a summary of the chapter up to this point:
First of all, Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine to call his followers into obedience with him. God is the gardener who cleanses and prunes. The proof of discipleship is fruit bearing.
The disciples are to have a relationship not only with Jesus, but with one another as well. The evidence of this is love for one another. They were to be in partnership not only with Jesus, but with each other. As we begin our look starting with verse 18, we see a different relationship that disciples have with the world.
John 15:18-27
Jesus doesn’t pull any punches when he tells the disciples that the world will hate them. The word in use for the world is Cosmo’s. It can have a wide variety of uses ranging from the universe, to culture, to individual people. In this case the context is those who are unbelievers.
The world hates Jesus, and any of those who represent him. The word here is where we get our word nemesis. Jesus comes in love, and the natural opposition is to be his nemesis, or enemy.
Do you want an easy ride? Do you want to go along to get along? Jesus explains how to do that. The world loves its own. However, Jesus called his disciples to be separate from the world. It means being called to an ethic and morality that is contrary to what the world expects.
Jesus is the one who does the choosing and calling.
If Jesus didn’t get an easy ride with the world, don’t expect that as his servant, you will either. Following Jesus is not a free ticket out of the world. The servant cannot expect better treatment than the master. Whether the servant is loved or hated, it is not the servant. The attitude is directed towards the purpose of the master.
The Expositors Bible Dictionary (EBC) remarks that the obstinance of the world is both intellectual and spiritual.
An interesting observation, since the secular humanist world view claims that knowledge is man’s crowning achievement. From a biblical standpoint though, it was knowledge in the garden that led to man’s downfall.
Jesus came to expose sin. Not that the Old Testament didn’t teach about sin, but it’s so easy to be blinded and remain comfortable in our sin.
The EBC offers a second reason for worldly obstinance is resentment over exposing sin and hypocrisy.
Jesus again emphasizes his relationship with the father. You can’t have one without the other. Rejection of one, is rejection of both of them.
Once you know something, it’s hard to unknow it. Once you’ve seen something, it’s hard to unsee it. Clearly the world’s resentment, obstinance and ignorance is because of the exposure that Jesus revealed.
The rejection that Jesus would receive is something that had been prophesied, as Jesus referred to in Psalm 69.
Psalms 69:4 NASB
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies;
What I did not steal, I then have to restore.
Jesus’ emphasis in this quotation of this prophecy is on the phrase, “without a cause.” Nonetheless his enemies are powerful, and wrongful.
The word testimony, or witness, is from the word where we get the word martyr. Telling the truth may sometimes come with a high price, even upon pain of death.
No matter how bleak his warnings may appear, Jesus offers hope. He says that when, not if, the spirit comes, he will be sent from God. Though Jesus will be gone, the comforter will be his witness. The Holy Spirit will be a witness of love and grace.
Jesus also promises that his disciples will be a human witness for him.
There is a powerful twofold method to what Jesus describes. The witness of the comforter is a spiritual one. The witness of the disciples is a physical, or experiential one. Individually the spiritual witness, and the physical witness would be limited, but combined they have a more far reaching and powerful scope.
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