Elite world

Bear in mind that, when John records Jesus speaking about ‘the world’, the Gospel writer is not so much referring to our planet or its inhabitants but to the rebel spirit, the system of attitudes insinuated among us by the devil, which is antagonistic to God, his Word and his people. It is to do with independence, power, pride, love of money, etc. At one level, not all are quite so caught up in the spirit of the world as others. The poor and oppressed loved to hear Jesus. It was the worldly rich and the ruling elites who were the chief instigators of persecuting both Christ and the early church.