Luke 14:26-28

14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate ¹  his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, ²  he cannot be my disciple. 14:27 Whoever does not carry his own cross ³  and follow ⁴  me cannot be my disciple. 14:28 For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down ⁵  first and compute the cost ⁶  to see if he has enough money to complete it?

Deuteronomy 33:9

33:9 He said to his father and mother, “I have not seen him,” ⁷ 

and he did not acknowledge his own brothers

or know his own children,

for they kept your word,

and guarded your covenant.

Matthew 10:37-39

10:37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 10:38 And whoever does not take up his cross ⁸  and follow me is not worthy of me. 10:39 Whoever finds his life ⁹  will lose it, ¹⁰  and whoever loses his life because of me ¹¹  will find it.

Matthew 19:28-30

19:28 Jesus ¹²  said to them, “I tell you the truth: ¹³  In the age when all things are renewed, ¹⁴  when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging ¹⁵  the twelve tribes of Israel. 19:29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much ¹⁶  and will inherit eternal life. 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Mark 10:29-31

10:29 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁷  there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 10:30 who will not receive in this age ¹⁸  a hundred times as much – homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions ¹⁹  – and in the age to come, eternal life. ²⁰  10:31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

[14:26]  ¹ tn This figurative use operates on a relative scale. God is to be loved more than family or self.

[14:26]  ² tn Grk “his own soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.

[14:27]  ³ sn It was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion for the prisoner to be made to carry his own cross. Jesus is speaking figuratively here in the context of rejection. If the priority is not one’s allegiance to Jesus, then one will not follow him in the face of possible rejection; see Luke 9:23.

[14:27]  ⁴ tn Grk “and come after.” In combination with the verb ἔρχομαι (ercomai) the improper preposition ὀπίσω (opisw) means “follow.”

[14:28]  ⁵ tn The participle καθίσας (kaqisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[14:28]  ⁶ tn The first illustration involves checking to see if enough funds exist to build a watchtower. Both ψηφίζω (yhfizw, “compute”) and δαπάνη (dapanh, “cost”) are economic terms.

[33:9]  ⁷ sn This statement no doubt alludes to the Levites’ destruction of their own fellow tribesmen following the golden calf incident (Exod 32:25-29).

[10:38]  ⁸ sn It was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion for the prisoner to be made to carry his own cross. Jesus is speaking figuratively here in the context of rejection. If the priority is not one’s allegiance to Jesus, then one will not follow him in the face of possible rejection.

[10:39]  ⁹ tn Grk “his soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.

[10:39]  ¹⁰ sn If there is no willingness to suffer the world’s rejection at this point, then one will not respond to Jesus (which is trying to find life) and then will be subject to this judgment (which is losing it).

[10:39]  ¹¹ tn Or “for my sake.” The traditional rendering “for my sake” can be understood in the sense of “for my benefit,” but the Greek term ἕνεκα indicates the cause or reason for something (BDAG 334 s.v. 1).

[19:28]  ¹² tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[19:28]  ¹³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[19:28]  ¹⁴ sn The Greek term translated the age when all things are renewed (παλιγγενεσία, palingenesia) is understood as a reference to the Messianic age, the time when all things are renewed and restored (cf. Rev 21:5).

[19:28]  ¹⁵ sn The statement you…will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel looks at the future authority the Twelve will have when Jesus returns. They will share in Israel’s judgment.

[19:29]  ¹⁶ sn Jesus reassures his disciples with a promise that (1) much benefit in this life (a hundred times as much) and (2) eternal life will be given.

[10:29]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[10:30]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “this time” (καιρός, kairos), but for stylistic reasons this has been translated “this age” here.

[10:30]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “with persecutions.” The “all” has been supplied to clarify that the prepositional phrase belongs not just to the “fields.”

[10:30]  ²⁰ sn Note that Mark (see also Matt 19:29; Luke 10:25, 18:30) portrays eternal life as something one receives in the age to come, unlike John, who emphasizes the possibility of receiving eternal life in the present (John 5:24).