Read John 15:18-27.

Introduction⤒🔗

In the early 1960’s the church of Christ in the Belgian Congo suffered severe persecution at the hands of violent, hate-filled mobs. In the midst of the abuse being inflicted upon her, a Christian missionary cried out to Jesus, “Why, Lord, are they doing this to me?” In response to her bewildered question, she heard Him reply, “They don’t hate you, they hate Me.”

That reply summarizes the message the Lord Jesus conveys to His disciples here in the latter half of John 15, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you” (vs. 18). The Lord Jesus makes clear that this is what the Christian may expect from the world.

Because of the very favorable situation Christians in the Western world have enjoyed up until recently, living in a society that has had a Christian heritage, and because we have often times avoided a public expression of our Christian convictions, seldom have we personally experienced the truth of our Lord’s words in our everyday lives. Yet, we must take to heart the testimony of Scripture: “all who would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

As Western society continues to depart from its Christian heritage, and as we grow in our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, it is inevitable that we shall experience for ourselves the truth of our Lord’s teaching recorded in John 15:18-27. We must be aware of the fact that “this vile world” is not “a friend to grace,” but stands in enmity against God and against those who belong to His Son, Jesus Christ. Because of the world’s enmity against God and against His Son, we as Christians may expect to encounter that same enmity.

We Must Realize that The World Harbors Hatred Towards Christ←⤒🔗

The Lord Jesus confronts His disciples with the sobering truth: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you” (vs. 18). Upon until now, Jesus personally has been the object of the world’s hatred, as it has been expressed through the Jewish leaders. But the Lord wants His disciples to be prepared to expect the same hatred directed against them; when it happens, they should not be caught off guard.

In verse eighteen, the Lord Jesus informs us that the world possesses a perpetual hatred towards Him; the Greek verb translated, “hate,” occurs in the Greek perfect tense, indicating a continuing state or action. Hatred is the world’s perpetual attitude towards Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Holy One of God. The disciples may have initially been taken aback by our Lord’s statement, for they had yet to hear the “Hosannas” uttered by the crowd on Palm Sunday turn into the blood-curdling cry of “Crucify him!” on Good Friday.

But the admiring crowds had not been drawn to Christ because of His devotion to God and because they loved His holiness and desired to share in that divine holiness. On the contrary, the crowds initially flocked to Jesus out of fascination, and especially because of the expectation of what He could do for them and what they could receive from Him in terms of personal fulfillment, personal comfort, and political relief. When the self-centered and worldly expectations of the masses did not materialize, and when the religious hypocrisy of the leaders was exposed, the people, at the instigation of their leaders, would raise the cry of “Crucify him!”

Our Lord wants us to be aware that the world’s hatred for His disciples is but an extension of its hatred for Christ Himself: “the world hated me before you.” This is so not only with regard to time, the world’s hatred for Christ pre-dates its hatred for Christ’s disciples, but also in terms of priority: the world does not hate us because of who we are in and of ourselves, but because of our identification with Christ. Note again, Christ’s response to the Christian missionary serving in the Belgian Congo back in the early 1960’s: “They don’t hate you, they hate Me.”

The world’s hatred for Christ stems from the fact that “they do not know the one who sent me” (vs. 21). The term, “to know,” here has the meaning, “to have an intimate relationship with someone,” “to have an affinity with someone or something,” “to have a love for someone.” The world by nature does not have such a relationship with God. On the contrary, mankind by nature is in a state of enmity against God: “the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Rom. 8:7). The proof of this is seen when we consider our natural reaction to the commandments of God that forbid our indulging in our favorite sin: When God by His commandments stands between us and the sin we most dearly love, our reaction is not to embrace God, relinquishing our will to His; our reaction is rather to defy God and even hate the fact that He stands between us and the sin we desire to indulge.

Furthermore, the world hates Christ because of the words He spoke to it: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin” (vs. 22). Prior to our Lord’s ministry, the self-righteous man of Israel could suppress the consciousness of his sinful condition and convince himself that he was acceptable before God. For example, prior to meeting Christ, the Apostle Paul testifies: “With regard to the righteousness that [a man can attain] by the law, I had become blameless” (Phil. 3:6b). When asked about his relationship to the commandments, the rich young ruler responded, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth” (Mk. 10:20). How could they claim to be blameless? They could do so because they had redefined and limited the law of God: viewing it as addressing only external acts and not internal attitudes. Thus, based on their superficial standard, they were without sin.

But our Lord’s teaching, (which was, in fact, no different from the teaching of the O.T. prophets and the testimony of the Psalmists), dismantled the self-righteous man’s claims to blameless obedience. With the ministry of the Lord Jesus this carefully cultivated state of spiritual ignorance and “innocence” was shattered. Jesus pointed out that the law of God extends beyond merely external actions; it also addresses internal attitudes and calls for purity of heart as well as purity of life:

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, Raca, is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, You fool! will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matt. 5:21-22

You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matt. 5:27-28

The Lord continues: “If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have had sin; but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father” (vs. 24). The works that Christ performed served as irrefutable evidence that His teaching was from God. When He speaks of “the works that no one else did,” Christ probably especially has in mind His act of giving sight to a man born blind. On that occasion, the recipient of the miracle declared, “Since the world began, no one has ever heard of anyone opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³If this man were not from God, he could do nothing” (Jn. 9:32-33).

On another occasion, the Lord Jesus pointed to the works He was performing as His divine credentials: “The works that I am performing in my Father’s name, these [works] testify about me” (Jn. 10:25); “I have shown you many good works from the Father” (Jn. 10:32). Note that these are not merely acts of power, they are “good works” that originate “from the Father.” These works are nothing other than the Father’s own testimony in support of His Son, a testimony stamped by the display of His own character of goodness and integrity.

In the absence of such works, such divine credentials, Jesus’ teaching might have been dismissed and one’s self-righteous complacency left undisturbed. But the works performed by Jesus gave divine authority to His teaching, and serve as living demonstrations of His divine teaching, displaying the goodness of the Father.

Consequently, as the Light of the world shines upon them, those who were once without (the personal knowledge and conviction of) sin, as a result of judging themselves on the basis of their own standard of righteousness, which limited sin to actions without taking into consideration the state of the heart and the intentions of the heart as expressed in attitudes and words, now become those who are without an excuse for their sin (vs. 22b). Their reaction is that of hatred (vs. 24b): they hate having the Light expose their sinful condition, and they hate the true and pure holiness of God with which they are confronted in the person of Jesus Christ, the Light of the world.

We Must Realize that The World Harbors Hatred Towards Christ’s Disciples←⤒🔗

In verse nineteen, the Lord Jesus draws a sharp distinction between His disciples and the world: “If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you.” Humanity is ultimately divided between those who have become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and those who remain in alliance with the world.

The world has a love for, (an affinity and communion with), those who belong to it and are one with it. But the world exhibits a deep-seated hatred for those who have abandoned their unholy alliance with it in favor of a new and righteous alliance and allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ:

...since Christ suffered in the flesh, also fortify yourselves with the same attitude, because he who suffered in the flesh is done with sin. ²As a result, he does not live the remainder of his earthly life for [evil] human desires, but for the will of God. ³You have spent enough time in the past doing what the Gentiles choose to do: living for debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. ⁴[Engaged] in such [a lifestyle], they think that it is strange for you not to plunge with them into the same flood of dissolute living, so they malign you. 1 Pet. 4:1-4

As Christians, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, (as those who have been called to forsake the lifestyle of the world and practice the lifestyle of the kingdom of God), we may expect to encounter enmity from the world, because we no longer belong to the world. That fact becomes evident by our new Christ-like lifestyle: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

We must be aware of the fact that “this vile world” is not “a friend to grace” to help us on to God. At heart, the world stands at enmity against God and against those who belong to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christians, we must also be aware of the fact that, although we may well encounter the world’s enmity, we are charged by Christ to be faithful to Him and in so doing to be a faithful witness before the world.

In verse twenty-six Jesus declares, “when the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, the one who comes from the Father, he shall bear witness concerning me.” As noted previously (Bible Study #8), the Greek term translated, “Counselor,” refers to one who appears on another’s behalf as a mediator, intercessor, and helper. In Greek culture, this was not necessarily a professional legal attorney for the defense; it referred to any friend who stood ready to give assistance in time of legal need. But here in John 15:26 the legal element is predominant: He is the Counselor who “comes from the Father” (who, by His works, bears witness on behalf of the Son), He is further defined as “the Spirit of truth,” and the specific task mentioned here is bearing testimony about Christ: “he shall bear witness concerning me.” But notice that the Lord informs His disciples that He will send this Counselor “to you.”

The Holy Spirit will specifically bear His testimony through Christ’s disciples. So it is that our Lord goes on to inform them: “you also shall bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning” (vs. 27). Just prior to His ascension, the Lord informs His disciples, “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me” (Acts 1:8). Later in the Book of Acts, we find an example of the fulfillment of this promise: “when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).

Back in John 15:16, Christ had given a divine commission to these original disciples: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” His “choosing” them is a reference to His calling them to be His apostles (cf. Mk. 3:13-19). “The fruit” of which He spoke is the fruit of making disciples. This He clearly articulates at the time of His ascension: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). In giving this commission, the Lord stressed that He has appointed them to bear fruit “that will last.” Again, in the Book of Acts, we find an emphasis on the apostles taking pains to ensure that those who confess Christ be faithful to persevere in their commitment to Him: “[Paul and Barnabas] returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, ²²strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith” (Acts 14:21-22; note, too, Acts 11:23).

This call for perseverance is necessary in light of the perpetual hostility of the world against Christ and those who bear His name: “all who would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

This call for perseverance is also necessary in light of Christ’s rightful demand that those who bear His name be found faithful to Him, a commitment of which He is wholly worthy: “whoever confesses me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. ³³But whoever denies me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).

Thus, John 15:26-27 indicates that the primary means by which the Holy Spirit carries on His witness is through the church, through the preaching of the gospel, and through the life and witness of individual Christians. Our Lord Jesus warns us to expect an encounter with the enmity of the world; but, nevertheless, He charges us to bear a faithful witness before the world. The Apostle Paul, in compliance with the Lord’s charge, exhorts the Philippian Christians to exhibit just such a witness, despite the adverse conditions in which they presently found themselves:

...let your lifestyle be worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that, whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸and in no way being intimidated by the adversaries. Phil. 1:27-28a

¹⁴Do all things without grumbling and arguing, ¹⁵so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a perverse and depraved generation, among whom you shine like stars in the universe, ^16aholding forth the word of life. Phil. 2:14-16a

Our Christian witness is a witness against the world: as our words declare the teaching of Jesus and our lives reflect that divine teaching, we become a witness against the world. Our Christian witness is also a witness to the world: as we proceed to proclaim the gospel, we bear witness to the world of the Savior who calls men to come to Him and entrust their lives to Him and be saved from the wrath to come.

Let us make the prayer of the church as recorded in Acts 4:29 to be our prayer: “Now, LORD, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”

May the LORD grant us to experience the same result as that recorded in Acts 4:31, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. As disciples of Christ, what may we expect from the world (cf. Jn. 15:18a), and what consolation does Christ give us (cf. Jn. 15:18b)? Cp. 1 Pet. 4:12-13. To what extent and in what ways have you experienced the hatred of the world? Has that hatred been subtle, or overt? Note Matt. 5:11,

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you. Jn. 15:18

Beloved, do not be surprised by the fiery trials among you that have come for the purpose of testing you, as though a strange thing has happened to you. ¹³On the contrary, since you are participating in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice; so that at the revelation of his glory you may indeed rejoice with exultation. 1 Pet. 4:12-13

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Matt. 5:11

2. Why does the world hate the Christian? See Jn. 15:19. How is our Christian lifestyle contrary to that of the world? Note 1 Pet. 4:1-4. What can you expect to encounter when you stand up against the perversity practiced by the world? Note Gen. 19:5, 7, 9,

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you. Jn. 15:19

...since Christ suffered in the flesh, also fortify yourselves with the same attitude, because he who suffered in the flesh is done with sin. ²As a result, he does not live the remainder of his [earthly] life for [evil] human desires, but for the will of God. ³You have spent enough time in the past doing what the Gentiles choose to do: living for debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. ⁴Engaged in such a lifestyle, they think that it is strange for you not to plunge with them into the same flood of dissolute living, so they malign you.1 Pet. 4:1-4

And they called to Lot and said to him, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally [i.e. men of Sodom desired to engage in homosexual conduct with the angels that were lodging with Lot].' Lot said to them, ^7'Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!' ...⁹And they said, 'Stand back!' Then they said, 'This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.' So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. Gen. 19:5,7,9

3. When we encounter the hatred of the world, what does our Lord call us to remember? See Jn. 15:20. As a Christian, do you ever compromise your Christian principles or even deny your relationship with Christ in order to avoid the world’s displeasure, or worse? What dos our Lord think of such betrayal? See Lk. 9:26,

Remember what I told you, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. Jn. 15:20

...whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his own glory, and in his Father's (glory), and that of the holy angels. Lk. 9:26

4. Does this mean that as Christians we should make every effort to confront the world with its sin, to the point of making ourselves obnoxious or give the appearance of being self-righteous? Note Rom. 12:18. How are we called to live for Christ in this present world? See Phil. 2:15-16a; 1 Pet. 3:15b-16,

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Rom. 12:18

...become blameless and pure, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a perverse and depraved generation, among whom you shine like stars in the universe, ¹⁶holding forth the word of life... Phil. 2:15-16

... 'sanctify the LORD' Christ in your hearts; being always prepared with an answer for everyone who asks you for an explanation concerning the hope that is in you. ¹⁶But [do so] with humility and respect, maintaining a good conscience, so that [by the very thing] for which you are slandered, those who insult your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 1 Pet. 3:15­-16

5. With regard to the world, what does Jesus tell us was the result of His coming and teaching? See Jn. 15:22a. What does He mean? Note, for instance, Matt. 5:27-28. By revealing the full extent of the Law’s demand, the Lord Jesus reveals the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man; how do men react to this revelation? See Jn. 15:22b-23; note Jn. 3:19b-20a. As we, by our Christian lifestyle and testimony, “are seen as lights in the world,” what may we expect? Note 2 Tim. 3:12. What does the Apostle Peter counsel us to do? See 1 Pet. 3:14b-15a/Isa. 8:13-14a,

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Jn. 15:22

You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' ²⁸But I say to you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.Matt. 5:27-28

If the Lord Jesus had not revealed the full scope of the Law’s demand, (purity of heart and mind as well as purity of action), the Jews could have viewed themselves as being without sin, since they had abstained from the physical act of adultery.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³He who hates me, hates my Father also. Jn. 15:22-23

And this is [the reason for] the condemnation: the Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the light; because their works were evil. ²⁰Everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works will not be exposed. Jn. 3:19-20

Indeed, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12

But if, indeed, you should suffer for the cause of righteousness, you are blessed! [It is written], 'Do not fear their terror, nor be troubled.' ¹⁵On the contrary, 'sanctify the LORD' Christ in your hearts; being always prepared with an answer for everyone who asks you for an explanation concerning the hope that is in you. 1 Pet. 3:14-15

The LORD of hosts, him you must sanctify; he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, ¹⁴and he will be a sanctuary [for you].Isa. 8:13-14a