[b]Can I follow Jesus if I do not hate my family?[/b]

Pearl said:

Used in today's context, hate implies anger and extreme dislike but used in the context that Jesus used the word it means that if we are to be his followers we need to commit to him above all else, including our families.

In order to be disciples we must be willing to give up everything for Jesus. Following Jesus requires commitment and faithfulness, even if our parents choose not to follow the Lord. If and when we are faced with the painful choice of loyalty to family versus loyalty to Jesus, we must choose Jesus. Even if our family members disown us for being Christians, we must follow Christ. It is in this sense that we are “hating” our family. Jesus’ command to “hate father and mother” requires us to put our relationship with Jesus before our relationship with parents, siblings, and other family members.

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Amen!!
Well said. I was just getting ready to answer the same, but glad that I saw your post first....you wrote it better than I would have done I am sure

Triumph1300 said:

I was waiting for exactly that.

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Well since YOU are all togged out for a motor bike ride, you won't need to wait around.

Triumph1300 said:

What did it mean 2000 years ago ?

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It was hyperbole, and basically just meant "disdain," in the sense of feeling someone was not worthy of your consideration or respect.

Let me show you an example from scripture that essentially proves it would likely have had to have been. The Greek word used in Luke 14:26 was μισεῖ, the same word used in the Greek OT of Genesis 29:31-33 several times:

31 And when the Lord God saw that Lea was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 And Lea conceived and bore a son to Jacob; and she called his name, Ruben; saying, Because the Lord has looked on my humiliation, and has given me a son, now then my husband will love me. 33 And she conceived again, and bore a second son to Jacob; and she said, Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given to me this one also; and she called his name, Simeon. 34 And she conceived yet again, and bore a son, and said, In the present time my husband will be with me, for I have born him three sons; therefore she called his name, Levi. 35 And having conceived yet again, she bore a son, and said, Now yet again this time will I give thanks to the Lord; therefore she called his name, Judah; and ceased bearing.

Now, if we take this word to mean literal "hatred" as we understand the term today, what was Jacob doing being with her so many times that she bore four children to him? She was not a raging beauty, as verse 17 states, "Leah had no sparkle in her eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful." So it wasn't because he thought she was so hot physically that he just decided, "What the heck, even though I hate her guts I'm gonna do it anyway," LoL. It likely meant he simply "disdained" Leah, because she was not his first choice and he got tricked into her.

The same Greek word was also often used in contexts that communicated preference against someone. This is the context in which we find it in Luke 14:26, given that a parallel passage reads,

37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (Matthew 10:37-38)

It is admittedly a tough question to answer convincingly given the unmistakably harsh meaning the word carries today. But I think context suggests it was more an expression communicating disdain than truly intense emotional hatred.

Note: See also Deuteronomy 21:15 and especially Deuteronomy 22:13-19, where the disdain the husband has for the wife is due to suspecting her of not being a virgin at the time of marriage.

The verse goes on to say we must even hate our own lives. Yet, this on the human level and somewhat the spiritual level is illogical. As Eph 5 says:

Ephesians 5:29 KJV
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

If you look up the word for "hate" in the Strings Greek dictionary, many definitions come up. For easy reference it's G3404. It can mean to hate, hatred, to detest and to persecute. By extension it can also mean to love less.

Many folks misuse this knowledge in other verses, but in what Jesus was saying in Luke 14:26, I believe he was saying "love less". So I tend to support what @Pearl had to say earlier. We have to put him above all family, even our wives and husbands and even our selves.