John 16:3

And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

John 16:3 (KJV)

Context

This verse belongs to Jesus’ farewell discourse, spoken to His disciples shortly before His crucifixion. He is preparing them for the hostility they will face after His departure. In John 16:1-2, Jesus warns that His followers will be put out of the synagogues and that those who kill them will think they are offering service to God. Verse 3 then gives the reason for such persecution: the persecutors have not known the Father, nor Jesus.

Meaning

The phrase “have not known” points to more than a lack of information. It describes a willful refusal to acknowledge the Father as the One who sent Jesus, and to recognize Jesus as the true Messiah. The religious leaders boasted of knowing God, yet their rejection of Christ revealed that they did not truly know Him. Genuine knowledge of God and Christ transforms a person’s heart and actions, preventing the kind of misguided zeal that leads to harming others while believing it is righteous.

Biblical connections

Jesus emphasizes the importance of knowing the Father and Himself throughout John’s Gospel. In John 17:3, He prays, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” This knowledge is not merely intellectual; it is a personal relationship marked by intimacy, trust, and obedience. In John 16:4, Jesus tells His disciples that He has spoken these things so that when the time comes, they will remember His warning and not be shaken. The connection between knowing God and enduring persecution is clear: those who truly know Christ can face opposition with faith and hope.

Application

This verse challenges us to examine our own knowledge of God. Do we truly know the Father and Jesus, or do we merely know about them? A living relationship with Christ changes how we treat others and how we respond to opposition. It also comforts believers who suffer for their faith: persecution is not a sign of God’s displeasure, but a consequence of the world’s rejection of Christ. When we are misunderstood or mistreated because of our faith, we can remember that Jesus forewarned us and that He stands with us.

Reflection

Jesus’ warning is both sobering and reassuring. It is sobering because it reveals the depth of human blindness when God is not known. It is reassuring because it assures us that our suffering for Christ is not meaningless. As we grow in the knowledge of the Father and the Son, we are equipped to stand firm, to love even our persecutors, and to trust that God’s purposes are being worked out even in the darkest hours.