Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

John

John 
Day 
Day 226

John 15:18-27 "A DEEP AND IMPORTANT INSIGHT"

Day 226 – John 15

A DEEP AND IMPORTANT INSIGHT

The thought of persecution terrifies many! The Disciples were not immune to fear. Thus Jesus sought to fortify them for the day when they would be persecuted. Jesus sought to give them understanding and truth as the means of fortification of their spirit. Deep knowledge has its own powers that can fortify a person significantly. Thus Jesus continued to teach the Disciples deep insights of truth with the hope that they would be strengthened by them.

He had revealed much to them already. He told the Disciple why the world would hate them. He went on to give them further insights.

“But all these things they will do to you for
My Name’s sake, because they do not know
Him who sent Me.”
John 15:21

This was a deep truth indeed! What did Jesus mean by this statement?

1. “All these things they will do…”

Jesus highlighted two things that the world would do to the Disciples!

a) The world would hate those who associated with Jesus.
b) The world would persecute the Disciples.

2. “For My Name’s sake…”

The world may not actually hate the Disciples for their own sakes. The world would hate them because they were the Disciples of Jesus! If they were to dissociate themselves from Jesus, the world would not hate them at all! But as long as the Disciples continued to proclaim the Name of Jesus, they must expect persecution!

3. “Because they do not know Him who sent Me…”

Behind their hatred of Jesus was the fact that they really did not know the One who had sent Jesus! Though the Jews proclaimed that they knew God, their hatred of Jesus revealed otherwise. They showed that they did not know God at all!

Jesus had addressed this matter with the Jews on a number of occasions. Let us recall what He said to His enemies, the pious Jews!

“And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me.
You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.
But you do not have His Word abiding in you,
because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.”
John 5:37-38

When Jesus spoke about the fact that The Jews did not know the Father, He meant it in every sense of the word.

a) The Jews had never heard the Voice of God at any time
The Jews regarded themselves very highly. They saw themselves as the custodians of the Scriptures, among many other things. Yet for all that they claimed, they could not say that they had the privilege of having heard the voice of God at any time! How well did they really know God then?
b) The Jews had never seen His form
There were a number of great personages mentioned in the Scriptures who had the privilege of “seeing” God. Moses was one of those to whom the Lord revealed Himself. Others had special visitations from God (e.g. Abraham – Genesis 18). How well did they really know God?
Of course the Jews protested long and loud that they knew God! They even declared that God was their Father! Nevertheless, Jesus had to disagree with them. He reprimanded the Jews for the way they schemed and plotted His death. Their actions proved that they did not know God at all.


“You know neither Me nor My Father.
If you had known Me, you would have
known My Father also.”
John 8:19

CHOOSING TO SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF THE NAME OF JESUS

When a person suffers, he must know the reason for his suffering. First there must be the understanding that the world can be very wicked and cruel and thus it metes out suffering to those who are “not of the world”. But that knowledge alone may not be enough. He must also ask himself as to whether he is prepared to suffer for the sake of his Saviour!

Obviously, the Saviour must mean very much to him, or he would not be able to accept let alone endure much suffering. Did any of the Disciples accept suffering for the sake of the name of Jesus? Let us consider a text recorded in the Book of Acts. The context makes this text even more significant.

“Then the high priest rose up, and all those
who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees),
and they were filled with indignation, and laid their
hands on the apostles and put them
in the common prison…

And when they had called for the apostles and beaten them,
they commanded that they should not speak
in the Name of Jesus, and let them go.
So they departed from the presence of the council,
rejoicing that they were counted worthy to
suffer shame for His Name.”
Acts 5:17-18, 40-41

The Disciples had learned this lesson well! They loved the Name of their Saviour. They were willing to suffer for His Name’s sake!