Fields, Farms and Families

I'm reading the Bible in one year and the New Testament reading for April 12 is Luke 14:15-35.

The Parable of the Great Banquet

Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'

"Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'

"Still another said, 'I have just got married, so I can't come.'

"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'

"'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'

"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'"

- Luke 14:16-24 (NIV)

Meanwhile, the Old Testament reading for April 13 is Deuteronomy 19:1-20:20.

Going to War

The officers shall say to the army: "Has anyone built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may dedicate it. Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her."

- Deuteronomy 20:5-7 (NIV)

At first glance, Luke 14:16-24 and Deuteronomy 20:5-7 appear to contradict each other.

In Luke 14:16-24, Jesus hints at the cost of being a disciple - which is in fact the subject of Luke 14:25-35. Being a disciple may require us to give up our fields, farms and families. As John Piper puts it, for all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18-20).

In Deuteronomy 20:5-7, Moses instructs soldiers who have recently built houses, planted vineyards and got engaged to stay out of battle. Indeed, among the covenant curses for disobedience are that 'you will be pledged to be married to a woman, but another will take her and ravish her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit' (Deuteronomy 28:30, NIV).

On the whole, Luke 14:16-24 seems to be saying that being a disciple may require us to give up our earthly possessions, while Deuteronomy 20:5-7 seems to be saying that being a disciple did not require the Israelites to give up their earthly possessions.

Nevertheless, I think that the apparent contradiction between Luke 14:16-24 and Deuteronomy 20:5-7 can be resolved by examining one of the differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

Under the Old Covenant, the church was tied to the state. Earthly possessions were a measure of God's blessing and a means of establishing God's kingdom (through the state). So being a disciple did not require the Israelites to give up certain earthly possessions. In fact, being a disciple may have required the Israelites to grow certain earthly possessions for the sake of God's kingdom.

Under the New Covenant, the church is separate from the state. Earthly possessions are not necessarily a measure of God's blessing or a means of establishing God's kingdom (at least not through the state). Therefore, being a disciple may require us to give up our earthly possessions for the sake of God's kingdom.