The Meaning of John 15:24 Explained

John 15:24

KJV: If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

YLT: if I did not do among them the works that no other hath done, they were not having sin, and now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father;

Darby: If I had not done among them the works which no other one has done, they had not had sin; but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.

ASV: If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If  I had  not  done  among  them  the works  which  none  other man  did,  they had  not  had  sin:  but  now  have they  both  seen  and  hated  both  me  and  my  Father. 

What does John 15:24 Mean?

Study Notes

sin
Sin.
sinned
Sin, Summary: The literal meanings of the Heb. and (Greek - ἀλεκτοροφωνία sin," "sinner," etc)., disclose the true nature of sin in its manifold manifestations. Sin is transgression, an overstepping of the law, the divine boundary between good and evil Psalms 51:1 ; Luke 15:29 , iniquity, an act inherently wrong, whether expressly forbidden or not; error, a departure from right; Psalms 51:9 ; Romans 3:23 , missing the mark, a failure to meet the divine standard; trespass, the intrusion of self-will into the sphere of divine authority Ephesians 2:1 , lawlessness, or spiritual anarchy 1 Timothy 1:9 , unbelief, or an insult to the divine veracity John 16:9 .
Sin originated with Satan Isaiah 14:12-14 , entered the world through Adam Romans 5:12 , was, and is, universal, Christ alone excepted; Romans 3:23 ; 1 Peter 2:22 , incurs the penalties of spiritual and physical death; Genesis 2:17 ; Genesis 3:19 ; Ezekiel 18:4 ; Ezekiel 18:20 ; Romans 6:23 and has no remedy but in the sacrificial death of Christ; Hebrews 9:26 ; Acts 4:12 availed of by faith Acts 13:38 ; Acts 13:39 . Sin may be summarized as threefold: An act, the violation of, or want of obedience to the revealed will of God; a state, absence of righteousness; a nature, enmity toward God.

Context Summary

John 15:17-27 - Suffering For Jesus' Sake
We have been appointed for the one purpose of bearing imperishable fruit, but our holy service to the world will never be appreciated. The world has its own god and religion. It hates without cause. The more Christlike we are, the closer we shall be identified with His sufferings. There is no limit to the hatred and persecution which the world will vent on those who have ceased to belong to it because of their identification with the Crucified. But through the pitiless storm, we must be glad; there must be no slackening of our love, which will as certainly conquer hate as tomorrow's sun the darkness, John 15:26-27. In each Christian century there has been this double witness of the Spirit in the Church. The voice of the Church has testified to the living Christ, not arguing but attesting; and to each word of testimony the Holy Spirit has borne assenting witness. Christian apologetics are of less importance than the witness of obscure but Spirit-led lives. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 15

1  The union of Jesus and his members shown under the parable of a vine
18  The hatred of the world
26  The office of the Holy Spirit

Greek Commentary for John 15:24

They have both seen and hated [και εωρακασιν και μεμισηκασιν]
Perfect active indicative of οραω — horaō and μισεω — miseō permanent attitude and responsibility. The “world” and the ecclesiastics (Sanhedrin) had united in this attitude of hostility to Christ and in reality to God. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 15:24

John 1:7 For a witness [εἰς μαρτυρίαν]
Revised version of the New Testament, more correctly, for witness: a witness would be, μάρτυρα as Acts 1:8. The sense is for witness-bearing or to bear witness. On the word, see Acts 1:22; 1 Peter 5:1. It is one of John's characteristic words, occurring nearly fifty times in various forms in his Gospel, and thirty or forty times in the Epistles and Revelation. The emphatic development of the idea of witness is peculiar to this Gospel. “It evidently belongs to a time when men had begun to reason about the faith, and to analyze the grounds on which it rested” (Westcott). He develops the idea under the following forms: The witness of the Father (John 5:31, John 5:34, John 5:37); the witness of Christ himself (John 8:14; John 18:37); the witness of works (John 5:17, John 5:36; John 10:25; John 14:11; John 15:24); the witness of Scripture (John 5:39, John 5:40, John 5:46; John 1:46); the witness of the forerunner (John 1:7; John 5:33, John 5:35); the witness of the disciples (John 15:27; John 19:35; John 21:24; 1 John 1:2; 1 John 4:14); the witness of the Spirit (John 15:26; John 16:13, John 16:14; 1 John 5:6). Note the emphasis attached to the idea here, by the twofold form in which it is put: first, generally, for witness, and then by giving the subject of the testimony. [source]
John 15:22 They had not had sin [αμαρτιαν ουκ ειχοσαν]
Conclusion of condition of second class without αν — an because context makes it clear The imperfect active indicative with -οσαν — osan instead of -ον — on (also in John 15:24) as common in the lxx, and occurs in the papyri and the inscriptions and the Boeotian dialect. Excuse Old word (1 Thessalonians 2:5) either from προπαινω — prophainō to show forth, or προπημι — prophēmi to speak forth. Mere pretense, in John only here and John 15:24. [source]
John 18:36 My kingdom [η βασιλεια η εμη]
Christ claims to be king to Pilate, but of a peculiar kingdom. For “world” For the word see John 18:3 where it means the temple police or guards (literally, under-rowers). In the lxx always (Prov 14:35; Isaiah 32:5; Dan 3:46) officers of a king as here. Christ then had only a small band of despised followers who could not fight against Caesar. Was he alluding also to legions of angels on his side? (Matthew 26:56). Would fight Imperfect middle of αγωνιζομαι — agōnizomai common verb (only here in John, but see 1 Corinthians 9:25) from αγων — agōn (contest) with αν — an a conclusion of the second-class condition (assumed as untrue). Christians should never forget the profound truth stated here by Jesus. That I should not be delivered Negative final clause with ινα μη — hina mē and first aorist passive subjunctive of παραδιδωμι — paradidōmi (see John 18:28, John 18:36). Jesus expects Pilate to surrender to the Jews. But now In contrast to the condition already stated as in John 8:40; John 9:41; John 15:22, John 15:24. [source]
John 19:11 Thou wouldest have [ουκ ειχες]
Imperfect active indicative without αν — an but apodosis of second-class condition as in John 15:22, John 15:24. Except it were given thee Periphrastic past perfect indicative of διδωμι — didōmi (a permanent possession). From above From God (cf. John 3:3), the same doctrine of government stated by Paul in Romans 13:1. Pilate did not get his “authority” from the Sanhedrin, but from Caesar. Jesus makes God the source of all real “authority.” Hath greater sin The same idiom in John 9:41. Caiaphas has his authority from God also and has used Pilate for his own base end. [source]
John 7:46 Never man so spake [ουδεποτε ελαλησεν ουτως αντρωπος]
Police officers are not usually carried away by public speech. They had fallen under the power of Jesus “as the Galilean peasants had been impressed” (Bernard) in John 7:28. It was the words of Jesus that had so gripped these officers, not his works (John 15:24). It was most disconcerting to the Sanhedrin. [source]
John 8:17 Yea and in your law [και εν τωι νομωι δε τωι υμετερωι]
Same use of καιδε — kai -de as in John 8:16. They claimed possession of the law (John 7:49) and so Jesus takes this turn in answer to the charge of single witness in John 8:13. He will use similar language (your law) in John 10:34 in an argumentum ad hominem as here in controversy with the Jews. In John 15:24 to the apostles Jesus even says “in their law” in speaking of the hostile Jews plotting his death. He does not mean in either case to separate himself wholly from the Jews and the law, though in Matthew 5 he does show the superiority of his teaching to that of the law. For the Mosaic regulation about two witnesses see Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:15. This combined witness of two is not true just because they agree, unless true in fact separately. But if they disagree, the testimony falls to the ground. In this case the Father confirms the witness of the Son as Jesus had already shown (John 5:37). [source]
John 9:41 If ye were blind [ει τυπλοι ητε]
Condition of second class with imperfect indicative in the protasis. The old word τυπλος — tuphlos is from τυπω — tuphō to raise a smoke, to blind by smoke (literally and metaphorically). Here, of course, it is moral blindness. If the Pharisees were born morally blind, they would, like idiots, be without responsibility. Ye would not have sin Regular form for conclusion of second-class condition, αν — an with imperfect. But now ye say In contrast to the previous condition. See like contrast in John 15:22, John 15:24. They arrogantly asserted superior knowledge. We see The ignorant mob do not (John 7:49). It is sin against light and is hopeless (Mark 3:29; Matthew 12:31.). “Ye are witnesses against yourselves” (μαρτυρειτε εαυτοις — martureite heautois Matthew 23:31). [source]
Romans 3:13 They have used deceit [εδολιουσαν]
Imperfect (not perfect or aorist as the English implies) active of δολιοω — dolioō only in lxx and here in the N.T. from the common adjective δολιος — dolios deceitful (2 Corinthians 11:13). The regular form would be εδολιουν — edolioun The οσαν — ̇osan ending for third plural in imperfect and aorist was once thought to be purely Alexandrian because so common in the lxx, but it is common in the Boeotian and Aeolic dialects and occurs in ειχοσαν — eichosan in the N.T. (John 15:22, John 15:24). “They smoothed their tongues” in the Hebrew. [source]
Romans 3:13 Open sepulchre [ταπος ανεωιγμενος]
Perfect passive participle of ανοιγω — anoigō “an opened grave.” Their mouth (words) like the odour of a newly opened grave. “Some portions of Greek and Roman literature stink like a newly opened grave” (Shedd). They have used deceit (εδολιουσαν — edoliousan). Imperfect (not perfect or aorist as the English implies) active of δολιοω — dolioō only in lxx and here in the N.T. from the common adjective δολιος — dolios deceitful (2 Corinthians 11:13). The regular form would be εδολιουν — edolioun The οσαν — ̇osan ending for third plural in imperfect and aorist was once thought to be purely Alexandrian because so common in the lxx, but it is common in the Boeotian and Aeolic dialects and occurs in ειχοσαν — eichosan in the N.T. (John 15:22, John 15:24). “They smoothed their tongues” in the Hebrew. Poison Old word both for rust (James 5:3) and poison (James 3:8). Of asps (ασπιδων — aspidōn). Common word for round bowl, shield, then the Egyptian cobra (a deadly serpent). Often in lxx. Only here in the N.T. The poison of the asp lies in a bag under the lips (χειλη — cheilē), often in lxx, only here in N.T. Genitive case after γεμει — gemei (is full). [source]
1 John 1:8 We have no sin [αμαρτιαν ουκ εχομεν]
For this phrase see John 9:41; John 15:22, John 15:24. That is, we have no personal guilt, no principle of sin. This some of the Gnostics held, since matter was evil and the soul was not contaminated by the sinful flesh, a thin delusion with which so-called Christian scientists delude themselves today.We deceive ourselves (εαυτους πλανωμεν — heautous planōmen). Present active indicative of πλαναω — planaō to lead astray. We do not deceive others who know us. Negative statement again of the same idea, “the truth is not in us.” [source]

What do the individual words in John 15:24 mean?

If the works not I had done among them that no other has done sin not they would have had now however both they have seen and have hated Me the Father of Me
εἰ τὰ ἔργα μὴ ἐποίησα ἐν αὐτοῖς οὐδεὶς ἄλλος ἐποίησεν ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ εἴχοσαν νῦν δὲ καὶ ἑωράκασιν καὶ μεμισήκασιν ἐμὲ τὸν Πατέρα μου

ἔργα  works 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔργον  
Sense: business, employment, that which any one is occupied.
ἐποίησα  I  had  done 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
οὐδεὶς  no 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
ἄλλος  other 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄλλος  
Sense: another, other.
ἐποίησεν  has  done 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
ἁμαρτίαν  sin 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἁμαρτία  
Sense: equivalent to 264.
εἴχοσαν  they  would  have  had 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
νῦν  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: νῦν  
Sense: at this time, the present, now.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
καὶ  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἑωράκασιν  they  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
μεμισήκασιν  have  hated 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: μισέω  
Sense: to hate, pursue with hatred, detest.
ἐμὲ  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Πατέρα  Father 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.
μου  of  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.