HOW I SEE IT!

Jesus is not calling his followers to hate their families... There are some Scripture verses in the Word of God that calls for God's interpretation... not man's. What I mean by that is that if we do not ask God to give us an understanding heart, He will not be able to give us an understanding mind. Man's mind is not capable of interpretation of God's wisdom unless that man, woman, boy or girl seeks to understand the will of God like God desires to be understood. Thus, we must ask and seek for Godly wisdom to understand Scripture.

I was asked in class the other day about a particular Scripture. Due to the fact that my lesson required staying on track with my thought pattern and with my Bible study time table, I did not give time to the individual's question during class. I did tell him I would answer the question within the following week. I did study the Scripture text in which the individual was questioning and was able to get back with him and the other members as to what I felt the Scripture's interpretation was in line with other Scriptures in the Word of God. The Scripture in question was found in Luke 14:26, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even their own life-such a person cannot be my disciple."


The use of "hate" in Luke might reflect an idiom that comes from Hebrew. In Genesis 29:30-31, we hear that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah and that Leah was "hated" by Jacob. A similar use of the Hebrew word for "hate" occurs in Deuteronomy 21:15-17 where it is also clear that the issue is one of preference or allegiance. This coheres with what we have seen in Luke and Matthew.


Genesis 29:31, When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, that is, less loved, as is expressed, Luke 14:30; this saying indicates that our primary allegiance must be to God/Jesus rather than to family.


The following are other Scriptures where the use of the word "hate" is used in a different light than what we see in Luke.

• 1 John 2:9, "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness."
  
  
• 1 John 2:11, "But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them... "
  
  
• 1 John 3:15, "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him."
  
  
• 1 John 4:20, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen."
  
  
• Revelation 2:6, "But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." (Note: Jesus hates their deeds, their preferences of ungodly practices.)
  
  
• Psalm 5:5, "The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong;... "
  
  
• Psalm 11:5, "The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion."
  
  
• Proverbs 6:16, "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:... "
  
  
• Zechariah 8:17, "Do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord."
  
  

I certainly appreciate every Bible student who has questions about particular Scriptures and their interpretation. My answer will come after much Bible study and prayer for Godly wisdom. The use of the computer is a positive help when learning about the interpretation of Scripture. However, no computer can ever take the place of the wisdom of God in revealing the meaning of Scripture. Seeking God's interpretation must always come before man's interpretation.

May the Holy Spirit be our teacher, comforter, and friend.