What Does Jesus Mean By Hating Father and Mother?

Question: Luke 18:26 ….please explain what Jesus said about if we do not hate our mothers, fathers etc. This saying from Jesus I do not understand.

Answer: The passage you mention is Luke 18:29–30, And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (ESV). In Luke 14:26, Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Jesus did not hate his mother but provided for her at his death by committing her to John’s care. Jesus’ is talking here about our priorities. Our first priority as Jesus’ disciples must be to follow and love him above all else. He could not say this if he were not God. Jesus is calling us to love God above all others because only then will we be able to love our loved ones in the truest way. So Jesus is speaking in heightened terms here to make the point. It is intended to shock us into thinking deeply about our most prior commitments. But he also promises that such commitments will yield reward in the kingdom.