It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, 'They hated me without a cause.' (15:25)This verse jumped out at me when I read today's passage. What is John doing? The hate people have for Jesus exists simply to "fulfill the word"? What kind of God does that--makes people hate to prove a point? Like when God hardened Pharaoh's heart in order to make a point?
Or is it humankind trying to make sense of things? Trying to understand something greater than themselves and put it in terms they can comprehend?
Which brings me back to my first question. What is John doing? He wants to emphasize something to his audience: Jesus is the fulfillment of all that has gone before. Jesus IS the Christ.
The second part of the verse equally intrigues me. "They hated me without a cause." I can think of many causes why people would hate Jesus, but all of them stem from a single source: Jesus challenged the status quo.
If you are a person in power, and someone challenges that power, how do you react?
If you are living in comfort, and someone challenges your lifestyle, how do you react?
If you are complacent, and someone challenges your complacency, how do you react?
If someone disrupts your life, bringing major, uncomforatable change, how do you react?
From discomfort to hate for the change bringer is not a big step.
Peace,
Jeffri
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