John 15:25

25 But ¹the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ²'They hated me without a cause.'

John 15:25 Meaning and Commentary

John 15:25

But this cometh to pass
This hatred against Christ, and which is pointed at his people for his sake, and reaches to the Father also on his account, is suffered to be, and therefore should be patiently borne:

that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law:
either in ( Psalms 35:19 ) , or rather in ( Psalms 69:4 ) ; which is a psalm of Christ, as appears by citations out of it in the New Testament, or references to it; see ( John 2:17 ) ( 19:28 ) ( Matthew 27:48 ) . The whole Scripture is sometimes called the law, as here; for not the law of Moses is meant, or the five books of Moses, but the writings of the Old Testament; which the Jews had in their hands, to them being committed the oracles of God; and sometimes are so called, when the book of Psalms is particularly referred to as now; see ( John 10:34 ) ( 12:34 ) ; the words cited are,

they hated me without a cause;
without any reason for it, Christ having given them no provocation, or just cause of offence, anger, or hatred. This sin of hating without a cause, is represented by the Jews as a very heinous one, and as the reason of the destruction of the second temple; under which they observe, that men studied in the law, and in the commandments, and in doing of good; and therefore ask why it was destroyed? the answer is, because there was under it, (Mnx tanv) , "hatred without a cause": to teach us, that hatred without a cause is equal to the three (capital) transgressions, idolatry, adultery, and murder, for which they say the first temple was destroyed ^F23. This is a tacit acknowledgment that the sin here mentioned was a reigning one, or that it much abounded in the time of Christ.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 T. Bab, Yoma, fol. 9. 2. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 38. 3.

John 15:25 In-Context

23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also.

24 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.

25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: 'They hated me without a cause.'

26 "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.

27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

Cross References

• 1. See John 10:34; John 12:38
• 2. Cited from Ps. 35:19 or 69:4