Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Luke 14:26

ἔρχεται πρός με, cometh to me, with a view to close and permanent discipleship. μισεῖ : a stronger word than that used in Mt., where it is a question of loving less; surprising in Lk., whose general habit is to soften hard sayings. But the logion is presented in different lights in the two Gospels. In Mt. it is a question of being a disciple worthy of the Master (ἄξιος); in Lk. of being an effective disciple (οὐ δύναται). Love of friends makes discipleship difficult or impossible; on the other hand, hatred makes it easy. It is easy to be devoted to a master or cause when you hate all rival masters or interests. Therefore “hates” is the appropriate word here, but the practical meaning is love less, which in experience signifies: hating other objects of affection in so far as they present themselves as hindrances to the supreme love of the Master. τὴν γυναῖκα, (not in Mt.): to be most “hated” just because most loved, and excercising the most entangling influence. ἔτι τε καὶ, and moreover. The τε ([119] [120]) binds all the particulars named into one bundle of renuncianda. ψυχήν, life, oneself, most loved of all, therefore forming the climax, and also determining the sense of μισεῖ. The disciple is to hate friends as he can hate himself “secundam eam partem, secundum quam se ipsum odisse debet, a Christo aversam” (Bengel). This last item in the list of things to be hated represents the idea contained in Matthew 10:39.

[119] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[120] Codex Regius--eighth century, represents an ancient text, and is often in agreement with א and B.

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Luke 14:26

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