João 16

João 16

Barclay - “The word Jesus uses (Jn 16:2) for service is lateria, which is the normal word for the service that a priest rendered at the altar in the Temple of God and is the standard word for religious service.” Latreia - 5v - divine worship(2), service(2), service of worship(1). Jn. 16:2; Rom. 9:4; Rom. 12:1; Heb. 9:1; Heb. 9:6 Brian Bell – I guess I expect “persecution” from “other religions”, but it’s always shocking when ill-treatment comes from your own denomination, own church, own friends. Islam, a religious people, think they are killing in the name of Allah! And so continue to slaughter Christians by the 1000’s, in their Holy Jihad. "Christians" give it a different title but do the same (eg. Serbian Christians vs. Kosovo Albanian/ Muslims in 1998,99 Kosovo War; Turning point massacre of 45 Albanians by Serbian Troops; mutilated bodies) Islamic militants shot & killed an underground church leader, Mariam Muhina Hussein (46), in Marerey village, Lower Juba, Somalia after discovering 6 Bibles in her possession, according to an Oct 1 report from Compass Direct. The day before the shooting, Sheikh Arbow sent his wife to visit Hussein's home and pretend she was interested in learning about Christianity. During the visit, Hussein read passages of the Bible with Arbow's wife and told her that she could visit regularly to discuss God's Word. Arbow's wife then confirmed to her husband the presence of Bibles in the home. The next day, Arbow visited Hussein along with some other Muslims. He requested a Bible from her. Hussein gave one to him and he revealed that he was looking for "Christians who have defiled the Islamic religion." Arbow then ordered her to show him the other Bibles that she owned. When she handed them over, he shot her 3 times, killing her instantly. Rod Mattoon - During the early church in the Roman Empire, Nero’s favorite actor Aliturus, and his harlot empress Poppaea, were both adherents of the Jewish faith. The Jews whispered their slanders to the government, slanders which they must have well known to be untrue, and four slanderous reports were spread about the Christians. 1. They were said to be insurrectionaries. Christians would not burn their pinch of incense and say, “Caesar is Lord,” and so they were branded as dangerous and disloyal men. 2. They were said to be cannibals. This charge came from the words of the Lord’s Supper, “This is my body which is broken for you.” This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” On the basis of these words, the story that the Christians’ private meal was based on cannibalism was propagated. The charge stuck, and it is little wonder that the mob looked upon the Christians with disdain. 3. They were said to practice the most flagrant immorality. The weekly meal of the Christians was called the Agape or the Love Feast. When the Christians met each other in the early days, they greeted each other with the kiss of peace. It was not difficult to spread abroad the report that the Love Feast was an orgy of sexual indulgence, of which the kiss of peace was the symbol and the sign. 4. They were said to be incendiaries or fire starters. They looked to the Second Coming of Christ. To it they had attached all the Old Testament pictures of the Day of the Lord, which foretold of the flaming disintegration and destruction of the world. In the reign of Nero came the disastrous fire which devastated Rome and it was easy to connect this fire with people who preached of the consuming fire which would destroy the world. 5. There was actually another charge brought and for this fifth charge there were understandable grounds. It was that the Christians tampered with family relationships, divided families, split up homes and broke up marriages. In a way that was true sometimes and unfortunately it still happens today. Christianity did bring not always bring peace but sometimes a sword (Matt 10:34). Often a wife became a Christian and a husband did not. Often children became Christians and parents did not. Then the home was split in two and the family divided. These were the charges which were spread about the Christians with the help of the Jews. It is little wonder that the name of Christian was hated. Jesus, however, warned us of the hatred to come and the division that would take place in choosing Him over all others. Christians have been persecuted all throughout history. Many folks do not realize that the Church of England and King James hated Baptists because they would not comply with the doctrines of the Church of England. King James could not stand Baptists. In 1611, the year the King James Version of the Bible was published, King James burned alive at the stake a Baptist by the name of Edward Wightman at Litchfield. This fact of history is recorded in many Baptist history books, the first being that of Thomas Crosby, who authored the first history of English Baptists. Crosby was a member of John Gill’s church, the church that was later pastored in the latter 1800’s by Charles Spurgeon. Crosby said in Volume 1, pages 108–109 in his book on the History of English Baptist, “The other one (burned) was Edward Wightman, a Baptist, of the town of Burton upon Trent, who on the 14th day of December, was convicted of DIVERSE HERESIES before the bishop of Coventry and Litchfield; and being delivered up to secular power, was burnt at Litchfield the 11th of April following.” A descendant of Wightman, Missionary Fred Whitman of Baptist Mid-Missions, confirms this information in a June 14, 2003 email. He stated that Wightman was a tailor who was saved and became a part of the Anabaptist Movement. He opposed the baptism of babies and the way the Anglican church conducted their baptisms and the Lord’s Supper. On the day of his execution in Market Square, Edward Wightman pleaded for mercy and pledged to recant and deny his faith if they would only get him out of the fire. Those who freed him were burned by the fire. He was led back to the prison cell. After two weeks, he was brought before the courts again to sign the denial papers, but he refused and stood firm in his faith in Christ. He had two weeks to think, changed his mind, and was more determined to stand for the truth of God’s Word than ever before. On April 11th, the Saturday before Easter, he was chained and burned alive at the stake. Left behind was Frances, his widow and their four children. The family moved to London and the next generation left for the American colonies. Valentine Wightman started the first Baptist church in Connecticut as well as in New York. Valentine’s son, Timothy, followed his dad’s footsteps, pastoring churches in Connecticut and organizing the second Baptist church in that colony. (Treasures from John, Volume 2) John 16:3 “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. because: John 8:19,55 Jn 15:21,23 17:3,25 Lu 10:22 1Co 2:8 2Co 4:3-6 2Th 1:8 2Th 2:10-12 1Ti 1:13 1Jn 3:1 4:8 5:20 Related Passages: Psalms 95:8-10+ Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness, 9 “When your fathers tested Me, They tried Me, though they had seen My work. 10 “For forty years I loathed that generation, And said they are a people who err in their heart, And they do not know My ways. John 15:21+ “But all these things (HATRED, PERSECUTION) they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. John 5:23+ so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. AGNOSTIC HATERS OF GOD & JESUS PERSECUTE HIS CHILDREN/DISCIPLES These things (note) - Always remember when you are reading the Scripture and encounter phrases like "these things" pause and ponder, asking "What things?" Most of the time there is an easy answer, but it will always give the Spirit an opportunity to cement the text in your mind and heart, so it is always worth a pause (an old Coca Cola commercial said "The pause that refreshes!" Yes, indeed, a spiritual pause that spiritually refreshes!) They will do because they have (ouk - absolutely) not known (ginosko - known "first hand," by personally experiencing) the Father (pater) or Me (YLT = "nor Me" where "nor" is a second absolute negative, the first "ou" for the Father and then "oude" of the Son) - They of course is the Jews, especially the religious leaders. Will do is a prophecy that would soon be fulfilled (see book of Acts - Acts 7:51-60+, Acts 12:2+). In short, the disciples would be persecuted by "religious" unbelievers. It may surprise or shock you that the most religious men in the world actually did not know the One they claimed to know and worship. This truth applies today to all Jews, even orthodox, and sadly they go through motions of worshiping a deity they think they know but actually do not know! This truth reiterates Jesus' earlier words "“You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” (Jn 8:19+) John had given the same tragic description of the world writing "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him." (Jn 1:10+) There is ONLY ONE way to TRULY KNOW God the Father and that is by knowing God the Son (cf Jn 14:6+). Most of the world is "religious" but relatively few in the world have a genuine relationship with Jesus, the small gate, the narrow way! -- See Mt 7:13-14+ Warren