Hated Without Cause

Lesson #254

In the last lesson we saw a connection between knowledge and guilt; if we know what we are supposed to do or believe and we don’t, then we are considered guilty. However, we can choose to not be informed, but then if we do wrong we will still be guilty, but to a lesser degree. What we need to do is to be informed and in love obey, doing the will of God.

In this lesson we will look at the next two verses: “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.’” (John 15:24 – 25 ESV). How were the works that Jesus did greater or different than those done by others? Think of the great number of miracles he did and how many were affected; miracles that no one had ever done before, like healing a man born blind. The nature of his miracles involved a greater exertion of power than others. He healed all forms of disease and raised Lazarus after being dead for four days. His miracles were also different than those performed by the prophets. Another thing that stands out is that he performed these miracles by his own power, not by calling on the power of God as the ancient prophets had done. Another uniqueness is the number of miracles he performed in just three and a half years. That number probably exceeded all those done by Moses and Elijah and all the prophets put together.

With this display of his power, those who were a witness and also heard him have no excuse not to believe him and when they don’t, but reject him as a false prophet, they stand guilty of sin. They not only disbelieve and reject him, but they hate him for claiming to be the Messiah, one that doesn’t match their understanding of what the Messiah will be like. They are so set in their ways that the words of Jesus, backed up by an unprecedented display of power can’t move them closer to the truth.

We are not to be surprised that they hated Jesus without a cause. David spoke of this: “More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?” (Psalm 69:4 ESV). Persecution today is carried out against Christians without cause. They have done nothing wrong that deserves punishment; they simply believe in and obey Jesus. Sin is simply rejecting God and doing your own thing and anyone who stands before them with a different standard will be hated and subjected to persecution.

Prayer

Father, I pray for my readers who face persecution in foreign countries because of their stand with Jesus. They are my brothers and sisters and I need to encourage them with my prayers, that they would be able to endure the evil they experience. I also pray for my readers here in the US, that they would take time to learn from those who endure persecution because one day we may also face the same thing.