Heinrich Meyer Commentary - John 15:21 - 15:21

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Heinrich Meyer Commentary - John 15:21 - 15:21


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Joh_15:21. Ἀλλά ] antithesis to the consolation against this state of persecution: ταῦτα πάντα π . εἰς ὑμ ., however, presupposes that the second of the cases supposed in Joh_15:20 is not the actual one. The consolation lies in διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου : because my name is your confession. “The name of Christ from your mouth will be to them nothing but poison and death,” Luther. Comp. Act_4:17; Act_9:14; Act_27:9. This thought: it is for the sake of Christ’s name that I suffer (Act_9:16), ought to exalt the persecuted ( πρὸς τιμὴν μὲν ὑμῖν τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν , Ammonius), and did exalt them (Act_5:41; Act_21:13, et al.), and they boasted of these sufferings (Rom_5:3; 2Co_11:23 ff; 2Co_12:10-11; 1Pe_4:12 ff.), which constituted their holy pride (Gal_6:17) and their joy (Php_2:17-18). Comp. Mat_10:22; Mat_24:9; Mat_5:11. According to others (including Lücke, De Wette, Hengstenberg), ὅτι οὐκ οἴδασι , κ . τ . λ ., has the emphasis. But in that case the moment διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου is arbitrarily set back, and rendered unnecessary, although throughout the whole of the following discussion the reference of the persecutions to Christ is the prominent and dominant point (see especially Joh_15:25-27). Hence ὅτι οὐκ οἴδασι , κ . τ . λ ., is to be taken as subordinated to διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου , as giving, that is, the explanation thereof. Had they possessed the true acquaintance with God, they would, because God has sent Christ, have also known Christ (comp. Luk_23:34), and would not for His name’s sake have persecuted His disciples.