May 23, 2025 • 14 mins
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John 15: 18-21 - 'The world hated me before it hated you.'
Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraphs:
- 765 (in 'The Church - instituted by Christ Jesus') - Representing the twelve tribes of Israel, they are the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem. The Twelve and the other disciples share in Christ's mission and his power, but also in his lot (abbreviated).
- 530 (in 'The Mysteries of Jesus' Infancy') - The flight into Egypt and the massacre of the innocents make manifest the opposition of darkness to the light: "He came to his own home, and his own people received him not." Christ's whole life was lived under the sign of persecution. His own share it with him (abbreviated).
- 675 (in 'The Church's ultimate trial') - Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" (abbreviated).
Got a Bible question? Send an email to logicalbiblestudy@gmail.com, and it will be answered in an upcoming episode!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:11):
Hi everyone. Welcome back to logical Bible
study and this is the podcast where we really dive into the
literal sense of the Gospel texts that we here at Mass every
single day. If you've been listening for a
while, thank you so much for your support, please continue to
share this around. And if you've benefitted from
(00:31):
this podcast, then please consider becoming a patreon
supporter. That's the only way the podcast
can grow and we can do more things with it.
And there's lots of really cool benefits of Available to you
through bonus episodes, some catechesis sessions.
All of that is available to you through patreon, and that is the
only way that we can generate some more income for this
(00:52):
podcast, so please consider partnering with us as we do
that. Today, we're looking at a
passage continuing in the farewell discourse, John chapter
15 verses 18 to 21. Jesus said to his disciples, if
the world hates you remember that?
It hated me before you if you belong to the world the world
(01:17):
would love you as its own, but because you do not belong to the
world because my choice withdrewfrom the world, therefore, the
world hates you. Remember the words I said to you
a servant is not greater than his master.
If they persecuted me, they willpersecute you too.
If they kept my word, they will keep yours as well.
(01:41):
But it will be on my account that they will do all this,
because they do not know the onewho sent me.
So, the context you would already know this, if you've
been following our podcast in the last few days, this is in
the last supper, and possibly, they're walking towards the
Garden of Gethsemane. Now, he's been giving the
(02:02):
farewell discourse, which is Jesus, final instructions to the
apostles, which goes over quite a few chapters.
Jesus has just said to them, he's given them the new
commandment which is to love oneanother.
As I have loved you after he's gone that's the kind of
instruction of how he wants them.
To leave the church and leave the church.
(02:22):
And he says that is how you can remain in relationship with him
by following his Commandments, we get to verse 18 now.
Jesus said to his disciples, so remember the audience.
He's speaking to the 12 apostles, he's been speaking to
them, just before this about thelove, he has for them.
And now he's going to contrast this with the hatred, the world
(02:44):
has fallen. He says, if the world hates you
Now, in the Gospel of John, the world basically means sinful
Humanity in its Rebellion against God.
And the way the gospel describes, it is one is either
on God's side or the world's side and they are opposed to
each other, but God loves the world.
Remember, John 3:16 God. So loved the world in the hopes
(03:08):
that many people from the world would turn to him.
He says, if the world hates you and hates doesn't mean
necessarily the way we think of hate.
Now, in terms of Strong negativefeelings.
It's more of a rejection, if theworld hates or rejects you.
So Jesus, here is warning them that the world is going to
reject them in the coming years.And you see that, if you look at
(03:32):
the book of Acts, many of the Jews and the Gentiles did not
accept the message of the kingdom and in fact, they would
actively persecute the apostles and try to have them killed.
In fact, they're did Kill most of them in the end. he says,
remember that it hated me beforeyou Jesus message was rejected
(03:52):
by the world during his preaching.
You see that in the gospels and the reason that it was largely
rejected is because he convictedthem of their sin.
And the world does not want to listen, if you convict them of
sin. Now, we shouldn't take this to
mean that literally everyone in the world rejected Jesus.
If you read the gospels, there'sobviously many exceptions of
(04:14):
people who did accept Jesus, buton the whole the world hated him
and his own People, Israel rejected him and he's telling
the apostles when you start to be rejected in the coming years,
remember that they rejected me first so it's kind of words of
comfort. There's a lot to meditate on
here. If you think about it, Jesus
says, and Jesus is the creator actually.
(04:37):
So the creatures hated and rejected their own Creator when
he came to them, and that's quite profound verse 19.
If you belong to this world, theworld would love you as its own.
So Jesus says, if the apostles followed the ways of the world
and gave their allegiance to theworld, and a good example of
(04:58):
this is start of John chapter 7 G. is Arne bravas a people who
give them self to the world and the world accepts them but the
apostles don't Because you do not belong to the world because
my choice withdrew, you from theworld or other translations have
this as I chose you out of the world.
This is an interesting phrase, isn't it.
(05:19):
My choice withdrew you from the world.
Jesus, Jesus teaches that the apostles, when he pitched them,
and commissioned them for the service of the kingdom of God,
they were taken out of the worldthough in no longer part of the
world system. So they were transferred from a
kingdom of darkness to a kingdomof light.
Obviously, the New Testament speaks about this Kingdom
(05:42):
Paradigm quite a bit, so they'retaken out of the world.
Therefore, the world hates you. So Jesus it might sound pretty -
but in context he's telling the apostles not to be discouraged
if they encounter hatred in the coming years, he's telling them
to expect it actually, and he's also explaining why it's natural
(06:02):
that the world would hate them. He gives similar warnings to
this in the synoptic, gospels aswell.
Remember, he says, That the world will persecute you, but if
you persevere, you will be saved.
So the similar language used, infact, James later in the New
Testament, in his book says, whoever wants to be a lover of
the world makes himself an enemyof God.
(06:25):
So you see all through the New Testament, this contrast between
the world and God all the kingdom of God.
This is an important teaching. It probably applies to us today.
If we think about our relationship between the kingdom
of God, and the world today, Day, when we come into the
kingdom of God, if we become Christians, we are no longer
part of the world and its systems in that sense.
(06:46):
So, the world is going to see usas different, which means, as
Christians, we can end up being hated for a similar reason, to
the Jesus and the apostles, remember, the reason they are
hated is because they convict the world of sin, and we do see
that to an extent in our societytoday, a lot of society hates
Christians because of what they say about Sin, That doesn't
(07:08):
apply all the time, but you can see it happen.
So friendship with Jesus often entails hatred by the world.
Verse 20. Remember the words, I said to
you a servant is not greater than his master.
So Jesus has said this, a coupleof chapters earlier in John 13,
remember at the washing of the feet, he washed their feet and
(07:28):
then said, the servant is not greater than his master.
If I've done it, then you shoulddo it too.
You remember that? So in context, then he was
saying, if the Still certain actions as disciples you should
expect to do them to. Now he's going to apply that
idea that the servant is not greater than his master to a
slightly different thing. He says, if they persecuted me,
(07:51):
they will persecute you too. So Jesus says that if the master
experience suffering on account of his message, then the
disciples who carry that messageon, they are going to experience
similar suffering on account of that same message.
For the apostles they probably considered it to be an honor and
we know that they did particularly Paul to experience
(08:12):
the same rejection that Jesus did.
They are serving their master inthis way because they're being
rejected. For following Jesus and
preaching his own mission and Ministry.
He then says, if they kept my word they will keep yours as
well. So this is interesting, this is
(08:32):
the flip side. Those who respond to Jesus
teachings. Are also going to be the same
people who would respond to the apostles teachings, whereas
those who reject Jesus teachingswould also reject the apostles
teachings. So this teaches us that the
apostles preaching of the kingdom of God, is a direct
continuation of Jesus own teaching.
(08:54):
It's not a different message. There are some Christians.
It's say that Jesus message was for the Jews only and then in
the coming years in the book of Acts and Paul's writings in
particular it was for Gentiles. And in fact it was a different
gospel. You will hear some Christians
say that I think this passage isone indicator, that that's not
true. The apostles are continuing, the
(09:14):
very message that Jesus had. The only difference is that now
the kingdom is fully open because of Jesus death on the
cross after after the end of thegospels.
But the same basic method, Message about the kingdom of God
is the same as what Jesus had verse 21.
But it will be on my account that they will do all of this or
(09:36):
other translations have this as it will be for my name's sake.
So Jesus he is says all this andit's a way of summarizing.
The persecution has been talkingabout, they will do all of this
persecution to you because of mynamesake Jesus wants the
apostles to know that when they experience suffering, it is not
(09:57):
because of them as such. The world isn't really rejecting
them. The world is rejecting Jesus.
So it's words of comfort for theapostles.
And then he says, he gives the reason why the world rejects his
message. Ultimately, because they do not
know the one who sent me and this is important.
In today's culture, you'll hear people say that they are okay
(10:19):
with Jesus, but Nate, maybe not okay.
With a father figure of God or the other way around.
You might hear people say, I believe in God, but not in
Jesus. Will listen to what Jesus says
here. They reject me because they do
not know the one who sent me. So Jesus clear teaching all
throughout. The Gospel of John is, if people
know the father, they will accept the sun.
(10:41):
If people do not know the father, they will reject the
son. That's an important principle
and it's one of Jesus major teachings.
So that's the end of our passagefor today.
We finished here at verse 21. Now, the next section verses 22
to 25 are not covered in the lectionary at all.
(11:01):
So the farewell discourse does continue in the coming days, but
it picks up from verse 26, whichis interesting.
So you'll never hear John chapter 15, verses 22 to 25 in
the lectionary at Mass. So if Want to hear an exegesis
of those verses, then that will be available to you.
If you are a patreon supporter of the ministry and I'd love it
(11:22):
if you would consider doing that.
So there's information for you in the show notes about how you
can become a patreon supporter. And pretty often I release these
bonus episodes where we go through an exegesis of gospel
passages, which are never heard during mass and this will be one
of them. Let's turn to a few short.
(11:45):
I'm references, which make reference to this.
There's three that we're going to look at.
And they all about the persecution that the apostles
and that the church today can expect paragraph 7. 6 5 says,
representing the 12 tribes of Israel, they are the foundation
stones of the New Jerusalem. That is the apostles, the 12 and
(12:06):
the other disciples share in Christ's Mission and his power.
But also in his lot So that reference there to Jesus lot is
a reference to the suffering that the apostles would also
experience paragraph 5 30. This is in the section, about
Jesus infancy. It says the flight into Egypt
and the massacre of the Innocents, make manifest, the
(12:28):
opposition of Darkness, to the light.
He came to his, to his own home,and his own people received him,
not Christ. His whole life was lived under
the sign of persecution his own Shearer with him.
See here, that reference again to Christians, sharing in the
same persecution that Jesus experienced.
(12:48):
Then lastly paragraph 675 is about the church's.
Teaching on the end times, you might have thought that the
Catholic Church doesn't have anyteachings about what exactly is
going to happen at the end times.
In fact, they do if you turn to the catechism around paragraph
675 there's some specific teachings on what is going to
happen when the end of the worldcomes.
(13:08):
Now, it doesn't give us a timeline but it does give us
some general. Neural things that will happen.
It says this before. Christ's Second Coming, the
church must pass through a finaltrial that will shake the faith
of many Believers. The persecution that accompany
accompanies her pilgrimage on Earth.
Will unveil the mystery of iniquity and it references here.
(13:31):
John 15. So, that's interesting.
John 15 teaches that Christians should expect persecution from
the world. And the catechism says that that
persecution, which Christians Experience throughout the
centuries will eventually culminate in one.
Big Grand persecution from the devil at the End of Time
although we don't know exactly what that will look like.
(13:53):
So that is our passage first fortoday.
It's one that's a bit shorter. Hopefully, you learned something
new. If you're listening on iTunes,
please consider leaving a review.
It really helps get the podcast,the out to more people.
If you're listening on YouTube, please subscribe and please
continue to share this with moreand more people so that we can
as Catholics grow in our faith and our knowledge of the
(14:15):
scriptures and that will set us on fire for the Lord.
That's our goal with this podcast.
So please consider Siddur partnering partnering with us as
we continue. The work of logical Bible study.
Thank you.
Hi everyone. Welcome back to logical Bible
study and this is the podcast where we really dive into the
literal sense of the Gospel texts that we here at Mass every
single day. If you've been listening for a
while, thank you so much for your support, please continue to
share this around. And if you've benefitted from
(00:31):
this podcast, then please consider becoming a patreon
supporter. That's the only way the podcast
can grow and we can do more things with it.
And there's lots of really cool benefits of Available to you
through bonus episodes, some catechesis sessions.
All of that is available to you through patreon, and that is the
only way that we can generate some more income for this
(00:52):
podcast, so please consider partnering with us as we do
that. Today, we're looking at a
passage continuing in the farewell discourse, John chapter
15 verses 18 to 21. Jesus said to his disciples, if
the world hates you remember that?
It hated me before you if you belong to the world the world
(01:17):
would love you as its own, but because you do not belong to the
world because my choice withdrewfrom the world, therefore, the
world hates you. Remember the words I said to you
a servant is not greater than his master.
If they persecuted me, they willpersecute you too.
If they kept my word, they will keep yours as well.
(01:41):
But it will be on my account that they will do all this,
because they do not know the onewho sent me.
So, the context you would already know this, if you've
been following our podcast in the last few days, this is in
the last supper, and possibly, they're walking towards the
Garden of Gethsemane. Now, he's been giving the
(02:02):
farewell discourse, which is Jesus, final instructions to the
apostles, which goes over quite a few chapters.
Jesus has just said to them, he's given them the new
commandment which is to love oneanother.
As I have loved you after he's gone that's the kind of
instruction of how he wants them.
To leave the church and leave the church.
(02:22):
And he says that is how you can remain in relationship with him
by following his Commandments, we get to verse 18 now.
Jesus said to his disciples, so remember the audience.
He's speaking to the 12 apostles, he's been speaking to
them, just before this about thelove, he has for them.
And now he's going to contrast this with the hatred, the world
(02:44):
has fallen. He says, if the world hates you
Now, in the Gospel of John, the world basically means sinful
Humanity in its Rebellion against God.
And the way the gospel describes, it is one is either
on God's side or the world's side and they are opposed to
each other, but God loves the world.
Remember, John 3:16 God. So loved the world in the hopes
(03:08):
that many people from the world would turn to him.
He says, if the world hates you and hates doesn't mean
necessarily the way we think of hate.
Now, in terms of Strong negativefeelings.
It's more of a rejection, if theworld hates or rejects you.
So Jesus, here is warning them that the world is going to
reject them in the coming years.And you see that, if you look at
(03:32):
the book of Acts, many of the Jews and the Gentiles did not
accept the message of the kingdom and in fact, they would
actively persecute the apostles and try to have them killed.
In fact, they're did Kill most of them in the end. he says,
remember that it hated me beforeyou Jesus message was rejected
(03:52):
by the world during his preaching.
You see that in the gospels and the reason that it was largely
rejected is because he convictedthem of their sin.
And the world does not want to listen, if you convict them of
sin. Now, we shouldn't take this to
mean that literally everyone in the world rejected Jesus.
If you read the gospels, there'sobviously many exceptions of
(04:14):
people who did accept Jesus, buton the whole the world hated him
and his own People, Israel rejected him and he's telling
the apostles when you start to be rejected in the coming years,
remember that they rejected me first so it's kind of words of
comfort. There's a lot to meditate on
here. If you think about it, Jesus
says, and Jesus is the creator actually.
(04:37):
So the creatures hated and rejected their own Creator when
he came to them, and that's quite profound verse 19.
If you belong to this world, theworld would love you as its own.
So Jesus says, if the apostles followed the ways of the world
and gave their allegiance to theworld, and a good example of
(04:58):
this is start of John chapter 7 G. is Arne bravas a people who
give them self to the world and the world accepts them but the
apostles don't Because you do not belong to the world because
my choice withdrew, you from theworld or other translations have
this as I chose you out of the world.
This is an interesting phrase, isn't it.
(05:19):
My choice withdrew you from the world.
Jesus, Jesus teaches that the apostles, when he pitched them,
and commissioned them for the service of the kingdom of God,
they were taken out of the worldthough in no longer part of the
world system. So they were transferred from a
kingdom of darkness to a kingdomof light.
Obviously, the New Testament speaks about this Kingdom
(05:42):
Paradigm quite a bit, so they'retaken out of the world.
Therefore, the world hates you. So Jesus it might sound pretty -
but in context he's telling the apostles not to be discouraged
if they encounter hatred in the coming years, he's telling them
to expect it actually, and he's also explaining why it's natural
(06:02):
that the world would hate them. He gives similar warnings to
this in the synoptic, gospels aswell.
Remember, he says, That the world will persecute you, but if
you persevere, you will be saved.
So the similar language used, infact, James later in the New
Testament, in his book says, whoever wants to be a lover of
the world makes himself an enemyof God.
(06:25):
So you see all through the New Testament, this contrast between
the world and God all the kingdom of God.
This is an important teaching. It probably applies to us today.
If we think about our relationship between the kingdom
of God, and the world today, Day, when we come into the
kingdom of God, if we become Christians, we are no longer
part of the world and its systems in that sense.
(06:46):
So, the world is going to see usas different, which means, as
Christians, we can end up being hated for a similar reason, to
the Jesus and the apostles, remember, the reason they are
hated is because they convict the world of sin, and we do see
that to an extent in our societytoday, a lot of society hates
Christians because of what they say about Sin, That doesn't
(07:08):
apply all the time, but you can see it happen.
So friendship with Jesus often entails hatred by the world.
Verse 20. Remember the words, I said to
you a servant is not greater than his master.
So Jesus has said this, a coupleof chapters earlier in John 13,
remember at the washing of the feet, he washed their feet and
(07:28):
then said, the servant is not greater than his master.
If I've done it, then you shoulddo it too.
You remember that? So in context, then he was
saying, if the Still certain actions as disciples you should
expect to do them to. Now he's going to apply that
idea that the servant is not greater than his master to a
slightly different thing. He says, if they persecuted me,
(07:51):
they will persecute you too. So Jesus says that if the master
experience suffering on account of his message, then the
disciples who carry that messageon, they are going to experience
similar suffering on account of that same message.
For the apostles they probably considered it to be an honor and
we know that they did particularly Paul to experience
(08:12):
the same rejection that Jesus did.
They are serving their master inthis way because they're being
rejected. For following Jesus and
preaching his own mission and Ministry.
He then says, if they kept my word they will keep yours as
well. So this is interesting, this is
(08:32):
the flip side. Those who respond to Jesus
teachings. Are also going to be the same
people who would respond to the apostles teachings, whereas
those who reject Jesus teachingswould also reject the apostles
teachings. So this teaches us that the
apostles preaching of the kingdom of God, is a direct
continuation of Jesus own teaching.
(08:54):
It's not a different message. There are some Christians.
It's say that Jesus message was for the Jews only and then in
the coming years in the book of Acts and Paul's writings in
particular it was for Gentiles. And in fact it was a different
gospel. You will hear some Christians
say that I think this passage isone indicator, that that's not
true. The apostles are continuing, the
(09:14):
very message that Jesus had. The only difference is that now
the kingdom is fully open because of Jesus death on the
cross after after the end of thegospels.
But the same basic method, Message about the kingdom of God
is the same as what Jesus had verse 21.
But it will be on my account that they will do all of this or
(09:36):
other translations have this as it will be for my name's sake.
So Jesus he is says all this andit's a way of summarizing.
The persecution has been talkingabout, they will do all of this
persecution to you because of mynamesake Jesus wants the
apostles to know that when they experience suffering, it is not
(09:57):
because of them as such. The world isn't really rejecting
them. The world is rejecting Jesus.
So it's words of comfort for theapostles.
And then he says, he gives the reason why the world rejects his
message. Ultimately, because they do not
know the one who sent me and this is important.
In today's culture, you'll hear people say that they are okay
(10:19):
with Jesus, but Nate, maybe not okay.
With a father figure of God or the other way around.
You might hear people say, I believe in God, but not in
Jesus. Will listen to what Jesus says
here. They reject me because they do
not know the one who sent me. So Jesus clear teaching all
throughout. The Gospel of John is, if people
know the father, they will accept the sun.
(10:41):
If people do not know the father, they will reject the
son. That's an important principle
and it's one of Jesus major teachings.
So that's the end of our passagefor today.
We finished here at verse 21. Now, the next section verses 22
to 25 are not covered in the lectionary at all.
(11:01):
So the farewell discourse does continue in the coming days, but
it picks up from verse 26, whichis interesting.
So you'll never hear John chapter 15, verses 22 to 25 in
the lectionary at Mass. So if Want to hear an exegesis
of those verses, then that will be available to you.
If you are a patreon supporter of the ministry and I'd love it
(11:22):
if you would consider doing that.
So there's information for you in the show notes about how you
can become a patreon supporter. And pretty often I release these
bonus episodes where we go through an exegesis of gospel
passages, which are never heard during mass and this will be one
of them. Let's turn to a few short.
(11:45):
I'm references, which make reference to this.
There's three that we're going to look at.
And they all about the persecution that the apostles
and that the church today can expect paragraph 7. 6 5 says,
representing the 12 tribes of Israel, they are the foundation
stones of the New Jerusalem. That is the apostles, the 12 and
(12:06):
the other disciples share in Christ's Mission and his power.
But also in his lot So that reference there to Jesus lot is
a reference to the suffering that the apostles would also
experience paragraph 5 30. This is in the section, about
Jesus infancy. It says the flight into Egypt
and the massacre of the Innocents, make manifest, the
(12:28):
opposition of Darkness, to the light.
He came to his, to his own home,and his own people received him,
not Christ. His whole life was lived under
the sign of persecution his own Shearer with him.
See here, that reference again to Christians, sharing in the
same persecution that Jesus experienced.
(12:48):
Then lastly paragraph 675 is about the church's.
Teaching on the end times, you might have thought that the
Catholic Church doesn't have anyteachings about what exactly is
going to happen at the end times.
In fact, they do if you turn to the catechism around paragraph
675 there's some specific teachings on what is going to
happen when the end of the worldcomes.
(13:08):
Now, it doesn't give us a timeline but it does give us
some general. Neural things that will happen.
It says this before. Christ's Second Coming, the
church must pass through a finaltrial that will shake the faith
of many Believers. The persecution that accompany
accompanies her pilgrimage on Earth.
Will unveil the mystery of iniquity and it references here.
(13:31):
John 15. So, that's interesting.
John 15 teaches that Christians should expect persecution from
the world. And the catechism says that that
persecution, which Christians Experience throughout the
centuries will eventually culminate in one.
Big Grand persecution from the devil at the End of Time
although we don't know exactly what that will look like.
(13:53):
So that is our passage first fortoday.
It's one that's a bit shorter. Hopefully, you learned something
new. If you're listening on iTunes,
please consider leaving a review.
It really helps get the podcast,the out to more people.
If you're listening on YouTube, please subscribe and please
continue to share this with moreand more people so that we can
as Catholics grow in our faith and our knowledge of the
(14:15):
scriptures and that will set us on fire for the Lord.
That's our goal with this podcast.
So please consider Siddur partnering partnering with us as
we continue. The work of logical Bible study.
Thank you.
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The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
True Crime Tonight
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.