Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 15:23
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
23. hateth my Father also ] Comp. Joh 5:23, Joh 14:9.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He that hateth me … – To show them that this was no slight crime, he reminds them that a rejection of himself is also a rejection of God. Such is the union between them, that no one can hate the one without also hating the other. See Joh 5:19-20; Joh 14:7, Joh 14:9.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
This agreeth with what we had, Joh 5:23. It is a common error of the world, that many in it would pretend to love God, while yet they are manifest haters of Christ and his gospel. Now, saith our Saviour, this is impossible; whosoever hateth him who is sent, hateth also him that sent him. God the Father and Christ are one, and no man can hate Christ, or be an enemy to Christ, but he must be an enemy to his Father: and as this is an aggravation of their sin, so it is a great argument of consolation to the disciples of Christ, that those who should be their enemies were such as were in reality Gods enemies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
He that hateth me, hateth my Father also. The hatred the world bears to the followers of Christ, is interpretatively hatred to Christ himself; and hatred to Christ himself, is no other than hatred to his Father; and indeed, all the hatred that is shown by the men of the world to Christ, to his Gospel, and to his faithful ministers and followers, originally arises from that enmity, that is naturally in the heart of every unregenerate man against God: now since not only Christ, but the Father also, is hated by the world, the children of God and disciples of Christ may sit easier under all the resentment, frowns, and malice of the world.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
My Father also ( ). Because Christ reveals God (14:9) and to dishonour Christ is to dishonour God (5:23). The coming of Christ has revealed the weight of sin on those who reject him.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “He that hateth me,” (ho eme mison) “The one who hates me,” as the world, the religious world especially does, and goes about to kill me, Joh 5:16; Joh 5:18; fulfilling Psa 2:2; Joh 8:37; Joh 8:40; Joh 8:44; Joh 11:49-53.
2) “Hateth my Father also.” (kai ton patera mou misei) “He also hates my Father,” as also affirmed, Joh 15:24.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
23. He who hateth me hateth my Father also. This is a remarkable passage, which teaches us that no man can hate the doctrine of the Gospel without manifesting his impiety against God. There are many, indeed, who profess differently in words; for, though they abhor the Gospel, still they wish to be thought very good servants of God; but it is false, for a contempt of God is concealed within. In this manner Christ discovers the hypocrisy of many by the light of his doctrine; and on this subject we have spoken more largely under that passage,
Whosoever doeth what is evil hateth the light (89) (Joh 3:20,)
and under that passage,
He who honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father, (90) (Joh 5:23.)
(89) See vol. 1, p. 128.
(90) See vol. 1, p. 199.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(23) He that hateth me hateth my Father also.Comp. Note on Joh. 5:23, and Joh. 15:18 in this context. Again the darkness of the worlds hatred is drawn in the successive degrees of sin. Hatred against the disciples is hatred against the Master whom they represent. Hatred against the Son is hatred against the Father whom He represents. Hatred of the Father! There can be no greater darkness. The sinfulness of sin has in this thought reached its limit. God is love. The heart that can hate love has hardened itself, and cannot be loved.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. Hateth me hateth my Father Their hatred runs through Christ as a conductor and lights upon God. And this is ever true. Men may claim to reject Jesus and yet hold to God. But their God is but a mere natural power, it is not the God of Christ or of the Bible. Some men of science reject Christ, and recognize a Nature, or a system of Laws, as ruling creation. But they ignore Christ, because they really ignore, reject, and scientifically hate the God of Christ. Deism, atheism, are a temper of the heart. Their theories grow out from the spirit and temper of the soul. It is in his heart that the fool saith there is no God; whether that fool be the fool of ignorance, or the greater fool of science. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“He who hates me, hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works like no other has done, they had not had sin, but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.”
There must be no doubt about this, Jesus says. He who hates the One Who is a true revealer of the Father also hates the Father. Jesus has fully revealed the Father (Joh 14:7-9). Therefore to hate Him is to hate the Father as He really is. And He has revealed the Father in a life lived, in teaching given, in works of compassion and healing, in raising the dead, in a way that no other has ever done. Thus they are without excuse. It is only by deliberately closing their eyes to the truth that they can refuse to hear Him, and in doing so they make themselves more sinful, and more resentful, because underneath something warns them they are wrong. And this must result in either repentance or hatred. This will always be man’s reaction to God’s truth. (But we must be sure it is God’s truth that they hate, and not our arrogance or our lack of consideration).
We note again how closely Jesus links Himself with the Father. To have known Him is to know the Father (Joh 14:7). To have seen Him is to have seen the Father (Joh 14:9). Those who are loved by the Father are equally loved by Him (Joh 14:21). If a man loves Jesus, the Father will love him, and both Jesus and the Father will come to dwell in them (Joh 14:23). And now men hate both Him and His Father. There can be no question that this continual linking of Himself with the Father puts Jesus ‘on the divine side of reality’. No one but an equal could so have associated Himself with the Father.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 15:23. He that hateth me, &c. How much is it to be wished, that those who make light of Christ, while they pretend a great veneration for the Father, would seriously attend to this weighty admonition, lest haply they be found even to fight against God! Act 5:39.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
DISCOURSE: 1700
HATRED OF CHRIST IS HATRED OF THE FATHER
Joh 15:23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
MEN are ever disposed to palliate their sins, and, by representing them under some specious name, to conceal their real enormity; but God calls every sin by its proper name, and speaks of it with just abhorrence. Covetousness in his eyes is not prudence, but idolatry [Note: Eph 5:5.]: a disregard of his presence is not mere inadvertence, but a denial of his most essential attributes [Note: Psa 10:11; Psa 10:13.]: and a contempt of his Gospel is not a venial ignorance or inattention, but an absolute hatred both of Christ and of the Father. To confirm this truth we will endeavour to shew,
I.
Who they are that hate Christ
It may be thought that none but Jews can be guilty of hating Christ, and that the bearing of his name is a sufficient testimony of our regard for him. But there are too many who, notwithstanding they have been baptized into his name, are yet enemies to him in their minds. Certainly we must number among his enemies,
1.
Those who disregard his Gospel
[The Gospel of Christ ought to be universally received as glad tidings of great joy: but the greater part of mankind feel an aversion to it. Some dislike its fundamental doctrine of salvation by faith, and represent it as injurious to the interests of morality. Others hate the duties it enjoins, and traduce it as requiring a state of mind totally incompatible with the discharge of our offices in social and civil life. Many even of those who approve of the Gospel in their judgment, are yet very far from experiencing its power in their souls. They enjoy not its promises, they fulfil not its precepts, they know not its renovating, sanctifying effects. It may be asked, Are all these persons haters of Christ? Let Christ himself answer that question. He states, that a practical renunciation of his authority is a proof, that they are enemies to him in their hearts, and will cause them to be treated as his enemies in the day that he shall judge the world [Note: Luk 19:14; Luk 19:27.].]
2.
Those who neglect his ordinances
[Our Lord has promised his peculiar presence to us while we seek him in the ordinances of his own appointment. Should not then the hope of enjoying his presence endear the ordinances to us, and make us regard them as our most inestimable privilege? But how are they regarded by the generality amongst us? Does not worldly business or pleasure often detain us needlessly from the house of God? And when we are assembled for worship, do not our thoughts rove to the very ends of the earth, so that, though we draw nigh to God with our lips, our hearts are far from him? Are not almost all persons cold and remiss in secret prayer? And is not family religion either banished altogether, or conducted with such formality as to render it irksome and unprofitable? Our Lord left it as his dying command that we should often partake of bread and wine in remembrance of his body broken and his blood shed for us. Yet is not his table either shamefully deserted, or else profaned by impenitent, unsanctified communicants? And what construction must we put on such conduct? Our Lord plainly tells us, that he considers them as his enemies, and that none of those who thus despise his invitations, shall ever taste of his supper [Note: Luk 14:18; Luk 14:24.].]
3.
Those who persecute his people
[Persecution is not carried now to the same extent that it has been in former ages. But has it ceased? Experience proves that there is the same enmity in the hearts of men against the faithful servants of God as ever there was. There are many at this day who are true descendants of Cain and Ishmael; and, as long as there shall be an unconverted man upon earth, it will be found, that they, who are born after the flesh, will persecute those who are born after the Spirit [Note: Gal 4:29.]. If they do not kill the saints, they will revile them, and separate them from their company, and say all manner of evil against them falsely for Christs sake. And are not such persons enemies to Christ? Yes; he considers himself as the real butt of their malice. Saul thought he was justly punishing some wild fanatics when he dragged the Christians to prison and to death; but Jesus said to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me [Note: Act 9:4.]? And the prophet tells us that whosoever toucheth the Lords people, toucheth the apple of his eye [Note: Zec 2:8.].]
The extreme enormity of their conduct appears in this,
II.
That the hatred of Christ is, in fact, a hatred of the Father also
Christ is essentially one with the Father; and as whosoever had seen Christ, had seen the Father, so, whosoever hateth Christ must of necessity hate the Father also. But it is evident in other points of view that they hate the Father; for they hate,
1.
His authority
[God commands all men to believe in his Son, to kiss him with holy reverence, and to honour him even as they honour the Father [Note: Psa 2:12. Joh 5:23.]. But the unequivocal language of those who comply not with his command is, We will not have this man to reign over us; Who is the Lord that we should obey him? we know not the Lord, neither will we obey his voice. Whatever they may pretend, they are not deceived through unavoidable ignorance, or impelled by irresistible force to reject Christ; they do it from a rooted aversion to the Father himself, and evince by their conduct the truth of that declaration, The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be [Note: Rom 8:7.].]
2.
His image
[The word, the ordinances, and the people of God, all bear upon them the impression of Gods holiness: and this is the very ground of that aversion which rises against them in the hearts of the ungodly. The Gospel is disliked as requiring so much purity and self-denial. The worship of God could be easily tolerated, if an outward form would suffice; but the spirituality and devotion necessary to an acceptable performance of this duty, causes the carnal heart to revolt from it as irksome. If the saints too would countenance the world in its sinful practices, the offence of the cross would cease: but they make their light to shine before men; and on this account they, whose deeds are evil, hate, revile, and persecute them. Now this clearly proves, that holiness itself is their aversion, and consequently that the image of God, which principally consists in holiness, is hateful to them. Will any say, It is hypocrisy that they hate, and not holiness? Wherefore then were Christ and his Apostles so universally the objects of cruel persecution? Was there any guile in him? Was he not the brightness of his Fathers glory, and the express image of his person? and walked not his Disciples in his steps? It is certain, not only that the image of God is hated by the enemies of Christ, but that every thing that bears his image is hated by them on that very account, and in proportion as it exhibits a resemblance of him.]
3.
His very existence
[It is vain indeed to entertain the thought that God could be annihilated: but, if we could suppose for a moment that it were declared from heaven, There is no God; would not the tidings excite a general satisfaction? Would not all the haters of Christ congratulate themselves that there was no God to call them to an account, none to punish them for their iniquities? Would they not look forward to an unrestrained indulgence of their lusts with pleasure, instead of weeping for the loss of their best and dearest Friend? Yes; as the enemies of Christ exulted in his crucifixion, so would all who hate him rejoice, if the Father also were utterly extinct. That this is no fanciful idea will appear from the declaration of God himself, The fool hath said in his heart, No God [Note: Psa 14:1.]!]
Infer
1.
How desperate is the wickedness of the human heart!
[Wherefore is it that men are so full of enmity against Christ and his Father? Is it for having given us his dear Son that they hate the Father; or do they hate Christ for laying down his life for us? Many good things has he done; for which of them do we reject him? O let the haters of God, as the Apostle calls all of us in our unconverted state [Note: Rom 1:30.], blush and be confounded; let them abhor themselves for all their iniquities and abominations: for what our Lord says of us is strictly true, We have hated both him and his Father [Note: ver. 24.].]
2.
What a dreadful place must hell be!
[Here the wickedness of men is restrained by the preventing grace of God: but in hell it will rage without controul. How will all the miserable spirits then vent their malice! How will they gnaw their tongues, and blaspheme their God [Note: Rev 16:9.]! May we never know this by bitter experience!]
3.
How astonishing is the tender mercy of our God!
[One would suppose that God should feel nothing but indignation against such an ungrateful world. But behold! he waiteth to be gracious unto them; he sends them offers of pardon; he even entreats and beseeches them to be reconciled to him [Note: 2Co 5:20.]. O let his goodness lead us to repentance! Let us cast away the weapons of our rebellion, and bow to the sceptre of his grace. So shall we yet be numbered among the friends of God, and be lively monuments of his mercy to all eternity.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Ver. 23. He that hateth me ] It is wonder how any should, yet we read of God-haters, Rom 1:30 , and all sin is a kind of God-slaughter, Omne peccatum est Deicidium. All sin is a a God slayer. The wicked wish there were no God, when David cries out, Vivat Deus, Let God live. Psa 18:46 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
23. ] See ch. Joh 14:9 . Human regards, whether of love or of hatred, towards Him who is the only manifestation of the Father to His creatures, are in fact directed towards the Father Himself: see Psa 69:9 , cited in Rom 15:3 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 15:23 . In hating me, they hate my Father whom I represent, . In hating and persecuting me, it is God they hate.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
23.] See ch. Joh 14:9. Human regards, whether of love or of hatred, towards Him who is the only manifestation of the Father to His creatures, are in fact directed towards the Father Himself: see Psa 69:9, cited in Rom 15:3.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 15:23. , he that hateth) Love accompanies faith; hatred, unbelief: ch. Joh 3:18-19.-, also) Implying the enormity of that sin of theirs.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 15:23
Joh 15:23
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.-Love and hate in the Bible are practical words, and mean to do good or evil. To hate means to reject or oppose. And he who rejects or opposes Jesus does the same to his Father. They are one. Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus. The only way of approach to the Father is through the Son.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Joh 8:40-42, 1Jo 2:23, 2Jo 1:9
Reciprocal: Exo 20:5 – of them Lev 26:43 – their soul Deu 7:10 – hateth 2Ki 19:28 – thy rage 2Ch 19:2 – hate the Lord Job 21:14 – they say Psa 2:2 – Lord Psa 18:39 – that Psa 81:15 – The haters Psa 88:8 – made Psa 89:23 – plague Pro 8:36 – all Pro 29:27 – General Isa 30:11 – cause Isa 37:29 – rage Mic 3:2 – hate Zec 11:8 – loathed them Mat 7:21 – my Luk 19:14 – General Joh 5:23 – He that Joh 5:42 – that Joh 7:7 – but Joh 8:42 – If Joh 15:18 – General Joh 16:3 – because Rom 1:30 – haters Rom 8:7 – the carnal mind Jam 4:4 – the friendship 1Jo 5:1 – and every
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
This is taught in Joh 14:23-24 and other places.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 15:23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. Nay more, in hating Jesus the world was also setting itself against that very God whom it professed to honour. It was really hating not the Son only but His Father whom He revealed. This was the disastrous issue of its course of action! Not they who inflicted suffering, but they who suffered, were the conquerors.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
These words declare the heinous nature of the Pharisees sin, in hating and persecuting Christ, who had done before their eyes such works as no man besides him, or before him, ever did: he acting by his own power.
Peter healed the lame man, Act 3:1-16. but it was in the name of Jesus of Nazareth: but Christ healed the sick, and raised the dead, in his own name, and by a special word of command: I say unto thee, arise: yet did the Pharisees hate him and his Father, according to the prediction, They hated me without a cause Psa 35:19. Which being spoken of David in type, received a more eminent accomplishment in Christ, the Son of David.
Learn thence, 1. That let men pretend to ever so much holiness or respect to God, yet if they hate Christ, despise his gospel, they are haters of God, who is one in essence and nature with his Son. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Learn, 2. That no miracles wrought by mortal men were ever comparable with the miracles wrought by Christ the Son of God; he did surpass them all in number, kind, and manner of doing them; by his own authority, in his own name, and not as others who obtained their power by prayer from God: I have none amongst them the works which none other man did.
Learn, 3. That Christ having confirmed his doctrine by such unparalleled miracles as the world was never before acquainted with doth aggravate the sin of those that are haters of his person, despisers of his doctrine, and reproachers of his miracles; it being just with God, when men obstinately shut their eyes, and will not see, judicially to close their eyes, and say, They shall not see.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Ver. 23. In the rejection of Jesus there is hatred towards Him, and in this hatred towards Him, the Jewish malignity reveals itself clearly as hatred of God: it is distinguished thereby from a mere ignorance, like that of the heathen. More than this: