If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin; but as it is they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I had not done works among them that no one else ever did, they would not have sin; but as it is, they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But in order that the word written in their law might be fulfilled, ‘They hated me without cause.’ 26 “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. 27 And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Jesus tells his disciples that the world’s response to his presence is hatred and since they are his disciples the world will hate them also. Their hope in Jesus is the reason for their hatred. They were chosen “out of the world” by Jesus, who is a sign of contradiction, and will be persecuted by the world (Mk. 13:9-13). No servant is treated better than his master so those who love Jesus will love them, and those who hate Jesus will hate them. The world (the Jews) will hate the disciples because of Jesus since they do not know the Father who sent him; “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me (Jn. 14:24).”
The works that Jesus did testify that he was sent from God so they have no excuse for their sin. The world did not know God, so it did not accept Jesus. Hatred of Jesus is hatred of God. The world incurred sin by persecuting Jesus and will incur sin by persecuting his disciples. The OT scripture was fulfilled; “More numerous than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause. Those who would destroy me are mighty, my enemies without reason (Ps. 69:5).” The truth about Jesus and the Father will be made clear when the Spirit of Truth comes from the Father. The disciples will also testify about Jesus.
Almighty God, the journey to Christ is difficult with a multitude of temptations along the way. Grant us the faith to persevere through our many trials and the wisdom to avoid all those whose hearts are filled with hatred. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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