John 15:25
But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
But this cometh to pass,.... This hatred against Christ, and which is pointed at his people for his sake, and reaches to the Father also on his account, is suffered to be, and therefore should be patiently borne:
that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law: either in Psalms 35:19, or rather in Psalms 69:4; which is a psalm of Christ, as appears by citations out of it in the New Testament, or references to it; see John 2:17. The whole Scripture is sometimes called the law, as here; for not the law of Moses is meant, or the five books of Moses, but the writings of the Old Testament; which the Jews had in their hands, to them being committed the oracles of God; and sometimes are so called, when the book of Psalms is particularly referred to as now; see John 10:34; the words cited are,
They hated me without a cause; without any reason for it, Christ having given them no provocation, or just cause of offence, anger, or hatred. This sin of hating without a cause, is represented by the Jews as a very heinous one, and as the reason of the destruction of the second temple; under which they observe, that men studied in the law, and in the commandments, and in doing of good; and therefore ask why it was destroyed? the answer is, because there was under it,
Mnx tanv, "hatred without a cause": to teach us, that hatred without a cause is equal to the three (capital) transgressions, idolatry, adultery, and murder, for which they say the first temple was destroyed {w}. This is a tacit acknowledgment that the sin here mentioned was a reigning one, or that it much abounded in the time of Christ.
{w} T. Bab, Yoma, fol. 9. 2. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 38. 3.