John 15:24

If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

If {G1508} I had {G4160} not {G1508} done {G4160} among {G1722} them {G846} the works {G2041} which {G3739} none {G3762} other man {G243} did {G4160}, they had {G2192} not {G3756} had {G2192} sin {G266}: but {G1161} now {G3568} have they {G3708} both {G2532} seen {G3708} and {G2532} hated {G3404} both {G2532} me {G1691} and {G2532} my {G3450} Father {G3962}.

If I had not done in their presence works which no one else ever did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now, they have seen them and have hated both me and my Father.

If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.

If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

John 15:24 is a profound statement by Jesus Christ during His Farewell Discourse, emphasizing the profound guilt of those who witnessed His miraculous works yet chose to reject Him. He declares that their sin is inexcusable because they had undeniable evidence of His divine nature and mission.

Context

This verse is part of Jesus' extended discourse to His disciples in the Upper Room, just before His crucifixion. Following His teaching on the vine and branches and the world's hatred for His followers, Jesus explains why this hatred is particularly damning for those who directly encountered Him. He is setting the stage for the coming persecution of His disciples, explaining that the world's antagonism towards them stems from its prior rejection of Him (John 15:18).

Key Themes

  • Inexcusable Unbelief: Jesus asserts that His unique "works" (Greek: erga), encompassing His miracles, teachings, and entire life, left His contemporary audience without excuse. Their rejection was not born of ignorance but of willful defiance in the face of overwhelming evidence of His divine authority.
  • The Nature of Hatred: The verse highlights a deep-seated spiritual animosity. It's not merely a lack of belief, but an active "hatred" for both Jesus and, by extension, God the Father. This reveals the spiritual blindness and rebellion at the heart of their unbelief.
  • Unity of Father and Son: Jesus explicitly links the rejection of Himself with the rejection of the Father. "They both seen and hated both me and my Father" underscores the inseparable unity between God the Father and God the Son. To see Jesus and His works was to see and encounter God Himself (as Jesus states in John 14:9).
  • Divine Accountability: The verse establishes a principle of heightened accountability for those who receive greater revelation. The unparalleled nature of Jesus' ministry meant that those who saw it bore a greater responsibility for their response.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "works" is erga (ἔργα), which in this context refers not just to individual miracles but to the totality of Jesus's actions and teachings that demonstrated His divine power and unique relationship with God. When Jesus says, "they had not had sin," it doesn't mean they would be sinless in an absolute sense, but rather that their specific sin of rejecting the Messiah would not be held against them with such severe culpability. Their sin would be one of ignorance, not willful rejection of divine truth revealed through unmistakable signs and wonders.

Practical Application

John 15:24 serves as a timeless warning about the seriousness of rejecting divine truth when it is clearly presented. For us today, while we have not physically seen Jesus' works, we have the comprehensive testimony of Scripture and centuries of Christian witness. This verse calls us to:

  • Examine Our Hearts: Do we truly embrace Jesus as Lord and God, or is there a subtle resistance or hatred in our hearts towards His claims or His Father's will?
  • Recognize Accountability: The greater the light and revelation we receive, the greater our responsibility to respond in faith and obedience. Spiritual indifference or outright rejection in the face of clear biblical truth is a serious matter.
  • Appreciate God's Revelation: The unique works of Jesus stand as eternal proof of His identity and mission, inviting us to believe and find life in His name.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 14:9

    Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?

  • John 5:36

    But I have greater witness than [that] of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

  • John 10:32

    Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

  • John 7:31

    And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this [man] hath done?

  • John 10:37

    If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

  • John 9:32

    Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

  • Deuteronomy 5:9

    Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me,

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