All scripture must be taken with all other scripture. What does it mean to "hate" one's father, mother, wife, children, brethren, sisters, etc.?
Clearly it doesn't mean that we should not love them, especially as children of God. For we have these commandments: "Therefore I say to you, love your enemy. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who persecute you..."
And,
"This is my commandment that you love one another that your joy may be full."
Furthermore, we have this word from the apostle Paul:
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her."
And from the apostle Peter,
"Likewise, Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way..."
In terms of Peter, there is no indication that he in any way gave up his marital relationship. To the contrary, we see that he continued to be with, and even take along, his believing wife:
"Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas [Peter]?"
So what does it mean?
In Matthew, Jesus makes almost exactly the same statement with one minor difference:
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
So, taken in the whole context of scripture, we see that anyone who puts his or her family, whether it be parents, wife, children, or anyone else, above Jesus is not worthy of Him. This does not mean that every believer must give up their marital relationship. It means that you must not let your marital relationship stand in the way of doing the will of God.
