Saying 55: Hating Father and Mother
Whoever does not hate father and mother cannot be my disciple; whoever does not hate brothers and sisters and carry the cross as I do is not worthy of me.
Commentary
The Semitic idiom behind “hate” means to prefer less rather than to loathe, but Thomas presses it hard: the family is the first thing the solitary leaves. See saying 101, where the demand is doubled and complicated.
Parallels
Luke 14:26–27; Matthew 10:37–38
Sayings on the same themes
- Saying 99 Saying 99: My True Brothers and Mother Told that his brothers and mother are outside, Jesus says that those here who do the will of his Father are his…
- Saying 82 Saying 82: Whoever Is Near Me Is Near the Fire Whoever is close to me is close to the fire, and whoever is far from me is far from the kingdom.
- Saying 23 Saying 23: One From a Thousand I will choose you, one from a thousand and two from ten thousand, and they will stand as a single one.
- Saying 25 Saying 25: Love Your Brother as Your Soul Love your brother as your own soul; protect him as you would the pupil of your eye.
- Saying 16 Saying 16: Not Peace but Division People think I have come to bring peace; I have come to bring divisions — fire, sword, war. Five in a house…
- Saying 12 Saying 12: James the Just Asked who will lead them after he goes, Jesus sends the disciples to James the Just, for whose sake heaven and earth…