Luke 14:26 Hate Our Families

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““If any one comes to me without hating his father* and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. … 33In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

We’re supposed to love our enemies but hate our own families? How exactly does this play out in real life?
 
Not to mention one of the commandments is to Honor your Mother and Father … you can’t honor someone you hate.
 
Absolutely not. If you hate someone, you’re either going to ignore them completely or try to destroy them. So what does Luke 14:26 mean then?
 
It means our love for our families and our lives must be like hate compared to our love for God.
 
Is ‘hating’ the correct translation? There seems to be another meaning meant.
 
The disciple’s family must take second place to the absolute dedication involved in following Jesus.
 
We had another thread asking the same question a couple of months ago:
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Hate thy family and Love thy enemies Moral Theology
A muslim sent me this image, and i was intrigued. I wanted to know what you, my brothers and sisters think of this image and how to refute it and for me to truly understand the faith. Since they accuse the bible as contradicting Because we have to love thy enemies but hate thy family. [FB_IMG_15970256943227881]
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Freddy said:
Is ‘hating’ the correct translation? There seems to be another meaning meant.
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Please see the earlier thread I linked to above. There are different views on the range of possible meanings of the Greek verb misein.
 
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I would note that every time this gospel comes up at Mass in the readings cycle, the homilist seems to make a point of explaining that it does not mean we’re supposed to hate or reject our family, and that it means we’re supposed to place God first and not allow our family members to keep us from God.

Apparently a lot of people must be confused about this Scripture if the priests and deacons have to keep explaining it over and over.
 
Let’s say an 18 yr old, living at home, started going to the Catholic church. His parents are upset with this and they say in response, ‘Why are you doing this? Why do you hate us?’ Because, to unbelievers, this is a rejection of their beliefs, a rebellion to how they live.

As a young adult living at home and starting to attend church, I can tell you it brought hostility to the relationships with my family. They would announce that we ‘as a family’ would be doing ‘this’ on Sunday morning, and I would have to say that, of course, you are picking Sunday morning when I go to church. Make it Saturday instead, or Sunday afternoon. It was always a battle. However, if a person said that they had a curling event, or any sporting event at all, it was all good, no problem. No arguments or debates. Right from the start I had to stand up to bullies. And, I was accused of hateful behaviour and being a terrible person. By becoming a Christian, you enter into a battle, and often family members are the opposing team.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
Apparently a lot of people must be confused about this Scripture if the priests and deacons have to keep explaining it over and over.
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Yup. An archaic use of a word which is used differently in modern parlance is often confusing.

By the way, I think you’re awful!!! (Please click and check out the third definition…! 😉 )
 
It is an idiomatic expression meaning ‘to love less’ not actual hatred. It also occurs in Gen 29:31: ‘When the LORD saw that Leah was hated , he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.’
 
lwest said:
We’re supposed to love our enemies but hate our own families? How exactly does this play out in real life?
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To love while hating, consider the following:

Since love is patient; is kind, one can be patient and kind to/towards somebody/something, while being patient and kids for somebody/something different.

In application, the calling is to always be patient and kind for God, while being patient and kind towards family, yourself, and enemies. Then you will have achieved hating them and yourself because you will never do anything for them or yourself, while loving them and yourself because you will always be patient and kind towards them and yourself!

For example:
If you are sharing mercy with a brother/sister, share the mercy for God, and towards your brother. Never share mercy for your brother, only for God.
 
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It means we are to put God first in everything! We are to love Him and obey Him…and in so doing we will do the right things for our family.
 
I think that’s still flying over my head. Example: My son loves dinosaurs so I get him a dinosaur for his birthday. I’m being loving towards him…but not for him? Totally lost. Sorry.
 
lwest said:
I think that’s still flying over my head. Example: My son loves dinosaurs so I get him a dinosaur for his birthday. I’m being loving towards him…but not for him? Totally lost. Sorry.
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Since giving someone a no strings attached gift is a kind act, you are definitely being loving towards your son, but consider the bigger question of why and some possible answers for greater clarity on whether or not you are loving for him, yourself or God.

Why did you get him a dinosaur for his birthday?
  1. For God, in that you feel called to share blessings with your son as God has shared blessings with you.
  2. For yourself, in that you are trying to get your son to love you.
  3. For your son, in that you are trying to satisfy your son’s desires.
In the cases of 2 & 3, you would be making yourself or your son, your God, which is why you shouldn’t do anything for anyone or thing other than for Jesus/God.
 
Look at 3…‘satisfying my son’s desires’…isn’t giving him something he likes doing just that, regardless of the motive behind it?
 
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