John 15:25
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But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
that the word might be fulfilled . . . They hated me without a cause--quoted from the Messianic Psa 69:4, applied also in the same sense in Joh 2:17; Act 1:20; Rom 11:9-10; Rom 15:3.
Open source ↗It is generally agreed that Christ's discourse in this and the next chapter was at the close of the last supper, the night in which he was betrayed, and it is a continued discourse, not interrupted as that in the foregoing chapter was; and what he chooses to discourse of is very pertinent to the present sad occasion of a farewell sermon. Now that he was about to leave them, I. They would be tempted to leave him, and return to Moses again; and therefore he tells them how necessary it was that they should by faith adhere to him and abide in him. II. They would be tempted to grow strange one to another; and therefore he presses it upon them to love one another, and to keep up that communion when he was gone which had hitherto been their comfort. III. They would be tempted to shrink from their apostleship when they met with hardships; and therefore he prepared them to bear the shock of the world's ill will. There are four words to which his discourse in this chapter may be reduced; 1. Fruit (Joh 15:1-8). 2. Love (Joh 15:9-17). 3. Hatred (Joh 15:18-25). The Comforter (Joh 15:26, Joh 15:27).
Open source ↗15:25 They hated me without cause: This Old Testament citation reveals the unwarranted anger of those who belong to the darkness.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.
Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me— my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.
Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life.
I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.
nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
if I have rewarded my ally with evil, if I have plundered my foe without cause,
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.