Turning the page…
Turning the page…
Glory · Jesus Christ
The world's hatred of Jesus is not accidental; it is the moral response of darkness to light. Because Jesus exposes the works of the world as evil, and because those who belong to Him are no longer of the world, the world that rejected Him will also reject His people. Jesus warned His followers plainly and called them blessed in the face of it, because His victory, and theirs, is assured.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/what-does-it-mean-that-the-world-hates-jesus · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
John 15:18-27
As you read: Jesus' plain warning to His disciples: if the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you, and it will persecute you as it persecuted me.
18If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.
19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
21But all these things will they do to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me.
22If 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.
24If I hadn’t done among them the works which no one else did, they wouldn’t have had sin. But now have they seen and also hated both me and my Father.
25But this happened so that the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26“When the Counselorhas come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.
27You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
John 16:1-4
As you read: The hour when killing believers will seem like serving God; and the same chapter's word of peace: I have overcome the world.
1“These things have I spoken to you, so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble.
2They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.
3They will do these thingsbecause they have not known the Father, nor me.
4But I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.
John 3:16-21
As you read: The root of the hatred: everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come to it, lest his works be exposed.
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
18He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
19This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
20For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
1 John 3:11-18
As you read: John tells believers not to be astonished: the world's hostility is the family likeness it shows to those who belong to Christ.
11For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;
12unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.
14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.
15Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.
16By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
17But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him?
18My little children, let’s not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
Matthew 5:10-12
As you read: Jesus pronounces blessing, not curse, on those who are reproached and persecuted on His account.
10Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
11“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
John gives the reason the world rejects Jesus: 'This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.' Jesus said plainly, 'the world can't hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil.' The world does not hate brightness in the abstract; it hates being exposed.
“This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.”John 3:19
“For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.”John 3:20
“The world can’t hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil.”John 7:7
There was no ambiguity in the warning. 'If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you,' Jesus said, and 'if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.' He prayed that His disciples would be kept from the evil one, and He said plainly that the world hates them because they are not of the world, even as He is not of the world. Following Christ means facing some measure of the world's disapproval.
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.”John 15:18
“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.”John 15:20
“I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”John 17:14
The reason for the collision is identity. John explains that if you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, since Christ chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John's brotherly word is measured and calm: 'Don't be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.' The world's friendship is not the Christian's home, and that is why the cross-shaped life can feel at odds with it.
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”John 15:19
“Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.”1 John 3:13
“I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”John 17:14
This was never a theoretical warning. Jesus told His disciples the hour would come when those who killed them would think they were offering service to God, and Paul states his expectation plainly: 'all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.' Down through the centuries, from the first martyr to believers facing hostility today, following the One whom the world rejected has often carried a real cost. Jesus prepared His people for it, not to frighten them but to steady them.
“They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.”John 16:2
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”2 Timothy 3:12
“Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”Matthew 5:12
Jesus does not frame the world's hatred as a curse but as a beatitude: 'Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.' Peter echoes it for the insulted. This is not a call to provoke the world, but an honest and joyful promise for those who are faithful when the world turns against them and their Lord; for in this world we have trouble, but He has overcome the world.
““Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.”Matthew 5:11
“Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”Matthew 5:12
“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.”1 Peter 4:14
“I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.””John 16:33