How does John 16:3 explain the world's ignorance of God and Jesus? The Setting of John 16:3 Jesus is in the upper room, preparing His disciples for the hostility they will face once He departs. He warns them that some persecutors will even think they are serving God. The Text “They will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.” (John 16:3) Key Observations • “They will do these things” refers to hostility, expulsion from synagogues, and even killing believers (16:2). • Ignorance of both “the Father” and “Me” is presented as the single explanation for such actions. • Jesus links knowledge of God inseparably to knowledge of Himself (cf. John 14:7). Rejecting one is rejecting the other. Root Cause of Ignorance: Not Knowing the Father or the Son • Spiritual blindness—2 Corinthians 4:4: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers.” • Hardness of heart—Ephesians 4:18: “They are darkened in their understanding… because of the hardness of their hearts.” • Rejection of revelation—John 3:19: “Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light.” Biblical Echoes • John 15:21: “They will treat you this way because of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me.” • Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” • Acts 3:17: “I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.” • 1 Corinthians 2:8: “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” • 1 John 3:1: “The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” Implications for Believers Today • Expect misunderstanding and opposition; ignorance of God still fuels hostility. • Respond with truth and grace, knowing that knowledge of God comes only through the Son (John 14:6). • Pray and labor for spiritual sight in others; only the Spirit can open blind eyes (John 16:8–11). • Maintain confidence: persecution validates Jesus’ words and our union with Him (John 15:18–19). |
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