Answer # 19

Let's understand this verse in its context.

Jesus charged His disciples, "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies" (Luke 6:27). He also said: "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them" (verses 31-32).

In other words, Jesus clearly commands us not only to love those who love us — which should include our relatives — but also to love our enemies who hate us.

The Bible does not contradict itself. "The scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). Then what did Jesus mean when He said "hate" in Luke 14:26?

The Greek word for "hate" in this verse is miseo. Its root can mean "to detest" or, especially, "to persecute." But by extension this root can mean "to love less, to postpone in love or esteem, to slight."

What Jesus was saying, then, is that anyone who follows Him must love Him more than family, relatives or even his own life.

In comparison to the great love we ought to have for Jesus Christ — the One who died for us, our Savior and Redeemer — the love we have for human relatives must be less by comparison.

Jesus said that the second great commandment is "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. 22:39). But what is the first great commandment? "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment" (verses 37-38). One who has such love for God and God's way of life will not compromise. He will not put any human relationship first. We should love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves — yes, we must even love our enemies. But what Jesus meant in Luke 14:26 is that we must not put the demands and desires of our relatives and friends first — above our obedience to God Almighty.