Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Psalm 1 Philemon 1-21 Luke 14:25-53
An “institution” is an
intentional organization or society or an established law, custom or
practice. Human institutions order our common life, but human
institutions are “fallen” so they are always a mix of good and evil. We
were created by God to share in His perfect life, but we live far from Him,
ruled by sin and death. He defeats sin by forgiveness and death by
resurrection. That healing is already in process and we can choose to cooperate.
We were created for
freedom, so the human institution of slavery is obviously very evil. God’s
judgement on slavery is at the heart of the “exodus story.” God patiently tried
to convince Pharaoh “to let my people go,” but Pharaoh chose to reject His request.
The cost of Israel’s salvation is the death of Egypt’s firstborn sons, a God literally
does unto Egypt, what Egypt had done to Israel. The escape from Egypt is the
first stage of freedom, the next step is choice. It is the freedom to choose
which makes a person free. Choices, however, have consequences. God says: I lay
before you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose Life.
Freedom has a requirement:
"loving the Lord your God, obeying Him and holding fast to Him." Too
often we reduce freedom to “doing as I want,” not realizing that this merely
makes us slaves to my wants, passions and desire. Paradoxically, when we
serve God we become truly free.
This is why Paul’s
request, “receive [Onesimus] back, not as a slave, but as a brother,"
is an historical turning point. It frees both slave and owner from an evil
institution.
Jesus brings judgement
on the failings of every human institution—not just the obviously evil ones
like slavery. He judges every human institution,
and reminds us of the priority of God. He places Himself above Rome, the Law
and the Temple, and tell us that the world will pass away, He warns us against wealth, He calls us to carry a cross and follow Him---so it should be no
surprise when He judges the human institution of the family.
The demand to "hate" family and self is hyperbole—Jesus is saying that family loyalty, like
perverted self-love, can become idolatry. We must remember the family in the ancient
world was the sole source of identity. The authority of the father was
unquestioned. Jesus replaces loyalty to a human family with membership in the
family of God. If your family wants to take you to Hell, then you "hate" them (all the while loving them).
The centrality of love
to Christianity cannot be overstated. What would a person of love be driven to
hate? If a son overdoses we would hate the drug trade, if a daughter was a sex
slave, we would hate human trafficking. The word “hate” as Jesus uses it is
symbolic. It is the declaration that anything which keeps us from the love of
God and fellowship with Him is the enemy. Discipleship does not await parental
approval. If a choice must be made, we must love God and “hate” whatever
institution would stand in the way.
Today we are also confronted
with a choice: life or death?
We must choose to cling
to God in love and obedience.
We must not choose any
human institution, not even family, not even ourselves, over Him.
Choose wisely!
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For further reflection
Taken literally, the words of Jesus sound like a "depressed adolescent" transitioning, through self loathing and hostility toward parents, into adulthood. I think such a reading is in error, and below I have provided ample references in which to interpret "hate."
LOVE
Mt 22:39 love your neighbor as yourself
Lk 6:32 if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
John 12:34 a new command I give you, love one another as I loved you.
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.
John 15:12 This is my command that you love one another as I have loved you
Romans 12: 9-10 let love be genuine...love one another with brotherly affection.
I Corinthians 13 "if I have not love"... basically I am nothing of value.
and dozens of other declarations of love or exhortations to love
On the issue of hate
Luke 6:27 Love your enemies
16:13 no one can serve two masters, they will love one and hate the other... You cannot serve God and Mammon (money/wealth)
hate I more regularly aimed at the disciples. 16:13 blessed are you when men hate you for my sake and 21:17 you will be hated by all for my sake.
Ephesian 5:29 Paul writes "no one hates his own flesh"
I John 2:9 whoever hates his brother is in darkness, 2:11 whoever hates his brother walks in darkness and is blind, 3:15 the one who hates is a murderer
On the issue of relationship to family: Luke's Gospel begins with two "families" the parents of John the Baptist and Jesus. The angel promises (Lk 1:17) John the Baptist is going "to turn the hearts of parents to their children." In Lk 11:11, in His instruction on prayer, Jesus asks, "What father among you, if his son asks for a fish instead of a fish would give him a serpent?...if you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father..." In 12:49-53, Luke quotes Jesus on His impact--I have not brought peace but division; parents and children will be against one another. Related to this, 14:12-14 Jesus suggests inviting the poor and needy to the banquet, rather than family, friends and the wealthy. Also, recall 9:57-62 where Jesus asserts the priority of His call to the demands of family piety.
The parallel in Matthew 10:37-39 offers a softer version of Jesus' hard saying, "He who loves father of mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
Mt 19:29 (//Lk 18:29) "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my names sake, will receive one hundred-fold, and inherit eternal life."
Mt 23:9 "Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven."
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