Christians: All I hear is crickets chirping?

Question

In my previous question, http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;... someone responded that when Jesus says to hate your parents and life, he really means “to love them less.” I have never heard anyone, including Jesus, mean “to love them less” when they use the word “hate.” What do you base your explanation on? Secondly, someone else said that hate means to “abandon all worldly concerns”? He says that it says this in “the manuscript.” Who wrote the manuscript? “Abandon all worldly concerns does not mean “hate.” The author of the manuscript is quite mistaken. My parents, wife and my children have been there for me; Jesus has not. The Bible tells me to hate them. Doesn’t he also say something about respecting your father? No one respects anybody that they hate.

Hopefully this works: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtDREnncnW7.ZBHGmJawOZbsy6IX?qid=20070824102654AAxfDeK

Answer 1

Well... since I can assume the only exposure to this is from another Q/A post, I'd have to say it might make more sense if it was read in full context of Jesus' conversation.

And yes....He was making the point of the level of love He wants.. He wants a love that so deep, it makes the love you have for your family pale in comparison. He's not saying "go love them less",

And this isn't the only "hard" phrase that Jesus stated. How about "Let the dead bury the dead" as a response to a man who said he was willing to follow Jesus, but wanted to wait until his father passed away. He was saying "if you're going to follow me, do it now, don't put it off." Or does someone really think Jesus expected a corpse to be able to bury another corpse.

context my friend...context. This is why it is important to study before pronouncing judgement. This way one can be sure all Scripture is still in harmony.

(By the way.... I don't hear the crickets...I hear a few serious Christian's keyboards clicking. I need to tell that silly rabbit, trix are for kids - everyone knows we can't answer a question until it's asked... *grin*)

Answer 2

Couldn't open the link

The Bible was not written in English. The NT was written in Greek. The word translated as "hate", in Greek had the "abandon all worldly concerns" connotation. It is basically saying that you should love God before anything else.

You shouldn't attach yourself and depend on anything the way you attach to and depend on God. Its though, it is a very harsh thing Jesus say and a big challenge to any Christian.

Paz de Cristo

Answer 3

Jesus is essentially saying the same thing Yoda said in Star Wars III, to a soon to be Vader Anakin Skywalker:

"Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is."

This is not really that different from what Buddhism also teaches. Our devotion to what surrounds us is something we have to cultivate carefully. Jesus has no problem with loving those who are family - from his very cross, he made arrangements for his mother, telling the apostle John to care for her.

It is when we allow anything - even family - to become a stumbling block to greater things that we make a kind of idol out of them. And when we do this, we are not exalting our family - we are being selfish, and clinging, desiring greedily what may well be taken from us.

In the end, we are alone here. As Kahlil Gibran writes:

"Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music."

Jesus asks you not to forsake the kingdom simply to appease someone you love. Doing so does not save them, and does not save you.

Set your sights higher.

Answer 4

I didn't see your previous questions. I only just got back.

Anyway, the Greek word, miseō, that was translated as "hate" came from the word misos, which means hatred. However, Strong's Hebrew and Greek dictionary has miseō
to mean "to love less."

For the record, the phrase "to love less" doesn't even show up ONCE in the KJV.

Basically, if you read that entire passage, Jesus is simply saying that one should count the cost before they follow Him. They should put Jesus FIRST, before everything else, even their own life. If they can't do that, then obviously following Jesus is not right for them.

The Message puts it more accurately, and, I think, is truer to the original Greek:

One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple."

Jesus then goes on to say in verse 33:
"Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple."

Even in the King James, Jesus uses "forsaketh" instead of "hate":
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Jesus, throughout the New Testament, sometimes used phrases simply to grab peoples' attention. THEN He went back and explained exactly what He meant.

Answer 5

In comparison to a person's love of God, hate would be an accurate description. Even if my parents had sacrificed their life to save mine, it would give me only 70 or 80 years on the average. Jesus' sacrifice saves me for eternity.

Answer 6

Pft, that's nothing. You should see the Classical Music section. They have questions 4 hours old with no answers on the first page.

Answer 7

It just means to put God first. In some countries, your family will hate you if you convert to Christianity. Read about Sadhu Sundar Singh for example. He had to chose between faith and his family. He could either denounce Jesus and stay in the family or be cast away. In that case, Jesus says that if you don't "hate" your family and don't chose God, you cannot be saved.

Answer 8

I interpret that passage to mean that anything that blocks your path to a relationship with Jesus should be placed second in your life.

Jesus' mom and brothers were wanting an audience from him, but he was busy tending to others in the group. He showed favoritism for nobody, so he wasn't about to stop what he was doing to please his mom.

Everything in your life should come second to God. But the cool thing about giving yourself over to him completely is that by doing so, you start giving of yourself to others, namely your family.

Your family is your first ministry. I'm glad they've been there for you and I hope you've been there for them, but think of what heights you can soar to with God under your wings.

Peace and God bless.

Answer 9

Continue reading the chapter and the point of His comments become clear. Jesus followers must be willing to give up all that this world has to offer including family and friends if they want to be His disciple.


Luke 14:33
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Answer 10

The full quote - for effect - goes "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." (Luke 14:26.)

This statement certainly seems to be at variance with other statements of "Jesus." It seems that everybody is to be "loved as your neighbor" except yourself and your family. It seems that - in order to be holy! - you ought to kick your children out of the house and replace them with the rest of the town.

In fact, this quote only makes sense when interpreted in the light of Eastern asceticism. It's the ordinary formula of renunciation demanded of every disciple of every "holy man." As practical advice for the world, it's nonsense - but then it was never intended to be practical advice for the world. The problem with "Scripture" is that people have the insane idea that every injunction is intended for all people in all circumstances in perpetuity throughout the universe - the alternative being (gasp!) "moral relativism." But morals ARE relative. Many of the injunctions of "Jesus" would be nothing less than suicidal if adopted by humanity as a whole. "Take no thought for the morrow" comes to mind.

(P.S. - It's cute that "Christians" are always willing to hedge on the meaning of the original Greek when it comes to Biblical statements that they find uncomfortable, such as this one; but they refuse to allow the same argument when applied to, e.g., "Paul's" apparent condemnations of homosexuality. Call it moral relativism!)