Bible Study Hate your own life in order to be a disciple?

[TonyChanYT]

Lk 14:

26 “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 [G5590], he cannot be my disciple.

Strong's Greek: 5590. ψυχή (psuché) — 104 Occurrences

This was an attention-grabbing statement. Jesus often used hyperbole to emphasize a point. This added to the shock value of the statement and had a greater impact on their listeners' ears. He used provocative language to challenge conventional thinking and encourage a radical reorientation of values and behaviors.

Actually, what did Jesus mean by 'hate'?

Jesus used the word 'hate' in a relative sense. He demanded absolute love for God. In a comparative or relative sense, you must hate your own life.

What did Jesus mean by 'life'?

John 12:

25 "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life [psuche] in this world will keep it for eternal life."

Jesus spoke of a worldly psuche-life in Lk 14:26. There was another Greek word for life:
Strong's Greek: 2222. ζωή (zóé) — 135 Occurrences

Jn 12:25 contrasts two kinds of life: worldly psuche-life and eternal zoe-life.

By 'hating your own life', Jesus means rejecting self-preservation, selfishness, and worldly priorities in favor of complete surrender to God’s will. That's eternal life. True life comes only through union with him, even if it involves suffering or sacrifice.

Should you hate being alive?

No, Jesus is not calling you to despise your physical existence. Instead, He is urging you to renounce any form of self-centered living and to embrace a life fully submitted to Him. It’s not about hating the gift of life itself but about rejecting the false gods of self-reliance, pride, and worldly ambition.

Jn 10:

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life [zoe] and have it abundantly.

Jesus wants his disciples to hate their worldly life (psuche) in order to live an abundant life (zoe) now and for eternity.

 

[for_his_glory]

Luke 14:25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
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.
Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

These scriptures are about the cost of discipleship. This does not mean we literally hate those of our family or even ourself, but that we need to put Christ first before everything in our life when we pick up our cross to follow Jesus.

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.