JOHN CHAPTER 15 1 THESSALONIANS 15:1 Under the parable of a vine Christ sets forth God's government of his church, and exhorts his disciples to abide in his faith and doctrine. 1 THESSALONIANS 15:12 He commands them to love one another, according to the great love he had showed for them, 1 THESSALON... [ Continue Reading ]
And concerning his Father's care, he tells us, that as the good vine dresser cutteth off those branches in the vine which bring forth no fruit, so his Father will take away such branches in him as bring forth no fruit. But here ariseth a question, viz. Whether, or how, any can be branches in Christ,... [ Continue Reading ]
Now that the traitor is gone out from you, ye are all clean; not by any works which you do, much less upon the account of any legal and ceremonial rites and purifyings; but through my word, your believing and obeying, EPHESIANS 5:26 1 PETER 1:22. Our cleansing is in holy writ attributed sometimes to... [ Continue Reading ]
This our abiding in Christ is expounded, by an abiding in his words, 1 THESSALONIANS 15:7, by abiding in his love, 1 THESSALONIANS 15:10, an abiding in his Spirit, 1 JOHN 2:27, a walking as Christ walked, 1 JOHN 2:6, an abiding in the light, 1 THESSALONIANS 15:10, not sinning, 1 JOHN 3:6. The exhort... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES; that is, I am as the vine, you are as the branches: without the continual influence of the vine upon the branches, they bring forth no fruit; but that influence continuing, no plant is more fruitful than a vine is: so without the continual influence of my Spirit o... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Lord yet pursueth the metaphor of the vine, the branches, and the husbandman: Look (saith he) its it is with a vine, when the time of pruning the vine cometh, the vine dresser cutteth off the fruitless, luxuriant branches, and throws them by; which being done, their greenness presently abates, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our Lord expounds what he meaneth by that abiding in him which he before mentioned by another phrase, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, my precepts and promises; so its you by faith embrace the promises, and by obedience live up to the precepts which I have given you: for without these, though the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
Here are two arguments to press his disciples abiding in him, that so they might bring forth much fruit. HEREIN (saith our Saviour) IS MY FATHER GLORIFIED. The glorifying of God is the great end of our lives, 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31. God is glorified by men and women's bringing forth much fruit, MATTHEW... [ Continue Reading ]
What our Saviour before called an abiding in him, and his words abiding in us, and a bearing and bringing forth much fruit, he here calleth a continuing in his love; though indeed this phrase also may be interpreted by a continuance in the favour of God and Christ, in that state of love into which G... [ Continue Reading ]
Abiding in Christ's love, in this verse, may be interpreted as before; either actively, you shall continue your love to me, according to what we had, 1 THESSALONIANS 14:15; obedience to the commandments of Christ being the only way to show and declare the truth of our love to Christ. Or else passive... [ Continue Reading ]
The end of my pressing so much the duty of holiness upon you, under the notions of abiding in me, abiding in my love in my words, bringing forth much fruit, &c. is, that I might have a continual cause to rejoice in you. Joy is nothing else but the satisfaction of the reasonable soul in its union wit... [ Continue Reading ]
This is that which our Lord called the NEW COMMANDMENT. 1 THESSALONIANS 13:34: SEE POOLE ON "1 THESSALONIANS 13:34". He had before pressed the keeping of his words, continuing and abiding in his words, keeping his commandments, &c. Here he tells them what was his commandment: not his only commandmen... [ Continue Reading ]
The reason of this is because life is the greatest earthly good to men under ordinary circumstances: _Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life,_ JOB 2:4. Now it is impossible that a man should show a greater love to another, than by parting with the greatest good he is in po... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Lord presseth obedience to his commandments as a means, and indeed the only means, by which we can declare our love to Christ; and also useth a new argument to press their obedience, from his assuming them into the state and dignity of his friends.... [ Continue Reading ]
By his saying, I CALL YOU NOT SERVANTS, he doth not discharge them of that duty and service which they owed to him; for in pressing them to obey his commandments, he declares that duty they owed to him; he only showeth that they were no ordinary servants, but taken into a state of dignity, favour, a... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; YE HAVE NOT CHOSEN ME to be your Lord, Master, Saviour, BUT I HAVE CHOSEN AND ORDAINED YOU; so we have it in our translation; but the Greek is, eyhka, I have set you, or placed you in a station. What choosing Christ here speaks of is doubted amongst various divines. Some think that our Savio... [ Continue Reading ]
This is but the repetition of the same precept we before had; unless we will understand it as a more special charge upon them, considered as ministers of the gospel; the mutual love of ministers being highly necessary for the good and peace of the church of God, over which God hath set them.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the latter part of this chapter our Lord cometh to comfort those who were his true disciples, against that third trouble, from the prospect they had of that hatred which the world would pour out and execute upon them, as soon as he should be withdrawn from them. Hatred is rooted and originated in... [ Continue Reading ]
Men and women may be in the world, yet not of the world. OF THE WORLD here signifies carnal men, such as are like to the men of the world in their studies, designs, counsels, affections; as _of the devil, _ and _of God, _ signifies, 1 THESSALONIANS 8:44,47. If you had affections, lusts, and disposit... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD THAT I SAID UNTO YOU, 1 THESSALONIANS 13:16, to press you to humility, and a mutual serving of one another in love; and which I spake to you, MATTHEW 10:24, when I first sent you out; and I spake it then to you upon the very same account that I now speak it. You that are my servants cannot... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MY NAME'S SAKE here signifies no more than for my sake, as MATTHEW 10:22; for your preaching, owning, and professing me and my gospel. And this they would not do, if they had any true knowledge of faith in or love for him that sent me: for knowing, (as hath been often said), in holy writ, and pa... [ Continue Reading ]
They had not had this particular sin, of not knowing him that sent me; or they had not had such degrees of sin as they now have; or they had had more to say in excuse, or for a cover for their sin. Ignorance of the will of God will not excuse sinners wholly, but it will excuse them in part. And this... [ Continue Reading ]
This agreeth with what we had, 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23. It is a common error of the world, that many in it would pretend to love God, while yet they are manifest haters of Christ and his gospel. Now, saith our Saviour, this is impossible; whosoever hateth him who is sent, hateth also him that sent him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour often appeals to his works, both to own his mission from God, and also to prove the Jews inexcusable in their not receiving and embracing him; for which latter purpose he mentions them here, and saith, that he had done such works as no man did, and by his own power and virtue. Christ did... [ Continue Reading ]
The particle _that_ here again denotes not the final cause, but only the consequent; and the _law_ here signifieth not strictly the law of Moses, but the whole Scripture, in which sense we have once and again met with the term. Saith our Saviour, This is no more than was prophesied of me by the prop... [ Continue Reading ]
Concerning the Holy Ghost as a Comforter we have spoken largely, 1 THESSALONIANS 14:16,26; as also his mission from the Father and the Son, and in what sense he is called THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH: SEE POOLE ON "1 THESSALONIANS 14:16". SEE POOLE ON "1 THESSALONIANS 14:26". What proceeding from the Father... [ Continue Reading ]
He adds also, they should testify, &c.: the apostles, and their successors, by the preaching of the gospel; but particularly the apostles, ACTS 10:39 1 JOHN 1:2,3, being chosen witnesses, ACTS 10:41. And they were competent witnesses, because they had been with Christ from the beginning of his publi... [ Continue Reading ]