“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” – John 1:11

Explain:

Who are “his own”?  It is said twice in this verse.  

One sense of the phrase could be mankind.  Christ is the Creator of all mankind, and in that sense owns all of mankind.  The World is the Lords.

Another sense of the phrase could be speaking of the jews.  God chose Abraham to be the Father of the nation through whom he would be a blessing to every family in the earth.  Certainly this interpretation would hold up in that the large majority of jews did not receive Jesus as the Messiah that was promised to them. 

One interpretation is that this verse is referring to both.  He came to the earth, to mankind, and became like his own.  His own, the nation of Israel, did not receive Him.

I believe that it could be mankind in the first instance, and the jews in the second.  It could be mankind in both instances, or the jews in both instances.

However it is intended by the author, it is clearly true.  He came to the jews, part of mankind, and they did not receive Him.  He was rejected by so many even thought He came for the whole world through His covenant people.

Application

If Jesus, with all the proof of His deity and messiahship, was rejected, and through that rejection became the Savior of the world, then I certainly can and should expect some level of rejection when I live for Him and stand as a witness for Him. I should be willing to witness for Him because thought some will reject, not all will reject.  And even if all do reject me, He has accepted me.  He died for me when I had nothing to offer Him.

Response

1. Have you received Jesus?
2. How have you felt rejection for being faithful to Jesus?
3. What would your plan be for dealing with rejection?