{"id":44296,"date":"2021-04-06T00:40:16","date_gmt":"2021-04-05T21:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=44296"},"modified":"2025-05-06T03:46:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T00:46:58","slug":"what-does-jesus-mean-by-the-hour-is-coming-when-whoever-kills-you-will-think-he-is-offering-service-to-god-john-162","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2021\/04\/06\/what-does-jesus-mean-by-the-hour-is-coming-when-whoever-kills-you-will-think-he-is-offering-service-to-god-john-162\/","title":{"rendered":"What does Jesus mean by \u201cthe hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God\u201d ?(John 16:2)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This <\/span>statement <\/span>by <\/span>Jesus <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>prophetic <\/span>warning<\/span><\/strong> to <\/span>His <\/span>disciples <\/span>and <\/span>all <\/span>believers <\/span>that <\/span>a <\/span>time <\/span>would <\/span>come <\/span>when <\/span>persecution\u2014<\/span>even <\/span>murder\u2014<\/span>would <\/span>be <\/span>carried <\/span>out <\/span>against <\/span>Christians <\/span>by <\/span>people <\/span>who <\/span>genuinely <\/span>believe <\/span>they <\/span>are <\/span>doing <\/span>God’s <\/span>will. <\/span>This <\/span>speaks <\/span>to <\/span>religiously <\/span>motivated <\/span>persecution<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>where <\/span>attackers <\/span>are <\/span>convinced <\/span>their <\/span>actions <\/span>are <\/span>acts <\/span>of <\/span>worship <\/span>or <\/span>obedience <\/span>to <\/span>God.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>John <\/span>16:<\/span>1\u2013<\/span>2 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/em>, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>says:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>I <\/span>have <\/span>said <\/span>all <\/span>these <\/span>things <\/span>to <\/span>you <\/span>to <\/span>keep <\/span>you <\/span>from <\/span>falling <\/span>away. <\/span>They <\/span>will <\/span>put <\/span>you <\/span>out <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>synagogues. <\/span>Indeed, <\/span>the <\/span>hour <\/span>is <\/span>coming <\/span>when <\/span>whoever <\/span>kills <\/span>you <\/span>will <\/span>think <\/span>he <\/span>is <\/span>offering <\/span>service <\/span>to <\/span>God<\/span><\/strong>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Jesus <\/span>foresaw <\/span>a <\/span>future <\/span>where <\/span>hostility <\/span>toward <\/span>true <\/span>followers <\/span>of <\/span>Christ <\/span>would <\/span>come <\/span>not <\/span>only <\/span>from <\/span>political <\/span>or <\/span>pagan <\/span>sources <\/span>but <\/span>from <\/span>within <\/span>the <\/span>religious <\/span>community<\/span><\/strong> itself. <\/span>This <\/span>kind <\/span>of <\/span>persecution <\/span>is <\/span>especially <\/span>dangerous <\/span>because <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>wrapped <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>cloak <\/span>of <\/span>religious <\/span>zeal<\/span><\/strong> and <\/span>backed <\/span>by <\/span>misinterpretations <\/span>of <\/span>Scripture.<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. <\/span>Biblical <\/span>Examples <\/span>of <\/span>This <\/span>Persecution<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

a) <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Himself<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Jesus <\/span>was <\/span>crucified <\/span>primarily <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>instigation <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>religious <\/span>leaders\u2014<\/span>the <\/span>chief <\/span>priests, <\/span>scribes, <\/span>and <\/span>Pharisees\u2014<\/span>who <\/span>believed <\/span>He <\/span>was <\/span>violating <\/span>the <\/span>Law <\/span>of <\/span>Moses. <\/span>For <\/span>example, <\/span>they <\/span>accused <\/span>Him <\/span>of <\/span>breaking <\/span>the <\/span>Sabbath<\/span><\/strong> by <\/span>healing (<\/span>John <\/span>5:<\/span>16-<\/span>18) <\/span>and <\/span>of <\/span>blasphemy<\/span><\/strong> for <\/span>claiming <\/span>equality <\/span>with <\/span>God (<\/span>John <\/span>10:<\/span>33).<\/span><\/p>\n

They <\/span>justified <\/span>His <\/span>death <\/span>using <\/span>Scriptures <\/span>like <\/span>Exodus <\/span>31:<\/span>15 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/em>:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Six <\/span>days <\/span>shall <\/span>work <\/span>be <\/span>done, <\/span>but <\/span>the <\/span>seventh <\/span>day <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>Sabbath <\/span>of <\/span>solemn <\/span>rest, <\/span>holy <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>LORD. <\/span>Whoever <\/span>does <\/span>any <\/span>work <\/span>on <\/span>the <\/span>Sabbath <\/span>day <\/span>shall <\/span>be <\/span>put <\/span>to <\/span>death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So, <\/span>when <\/span>Jesus <\/span>healed <\/span>on <\/span>the <\/span>Sabbath, <\/span>they <\/span>interpreted <\/span>it <\/span>as <\/span>breaking <\/span>the <\/span>law <\/span>deserving <\/span>of <\/span>death. <\/span>In <\/span>their <\/span>view, <\/span>killing <\/span>Jesus <\/span>was <\/span>obedience <\/span>to <\/span>God’s <\/span>command<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>though <\/span>in <\/span>reality, <\/span>they <\/span>were <\/span>opposing <\/span>God’s <\/span>own <\/span>Son.<\/span><\/p>\n

b) <\/span>Stephen <\/span>the <\/span>Martyr<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Stephen, <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>early <\/span>church\u2019s <\/span>leaders, <\/span>was <\/span>stoned <\/span>to <\/span>death <\/span>by <\/span>religious <\/span>Jews <\/span>who <\/span>falsely <\/span>accused <\/span>him <\/span>of <\/span>blasphemy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acts <\/span>6:<\/span>13\u2013<\/span>14 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/em> says:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>They <\/span>set <\/span>up <\/span>false <\/span>witnesses <\/span>who <\/span>said, \u2018<\/span>This <\/span>man <\/span>never <\/span>ceases <\/span>to <\/span>speak <\/span>words <\/span>against <\/span>this <\/span>holy <\/span>place <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>law, <\/span>for <\/span>we <\/span>have <\/span>heard <\/span>him <\/span>say <\/span>that <\/span>this <\/span>Jesus <\/span>of <\/span>Nazareth <\/span>will <\/span>destroy <\/span>this <\/span>place <\/span>and <\/span>will <\/span>change <\/span>the <\/span>customs <\/span>that <\/span>Moses <\/span>delivered <\/span>to <\/span>us.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The <\/span>law <\/span>in <\/span>Leviticus <\/span>24:<\/span>16 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/em> declared:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Whoever <\/span>blasphemes <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>LORD <\/span>shall <\/span>surely <\/span>be <\/span>put <\/span>to <\/span>death. <\/span>All <\/span>the <\/span>congregation <\/span>shall <\/span>stone <\/span>him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Those <\/span>who <\/span>killed <\/span>Stephen <\/span>believed <\/span>they <\/span>were <\/span>upholding <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>law. <\/span>Again, <\/span>in <\/span>their <\/span>minds, <\/span>his <\/span>execution <\/span>was <\/span>a <\/span>religious <\/span>duty<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

c) <\/span>The <\/span>Apostle <\/span>Paul\u2019s <\/span>Past<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Before <\/span>his <\/span>conversion, <\/span>Paul (<\/span>then <\/span>Saul) <\/span>was <\/span>a <\/span>prime <\/span>example <\/span>of <\/span>this <\/span>mindset:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>I <\/span>myself <\/span>was <\/span>convinced <\/span>that <\/span>I <\/span>ought <\/span>to <\/span>do <\/span>many <\/span>things <\/span>in <\/span>opposing <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus <\/span>of <\/span>Nazareth.\u201d \u2013 <\/span>Acts <\/span>26:<\/span>9 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He <\/span>persecuted <\/span>Christians, <\/span>even <\/span>unto <\/span>death, <\/span>thinking <\/span>he <\/span>was <\/span>honoring <\/span>God (<\/span>Philippians <\/span>3:<\/span>6).<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. <\/span>Religious <\/span>Persecution <\/span>Continues <\/span>Today<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jesus\u2019 <\/span>warning <\/span>did <\/span>not <\/span>apply <\/span>only <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>early <\/span>church. <\/span>This <\/span>kind <\/span>of <\/span>persecution <\/span>continues <\/span>throughout <\/span>history <\/span>and <\/span>into <\/span>the <\/span>present <\/span>day<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Often, <\/span>opposition <\/span>against <\/span>true <\/span>believers <\/span>still <\/span>comes <\/span>from <\/span>religious <\/span>institutions <\/span>or <\/span>individuals <\/span>who <\/span>believe <\/span>they <\/span>are <\/span>acting <\/span>on <\/span>behalf <\/span>of <\/span>God.<\/span><\/p>\n

For <\/span>example:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    A <\/span>preacher <\/span>shares <\/span>the <\/span>Gospel <\/span>in <\/span>public, <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>first <\/span>to <\/span>report <\/span>him <\/span>might <\/span>be <\/span>another <\/span>church <\/span>leader <\/span>claiming <\/span>he <\/span>lacks <\/span>a <\/span>permit\u2014<\/span>justifying <\/span>it <\/span>using <\/span>Romans <\/span>13:<\/span>1<\/span><\/em>, <\/span>which <\/span>speaks <\/span>about <\/span>obeying <\/span>governing <\/span>authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Someone <\/span>might <\/span>feel <\/span>justified <\/span>in <\/span>silencing <\/span>true <\/span>Gospel <\/span>preaching <\/span>by <\/span>appealing <\/span>to <\/span>order, <\/span>tradition, <\/span>or <\/span>law, <\/span>believing <\/span>they’re “<\/span>protecting <\/span>God’s <\/span>reputation.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    What <\/span>they <\/span>may <\/span>not <\/span>realize <\/span>is <\/span>that <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit <\/span>might <\/span>be <\/span>using <\/span>that <\/span>very <\/span>moment <\/span>to <\/span>convict <\/span>a <\/span>soul<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Resisting <\/span>such <\/span>Gospel <\/span>work <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>service <\/span>to <\/span>God <\/span>but <\/span>resistance <\/span>against <\/span>Him.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    3. <\/span>Final <\/span>Encouragement <\/span>and <\/span>Caution<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Jesus <\/span>said:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    \u201c<\/span>And <\/span>a <\/span>person’s <\/span>enemies <\/span>will <\/span>be <\/span>those <\/span>of <\/span>his <\/span>own <\/span>household.\u201d \u2013 <\/span>Matthew <\/span>10:<\/span>36 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Persecution <\/span>doesn\u2019t <\/span>always <\/span>come <\/span>from <\/span>far <\/span>away\u2014<\/span>it <\/span>often <\/span>starts <\/span>close <\/span>to <\/span>home, <\/span>including <\/span>within <\/span>the <\/span>religious <\/span>community. <\/span>This <\/span>was <\/span>true <\/span>for <\/span>Jesus, <\/span>His <\/span>apostles, <\/span>and <\/span>it <\/span>remains <\/span>true <\/span>for <\/span>Christians <\/span>today.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Therefore, <\/span>believers <\/span>are <\/span>urged <\/span>to <\/span>stay <\/span>vigilant <\/span>and <\/span>discerning<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>not <\/span>assuming <\/span>that <\/span>all <\/span>religious <\/span>action <\/span>is <\/span>godly. <\/span>We <\/span>must <\/span>evaluate <\/span>all <\/span>things <\/span>through <\/span>the <\/span>lens <\/span>of <\/span>Scripture, <\/span>led <\/span>by <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    \u201c<\/span>Not <\/span>everyone <\/span>who <\/span>says <\/span>to <\/span>me, \u2018<\/span>Lord, <\/span>Lord,\u2019 <\/span>will <\/span>enter <\/span>the <\/span>kingdom <\/span>of <\/span>heaven, <\/span>but <\/span>the <\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>does <\/span>the <\/span>will <\/span>of <\/span>my <\/span>Father…\u201d \u2013 <\/span>Matthew <\/span>7:<\/span>21 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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    Conclusion<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Jesus\u2019 <\/span>prophecy <\/span>in <\/span>John <\/span>16:<\/span>2 <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>sobering <\/span>reminder <\/span>that:<\/span><\/p>\n

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      Not <\/span>all <\/span>persecution <\/span>comes <\/span>from <\/span>obvious <\/span>enemies<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>some <\/span>come <\/span>from <\/span>those <\/span>claiming <\/span>to <\/span>serve <\/span>God.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Religious <\/span>zeal <\/span>without <\/span>truth <\/span>leads <\/span>to <\/span>destruction.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      True <\/span>followers <\/span>of <\/span>Christ <\/span>must <\/span>be <\/span>ready <\/span>to <\/span>suffer, <\/span>sometimes <\/span>even <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>hands <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>religious, <\/span>just <\/span>as <\/span>Christ <\/span>did.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      May <\/span>God <\/span>give <\/span>us <\/span>grace <\/span>to <\/span>discern <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>courage <\/span>to <\/span>stand <\/span>firm, <\/span>even <\/span>when <\/span>opposed <\/span>by <\/span>those <\/span>who <\/span>believe <\/span>they <\/span>are <\/span>doing <\/span><\/strong>right<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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