Jesus goes on to explain to the disciples what would make the world love them (v. 19): if the disciples were of the world, the world would love them. Presumably, if Jesus were of the world, the world would love him too. Agreement with the world’s false beliefs and participation in and endorsement of the world’s sinful actions would win the world’s love. The way the world loves is clearly not the kind of love that Jesus described in verse 13, demonstrated in laying down one’s life for others. The world loves only those who join it in delusional beliefs and destructive behaviors, which in effect means that the world loves itself. The world’s kind of love is the selfish kind of love that does not deserve to be called love at all. It may be enthusiastic approval and acceptance, but it is not love.
We can see in verse 19 that the disciples belonged to the world, and what removed them from the world was the fact that Jesus chose them out of it (cf. v. 16). The disciples were part of the world, but the Father gave them to Jesus (17:6), who rescued them from the clutches of the world (15:16, 19).
The words of Jesus in verse 20 warn the disciples not to presume that they will be able to navigate disputed issues better than Jesus did. They will not be able to produce a more nuanced position that will mollify the world—not if they are faithful. They will not be more able than Jesus was to finesse the fine points and make them acceptable to ideological opponents. Jesus is the master, the greatest. They are his servants and thus are not greater than he. The world rejected the master, and the servants will not succeed in propitiating the world’s wrath. Jesus frankly tells his disciples that if they follow him, the world will treat them as it treated him.
There is a positive side, however, which Jesus mentions at the end of verse 20. Those who keep the words of Jesus will also keep the words of his disciples. This is not only an encouragement to the disciples that they will not be universally rejected; it is also a statement about those who receive the words of Jesus. Those who receive the words of Jesus also receive the words of those Jesus sent, his apostles. Those who claim to receive Jesus but reject his disciples have actually rejected Jesus, however they may protest that they love Jesus even though they hate the Scriptures. Those who would keep the word of Jesus must keep the word of his apostles, inscripturated on the pages of the Bible.
Jesus states exactly why the disciples will be hated and persecuted (v. 21): on account of his name. This means that as the disciples live and teach in accordance with the character and mission of Jesus, people will know that the disciples do so because of Jesus, and they will hate them for it. Why does persecution on account of Jesus’ name amount to persecution for those living out the character and mission of Jesus? Because Jesus taught his disciples to live as he lived, and he told them that their task was to teach others what he taught them. Why would people reject the character and mission of Jesus? Jesus explains: because they do not know the one who sent Jesus, the Father. Why do people hate Jesus and persecute his followers? Because they do not know God.
What does Jesus mean when he says in verse 22 that if he had not come and spoken to them, those who hated him would not have had sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin? Jesus cannot mean that only those who see and hear him are made guilty. The wrath of God remains on those who do not obey the Son (3:36), and Jesus is the only way to the Father (14:6). The point of this verse seems to be that Jesus convicted of their sin those who heard his words and saw his works. If they had not seen and heard Jesus, their own perversity would not have been apparent to them. By revealing how people should live and by loving everyone truly, Jesus exposed the corruption and filth of men. Now their sin is undeniable and they are left without excuse. Rather than pleading for mercy and turning from sin, they hate Jesus for how he exposed them. Because hating Jesus is hating what is good and true and right and godly, to hate Jesus is to hate the Father (15:23).
Jesus adds in verse 24 that the works he has done—works no one else could do—confirm that he is righteous. Jesus has done works demonstrating his ability to do what only God can do. The confirming power of the works should convince people of his deity and of their need to be reconciled to him through repentance and faith. Rather than turning from sin and trusting him, however, his opponents respond with hatred for Jesus and the Father.
Jesus has presented a convincing case for the truth of his claims. There is no reason anyone should hate him. He is ready to love and help everyone. But the pattern of the righteous sufferer, Jesus explains, must be fulfilled, and he quotes another phrase that engages and typifies that pattern (v. 25), using language from both Psalm 35:19 and 69:4 (cf. the similar quotation of Ps. 41:9 in John 13:18). Hatred of Jesus is groundless, fulfilling the pattern of the unjustly hated righteous sufferers in the OT.
15:26–16:4a The Helper. Jesus has been telling his disciples that he is going away (13:33) and that the world is going to hate the disciples because they will convict the world of its sin in the same way he has done (15:18–25). How does Jesus equip the disciples for this daunting reality? By once again telling them of how they will have a new and greater experience of the Holy Spirit (vv. 26–27). Later he will elaborate on the way in which the Spirit will convict of sin (16:8–11).
Jesus had told the disciples that the Spirit would be with them, indwelling them, never to leave (14:15–17). Now he tells them that the Spirit will be sent to help them bear witness (15:26–27). Jesus has been their helper, and now that he is leaving he promises to send “another Helper” (14:16). In this context, the help they need stems from the fact that Jesus sends them to testify to a hostile world, to those who will hate them because of the love they show (cf. 15:18–25). The Spirit will help them by bearing witness (15:26). Jesus again refers to the Helper as “the Spirit of truth,” which means that his testimony will be true.
Jesus had said in 14:16 that the Father would give the Spirit at his request. In 15:26 Jesus provides more information on the coming of the Spirit, stating that he himself will send the Spirit. Then he describes the Spirit as one who proceeds, or goes out, from the Father. Given by and going out from the Father, and sent by the Son, the Spirit of truth will testify to Jesus.
Jesus says that his disciples will testify because they have been with him “from the beginning.” His later reference to “the beginning” in 16:4 (“I did not say these things to you from the beginning”) shows that “the beginning” refers to the start of his public ministry (cf. Acts 1:21–22). Having witnessed all of Jesus’ earthly ministry, his followers must testify, even if the world hates and persecutes them for it. They testify to the character of Jesus, the mission of Jesus, and the message of Jesus. Jesus later commands his followers to make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything he commanded (Matt. 28:18–20). The disciples of Jesus cannot shrink from anything he taught, and neither can those taught by the apostles back away from what Jesus teaches through them.
Jesus asserts in John 16:1 that he has told his disciples these things to keep them from falling away. In this context, falling away would include not testifying (15:27), perhaps to avoid the world’s hatred (15:18–25). This would be a failure to bear fruit (15:16), stemming from a failure to abide in Christ or to have his words abide in them (15:7). Falling away would also entail a failure to love as Christ has loved (13:34; 15:12), a failure to trust God (14:1), or a failure to believe what Jesus taught (14:11). Jesus teaches in order to keep his followers from falling away.
The immediate context of the world’s hatred and persecution (15:18–25) is reinforced by Jesus’ warning that his followers will be put out of the synagogues, while those who kill them will think they are serving God (16:2). This would indicate that Jesus envisions the “falling away” of 16:1 as possibly resulting from persecution. As in 15:21, Jesus here asserts that the persecutors have known neither the Father nor himself (16:3). Jesus had said in 14:26 that the Spirit would help them remember what he said, and now he asserts that he and the Spirit are working together to enable the disciples to remember (16:4). In particular, Jesus desires his disciples to remember his teaching when the “hour” of their persecution, or even martyrdom, comes.