Question 1

Why did Jesus say "these things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended"?

Accepted Answer

Jesus knew His disciples were about to face hard suffering for following Him. He told them ahead of time about hatred, rejection, and even death so they would not be shocked or give up when it happened. Here, “offended” means tripped up or caused to stumble. Sudden, unexpected trouble can shake a person’s faith. By warning them in advance, Jesus was arming them for the battle, so that when the trials came they would remember His words and stand firm instead of turning away.

Question 2

What does it mean to be "put out of the synagogues" in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Being put out of the synagogues was not a small thing. It meant being cut off from the religious community, treated as a heretic or outcast. For Jewish people, the synagogue was the center of worship and community life. To be driven out was a deep shame and loss. Jesus is telling His followers that people who claim to be God’s people will reject them and push them outside the gathered community, yet they still belong to God’s kingdom even if others cast them out.

Question 3

How can someone kill Jesus’ followers and think they are serving God?

Accepted Answer

Jesus says a time would come when people would kill His followers and honestly think they were offering God a service, like a sacrifice. This shows how dangerous blind religious zeal can be when it is not grounded in truly knowing God or Christ. People can cover pride, anger, and cruelty with the language of “zeal for God.” In their minds they are defending God’s honor, but in reality they are fighting against Him and harming His people because they do not know the Father or the Son.

Question 4

What does this passage teach about not knowing the Father and Jesus?

Accepted Answer

Jesus explains that the root of the persecution is ignorance of God: “because they have not known the Father, nor me.” Many who opposed the disciples claimed to know God, but they rejected the One He sent. True knowledge of God is tied to knowing and receiving His Son. When people do not accept who Jesus is, their ideas of serving God can become twisted. This passage shows how serious it is not to know God rightly, because it can lead to great darkness and even violence against His people.

Question 5

Why did Jesus not tell the disciples all this "at the beginning"?

Accepted Answer

Jesus says He did not speak so fully about these sufferings at the beginning “because I was with you.” While He was with them in person, He took much of the hatred on Himself, and they were still spiritually young. He gently delayed some of the harder teachings until they were more ready and until His departure was near. Now, as He prepares to leave, He tells them plainly so they can face a new season of conflict with open eyes and be ready to suffer for His name.

Question 6

How were the disciples meant to use this warning when persecution came?

Accepted Answer

Jesus wanted His disciples to store these words in their hearts. When persecution started, they were to remember that He had told them in advance. That memory would remind them that nothing was out of His control, that He knew their path, and that suffering for Him was not a sign of failure but part of following Him. Remembering His foresight would strengthen their faith, help them endure shame and pain, and keep them from being driven away from their calling.

Question 7

How does this passage help believers today when they face rejection or hostility?

Accepted Answer

This passage reminds believers that rejection and mistreatment for following Jesus are not strange or unexpected. Jesus told His first followers to expect to be misunderstood, pushed out, and even attacked in God’s name. Knowing this ahead of time helps us not to be crushed or surprised when people speak against us or shut us out because of Christ. It also warns us to check our own hearts, so that any zeal we have is shaped by truly knowing God through His Son, not by pride or anger.

John 16:1

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

Persecution Foretold

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John 16:1

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

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Persecution Foretold

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