Jesus often told His disciples things ahead of time. In this way they were prepared, and it confirmed for them the authority of Jesus. Some of those things were hard to hear. In John 15:18-16:4, Jesus tells them the world will hate them. In this tough message Jesus explains what to expect, how it will happen, and why it is.
What to Expect
He begins by telling them the world will hate them. Because they hate Me, they will also hate you. I have chosen you out of the world and so they hate you. You can’t expect it to be different for you than it is for Me. You are not greater than your Master and since they persecuted me, thinking they were doing God a favour, they will also persecute you.
How it Will Happen
Further, He tells them how it will happen. I am going to send the Helper to you. He will bear witness to who I am. Then, you also will testify of Me. As a result, they will excommunicate you. You will no longer be a part of the synagogue. They will kill you and think that they are doing God’s will by doing so.
Why
Next, Jesus explains how He came and spoke to the world about the things of God. He told them God loved them so much that He was giving them His Son. By the works, the works they understood could not be done without the power of God, He showed them who and what the Father was all about. Therefore, they no longer were excused from their waywardness. It would only show they do not know the Father. This anger fueled by the devil, spewed out against Jesus, the Son of God and would, after His death and resurrection, extend to His followers. He also told them not to let their hearts be troubled and that He would not leave them as orphans. He would send the Helper!
In this tough message Jesus explained what to expect, how it would happen and why.