The Man Who Built A Tower But Was Unable To Finish
28-30) For who of you, wanting to build a tower, does not first, after sitting down, calculate the cost, whether he has it for the completion lest perhaps, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who behold begin to make fun of him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish!
Two illustrations elucidate (‘gar’) the point of the two preceding negative statements that discipleship demands much from which the natural man is bound to shrink, a certain hate of what the natural man counts most dear, and a certain love for what the natural man always hates (the cross is its true sense). So the two illustrations are properly negative; ‘hina mepote,’ “lest perhaps,” and ‘ei de mege,’ “but if not.” The object of the entire presentation is, however, not merely a warning against a hasty decision to become a disciple. These negatives involve a positive: not with a hasty but a deliberative and thoroughly considered decision resolve to become a disciple.
Discipleship is no small thing. Jesus magnifies it when he describes it as undertaking to build no less than a grand tower – not merely an ordinary house or shed. He magnifies it again when he describes it as a great war campaign, fighting a king with an army that is twice the size of our own. The psychology involved is altogether true: an appeal to do great things. To build a Christ-like life is like erecting a mighty tower (positive), also like conquering an enemy who is twice our strength (negative). Such things certainly cannot be done blindly, inconsiderately rushing in. As to the tower, any sensible man would first calmly sit down and calculate the cost lest he become a joke to everybody, unable to lay more than a foundation, a lasting monument of his folly. In ‘ektelesai’ the preposition signifies to carry “out” to the very end; and ‘impaizein’ means to have fun as with a child (‘pais’).
The great point to be noted is that Jesus does not say that this man should not build the tower. That is the usual interpretation, but it is not even by implication contained in Jesus’ words. Jesus wants us to become disciples, the man ought to build the grand tower. But no man can do this by his own natural ability; to attempt it thus is utter folly. He could never get beyond the foundation, mere outward profession of faith, mere outward attachment to Jesus. Where, then, is the money to come from to build the tower? Grace furnishes us all that discipleship needs, grace alone.
