Honor Thy Parents Joseph Francis Alward November 4, 1998 Matthew says that Jesus tells his disciples to "Honor your father and mother" (Matt 19:19), but Luke thinks that Jesus requires his followers to hate their parents: "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother. . . cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14.26)

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Matthew says that Jesus tells his disciples to "Honor your father and mother" (Matt 19:19), but Luke thinks that Jesus requires his followers to hate their parents: "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother. . .cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14.26)

Even John makes it clear that Jesus had little more respect for his mother than for a houseservant:  When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus, ever the thoughtful hostess, said to him, "They have no wine."  What does Jesus say?  He dismisses her contemptuously with the words: "Woman, what concern is that to you and me?  My hour has not yet come." (John 2:3-4)  

When a disciple begs for permission to bury his father, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father.", Jesus told him to let him rot:  "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."  (Matthew 8:21-22)  Is this the same Matthew that told us that Jesus told his disciples to love their parents?