches humility; 12to feast the poor; 15under the parable of the great supper, 23shows how worldly minded men shall be shut out of heaven 25Those who will be his disciples, to bear their cross must make their accounts beforehand, 31lest with shame they revolt from him afterward; 34and become altogether unprofitable, like salt that has lost its flavor
1 Corinthians 1:20Hath not God made foolish? [ουχι εμωρανεν ο τεοσ] Strong negative form with aorist active indicative difficult of precise translation, “Did not God make foolish?” The old verb μωραινω mōrainō from μωρος mōros foolish, was to be foolish, to act foolish, then to prove one foolish as here or to make foolish as in Romans 1:22. In Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34 it is used of salt that is tasteless. World (κοσμου kosmou). Synonymous with αιων aiōn (age), orderly arrangement, then the non-Christian cosmos. [source]
Colossians 4:6Seasoned with salt [αλατι ηρτυμενος] The same verb αρτυω artuō (old verb from αιρω airō to fit, to arrange) about salt in Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34. Nowhere else in the N.T. Not too much salt, not too little. Plutarch uses salt of speech, the wit which flavours speech (cf. Attic salt). Our word salacious is this same word degenerated into vulgarity. Grace and salt (wit, sense) make an ideal combination. Every teacher will sympathize with Paul‘s desire “that ye know how ye must answer each one” Who does know? [source]
What do the individual words in Luke 14:34 mean?
Good [is]thereforethesaltifhoweverevenbecomes tastelesswithwhatwill it be seasoned
Greek Commentary for Luke 14:34
See on Matthew 5:13. [source]
See on Mark 9:50. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 14:34
Strong negative form with aorist active indicative difficult of precise translation, “Did not God make foolish?” The old verb μωραινω mōrainō from μωρος mōros foolish, was to be foolish, to act foolish, then to prove one foolish as here or to make foolish as in Romans 1:22. In Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34 it is used of salt that is tasteless. World (κοσμου kosmou). Synonymous with αιων aiōn (age), orderly arrangement, then the non-Christian cosmos. [source]
The same verb αρτυω artuō (old verb from αιρω airō to fit, to arrange) about salt in Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34. Nowhere else in the N.T. Not too much salt, not too little. Plutarch uses salt of speech, the wit which flavours speech (cf. Attic salt). Our word salacious is this same word degenerated into vulgarity. Grace and salt (wit, sense) make an ideal combination. Every teacher will sympathize with Paul‘s desire “that ye know how ye must answer each one” Who does know? [source]