Why They Are Trying to Seal the Gate – And Why It Won’t WorkAh yes, Luke 14:26. The verse that stops people in their tracks and makes them ask, “Wait, What?… did Jesus really say I have to hate my family to follow Him?” Short answer? Yes, but not the way we modern Westerners understand the word “hate.”
Here’s the verse again, in the King James: “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.” Luke 14:26
Let’s understand this in the original language that Luke wrote, then in context, and then in His actual tone.
The Greek word translated as “hate” is μισέω (miseó), which does literally mean to hate, or more accurately, to strongly prefer one thing over another, even to the point of rejecting the lesser.
BUT in Hebraic idiom and the Semitic mindset, the word miseó didn’t always carry our modern emotional baggage of loathing or hostility. It was often used in contrast or priority language, a way of showing preference, allegiance, or covenantal loyalty.
Same structure shows up in the Old Testament: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Malachi 1:2–3 / Romans 9:13)
Did God loathe Esau? No. He chose Jacob. He preferred him for the covenant lineage. It’s about election and priority, not emotional hate.
So what was Yeshua saying?
He was calling disciples to radical allegiance.
“If you want to follow Me, nothing, not even the closest blood ties, can come before Me. If I call you, and your family pulls one way while I pull another, you follow Me. Even if it costs you your family’s approval. Even if it costs you your life.”
He’s not encouraging rebellion, bitterness, or breaking up homes. He’s not telling people to abandon their responsibilities or relationships. In fact, He commanded us to love others, honor parents, and even love enemies.
So what’s this really about?
Loyalty. Ultimate and pure loyalty. It’s not about hating family in the way of active hostility. It’s about choosing Yeshua as Lord over all others, even those you love most.
Let’s put it into plain English:
“If you’re going to follow Me, you’ve got to be ready to walk away from anything or anyone that stands in the way of obedience to me. Even if it’s your mother. Even if it’s your husband, or your kids, or your best friend. I don’t ask for part of your heart, I want all of it. If push comes to shove, and it will, you choose Me. Period. End of discussion.”
It’s not cruel. It’s costly love. He knows that this walk will divide families, nations, and even your own desires, and He’s just being honest up front.
That’s why the next few verses talk about counting the cost (Luke 14:28–33). He’s not selling false promises. He’s warning:
“This road is real. Think before you walk it.”
So, Luke 14:26 isn’t a command to hate your family in the emotional sense. It’s a call to love Yeshua more, so much more, that when the two loves are in conflict, there’s no hesitation.
I choose Yeshua HaMashiach. I choose the Son of The Most High God, YHWH.
Image done by chatgpt at my direction