The paper re-examines the parable of the king pondering about engaging in war with a more powerful enemy (Luke 14.31–2), focusing on questions commonly asked in antiquity and still relevant today with respect to war and suing for peace. These regard the cause of the war and the reasons for fighting, the tension between bravery and wisdom, the circumstances that may contribute to the defeat of a superior army and the costs of peace making. I explore this parable in the context of other Lukan passages touching on the topic of war and peace. I challenge the assumption that Luke was a pacifist, and I argue that the parable cannot provide answers to contemporary questions about the ethics of peace and war.

中文翻译：

---

不惜一切代价求和平？在战争时期阅读二王的比喻（路加福音 14.31-2）

本文重新审视了国王思考与更强大的敌人开战的寓言（路加福音 14.31-2），重点关注古代常见的问题，以及与战争和求和有关的今天仍然相关的问题。这些问题涉及战争的起因和战斗的原因、勇敢与智慧之间的紧张关系、可能导致优势军队失败的情况以及缔造和平的成本。我在涉及战争与和平主题的其他卢坎段落的背景下探讨了这个寓言。我对路加是和平主义者的假设提出质疑，并且我认为这个寓言无法为当代有关和平与战争伦理的问题提供答案。