Luke 14:29Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him,
The setting
Jesus continues His parable, knowing His audience had seen unfinished Roman construction projects littering Palestine - visible monuments to poor planning...
The emotion here: compassionate concern for those who would suffer public shame
The original word
empaizō (ἐμπαίζειν) — to mock, ridicule publicly, the same word used for Jesus' mockery at crucifixion
Why it matters
Unfinished Roman towers became public laughingstocks and were often dismantled for materials
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 14:29
The 'mockery' Jesus describes is exactly what He would face - public humiliation for an 'unfinished' mission
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about embarrassment over failed projects. Jesus was preparing disciples for the public shame they'd face following a crucified Messiah.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 14:29
Bible Genome reading
Luke 14:29 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 14:29 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 15% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include failure, shame. Notable phrases: not able to finish; begins to mock.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Luke 14:29 mean to you, today?
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