This verse, John 16:3, explains why Jesus's followers will face persecution and mistreatment. Let's break it down:
"They will do these things...": This refers back to the persecutions and hardships Jesus warned his disciples about in the preceding verses (John 16:1-2). He's talking about being put out of synagogues and even being killed.
"...because they have not known the Father...": This is the core reason for the persecution. The persecutors think they're serving God, but they don't truly know God the Father. They're operating under a distorted or incomplete understanding of God's character and will. Their actions stem from ignorance and misplaced zeal.
"...nor me.": This reinforces the point. To know the Father is to know Jesus. Jesus is the full revelation of God (John 14:9). Rejecting Jesus means rejecting the Father's truth, love, and character. The persecutors reject Jesus and therefore demonstrate they do not know the true nature of God.
In summary, the verse means that the people who persecute Jesus's followers will do so because they lack genuine knowledge of God and Jesus. Their actions are driven by spiritual blindness and a misguided understanding of God's will. They haven't encountered the true nature of God's love and compassion, which is revealed through Jesus. They may think they're acting righteously, but they're actually working against God.
The implication is that true knowledge of God would lead to love, compassion, and acceptance of Jesus and his followers, not hatred and persecution.
This verse, John 16:3, explains why Jesus's followers will face persecution and mistreatment. Let's break it down:
"They will do these things...": This refers back to the persecutions and hardships Jesus warned his disciples about in the preceding verses (John 16:1-2). He's talking about being put out of synagogues and even being killed.
"...because they have not known the Father...": This is the core reason for the persecution. The persecutors think they're serving God, but they don't truly know God the Father. They're operating under a distorted or incomplete understanding of God's character and will. Their actions stem from ignorance and misplaced zeal.
"...nor me.": This reinforces the point. To know the Father is to know Jesus. Jesus is the full revelation of God (John 14:9). Rejecting Jesus means rejecting the Father's truth, love, and character. The persecutors reject Jesus and therefore demonstrate they do not know the true nature of God.
In summary, the verse means that the people who persecute Jesus's followers will do so because they lack genuine knowledge of God and Jesus. Their actions are driven by spiritual blindness and a misguided understanding of God's will. They haven't encountered the true nature of God's love and compassion, which is revealed through Jesus. They may think they're acting righteously, but they're actually working against God.
The implication is that true knowledge of God would lead to love, compassion, and acceptance of Jesus and his followers, not hatred and persecution.