John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. It is usually understood that the quotation is from Psalm 35:19. No being was ever more lovely than the Saviour; it would seem almost impossible not to have affection for Him. And yet, loveable as He was, from His first moment to the cross, save the temporary lull while He was a child, it seemed as if all men sought to destroy Him. In different ways that hatred displayed itself, in overt deeds, in words of slander, or in looks of contempt. At other times that hatred dwelt in their thoughts, and they thought within themselves, "This man blasphemeth." All grades of men hated Him. Most men have to meet with some opposition; but then it is frequently a class opposition. The demagogue must expect to be despised by the rich, and he who labours for the aristocracy of course meets with the contempt of the many. But here was a man who walked among the people, who loved them, who spoke to the rich and poor as though they were on one level in His blessed sight; and yet all classes conspired to hate Him. I. LET US JUSTIFY WHAT THE SAVIOUR SAID. 1. In Christ's person there was an absence of almost everything which excites hatred between man and man. (1) There was no great rank in Christ to excite envy. Let a man be ever so good, if he be at all lifted above his fellow creatures the many often speak against him. Now, Christ had none of the outward circumstances of rank. Instead of being lifted above men, He did, in some sense, seem to be below them, for foxes had holes, etc. (2) Many persons envy those who exercise rule or government over them. If authorities were changed every month, in some countries there would be revolutions as much under one as under another. But this did not operate in Christ's case: He did not assume sway over the multitude. In fact, instead of binding laws upon them which were severe, He loosened the rigidity of their system. (3) Some men make others dislike them because they are proud. Somehow or other the human mind cannot bear pride; we always kick against it. But there was nothing of that in our Saviour. How humble He was! He would wash His disciples' feet. (4) There are others that you cannot help disliking, because they are so snappish, and waspish, and angry. But you cannot find that Christ spake one angry word, save those words of holy wrath against Pharasaic pride. Such a loving, kind, gentle spirit, one would have thought would have gone through the world as easy as possible. (5) Another set you can scarcely help disliking — selfish people. But whatever Christ did, He did for others. "He saved others; Himself He did not save." Self-sacrifice was the life of Christ; but He did it with such an ease that it seemed no sacrifice. (6) Another sort of people there are that I do not like, viz. the hypocritical. But there never was a more unvarnished man than Christ. Among all the slanders men brought against Christ they never disputed His sincerity. 2. Was there anything in Christ's errand which could make people hate Him? He came — (1) To explain mysteries, to tell them what was meant by the sacrificial lamb. Should they have hated one who made dark things light. (2) To reclaim the wanderer; and is there anything in that that should make men hate Christ? (3) To heal the diseases of the body. Shall I hate the physician who goes about gratuitously healing all manner of diseases? Surely, He might well say, "For which of the works do ye stone Me."(4) To die, that sinners might not die? Ought I to hate the substitute who takes my sins and griefs upon Him, and carries my sorrows? 3. Was there anything in Christ's doctrine that that should have made us hate Him? (1) Take His preceptive doctrines. Did He not teach us to do to others as we would they should do to us? (2) Was it the ethical part of His doctrines that men bated? He taught that rich and poor must stand on one level; He taught that His gospel was to be gloriously expansive. This, perhaps, was one principal reason of their hating Him; but surely there was no justifiable cause for their indignation in this. II. MAN'S SIN, THAT HE SHOULD HAVE HATED THE SAVIOUR WITHOUT A CAUSE. 1. I will not tell you of man's adulteries, murders, wars, cruelties, and rebellions; if I want to tell you man's sin, I must tell you that man is a deicide — that he put to death his God, and slew his Saviour; and when I have told you that I have given you the essence of all sin. In every other case, when man has hated goodness, there have always been some extenuating circumstances. We never do see goodness in this world without alloy. But because the Saviour had no inconsistencies or infirmities, men were stripped of all their excuses for hating Him, and it came out that man naturally hates goodness, because he is so evil that he cannot but detest it. 2. And now let me appeal to every sinner, and ask him whether he ever had any cause for hating Christ. But someone says, "I do not hate Him; if He were to come to my house I would love Him very much." But Christ lives next door to you, in the person of poor Betty there. Why don't you like Betty? She is one of Christ's members, and "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ye have done it unto Me." Don't you know a very holy man you cannot bear because he told you of your faults once? Ah! sir, if you loved Christ you would love His members. I must suppose you to be hostile to Christ, unless you love Him; for I know there are only two opinions of Him. You must either hate Him or love Him. Indifference with regard to Christ is a clear impossibility. A man might as well say, "I am indifferent towards honesty." 3. And now, Christian men, I must preach at you. Sure ye have great reason to love Christ now, for ye once hated Him without a cause. Did ye ever treat a friend ill, and did not know it. III. LESSONS: 1. If your Master was hated without a cause, do not you expect to get off very easily in this world. 2. Take care, if the world does hate you, that it hates you without a cause. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. |
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