Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 16:3
And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
3. unto you ] These words are of doubtful authority.
they have not known ] Better, they did not recognise. The verb implies that they had the opportunity of knowing; but they had failed to see that God is Love, and that Jesus came not to shut out, but to bring in, not to destroy, but to save. The very names ‘Father’ (here used with special point) and ‘Jesus’ might have taught them better things.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See Joh 15:21.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Because they have not known the Father] See Clarke on Joh 15:25. Ignorance of the benevolence of GOD, and of the philanthropy of CHRIST, is the grand fountain whence all religious persecution and intolerance proceed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This is but what our Lord said as to his Father, Joh 16:21 of the former chapter, (See Poole on “Joh 16:21“), and teacheth us, that all persecutions of good men speak in persecutors an ignorance both of God the Father and of Christ; and whoever they are that continue in such ignorance under the light of the gospel, though they be baptized, and make never so great a profession of religion, yet will be under daily temptations to turn persecutors; for ignorance is here made the cause of persecution. And it is some alleviation of trouble to Gods suffering people, to consider that the persons that are the cause of their sufferings neither know God the Father, nor Jesus Christ; and it is no wonder, if they know not God, that they will not know, love, nor approve of them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1-5. These things have I spoken untoyou, that ye should not be offendedboth the warningsand the encouragements just given.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And these things will they do unto you,…. Christ here opens the true spring and source of the furious zeal of the Jews, against the apostles, in putting them out of their synagogues, and taking away their lives; it was pure wilful ignorance of the Father and himself;
because they have not known the Father nor me; though they boasted of their knowledge of God; yet they knew him not as the Father and sender of Christ, at least they would not own him as such: nor Jesus as the true Messiah, and sent of the Father, to redeem and save his people from their sins; and since they neither knew the Father, nor Christ, it is no wonder they did not know, own, and acknowledge, the disciples of Christ, but used them in the ill manner they did; their zeal was not according to knowledge, it was a blind and misguided one: and this is mentioned, not to extenuate or excuse their sin, though it shows they were not out of the reach of mercy, because they, as the apostle says of himself, “did it ignorantly in unbelief”, 1Ti 1:13; but as an argument with the disciples to bear their ill usage with patience, and to pity them and pray for them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Because (). Definite reason for the religious hatred is ignorance of God and Christ as in 15:21.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Unto you. Omit.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And these things will they do unto you,” (kai tauta poiesousin) “And these (kind of) things they will do,” to or toward you, both as individuals and as my church, which my religious enemies despise, as “despisers of those who are good,” 2Ti 3:3. This warning was given to His disciples that they might be aware.
2) “Because they have not known,” (hoti OUK egnosan “Because they have not recognized,” or come to know, because of their willful, covetous. and culpable ignorance, Eph 4:18; 1Co 2:8; 1Ti 1:13; Even our Lord prayed for them “Father forgive them they know not what they do,” do not recognize the gravity or seriousness of what they do, Luk 23:34.
3) “The Father, nor me.” (ton patera oude eme) “Either the Father, or me,” nor have they recognized or come to know me, Joh 7:28; Joh 8:19; Joh 8:47. Spiritual ignorance and blindness would be occasion for their enemies to persecute them, Joh 15:21; Eph 4:18; 2Co 4:3-4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
3. And they will do these things. Not without good reason does Christ frequently remind the apostles of this consideration, that there is only one reason why unbelievers are so greatly enraged against them. It is, because they do not know God. And yet this is not said for the purpose of extenuating their guilt, but that the apostles may boldly despise their blind fury; for it often happens that the authority which wicked men possess, and the luster which shines in them, shake modest and pious minds. But Christ, on the other hand, enjoins his followers to rise with holy magnanimity, to despise their adversaries, who are impelled by nothing else than error and blindness; for this is our wall of brass, when we are fully persuaded that God is on our side, and that they who oppose us are destitute of reason. Again, these words remind us, what a serious evil it is not to know God, since it leads even those who have murdered their own parents to expect praise and approbation for their wickedness.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Because they have not known the Father, nor me.Comp. Note on Joh. 15:21. He repeats that ignorance of God is the cause of the worlds hatred and persecution, and adds here that it is ignorance of God revealed in Himself. There is a special force in the mention of this ignorance in connection with the previous verse. Men think that in exclusion, and anathemas, and persecutions, and deaths of men made like themselves in the image of God, they are offering to God an acceptable sacrifice. They can know nothing of the true nature of the living Father who pitieth every child, and willeth not the death of a sinner, and gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. They know nothing of the long-suffering and compassion of the Son of Man, who pleaded even for His murderers, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Because not known the Father This fact, repeated from Joh 15:21-25, is the sad destruction of all excuse for this Jewish persecution. However honest for the moment their persecuting zeal, it sprung from a heart that had previously entrenched itself in error and hardened itself against God. Hence its zeal, however sincere, was mingled and impregnated with fierce and cruel purpose.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Joh 16:3. And these things will they do, &c. “And these immoral and pernicious principles and practices will they embrace and execute against you as my disciples, because through the wilful blindness and hardness of their hearts, they do not know, so as to believe and love, either my Father or me.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
Ver. 3. Because they have not known ] Through blind zeal. “The dark corners of the earth are full of cruelty,” saith the Psalmist. And “they shall not destroy in all mine holy mountain;” “for knowledge shall cover the earth, as the waters do the sea,” Psa 74:20 ; Isa 11:9 . See Trapp on “ Joh 15:21 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3. ] See Luk 23:34 ; ch. Joh 15:21 : Act 3:17 ; and 1Ti 1:13 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 16:3 . This fanatical blindness is traced to its source, as in Joh 15:21 , to their ignorance of God and of Christ: . And He forewarns them that they might not be taken unawares.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
unto you. All the texts omit.
have not known = knew not (Aor.),
not. Greek. ou. App-105.
known. App-132.
the Father. See p. 1511.
nor. Greek. oude.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3.] See Luk 23:34; ch. Joh 15:21 : Act 3:17; and 1Ti 1:13.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 16:3
Joh 16:3
And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me.-All these persecutions and afflictions they would bring upon the disciples because they neither knew the Father nor Christ. Their failure to know God and his Christ causes men to hate those who obey the laws of God. [This was to prepare them against the persecutions they would be called upon to endure. He assures them that though the zeal of their persecutors might be a zeal of God, yet it would not be according to knowledge. Their religious education and training gave them no real knowledge of the Father or himself. Consequently the disciples need not waver or be uncertain about their own religious status on account of persecution.] These things are the persecutions even unto death which Jesus had just told his disciples that they would suffer. This was evidently spoken by way of explaining why the world would so severely persecute them. It is but another way of saying there is eternal and uncompromising enmity on the part of those who know not God and his Son Jesus Christ against those who walk with God and believe on the Lord.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
because: Joh 8:19, Joh 8:55, Joh 15:21, Joh 15:23, Joh 17:3, Joh 17:25, Luk 10:22, 1Co 2:8, 2Co 4:3-6, 2Th 1:8, 2Th 2:10-12, 1Ti 1:13, 1Jo 3:1, 1Jo 4:8, 1Jo 5:20
Reciprocal: Exo 5:2 – I know not Lev 13:29 – General Jos 10:4 – we may 1Sa 2:12 – knew 1Sa 22:23 – he that seeketh Psa 44:22 – killed Psa 54:3 – they have Psa 79:6 – not known Pro 19:2 – that the Jer 2:8 – and they that Jer 4:22 – they have Jer 22:16 – was not Hos 5:4 – and Mat 22:6 – the remnant Luk 21:12 – before Joh 1:26 – whom Joh 4:10 – and who Joh 7:28 – whom Joh 14:1 – not Joh 14:7 – ye Act 3:17 – through Act 6:11 – they Act 13:27 – because Act 25:3 – laying Act 26:9 – that Eph 1:17 – in the knowledge Eph 4:13 – the knowledge Phi 3:8 – the excellency Jam 5:6 – have 1Jo 2:13 – ye have known
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joh 16:3. And these things will they do, because they know not the Father, nor me. The root of the opposition as formerly spoken of, chap. Joh 15:21.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Joh 16:3. And these things will they do These cruelties will they exercise upon you, not because ye have done them any harm; but because they have not known the Father nor me Which, if they had done, instead of injuring me, and exercising such inhumanities toward you, my apostles, they would have received us with the greatest affection and gratitude. Here we have the true root of persecution in all its forms; it is ignorance of God and of Christ, and of the real nature of Christianity: it is a spirit that is hostile to all true piety and virtue; and our Lord here says in effect, Let this comfort you, that none will be your enemies but the worst of men. Observe, reader, 1st, Many that pretend to know God are wretchedly ignorant of him, for he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 1Jn 2:4. Israel of old transgressed the covenant, and yet cried, My God, we know thee. 2d, They that are ignorant of Christ cannot have any right knowledge of God. In vain do men pretend to know God and religion while they slight Christ and Christianity. 3d, Those are wretchedly ignorant of God indeed, who think it an acceptable piece of religion to persecute good people. For they that know Christ, know that he came not into the world to destroy mens lives, but to save them; that he rules by the power of truth and love, not by fire and sword. 4th, It is possible for those that are real enemies to Gods service to pretend a mighty zeal for it. Satans work has often been done in Gods livery, and one of the most mischievous enemies Christianity ever had, sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God, 2Th 2:4. Nay, 5th, It is common to patronise enmity to religion, with the colour of duty to God and service to his church. Gods people have suffered the greatest hardships from conscientious persecutors: Paul verily thought he ought to do what he did against the name of Jesus, Act 26:9. This, however, does not lessen the sin of persecutors, for villanies cannot be consecrated by their being acted in Gods name; but it greatly increases the sufferings of the persecuted to cause them to suffer under the character of being enemies to God; but there will be a resurrection of names, as well as of bodies, at the great day.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The opponents of the disciples would do these things because they had not come to know the Father or the Son. Theirs would be a sin of culpable ignorance.