John 15:20
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus reminds his followers that their experience will mirror His own, noting that the world's rejection of Him is the benchmark for how they will be treated. The crucial, easily missed point is the parallel structure: just as the world actively "persecuted" Him, it will actively "persecute" them; conversely, if the world "kept" His word, it would also "keep" theirs, highlighting a deep, inseparable connection between Jesus and His disciples.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for the difficult reality of their mission, reminding them that they will face the same hostility from the world that he has faced. He had just explained that the world hates them because they are chosen out of the world, and now he emphasizes that their experience will mirror his own. Therefore, if the world persecuted him, they should expect no different treatment, but also, if anyone truly embraced his message, they would embrace the disciples' message as well.
Jesus doesn't sugarcoat the journey for His followers. He reminds them of a fundamental truth: their experience will mirror His own.
Jesus uses the proverb, 'A servant is not greater than his master,' to draw a direct parallel between His suffering and the suffering His disciples will face. This isn't just about hardship; it's about a shared identity and mission.
A Shared Experience
Just as a servant can't claim a status higher than their master, disciples cannot expect better treatment from the world than Jesus received. If the world rejected and harassed Jesus, it will inevitably do the same to those who follow Him.
The Purpose of Persecution
This persecution isn't random. It stems from the world's opposition to God's message, a message embodied and proclaimed by Jesus and then by His followers. Their suffering is a testament to their connection with Christ and the truth they carry.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about John 15:20 is available in the Sola app.
The world's response to Jesus offers a clear indicator of how it will respond to His followers. But there's a flip side to this coin.
Jesus presents a dual reality: the world's rejection and the world's potential reception of His message through His disciples.
The World's Opposition
If the world rejected Jesus, it's because they rejected His words and His divine origin. They refused to acknowledge Him for who He was. This rejection extends to His followers, who carry His message.
The Mirror Image of Faithfulness
On the other hand, Jesus states, 'If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.' This isn't about the world suddenly loving the message, but about a deep connection between Jesus' words and His disciples' words. Those who genuinely listened to and obeyed Jesus will also recognize and honor the truth when it's faithfully proclaimed by His messengers.
Understand the original words
doulos · Greek Noun
One who is in a state of bondage or service to another. Biblically, it describes the believer's humble, obedient relationship to Christ as their Master and Lord.
diōkō · Greek Verb
To harass, oppress, or mistreat someone due to their faith or allegiance to Christ. It is the predictable response of a fallen world to the presence of the truth.
The verse directly references Jesus' own experience of rejection and persecution during His ministry, assuring His disciples that they would face similar treatment. This historical context highlights that the opposition was not a misunderstanding but a predictable consequence of proclaiming a message that challenged the world's status quo, just as Jesus' message had.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Rejection
During His earthly ministry, Jesus proclaimed God's message and performed miracles, but faced intense opposition, rejection, and persecution from religious and political authorities, culminating in His crucifixion.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Teachings on Opposition
Jesus warned His disciples multiple times that they would face similar opposition and rejection from the world as He had, explicitly stating that a servant is not greater than his master.
c. AD 33
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified by the Roman authorities at the instigation of some Jewish leaders, demonstrating the extreme hostility He faced.
c. AD 30s-60s
Early Apostolic Ministry and Persecution
Following Jesus' ascension, the apostles began to preach the Gospel, and they too experienced persecution, imprisonment, and beatings from Jewish and Roman authorities, as recorded in the early chapters of Acts.
c. AD 50s-60s
Paul's Missionary Journeys and Persecutions
The Apostle Paul, a primary witness to Jesus' teachings, endured significant persecution, including stoning, beatings, shipwrecks, and imprisonment, as he spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire.
This passage directly parallels Jesus' teaching that a disciple is not above his teacher, setting the expectation that followers will face similar opposition as their Master.
Luke 6:40Similar to John 15:20, this verse emphasizes that a disciple is not meant to surpass their teacher, reinforcing the idea that followers should anticipate experiencing the same hardships as Jesus.
Acts 14:22This verse demonstrates the fulfillment of Jesus' words, showing that the apostles indeed strengthened believers by assuring them that they must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God, just as Jesus predicted.
1 Peter 4:12-13Peter urges believers not to be surprised by the fiery trials they face, reminding them that these sufferings are a sharing in Christ's sufferings, echoing the core message of John 15:20.
Philippians 3:10Paul's desire to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and to share in his sufferings, aligns with the disciples' call to endure persecution, mirroring the connection between Jesus' experience and theirs in John 15:20.
vincentJohn 15:20: "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also."
Persecuted (ἐδίωξαν)The verb means originally to put to flight; thence to run swiftly in order to overtake or attain, as the goal or the competitor in the race. Thus Sophocles ("Electra," 738): "He urged his swift steeds vehemently with shouts that pierced their ears, and makes for him…
calvinJohn 15:16-21: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."
- You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you; and I have ordained you to go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should continue; that whatever you shall ask from the Father in my name he may give you. 17. These things I command you, that you may love another. 18…
Jesus reminds his followers that their experience will mirror His own, noting that the world's rejection of Him is the benchmark for how they will be treated. The crucial, easily missed point is the parallel structure: just as the world actively "persecuted" Him, it will actively "persecute" them; conversely, if the world "kept" His word, it would also "keep" theirs, highlighting a deep, inseparable connection between Jesus and His disciples.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for the difficult reality of their mission, reminding them that they will face the same hostility from the world that he has faced. He had just explained that the world hates them because they are chosen out of the world, and now he emphasizes that their experience will mirror his own. Therefore, if the world persecuted him, they should expect no different treatment, but also, if anyone truly embraced his message, they would embrace the disciples' message as well.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for the difficult reality of their mission, reminding them that they will face the same hostility from the world that he has faced. He had just explained that the world hates them because they are chosen out of the world, and now he emphasizes that their experience will mirror his own. Therefore, if the world persecuted him, they should expect no different treatment, but also, if anyone truly embraced his message, they would embrace the disciples' message as well.
"Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours." — Jesus reminds his followers that their experience will mirror His own, noting that the world's rejection of Him is the benchmark for how they will be treated. The crucial, easily missed point is the…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
