What is the meaning of John 16:2? They will put you out of the synagogues Jesus forewarns His disciples that loyalty to Him will bring religious expulsion. • John 9:22 and 12:42 show this threat already hanging over believers who confessed Christ. • Being barred from the synagogue meant loss of community, livelihood, and social identity—yet Acts 18:4-6 reveals Paul willingly accepting that cost for the gospel. • The warning underscores that persecution may first appear in familiar religious circles, not only from pagan society (Matthew 10:17). In fact, a time is coming The Lord marks this rejection as certain and near. • John 15:18-20 had just promised that hatred toward Him automatically spills over onto His followers. • Acts 5:17-18; 8:1-3; and 1 Peter 4:12 show that “the time” arrived soon after Pentecost. • 2 Timothy 3:12 reminds every generation that such seasons continue until Christ returns. When anyone who kills you Persecution will escalate beyond exclusion to lethal violence. • Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 7:57-60) is the first New-Testament fulfillment. • James’s execution by Herod (Acts 12:1-2) and later church history confirm that the warning is literal, not metaphorical. • Revelation 6:9-11 reveals that martyrs remain a reality until the end of the age. Will think he is offering a service to God The persecutor sincerely believes murder is worship. • Saul of Tarsus embodies this mindset—“zealous for God” while breathing threats and murder (Acts 9:1-2; Philippians 3:6). • Isaiah 5:20 cautions against confusing evil with good; misdirected zeal is still evil, however pious it appears. • This clause exposes the deceitfulness of sin: religious sincerity is no guarantee of truth (Matthew 7:21-23). Believers must therefore weigh every zeal by Scripture, not tradition or emotion. summary John 16:2 prepares disciples for the cost of allegiance to Christ: social exclusion, escalating hostility, even death, all perpetrated under the banner of religious devotion. Knowing this beforehand steels the believer’s heart, affirms the reliability of Jesus’ word, and calls us to steadfast faithfulness, confident that whatever men may do, our Lord sees, sustains, and ultimately vindicates His people. |
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