Understanding Jesus' "Hate" Speech

[ajax]

Luke 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.

Matt 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.

Lecture 6:5 For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ,

It seems to me that potentially sacrificing or "hating" the closest flesh and blood relationships to me, the ones in which I have the greatest love, responsibility and stewardship, in order to appease the invisible/unknown god, is, well, delusional.

What is Jesus really saying here?

[kirtland r.m.]

Put things in their proper place. Your relationship with the Lord is to come first. King James Bible Matthew 8:21,22
And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
But Jesus told him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead".
This statement will not sound harsh if we have perspective about the Savior, the Atonement, and why we are here.There are plenty of other scriptures teaching us to love one another and take care of one another as well.

[Thinker]

Luke 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.

Matt 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.

Lecture 6:5 For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ,

It seems to me that potentially sacrificing or "hating" the closest flesh and blood relationships to me, the ones in which I have the greatest love, responsibility and stewardship, in order to appease the invisible/unknown god, is, well, delusional.

What is Jesus really saying here?

Christ stood for integrity - speaking truth despite the consequences - even if that means your family mistreats you for it.

Similar to in our church now, back then, religion was quite cultish. Shunning those who didn’t follow orders. There was a tendency to prioritize being with family above following what is right. Christ’s words are wisdom that warns us of our biggest threat - mob mentality. Why did so many go along with the holocaust? Even worse - Soviet Union killings and mass starvation? Even worse than both of those combined - Maoist China killing their own people? Why? Because they prioritized praise or fear of people over doing what’s right.

On their own, people generally don’t act crazy. But in mobs - they act deranged. It’s estimated at least 70% of people follow the crowd. An experiment showed most would say what they know to be wrong due to others in the group choosing the wrong answer.

• "In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."

Herd or tribal mentality begins at home & isn’t always a bad thing - except when it hurts people, as it ended up killing Christ and his disciples. Many more have died in standing for truth - and they thereby made the world better - more realized truth and lived better because of it.

• “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
  Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men...”-D&C 21:34-35

[I AM]

Mark 8

34 ¶ And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.


John 8

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

[nightlight]

Luke 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.

Matt 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.

Lecture 6:5 For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ,

It seems to me that potentially sacrificing or "hating" the closest flesh and blood relationships to me, the ones in which I have the greatest love, responsibility and stewardship, in order to appease the invisible/unknown god, is, well, delusional.

What is Jesus really saying here?

Who do you love more....your family, or Christ?
If you (being evil) love those who are also evil...more than the One who is not evil....then you don't fully know Christ.

This is not hate speech....just levels of love, of which Christ should stand at the high point.

[mes5464]

There is no one more worthy of your love and adoration than God the Father and Jesus Christ. You are commanded to love Them first and then your neighbor. If you can manage to love Them properly, then you will be qualified to love your neighbor in their proper place, that is, family, neighbors, friends do not come before Father and Christ.

[marc]

Luke 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.

Matt 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.

Lecture 6:5 For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ,

It seems to me that potentially sacrificing or "hating" the closest flesh and blood relationships to me, the ones in which I have the greatest love, responsibility and stewardship, in order to appease the invisible/unknown god, is, well, delusional.

What is Jesus really saying here?

What Jesus is saying is that if you love the things that you have in your life now, and refuse to give them up, He will respect your agency and He will not multiply these things for you. Had Abraham refused to sacrifice Isaac, for example, God would never have multiplied that sacrifice unto Him. God wants to bless us more than we know. But we think that what we have is the end all and be all of things. But if you value anything in this world more than what He has to offer you, then that is all you will have. And you may end up losing it all anyway.

[marc]

From LoF 6:5:

5 For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, requires more than mere belief, or supposition that he is doing the will of God, but actual knowledge: realizing, that when these sufferings are ended he will enter into eternal rest; and be a partaker of the glory of God.

This telestial world and all things therein are corruptible. Our very flesh is of the dust. We are nothing. But God can elevate and exalt all things. He can raise us up into something infinitely better--glorified and incorruptible. But if that doesn't sound ideal to you and you prefer your current status and standing in this fallen world, then you cannot go where God is and be as He is because you simply don't want it.

[LukeAir2008]

Ancient languages didn’t have a word for like or dislike so emotions had to be expressed in extremis. You loved or you hated. To love God and put Him first in your life means you hated your family - or as we would say in the modern world - we loved or liked our families less than we love God.

[simpleton]

Put things in their proper place. Your relationship with the Lord is to come first. King James Bible Matthew 8:21,22
And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
But Jesus told him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead".
This statement will not sound harsh if we have perspective about the Savior, the Atonement, and why we are here.There are plenty of other scriptures teaching us to love one another and take care of one another as well.

Very true, think about it, can your wife literally save you from the damnation of hell? Can your children? Can your parents? Well, they definitely can become Saviours upon mount Zion. But nevertheless the actual power comes from God. And God is a jealous God, so He says and He hates our idols whatever they may be. Idols are whatever is in our hearts that are in that special place God designed for Him and Him alone. That special unique room that should only hold the Great Designer. But, we children of the flesh give God the boot and fill that room with idols, and they come in countless means, ways, shapes and forms. Houses, chariots, movie stars, sport stars, animals, wives, husbands, leaders, etc. The workings of our hands, like prophet's mocked us for:

Isaiah 44 king James....

1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

5 One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.


9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.

15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:

17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:

27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid....

The above is just what we do ... cut down a tree, make an idol out of it, then burn up the rest.. but yet worship the idol...

And that is the crux of the matter, God first and foremost period, and then He will add all things unto us, kingdoms, lands, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, wives, husbands and the untold riches of eternity, IF IF IF we but make Him our first love....