“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to 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 also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 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. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: They hated me without a cause.’
“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. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
Comment: Sometimes it is very important to know what a word means when used in a particular place. What does the word ‘world’ mean here? I’m certain that it doesn’t mean the geographic world – although if you had just lived through an earthquake you might think it does! Does it mean the people of the world? Well a lot of people, in spite of me being a follower of Jesus have expressed great love for me. For instance – my family (though they know I’m not perfect!) and people whose lives I’ve been able able to play a part in saving. Thus it doesn’t mean all people, although I have met some very grateful people who have expressed ‘hate’ for what I believe and for whom I follow, Jesus. I think that we can say it means the demonic layer of the world which we cannot see, and some of those of other faiths or even ‘Christians’ who are opposed to the true gospel of Jesus. ‘They hated me without a cause.’ was certainly true of the clarity and purity of Jesus in every aspect. Sadly sometimes I give people cause to hate me (His follower), because I don’t follow Him perfectly. Jesus at the end underlines that I am to be a partner with the Holy Spirit in witnessing about and for Him. ‘Hate’ means hate in all its shades, asa explained at the end.
Prayer: Thank you for being honest with us, Jesus.
As I read it! 