Hi, Joseph, and welcome to the forum. Robskiwarrior is right: in this case it's basically a matter of comparitive love. Our love for Yahshua must be so far above that which we show toward the objects of our "natural love" in this world (parents, siblings, our own lives) that it seems like "hate" in comparison. It's such a radical concept, however, that it's no wonder folks are stumped by it. I did a little digging into a couple of standard reference works for you on the key word in Luke 14:26---
miseo, translated "hate." Hopefully these will be helpful...
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament:
Quote:The requirement for discipleship in Lk. 14:26 is striking: “Hatred of all we are under obligation to love, including our own souls, is the condition of fellowship with Jesus, of working together with Him.” The reference is not to hate in the psychological sense, but to disowning, renunciation, rejection, as in theWisdom literature of the OT. Those who become disciples of Jesus must be committed exclusively to Him; they cannot be bound to anyone or anything else. The term “hate” demands the separation of the disciple, and the warning not to love anyone or anything more is the test. This abnegation is to be taken, not psychologically or fanatically, but pneumatically and christocentrically.
The Complete Word Study Dictionary:
Quote:Miseo: To love less. In Luke 14:26 Jesus contrasts love to family with love to Himself. "If any come to me, and hate [misei, present active indicative, 3rd person singular] not his father, and mother, and wife, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Here Jesus asserts His deity. Every member of man's family is a human being, and the love shown to humans compared to the love shown to Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, must be so different that the former seems like hatred. The meaning of miseo as loving less is made clear in Matthew 10:37, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." In His commands for loving other human beings, the Lord never said, "Love other human beings as you love me," but rather, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matthew 19:19) When it comes to loving God, however, He is placed in a unique position.
It's worth noting that by requiring this sort of love, Yahshua was declaring Himself to be Yahweh---in harmony with the rest of Scripture. If Yahshua were only a good man, a great moral teacher, or the founder of a religion, but not God in the flesh, then this demand would constitute the worst sort of blasphemy---the kind of thing that'd make you want to crucify him.
Some other verses that shed light on Yahshua's teaching: "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:25) "Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.'" (Luke 9:23-24)
kp
