HATE: DOES GOD HATE ANYONE

[Ro 9:13]

"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."

If this passage indicates that God does not love everyone the world then it contradicts but does not change Jn 3:16 which says God so loved the world with all mankind in view since only mankind can believe in His one and only Son – the earth and animals don’t have that capacity.

But in fact Romans 9:13 is not to be taken that God literally hates certain people. It is an hyperbole – a linguistic device demonstrating stark contrast between God’s blessing for Jacob as opposed to Esau.

[Compare Jn 12:25]:

"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

[Compare Lk 14:26]:

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple."

Notice the contrast. Is Jesus actually asking one to hate everyone in his family in order to be a disciple? The same goes for Ro 9:13: It is a contrast not a literal hate indicating the stark difference between God’s elected choice of Jacob vs. his not choosing Esau to be in the line of Christ and the blessings related to Jacob vs Esau.

Just as one can say to emphasize the difference in car velocity:

'He went by that car so fast that it was standing still.' so the bible can say, with respect to relative blessing that God loved Jacob and hated Esau.