After discussing the relationship between the vine and the branches, the Lord Jesus Christ discusses the hatred of the world. John 15:18-25 writes the sad proclamation. It’s often said if you do good, you’ll never get into trouble. However, the contrary is true as doing good can get you into trouble. Do you think a gangster will be grateful if you called the cops on them? Sure, your neighbor will be grateful but the gangsters and their associates wouldn’t. If some unsaved people can understand that truth, how much more the Christian should understand it? The foolish statement says, “If you become more like Jesus, more people will love you.” Okay, they might as well explain why Jesus was handed over to be crucified to the Romans, not just by the Pharisees but by an entire bloodthirsty crowd? The crowd isn’t the best judge of character. The same crowd that opposes a tyrant can also be the same crowd that allowed the tyrant to rise up in the first place. The crowd’s judgment is often fickle. That’s why popular opinion is best called, popular opinion.
Jesus tells His disciples that if the world hates them, know that it hated Him before it hated them
If they were of the world, the world would love them, but because they’re not of the world, then the world hates them. Time to note the words “chose you out of the world”. The world hates the followers of Jesus because it hated Jesus first. Christians are picked out of the world, by Whom the world hates. As James 4:4 says friendship with the world is enmity with God. Nobody can be a Christian and be a friend of the world. There’s a side to choose between the evil world system (which may be the best picture of the Whore of Revelation) and God Himself. You can’t be neutral with the battle of good vs. evil. You need to pick sides. However, people will only choose the side of evil unless God chooses them first. Only people chosen out of the world can truly choose God.
Jesus gives a valuable review lesson from John 13:16. A servant is no greater than one’s master. Many times, we associate a person for whom we work. If the person was a servant or slave for this person, they’re identified with that person. As a Christian, the identity is a slave of Christ. It’s a wonderful slavery. The illustration is often a slave bought to be freed. The master says, “I set you free.” Instead, the slave says, “How may I serve you?” That’s a picture of the Christian life and unconditional election. A lowly slave who chooses to serve his or her buyer, because of the buyer’s kindness. Jesus was persecuted throughout His entire ministry, not lauded as a king. When one chooses to follow Jesus, it’s all about carrying one’s cross. The cross is a symbol of death. Jesus was going to die on a literal cross after a hasty trial. Today, you can expect Christians to get wrongfully convicted without a fair trial.
Why all the persecution? It’s because of this in verse 21. They persecute the followers of Jesus because they don’t know the Father who sent Jesus. It’s effortless to say that one knows God but actions speak louder than words. Titus 1:16 warns that some people profess to know God but deny Him in their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. Good works were never meant for unsaved people to earn salvation. Good works are always prepared beforehand, for people who would get saved. If one’s truly a Christian, nobody can expect the adoration of the masses everywhere they go. The Pope and his army of Pharisees (Catholic priests) get adoration almost everywhere he goes. Jesus warned in Matthew 23:7 of the Jewish Pharisees loving the greetings in the marketplaces. Why should born-again Christians be envious of the popularity of the Pope? Christ did not die for any religious figure to be glorified.
Verse 22 can be very tricky. I was looking at John MacArthur’s MacArthur NIV Study Bible to get an explanation. It says this:
Jesus did not mean that if He had not come, they would have been sinless. But His coming incited the severest and most deadly sin, that of rejecting and rebelling against God and His truth. It was the decisive sin of rejection, the deliberate and fatal choice of darkness over light and death over life of which He spoke. He had done so many miracles and spoke innumerable words to prove He was Messiah and Son of God, but they were belligerent in their love of sin and rejection of the Savior. See Heb. 4:2-5, 6:4-6, 10:29-31.
In explanation, this really shows the degenerate condition of man. The Pharisees were the most pious of people. The Pharisees wanted to remain separate but ironically became more dangerous than the Romans. The Pharisees could even manipulate the spineless Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Pilate was a guy who should’ve been fired years ago. However, God allowed Pilate to sit in power until such time. The people saw the signs but still refused to believe them. John 11 shows that even the resurrection of Lazarus couldn’t soften a hardened heart. Come on, that was such a wonderful sign. It’s almost like people should’ve rejoiced. Instead, their skewed perceptions may have made them think resurrecting the dead was a demonic miracle. Remember the Pharisees weren’t Satanists. They didn’t serve Satan. They thought they were opposing Satan. Sadly, they had no idea Satan and his demons were manipulating them. Many people today think they hate the Devil but unknowingly serve him by rejecting the Gospel.
Whoever hates Jesus hates the Father also. It’s very interconnected because hatred for people breaks God’s standards for murder. Jesus quotes Psalm 35:19, and 69:4, talks David’s persecution without a cause. The great double standard David suffered from came after his infamous scandal with Bathsheba. David was most likely in his 40s or some suggest, 50 years old. Bathsheba was still a very young woman who may have just recently married. There’s no record of Uriah and Bathsheba having children, so it must’ve been a very recent marriage. David later suffered conflict so much after that incident. However, Ahab was lauded as a hero for the Northern Kingdom and was even given a national burial. Ahab, a man written to have done so much evil than any before him, was still greatly respected.
Jesus then mentions again about the Helper, namely the Holy Spirit
The 11 disciples were to bear witness. The Holy Spirit was what they needed because persecution would be tough. The Book of Acts records a lot of harsh persecutions. Extrabiblical records quoted in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs reveal that the apostles died horrible deaths. The Holy Spirit would comfort believers and convict believers when they stray away. It’s a wonderful comforting promise and assurance. The Holy Spirit’ convicting a person of sin is a sign of true conversion.
Now, we enter into John 16:1-4. Whoever did the chapter and verse division may have overlooked this. The books of the Bible weren’t originally written in chapters and verses. These divisions were done for easier reference. What happens next is that there will even be a time when people think they’re persecuting Christians for God’s glory. The Pharisees did it. The Roman Catholic institution did it. Islam did it. Judaism did it. Various pseudo-Christian groups did it and they all deny the deity of Christ. They think they’re serving God with their persecutions. With all that, any Christian growing in the faith will not remain surprised at such bold blasphemy these days.
After that, we move forward to John 6:5-15. Jesus says it’s to the disciples’ advantage that He returns to God the Father. Some say that the Holy Spirit is merely a force. However, even older translations call the Holy Spirit as He rather than it. The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin because they don’t believe in Jesus. The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning righteousness because Jesus will return to the Father. The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning judgment because Satan has been judged. The Devil’s defeat is certain even as he still has victories today. Nothing Satan does against Christians is ever without God’s permission. If Satan caused me to stumble, God allowed it.
Jesus says He still has many things to say but the disciples can’t bear it now. The promise is that He will guide them into all truth when the Holy Spirit arrives. For the Holy Spirit will not speak on His own authority but whatever He hears, He will speak and declare to the disciples the things to come. The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus. Jesus then gives assurance that all of the Father is His and therefore, what is His, He declares it to the disciples.
Sorrow will turn to joy
Now, let’s move to verses 16:16-24. Jesus was referring to His ascension that they will see Him no more. Jesus’ departure is all part of the Father’s plan. Jesus’ return after the Great Tribulation is also part of the Father’s plan. Jesus is in full compliance with the Father’s plan. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all One in Essence, as God. There will really be much grief in the Christian ministry. The Book of Acts and some historical sources record persecution. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs records the hardship of the apostles and early Christians. For John’s exile at Patmos, I believe Domitian wanted to increase John’s agony as long as possible. I believe that Domitian heard stories of how Christians boldly faced their executions during Nero’s bloody reign. The sorrow was but temporary. Knowing that they would be with their Savior and that the saved loved ones they left behind, will join them anyway, is a comfort.
The disciples have their sorrow because Jesus was about to be crucified. The world will rejoice because somebody like Jesus or His followers isn’t of the world. There’s the description of a woman’s struggles and rejoicing after childbirth. There’s going to be great sorrow and it will be one sorrow after the other. Sometimes, a day can go from bad to worse. The disciples were told to ask for anything for God’s glory. That’s why the Our Father is still an important reference for a method of prayer. The prayer is, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven”.
The greater rejoicing in the sorrow is overcoming the world. Let’s move to verses 16:25-33. It was time to speak plainly instead of figures of speech. Verses 26:26-28 give clarification that the Father wasn’t indifferent to believers but not to His Son. Instead, what’s emphasized is the Father’s love for those who belong to the Son. The Father sent the Son to redeem them and then return. Asking in Jesus’ name means to ask based on Jesus’ merit, righteousness, and for whatever would help fulfill God’s will. The prayer, “God thy will be done but give me John!” when John is an unbeliever, doesn’t work. Praying for anything contrary to God’s will doesn’t work. Yes, God answers prayers and no is still an answer.
The disciples were amazed that Jesus no longer spoke figuratively. Jesus ends the discourse with, “Do you now believe?” Jesus then says that the hour is coming and they will be scattered. The disciples would somehow split up and go from one direction to another. Paul and Barnabas would later separate in their ministry. I was looking at Cebu Bible Baptist Church forming different churches. I was looking at Living Word Christian Church forming different churches. Yes, we can see scattering going on. Jesus isn’t alone as He’s with the Father. The Holy Spirit still guides the scattered believers, even with minor differences. There will be tribulation in this world. Yes, I’m talking about tribulation, not the Tribulation. I believe in a pre-Tribulation rapture but there will be regular tribulations before it. The guarantee is that while the trouble is certain, Jesus had already overcome the world.
Reformed Baptist Christian Blogger 