The Bible is filled with the history and wisdom we need to guide our lives. However, some sections of the Bible can be confusing and worrying if you don’t understand the context. Should I really hate my family? At face value, Jesus made it very clear that we should hate not just our mothers and fathers, but our entire family and ourselves.of Luke 14:26, He says, “If someone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, such a person cannot be my disciple. ’ It seems so harsh that I even question Jesus. Why does the very embodiment of love tell us to hate so many people? Does he really mean it?
We must recognize that Jesus spoke in exaggerated terms. You and I often exaggerate. My kids, who refuse to wear their coats, yell, “I’m freezing!” When dinner time approaches, say, “I’m hungry!” “It was the worst day,” says her husband when he comes home after a rough day at work. These are all exaggerations and not absolute facts.
Jesus sometimes exaggerated in his parables.of Matthew 5:29-30Jesus says, “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. If it offends you, cut it off and throw it away.It is better to lose a part of your body than to go to hell with your whole body.” .Matthew 5:48). Later he told his followers, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”Matthew 19:24). Jesus offended many people. “He said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, there is no life within you.’John 6:53).
These are all examples of Jesus using exaggeration to make his point. While not to be taken literally, these statements are examples of the big picture, the truths that Jesus always points out to us. In other words, Jesus is better than anything we can imagine, and we have nothing to sacrifice in this short life. compared to the beauty of eternal life with him. Jesus’ exaggeration reminds us that our salvation is impossible and that “it was by grace you were saved, by faith, not by works.” increase.Ephesians 2:8-9).
Love
Knowing that Jesus used exaggeration, how do we know what Jesus is trying to say? Luke 14:26The best way to interpret the Bible is to read it.? Compare the information we have with the overall theme of the Bible. If something goes against the Bible, it’s not true. When we look at one verse, we don’t see the whole picture. yes, Luke 14:26 It tells us to hate our mothers and fathers, but considering the use of exaggeration, we have to compare it to many verses that tell us to love others.
“Honor your father and mother, that you may live long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12
“Those who say they love God but hate their brothers and sisters are liars. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters they have seen cannot love a God they have not seen.”1 John 4:20)
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)
“You must respect your mother and father, respectively…” (Leviticus 19:3)
“Listen to your father who gave birth to you. Do not despise your old mother.”Proverbs 23:22)
“Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.”Colossians 3:20)
“But when widows have children and grandchildren, they are expected to practice their religion, first of all, by taking care of their own families and by giving back to their parents and grandparents to please God. I have to learn.” (1 Timothy 5:4)
“Whoever curses his father or mother shall be put to death” (Exodus 21:17)
Considering all these verses, and many other verses throughout the Bible, that talk about loving others and ourselves, God wants love to take precedence and that we should honor our parents. (Of course, this does not mean to abuse yourself. If you have a difficult or dangerous relationship with your family, you can love from afar through prayer to keep yourself safe. ) So why did Jesus tell us to hate?
what do you mean?
When Jesus tells us to hate our mothers and fathers, he uses exaggeration to talk about the bigger point. One of his ten commandments is, “You shall not put God before me.”Exodus 20:3). When God says no, he means it. Even our mothers and fathers are not gods before him. We should not treat ourselves like gods before God. Jesus does not want us to hate our families. He clearly wants us to take care of them.but he absolutely He doesn’t want us to worship anyone more than he does.
The Bible talks about physical idols that people created, but idols can be anything we worship or honor more than God. When we worship more than God, we create idols. In respecting and loving others, we must prevent them from coming before God. If what my mother thought of me was more important than what God thought of me, I made her my idol. If spending time with my father was my priority over spending time with the Lord, I made him my idol.
When asked to name the most important commandment, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”Matthew 22:37)When he said he hated our mothers and fathers, he meant comparing our love for him. We should not interfere with our love for the Lord. To be a disciple of the Lord, we must be willing to set boundaries with others and always put the Lord first.
How can I put the Lord first while caring for my family? In all your love and service, or “Whatever you do, approach it with all your heart, as if it were working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). When you first seek the Lord, the Holy Spirit works to help you “flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14). It may seem impossible. All things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). Continue to honor your parents, cherish your family, be kind to your brothers and sisters, and love yourself. But let no one appear before the Lord your God.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Aaron Amat
Megan Moore I am a military spouse and mother of three (through birth and adoption). A speech-language pathologist by her training, she now spends her time traveling around the country every few years. She has her passion for special needs, her adoption and ice cream.
