When reading the Bible, it can sometimes be helpful to look at the original Greek and Hebrew words to get a better understanding of what scripture is really trying to reveal to us.
One example of this is found in the gospel of Luke …
Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard (hate) his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.”
“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard (hate) his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.”
Is Jesus really telling us in this verse that we should hate our parents, children, brothers, and sisters? After all, scripture also tells us that we should honor our fathers and mothers …
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.”
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.”
A look at the original language – before the English translation – will give us a better idea of what was really said.
The original Greek word for “disregard” or “hate” used here is “miseo.” A more accurate translation of this word is “to love less.”
Also, the original Hebrew word is “sane,” which means to “not prefer.”
So, what Jesus is really saying here is that we should choose Him above everything else. We should choose (prefer) Christ over mother, father, children, or siblings. And we should prefer Christ over our own lives.
This idea of choosing to love and prefer God is nothing new. This demand is made to us in the Old Testament as well.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your descendants, to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your descendants, to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
The World’s Most Beautiful Paradox!
Jesus tells us in Luke 14:26 to prefer Him over our own lives. The amazing truth is that the only way to really experience full joy, peace, and contentment is to put Christ first. Our best life only comes through making Jesus our priority.
Matthew 16:24-25
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.”
