What the heck is this supposed to mean?

Question

What does this verse from the Bible mean? “If any man come to me, and not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sister, yet, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).
If taken literally, it seems to mean hate your family. Considering alot of people take a good portion of the Bible figuratively, what would it mean then?

Answer 1

It means to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and Soul. Since he is the giver of life, he would want his followers to love him above all including our own families.

But, he doesn't mean to hate them, it is a figure of speech. He is a God of love, he is just expressing how much you would have to give up to completely serve him and him only.

I tried to explain this scripture to the best of my ability. But feel free to ask other's their opinion about it.

But don't take my word for it, ask someone who is on a more higher and spiritual level. Like a Pastor, Priest, ect...

hope this helps you out...

Answer 2

Pure Discipleship

With this very short subunit in the journey section, Jesus' attention turns almost totally to his disciples. The leadership has been warned and rebuked. But what does following Jesus really require? The previous parable had hinted that other issues became higher priorities for the original invitees to God's kingdom. This single unit will make it clear that disciples should count the cost of following Jesus, because success will not come easily.

This passage is unique to Luke, though verses 26-27 are like Matthew 10:37-38 and verses 34-35 are similar to Matthew 5:13 and Mark 9:49-50. It is extremely significant that this passage is addressed to large crowds. Jesus offered himself to all, but he also was honest from the very beginning of his preaching about what the journey would involve. What Jesus asks for is first place in one's heart. That is what successful discipleship requires.

So Jesus calls for a follower who will hate his mother and father, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life. The point of the list is that no other relationship is first for a disciple. "Hate" is used figuratively and suggests a priority of relationship. Jesus is first. To follow Jesus means to follow Jesus, not anyone or anything else. A disciple is a learner, and the primary teacher in life is Jesus. This total loyalty is crucial, given the rejection and persecution that lie ahead. If his followers care more about family than about Jesus, when families are divided under pressure of persecution, they will choose against Jesus. This is what lies behind Jesus' remarks. Discipleship is not possible if Jesus is not the teacher.

Answer 3

Luke 14:26 "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."

Jesus is specifically identifying all those people that are closest to you. Father, mother, wife, brother, children and so on, even to the point of your own like; all of these should be second to following Christ. So from the beginning there is something wrong to this verse in the translation. God is not asking you to hate anyone, for remember we are to honor our parents, love our neighbor as our selves, and remember that one that hates his brother in his heart is as bad as a murderer. So the problem is in the word "hate". "Miseo", # 3404 in the Strong's Greek dictionary, "means to love less". In other words we are to love them less than we love Jesus and our Heavenly Father.

Being a disciple of the Word of God should come first in your life, and a student of the path that Jesus wants you to follow. When you study and understand those teachings, then you are to follow them in your life. Keep on loving your family, but put Me first in your life. He wants your love and commitment to follow His path.

Answer 4

I think this one is to be taken literally, but with the understanding that "hate" is a comparative word. Jesus wants people to come to him with love far greater than what we tend to show even our own families and selves. It's not that we're supposed to really hate our families - Jesus also told us to love one another! But our love for him should be so much greater that it might appear as if we have none for others. It's an exaggeration, but it illustrates his point. Being a disciple requires an extreme personal sacrifice. Speaking personally, I have family members who choose not to understand or respect the choice I made when I became a pastor. If my relationship with them was more important, I'd still be able to coax them into accepting me. But my relationship with Christ is most important, so I'm willing to sacrifice. I don't hate them, I just love Jesus more.

Answer 5

Mat 10:37 The one loving father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And the one loving son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Mat 10:37 -
He that loveth father or mother ... - The meaning of this is clear. Christ must be loved supremely, or he is not loved at all. If we are not willing to give up all earthly possessions, and forsake all earthly friends, and if we do not obey him rather than all others, we have no true attachment to him.
Is not worthy of me - Is not appropriate to be regarded as a follower of me, or is not a Christian.

This verse in Matthew is basically the same thing.

Answer 6

I think the problem is with translating the language. The way I understand it, it means that if you love your family more than you love God, you are not worthy of him. It seems strange at first until you think about the fact that God's will created everything and everyone and that he is more loving and powerful than any human could ever be. The Bible says all families get their names from him as well, meaning that the family itself would not exist if not for him. When you look at it all that way, you realize that God can create, recreate and bring about anything at all that he desires so, when choosing who to listen to and obey, we should not be stupid like Adam who chose Eve over God.

Answer 7

It doesn't mean to actually "hate" other people because Jesus told us to even love our enemies.

It means that a person is supposed to forsake their old bonds to people from their earthly family when they become a part of Jesus' family. It's like a similar passage where a man told Jesus that he would follow Him after he buried his father and Jesus said to "let the dead bury the dead, you follow me."

Jesus wasn't saying that a person couldn't honor his father as the Scriptures command that we do. He was talking about having a new set of priorities if one was truly going to be his disciple.

Answer 8

Nothing can stand in the way of God. You must die to yourself putting the selfish desires of the flesh behind you. That means you die to all the things you love and place God first and foremost in your life. This includes leaving home and family to go out and Serve HIM. It means to leave just like the disciples left their families and show God you love Him by leaving the things you love most behind you for Him. Total committment to God in Jesus' Name.

Answer 9

why not put that simplified answer that Intel mentioned above, in the bible instead of this verse that leave TO MUCH room for interpretation (a big reason, i believe, that christians will always have problems trying to defend ERRORs and INCONSISTENCIES within the bible)

Answer 10

If you don't hate everyone in your life you can't be his disciple? That's what is sounds like. Ohhhkayyyy.... LOL

Someone had family issues...