Luk 14:26, 1Cor 7:33 | Barnes | STEP | Verses 25-27. ; . Verse 26. And hate not . The word hate , here, means simply to love less . See the meaning of the verse in . It may be thus expressed: "He that comes after me, and does not love his father less than he loves me, &c., cannot be my disciple." We are not at liberty literally to hate our parents. This would be expressly contrary to the fifth commandment. See also . But we are to love them less than we love Christ; we are to obey Christ rather than them; we are to be willing to forsake them if he calls us to go and preach his gospel; and we are to submit, without a murmur, to him when he takes them away from us. This is not an uncommon meaning of the word hate in the Scriptures. Comp. . (v) "and hate not his father" (w) "his own life"

Luke 14:26

Verse 26. And hate not. The word hate, here, means simply to love less. See the meaning of the verse in Mt 10:37. It may be thus expressed:

"He that comes after me, and does not love his

father less than he loves me, &c., cannot be

my disciple."

We are not at liberty literally to hate our parents. This would be expressly contrary to the fifth commandment. See also Eph 6:1-3; Co 3:20. But we are to love them less than we love Christ; we are to obey Christ rather than them; we are to be willing to forsake them if he calls us to go and preach his gospel; and we are to submit, without a murmur, to him when he takes them away from us. This is not an uncommon meaning of the word hate in the Scriptures. Comp. Mal 1:2,3; Gen 29:30,31; De 21:15-17.

(v) "and hate not his father" De 33:9, Mt 10:37 (w) "his own life" Acts 20:24, Rev 12:11

1 Corinthians 7:33

Verse 33. Careth for the things that are of the world. Is under a necessity of giving attention to the things of the world; or cannot give his undivided attention and interest to the things of religion. This would be especially true in times of persecution.

How he mast please his wife. How he may gratify her; how he may accommodate himself to her temper and wishes, to make her happy. The apostle here plainly intimates that there would be danger that the man would be so anxious to gratify his wife, as to interfere with his direct religious duties. This may be done in many ways.

(1.) The affections may be taken off from the Lord, and bestowed upon the wife. She may become the object of even improper attachment, and may take the place of God in the affections.

(2.) The time may be taken up in devotion to her, which should be given to secret prayer, and to the duties of religion.

(3.) She may demand his society and attention when he ought to be engaged in doing good to others, and endeavouring to advance the kingdom of Christ.

(4.) She may be gay and fashionable, and may lead him into improper expenses, into a style of living that may be unsuitable for a Christian, and into society where his piety will be injured, and his devotion to God lessened; or,

(5.) she may have erroneous opinions on the doctrines and duties of religion; and a desire to please her may lead him insensibly to modify his views, and to adopt more lax opinions, and to pursue a more lax course of life in his religious duties. Many a husband has thus been injured by a gay, thoughtless, and imprudent wife; and though that wife may be a Christian, yet her course may be such as shall greatly retard his growth in grace, and mar the beauty of his piety.