John 15:23 · Bible study
John 15:23 Commentary: Hatred of Jesus Is Hatred of the Father
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus declares that hatred of Him is hatred of the Father, revealing their inseparable unity. This verse defines the core issue between the world and God.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Hatred of Jesus is inseparable from hatred of God the Father due to their unity.
- Key words: Hatred (μισέω), ongoing enmity; Father (πατήρ), source of divine authority.
- Main debate: Whether the union is ontological (same essence) or economic (same mission); both aspects are affirmed.
- Theological theme: Trinitarian unity, the Son and Father are so united that rejection of one is rejection of both.
- Best use: Comfort for persecuted believers and a call to examine one’s attitude toward Christ.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He who hates me, hates my Father also.
KJV King James Version 1769
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`He who is hating me, doth hate also my Father;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
He that hates me hates also my Father.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El que me aborrece, también á mi Padre aborrece.
Quem me odeia, também odeia a meu Pai.
Celui qui me hait, hait aussi mon Père.
Wer mich haßt, der haßt auch meinen Vater.
Die Mij haat, die haat ook Mijn Vader.
Chi odia me, odia anche il Padre mio.
Kto mnie nienawidzi, i Ojca mego nienawidzi.
Ненавидящий Меня ненавидит и Отца Моего.
恨 我的，也 恨 我 的父。
He who has hate for me has hate for my Father.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 15:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse exposes the inseparable union between Jesus and the Father. Barnes states that “such is the union between them, that no one can hate the one without also hating the other.” Calvin argues that hatred of the gospel is hatred of God, unmasking those who claim devotion while rejecting Christ. Gill traces the world’s malice toward believers back to enmity against the Father himself, rooted in the natural opposition of the unregenerate heart. Matthew Henry sees here the fundamental conflict between love and hate that defines the two kingdoms. Wesley ties hatred directly to unbelief: every unbeliever hates Christ, and therefore hates the Father. The Greek uses present tense forms (μισῶν, μισεῖ), indicating not a passing emotion but an ongoing, characteristic stance. The verse leaves no room for a middle ground: rejection of the Son is rejection of the Father.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus declares that hatred of him is hatred of the Father because of the essential unity between them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the union between Jesus and the Father | Hatred of Jesus is hatred of the Father because they share a unique, inseparable bond. | Whether this is a unity of essence (Christ’s deity) or a unity of representation (Christ as the perfect envoy). The text supports both. |
| Culpability of the world’s hatred | The world is without excuse because Jesus came and spoke (v22). | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed) emphasize human depravity and God’s sovereignty; others (e.g., Arminian) stress human free choice in rejecting Christ. |
| Comfort for believers facing hatred | Believers share in Christ’s rejection and are united with him. | Some focus on the positive outcome (election out of the world); others on the promise of the Spirit’s testimony (v26). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jesus speaks these words during the farewell discourse (John 13, 17), after Judas has left and just before the arrest. He is preparing the remaining eleven disciples for the world’s hostility. The world (kosmos) in John often refers to humanity organized in rebellion against God. Jesus chose his disciples out of that world, so the world hates them (v19). The Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus imagined themselves as defenders of God, but Jesus claims their rejection targets him and the Father. John 8:40 records their attempt to kill Jesus, “a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God.” Jesus later says, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came forth from God” (John 8:42).
The surrounding context intensifies the claim. In v22, Jesus says that without his coming and speaking, the world would not have sin, “but now they have no excuse for their sin.” The works he did (v24) left them doubly accountable. Yet they hated both him and the Father. The verse connects to the Old Testament: v25 cites Psalm 35:19; 69:4, “They hated me without a cause,” positioning Jesus as the righteous sufferer. The early Christians, facing synagogue excommunication (John 16:2) and later imperial persecution, found in this verse the assurance that their rejection was not ultimately personal. It was part of the same enmity that crucified the Lord.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants. The text is stable across early manuscripts. Minor differences in word order (e.g., “my Father” vs “the Father of me”) appear but do not affect the meaning.
Reception History
In the early church, John 15:23 was used against Arianism to defend Christ’s co-equal deity. Augustine saw in it the enmity of the unregenerate heart, which only grace can overcome. During the Reformation, Calvin appealed to the verse to expose those who claim to honor God while despising the gospel. In centuries of persecution, from the Roman arenas to modern martyrs, this verse comforted believers: their enemies’ malice, however personal, was ultimately directed against God. The verse continues to be read in lectionaries for martyrs in Catholic and Orthodox traditions, underscoring the truth that hatred of Christ is hatred of God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Union in Hatred. Hatred of Jesus is necessarily hatred of the Father because of their shared nature and mission (v23).
- Root of Hatred. The world’s hostility originates in not knowing the Father (v21) and becomes inexcusable after Jesus’ revelation (v22).
- Consolation for Believers. The world’s hatred confirms that believers belong to Christ and are chosen out of the world (v19); they share in the opposition their Lord faced.
Five-point outline
- The world hates believers because it first hated Jesus (v18).
- The world loves its own; believers are not of the world, so they are hated (v19).
- The servant is not greater than the master; believers will be persecuted as Jesus was (v20).
- The world’s hatred stems from not knowing the Father who sent Jesus (v21).
- Rejecting Jesus consummates hatred of God himself (v23).
Illustration hooks
- A parent who rejects their child’s faith may think they are protecting them, but they are opposing God’s call.
- A workplace where a Christian is marginalized for biblical ethics, the real conflict is not with a person but with God’s authority.
- A person who says “I believe in God but not Jesus” unknowingly reveals a rejection of God as he has actually revealed himself.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Why does the world seem so hostile to Christians when we try to do good?”
- “How can I love God if I struggle to accept some of Jesus’ hard teachings?”
- “If I am rejected for my faith, does it mean I am doing something wrong?”
Leading a Discussion
Jesus’ words in John 15:23 go to the heart of the conflict between the world and God. Hatred of Jesus is not a minor disagreement; it is enmity against the Father. For a small group, this verse invites honest reflection on how we relate to Jesus and how the world responds.
Discussion questions
- What does v23 reveal about the relationship between Jesus and the Father?
- How does the surrounding context (v18-25) explain why the world hates believers?
- Why do some people claim to love God while rejecting Jesus? What does this verse say about that claim?
- In what ways does the present tense of “hates” in the Greek emphasize the nature of this hatred?
- How does 1 John 2:23 reinforce the point of v23?
- What does it mean for us that our rejection can be for Jesus’ name’s sake (v21)?
- How can we respond to opposition in a way that honors both the Son and the Father?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| John 8:40 | But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. |
| John 8:42 | Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me. |
| I John 2:23 | Whoever denies the Son doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. |
| II John 1:9 | Whoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that hating Jesus is no small crime because it is inseparable from hating God. The union between Father and Son is so close that no one can hate the one without also hating the other. Rejecting Christ is automatically rejecting the Father.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin exposes the hypocrisy of those who claim to honor God while rejecting the Gospel. He argues that hatred of Christ's doctrine is inseparable from hatred of God himself, no matter what outward profession people make.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible points out a striking paradox: the world's hatred, rather than driving believers away from Christ, actually intensifies their union with Him. This hatred proves they are not of this world and lets them share their Master's own experience, deepening their bond with Him.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
He that hateth me, hateth my Father also.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that hatred toward Christ's followers is counted as hatred toward Christ himself, and that hatred of Christ is essentially hatred of the Father. All such hostility comes from natural enmity against God. This means believers can endure the world's malice more easily, since it targets both Christ and the Father.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange grounds the vine discourse in the literal scene of vineyard fires burning in the Kidron valley during Passover. The quickly blazing branches represent not only final judgment but the present divine judgments that cut away and purify, making believers more fruitful through their organic union with Christ.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry defines hatred as the defining mark of the devil's kingdom, contrasting with love as the mark of Christ's kingdom. The world that hates believers is not only vast in number but also united in confederacy against Christ, a coalition far outnumbering his followers. These are all who refuse Christ's call and remain under Satan's power.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a strict parallel: just as genuine faith always includes love for God, unbelief always includes hatred for him. The unbeliever is not merely indifferent but actively hostile, because hatred of God and unbelief are inseparable.