John 16:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

NIV: They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.

NASB: They will ban you from the synagogue, yet an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to God.

CSB: They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God.

NLT: For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.

KJV: They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

NKJV: They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

Much of Jesus' teaching flew in the face of legalists like the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). His words were not, at all, contradictory to the Word of God (Matthew 5:17–19)—but religious leaders were not enthusiastic about His message (John 11:53). Jesus is preparing His followers to maintain faith in the face of persecution (Matthew 5:10–12; John 16:1). Instead of reacting in fear or panic, believers should respond to hardship by remembering that God knows exactly what is happening.

In the most immediate sense, those who followed Christ were subject to excommunication by their fellow Jews (John 9:22; Acts 8:1–3). In a broader sense, the full gospel is offensive to the arrogant, fallen human mind (Matthew 11:6; 1 Corinthians 1:18). People rejected the messages of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:18) and Jesus (Matthew 11:19), for entirely opposite reasons. In the same way, self-labelled "religious" people may dismiss biblical Christians as too strict, or too loose, and "put [them] out" as a result.

The most extreme version of this persecution is death. Some will be so opposed to the gospel, and so blinded by false religion, that they will see the murder of Christians as an act of righteousness. That might involve a literal deity, as with Islamic persecution of believers. The Greek phrase here is laterian prospherein—literally meaning "an offering of service." The root word lateria is the same one used in Romans 12:1 to describe "service of worship" (NASB).

The passion that leads people to kill Christians can also be a false god, such as the Nazi or Communist ideals which have also led to the deaths of many Christians. Regardless of specific motives, Jesus is warning that opposition to His truth (John 14:6) can be both deadly and driven by intense emotion.

John 16:1–4 completes a thought Jesus began at the end of chapter 15. He has been warning His disciples about the persecution they will face, due to their association with Him. His intention is not to frighten, but to reassure. The message seems dire: enemies will ostracize and even kill followers of Christ. However, knowing this was something God anticipated should give believers confidence that everything is under His control.

Throughout His teaching in the Last Supper (John 13:1–5), Jesus has often brought up the fact that He's giving His followers advance warnings (John 13:19; 14:25). His intent is to provide encouragement—persecution as a result of their faith is inevitable. In keeping with that reassurance, Jesus again promises the coming of the Holy Spirit. He explains that after a time of deep sorrow, His followers will experience great joy and clarity. This concludes with a beloved promise that Christ has "overcome the world."

This completes the teaching portion of Jesus' words during the Last Supper, begun in chapter 13. Christ echoes many of the themes of His earthly ministry. His focus is especially on encouragement: reminding the disciples that the hard times they will experience will end in victory. While they don't clearly understand, the Holy Spirit will lead them in the right direction. This ends with Christ's beloved declaration that He has "overcome the world." That introduces the record of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in chapter 17, immediately before His arrest early in chapter 18.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.