In the 15th chapter of John, Jesus ponders the reaction of so many of the Jews towards his habits of speaking the truth and performing miracles: "They hated me without reason." (John 15:25)
So many people seemed incapable of simply dismissing Him and His ideas and walking away. Instead, they actively hated Him.
(Why do we get so agitated toward someone with an opposing viewpoint? Sometimes we feel ourselves moved even to the point of violence or hatred.)
Jesus says this hatred is why they are "guilty of sin" -
"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father." (John 15:22-24)
Jesus taught and showed the people that they were sinners. They didn't want to admit that was true. So their response was: "We are not sinful people ... and we HATE you!"
Proving themselves to be guilty of sin.
But the irony was lost on them.
Cognitive dissonance is nearly impossible to spot in your own self.
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