Jesus says this in the bible...
Luke 14:26
If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
2007-06-12 05:10:07 · 35 answers · asked by Corrigan 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Since when did you have the right to redefine words? Hate=love less than god? Why not say that then? Or are Christians now more eloquent than Jesus?
2007-06-12 05:17:27 · update #1
Dee. I am interested in how Christians reconcile the conflicts in their holy book. If that makes you laugh, I'm glad it brightened up your day. I, however, am saddened that you have less of an inquisitive nature than I.
2007-06-12 05:47:52 · update #2
Jesus addressed this to large crowds who were following him - mainly for what he would provide (in other words, for the wrong reasons). He deliberately shocked them by saying this, to make them stop and think. He used hyperbole.
The key point is that a follower of Christ must even hate HIS OWN LIFE - in the sense that he must be prepared to forfeit it in order to be Christ's disciple. That puts the sentence into correct perspective. Why do so many critics of this truth pick on hating parents etc? I'm glad you didn't! Verse 33 sums it all up for us: after giving the parable of the man counting the cost of building a tower before starting work on it, Jesus said, "In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
2007-06-12 05:25:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus was well aware these men had lives. Some were married. Some had businesses..other had aged parents.
He knew he was in a preaching work that would change the world. He knew it would be short lived....31/2 years. He had to have help. He was in his last days.....He told them if they were not willing to give all this up and follow him then they could not be his disciples. He wanted men that would not be distracted with anything but preaching the good news .
God was opening the way for all humans to come into favor with God. It was not the Jews any more.
He was setting up the way for his disciples to go to heaven to rule with him. That was the Kingdom of the heavens...the little flock goes to heaven and the great crowd lives on earth.
We are to now bring our families with us in the preaching work for the new system is upon us.
The paradise earth we have been promised.
2007-06-12 06:01:44 · answer #2 · answered by debbie2243 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What is sad is that you really believe you have found something here.
Many Jews, which listen to Jesus had to choose between family and God. If they followed Christ they be accused by others of hating their family, their parents, their synagogue. The true however is that there is no personal hatred, but what is observed by some as a personal hatred. Jesus' point is simple when harmonized with ALL of scripture. We are to love God with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind. We are to put God before everything on the earth - including what we naturally love, our parents.
2007-06-12 06:01:38 · answer #3 · answered by Brian 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is an example of hyperbole, a common teaching aid in oral cultures as it makes the statement more vivid and thus easier to remember.
"That verse doesn't say 'does not think-God-is-more-important,' it says 'does not hate.' H-A-T-E, hate. There is a BIG difference, and the vast majority of Christians who try to justify this verse, like the ones who answered before me, rely on this stupid semantic rationalization."
I find reactions like this one funny because it's a 21st century interpretation rather than an Ancient Near East perspective. Sorry, but the bible was written in a different culture and if you don't understand that culture, then your interpretation is going to be skewed and meritless.
2007-06-12 05:17:38 · answer #4 · answered by Deof Movestofca 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
God as #1, family as #2 and you and the rest as # 3
2007-06-12 05:23:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
it means obey the 1st Commandment. "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, soul, and strength."
To fulfill this command "also to love thy neighbor as thyself".
But the lawyer asked Jesus "Who is my neighbor" seeking to justify himself. Then Jesus told the parable of the good Samaritan. The Samaritans were despised by Jews in that day.
So, who is your neighbor. The same. The one you despise the most in this life.
2007-06-12 05:19:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
We understand it to mean that we should put God first.
A believer's devotion to Jesus should be such that, by comparison, it looks as if everything else is hated.
I don't have a problem with it. Most of my family is saved!
2007-06-12 05:19:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am a Christian and I deal with it as a statement that to be a disciple of Christ (Not a Christian, but a disciple is a sold out Christian) it requires the separation from all other controling factors. You cannot allow anyother thing to make decisions for you except your committment to Christ. You still have responsibilities and commitments to your family etc, but your ultimate goals and decisions are for Christ.
2007-06-12 05:19:01 · answer #8 · answered by oldguy63 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
They can't; if the bible was so holy maybe it should have been translated better. Just proves how wrong Christianity is with all of its bogus laws ect.
2007-06-12 05:22:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jesus spoke Aramaic. Aramaic has five different words for love but only one to express hate, dislike, reject etc. To follow Jesus, you need to be prepared to put everything else aside.
2007-06-12 05:18:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋