If ye were of the world,.... Belonged to the world, were of the same spirit and principles with it, and pursued the same practices:the world would love its own; for every like loves its like; the men of the world love each other's persons, company, and conversation:but because ye are not of the world: once they were, being born into it, brought up in it, had their conversation among the men of it, were themselves men of carnal, worldly, principles and practices; but being called by Christ, and becoming his disciples, they were no more of it; and as he was not of the world, so they were not of it, though they were in it.
The Jews distinguish the disciples of the wise men, from amled yvnya, "the men of the world" , pretending that they were not; but this is a character that only belongs to the disciples of Christ, in consequence of their being called by him out of it:but I have chosen you out of the world: which designs not the eternal election of them, but the separation of them from the rest of the world in the effectual calling, and the designation of them to his work and service:therefore the world hateth you; and since it was upon that account, they had no reason to be uneasy, but rather to rejoice; seeing this was an evidence of their not belonging to the world, and of being chosen and called by Christ out of it.
T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 80.