John 15:20 Meaning and Explanation
“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Disciples can expect the same persecution Jesus faced, but also the same faithfulness in some who hear them.
The Context of John 15:20
Jesus applies a principle already taught to prepare His disciples for both rejection and reception they will encounter after His ascension.
What Does John 15:20 Mean?
The servant is not greater than his lord. It is a principle that cuts both ways. If Jesus was persecuted unjustly by those in power, so will His servants be. There is no escape from this through cleverness or accommodation. They have already chosen to kill Him; now they will turn on those who carry His message.
But there is a second truth here. If they kept His saying, His word will bear fruit in others too. Not everyone will reject; some will listen, receive, and be changed. The disciples are not sent out with a guarantee of success by the worlds measure, but with the assurance that their faithfulness will bear fruit in Gods eyes and in the hearts of those whom God draws.
John 15:20 in the Original Language
diaoko (Greek, persecute, pursue), the same persecution faced by Jesus now awaited by His followers
Where John 15:20 Echoes in Scripture
Matthew 10:24-25, where Jesus teaches that a disciple is not above his master, and similarly John 13:16; also 2 Timothy 2:3, Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
How to Apply John 15:20 Today
We can prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually for resistance, understanding it as normal rather than exceptional, and not take rejection as proof we are wrong.