What did Jesus mean by "hate your father and mother"?
Quick answer
In Luke 14:26 Jesus says, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother… he cannot be my disciple." This is Semitic hyperbole meaning love Christ so supremely that every other love looks like "hate" by comparison.
Jesus is not commanding family hostility; he forbids it elsewhere ("honor your father and mother").
He IS commanding that no human loyalty rank above loyalty to him. Where they conflict, Christ wins.
The cost is heavy but the reward is greater. Disciples who put Christ first end up loving their families well; disciples who put family first often end up serving neither Christ nor them.
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Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.