Hated by the World (John 15:18-16:4)

A Christian, we can say, is a person with three relationships. One is with Christ, another is with fellow believers and the third is with the world. They can happen simultaneously if believers are together when they face the world. Jesus is with them when they are together, and he is with each if they are by themselves and interacting with the world.

 

In this passage, Jesus informs his disciples that the world will hate them and persecute them. This probably came as a shock to them because they had assumed that Jesus would rule the world in a political and a religious manner and they would have a role alongside him.

 

Who does Jesus mean by the term ‘world’?

In 16:2, Jesus mentions two features of the world. First, they are connected to the synagogue, and second, they are religious. So the world here are the religious Jews. This does not mean that where the term ‘world’ is used elsewhere, it means the same as here. But we can see that a similar response occurs elsewhere in that there is ostracization and physical persecution, including death. We can look back and see the combination of religion and persecution in the early church, at the Reformation, and today in Moslem countries.

 

The description of the Jews as belonging to the world is a sad one because they had been given many spiritual privileges. But if privileges are not used correctly, those who have misused them become part of the ‘world’ that is opposed to Jesus and his mission.

 

Why did Jesus mention this matter of persecution?

He mentioned it so that the disciples would remember his words when the persecution took place (16:4). If they had not been prepared for it by his words, they could have fallen away (16:1). Information is essential for service, especially when it gets hard to serve. In a surprising way, this information would give them assurance that troubles were evidence of their loyalty to Jesus and not signs that he had abandoned them.

 

Why will the world persecute Christians?

One reason why it persecutes believers is because it does not like Jesus. The world had found the message of Jesus offensive. In particular, it did not like what he said about sin: ‘If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin’ (v. 22). We have an example of the teaching about Jesus concerning sin in the Sermon on the Mount when he said that the sixth commandment forbids hatred and the seventh commandment forbids immoral thoughts.­­ Jesus, in his teaching, highlighted the presence of sin in the hearts of people, and that focus was condemnation of the self-righteous.

 

The world also found the works of Jesus to be offensive. They could not deny that Jesus did many miracles that helped people, but they suggested false explanations as to how he could do them. The Jews suggested that he did his works through the help of the devil, which was a terrible thing to say about Jesus. They also regarded his kind activities in various synagogues as expressions of sabbath-breaking.

 

A third aspect of the life of Jesus that they disliked was his teaching on the Trinity and his claims to deity. He says several times in this passage that they did not recognise the Father and the Son. Their concept of God did not have room for the fact that he is triune. They regarded the claims of Jesus to be divine as blasphemy. 

 

A second reason why they will persecute the disciples is because of the benefits that Jesus gave to them. They will hate the disciples because Jesus chose them to be his people. The choosing here could be interpreted as eternal election or it could be a reference to him selecting them for service.

 

A third reason why the world will persecute disciples is because it has no personal knowledge of God. Jesus mentions this reason in 16:3: ‘And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.’ The word ‘know’ here points to an intimate relationship, one that can only be experienced through faith in Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus discover the riches of God’s grace and the amazing privileges that belong to disciples. They know Jesus in numerous ways such as prophet, priest and king; or shepherd, bridegroom, friend. And they know the Father as members of his family.

 

What helps have been provided?

Two helps are stated by Jesus and I think one other help can be deduced. One of the helps is the word that Jesus spoke to his disciples, which they were to remember. Obviously, when Jesus mentioned his word, he had in mind the teachings that he had given to the disciples personally. He had given information about the plan of salvation, he had given instructions about how they should live, and he had given promises that would encourage them. While we do not have Jesus with us, we do have his teachings in the Bible, and it contains the same infallible teachings that Jesus gave to the disciples at that time.

 

The second help is the Holy Spirit and Jesus mentions him in verse 26: ‘But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.’ Jesus states several important truths in this verse. We can see a reference to the Trinity. We also can see a reference to how each of the divine persons has a role in the plan of salvation. Both the Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit, but the Son receives the Spirit from the Father as a gift purchased by his death or as a reward earned by completing the work that had been assigned to him.

 

The role of the Holy Spirit is described in two ways. First, he is the Spirit of truth, and second, he bears witness to Jesus. Perhaps the second role is contained within the first, and is a reminder that the truth to which the Spirit bears witness is the truth about Jesus. He can do this in several ways. For example, he testifies to the truth about Jesus that is in the Bible, the book of truth that is divinely inspired by the Spirit. He also bears witness to the truth about Jesus when he is mentioned by a preacher, and the disciples were going to declare this amazing message with his help. He would also bear witness to the truth of salvation within the heart of a believer in order to give assurance. And he would enlighten sinners about the truth of Jesus as the Saviour.

 

I would suggest the third help is that of one another among the believers. That is an important aspect of Christian fellowship that they witness together about Jesus. The apostles had a special role in that they had been with Jesus from the beginning of his public ministry (v. 27). Together they would lay the foundation of the building on which other believers would build.

 

Are there any benefits from being persecuted?

I think four benefits can be identified. First, they can appreciate to some extent what Jesus experienced when he was mistreated when he was here. While his sufferings on the cross were different in the sense that they were atoning sufferings, he also knew the reality of physical pain and mockery, and when that happens to believers because of their link to him they understand something of what he went through on their behalf. Their awareness to some extent of his pain leads to a sense of gratitude on their part.

 

Another benefit is that they discover the special help of the promised Holy Spirit. When they are persecuted, they discover that the resources of the Spirit are more than adequate and indeed he provides them with a sense of great joy as they suffer. Peter mentions that in his first letter: ‘In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ’ (1 Pet. 1:6-7). Peter also reminded his readers that ‘If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you’ (1 Pet. 4:14).

 

Third, they experience the blessing connected to the priestly intercession of Jesus in heaven as he provides them with strength and enables them to stand for him in a difficult situation. The strength is given to them by the Holy Spirit.

 

Fourth, they can pray for their persecutors and see them converted. The obvious example of this is Stephen who prayed for those who were stoning him to death. One of the individuals doing so was Saul of Tarsus. When Jesus met Saul on the Damascus road he asked the persecutor why he was persecuting him. Saul discovered the link between Jesus and his people, and he was converted as a result of Stephen’s prayers.