Luke 14:26-27
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The word "hate" here doesn't mean to actively wish ill upon loved ones, but rather to love Christ so supremely that all other affections, even for family and one's own life, become secondary to the point of seeming "hated" by comparison. This radical prioritization is the non-negotiable cost of true discipleship, revealing that following Jesus demands an allegiance that supersedes all earthly ties.
Jesus is speaking to a large crowd following Him, and He abruptly turns to lay out the radical, non-negotiable cost of discipleship. Before this, He's been discussing the parable of a great banquet, illustrating God's kingdom. Immediately after this verse, He speaks of carrying one's cross and counting the cost, emphasizing that following Him requires a complete reordering of all loyalties and priorities, even above life itself.
This verse sounds harsh, even contradictory. How can Jesus ask us to 'hate' our family and ourselves?
Jesus uses hyperbole here – a common teaching tool – to make a radical point. The word 'hate' isn't about despising your loved ones or your own life in an absolute sense. Instead, it means to love Christ so much more that, in comparison, your love for everyone and everything else appears like hate.
Think of it this way: if you had to choose between a fleeting earthly treasure and an eternal, priceless jewel, your choice for the jewel would make the earthly treasure seem insignificant, almost despised in comparison. That's the kind of radical, absolute prioritization Jesus is calling for.
Your deepest affections and loyalties must be reserved for Christ. When family, possessions, or even life itself pull you away from following Him, you must be willing to turn from them with the same vehemence you would feel towards something you truly hate.
Jesus isn't offering a casual membership; He's calling for total commitment. What does that radical commitment look like in practice?
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Jesus is incredibly upfront about the cost of following Him. He compares it to calculating the cost before building a tower or assessing strength before going to war. This isn't about discouraging people, but about ensuring they understand the seriousness of the commitment.
Being a disciple means being ready to renounce everything—family, status, comfort, and even life itself—if these become obstacles to following Christ. This isn't about a literal, outward abandonment of all possessions or relationships. Instead, it's about an inward disposition: a readiness to lay it all down, to not let anything have ultimate claim on your heart except Christ.
This 'forsaking all' is a preparation for the journey. It’s acknowledging that the path of discipleship will involve sacrifice, potentially extreme sacrifice. True discipleship is characterized by a willingness to surrender all that you are and all that you have to His will.
Understand the original words
mathētēs · Greek Noun
In a biblical context, this refers to the active state of following Jesus, adhering to His teachings, and undergoing transformation into His likeness. It involves total commitment and allegiance to Christ above all other relationships or earthly pursuits.
miseō · Greek Verb
In this context, it is a Semitic idiom denoting a strong preference or priority rather than literal malice. It signifies that one's devotion to God must be so supreme that all other loves appear as hatred by comparison.
psychē · Greek Noun
Refers to the physical body and the temporal, earthly life. Biblically, it encompasses one's self-preservation instincts, personal desires, and the natural life that must be surrendered to experience true spiritual life in Christ.
stauros · Greek Noun
A Roman instrument of execution, signifying death to self, public shame, and the willingness to endure suffering for the sake of faithfulness to God. It represents total surrender to the lordship of Christ and the renunciation of one's own will.
This passage directly parallels Jesus' teaching, clarifying that 'hating' one's family means loving Jesus so much more that family ties pale in comparison.
Philippians 3:7-8Paul's testimony echoes this radical reordering of priorities, where he counts everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, demonstrating a willingness to 'hate' former gains for Him.
John 12:25Jesus here teaches the principle that losing one's life for His sake is the way to find eternal life, which is the ultimate expression of 'hating' one's own life in the sense Jesus means.
Deuteronomy 13:6-9This Old Testament passage speaks to a similar, though distinct, principle where loyalty to God demands setting aside even the closest family relationships if they lead one astray.
calvinLuke 14:25-32: "And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,"
- He who loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38. And he who doth not take his cross and follow me, [603] is not worthy of me. 39. He who findeth his life [604] shall lose it; and he who loseth his life for my sake shall find it. [605] 40. He who receiveth you receiveth me: and he who receiveth me receiveth him w…
jfbLuke 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."
26, 27. If any man, &c.—(See on [1671]Mt 10:34-36, and Mr 8:34, 35).
The word "hate" here doesn't mean to actively wish ill upon loved ones, but rather to love Christ so supremely that all other affections, even for family and one's own life, become secondary to the point of seeming "hated" by comparison. This radical prioritization is the non-negotiable cost of true discipleship, revealing that following Jesus demands an allegiance that supersedes all earthly ties.
Jesus is speaking to a large crowd following Him, and He abruptly turns to lay out the radical, non-negotiable cost of discipleship. Before this, He's been discussing the parable of a great banquet, illustrating God's kingdom. Immediately after this verse, He speaks of carrying one's cross and counting the cost, emphasizing that following Him requires a complete reordering of all loyalties and priorities, even above life itself.
Jesus is speaking to a large crowd following Him, and He abruptly turns to lay out the radical, non-negotiable cost of discipleship. Before this, He's been discussing the parable of a great banquet, illustrating God's kingdom. Immediately after this verse, He speaks of carrying one's cross and counting the cost, emphasizing that following Him requires a complete reordering of all loyalties and priorities, even above life itself.
"“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my dis…" — The word "hate" here doesn't mean to actively wish ill upon loved ones, but rather to love Christ so supremely that all other affections, even for family and one's own life, become secondary to the p…
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