The general subject still continues from John 13:31 Christ's love in keeping His own. This is still further set forth in this chapter in three main aspects: 1. _Their union with Him_, illustrated by the allegory of the Vine (1 11); 2. _Their union with one another in Him_(12 17); 3. _The hatred of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am the true vine_ We have here the same word for -true" as in John 1:9; John 6:32; Revelation 3:14. Christ is the true, the genuine, the ideal, the perfect Vine, as He is the perfect Light, the perfect Bread, and the perfect Witness (see on John 1:9). "The material creations of God are only infer... [ Continue Reading ]
The Union of the Disciples with Christ The Allegory of the Vine The allegory of the Vine is similar in kind to that of the Door and of the Good Shepherd in chap. 10 (see introductory note there): this sets forth union from within, the other union from without.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Every branch_ The word for -branch" in these six verses occurs here only in N.T., and in classical Greek is specially used of the vine. The word used in the other Gospels (Matthew 13:32; Matthew 21:8; Matthew 24:32; Mark 4:32; Mark 13:28; Luke 13:9), and in Romans 11:16-21, is of the same origin (f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now ye are clean_ ALREADY _are ye clean_. -Ye" is emphatic; many more will be made clean hereafter. _through the word_ Better, ON ACCOUNT OF _the word_. This is a frequent error in our version, διά with the accusative being translated as if it had the genitive. Comp. Matthew 15:3; Matthew 15:6, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_Abide in me, and I in you_) See on John 6:56. -And I in you" may be taken either as a promise (-and then I will abide in you") or as the other side of the command (-take care that I abide in you"); the latter seems to be better. _except ye abide_ There is this mysterious property in the branches o... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye are the branches_ This has been implied, but not stated yet. _for without me_ Better, BECAUSE APART FROM _Me_, or (as the margin) _severed from Me_. Comp. John 1:3; Ephesians 2:12. _ye can do nothing_ Christians cannot live as Christians apart from Christ. Nothing is said here about those who... [ Continue Reading ]
_he is cast forth_ The verb is in a past tense; he is already cast forth by the very fact of not abiding in Christ. This consequence follows so inevitably that to state the one is to state the other. The same remark applies to -is withered." But the cast-out branch may be grafted in again (Romans 11... [ Continue Reading ]
_my words_ Better, _My_ SAYINGS: see on John 15:3 and John 5:47. _ye shall ask what ye will_ The better reading gives, ASK WHATSOEVER _ye will_, in the imperative. The promise is similar to that in John 14:13-14 both in its comprehensiveness and in its limitation. One who abides in Christ and has H... [ Continue Reading ]
_Herein is my Father glorified_ As in John 15:6, the verb is the aorist passive; not -is being glorified" but -is glorified," i.e. whenever the occasion arises. The aorist is used of an act regarded in itself as accomplished at any conceivable moment: comp. John 17:26. -When ye pray and obtain your... [ Continue Reading ]
_As the Father_, &c.) The Greek construction is ambiguous. It would be quite possible to translate, Even as _the Father_loved _Me_and I LOVED _you_, ABIDE _in My love_. But our version is better as keeping in due prominence the main statement, that the love of Christ for His disciples is analogous t... [ Continue Reading ]
_If ye keep_ See on John 14:15; John 14:21; John 14:24. To keep His commandments not only proves our love for Him but secures His love for us. _I have kept my Father's commandments_ This being in a subordinate sentence the tremendous import of it is liable to pass unnoticed. Looking back over a lif... [ Continue Reading ]
_These things have I spoken_ The verse forms a conclusion to the allegory of the Vine. Comp. John 15:17; John 16:25; John 16:33. _might remain_ Better, MAY ABIDE: but the reading is doubtful, and perhaps ought to be simply -may be;" _that My joy_(see on John 14:27) MAY BE _in you_. This does not me... [ Continue Reading ]
The Union of the Disciples with one another in Christ 12. _This is my commandment_ Literally, _This is the commandment that is Mine_(see on John 14:17). In John 15:10 He said that to keep His commandments was the way to abide in His love. He now reminds them what His commandment is (see on John 13:3... [ Continue Reading ]
_that a man lay down_ Literally, _in order that a man lay down:_the greatest love is that of which the _purpose_is dying for those loved. On -lay down his life" see note on John 10:11. _for his friends_ Needless difficulty has been made about this, as if it were at variance with Romans 5:6-8. Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye are my friends_ -Ye" is emphatic: -and when I say "friends," I mean you." This shews that -friends" was used simply because He was speaking to the Apostles. _whatsoever I command you_ Better, THE THINGS WHICH I AM COMMANDING _you_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Henceforth I call you not servants_ Better, NO LONGER DO I CALL YOU _servants_(comp. John 14:30 and see on John 8:34). He had implied that they were servants before (John 12:26; John 13:13-16). Perhaps the gentler word -servant" is better here, although -bond-servant" would bring out the contrast m... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye have not_, &c. Better, _Ye_ CHOSE _Me not, but I_ CHOSE _you:_-Ye" and -I" are emphatic; there is no emphasis on -Me." The reference is to their election to be Apostles, as the very word used seems to imply (comp. John 6:70; John 13:18; Acts 1:2); therefore the aorist as referring to a definite... [ Continue Reading ]
_These things I command you_, &c. More literally, _These things I am commanding you, in order that ye may love one another_. -These things" does not refer to -that ye love one another," but to what has already been said about being one with Him and with each other. Comp. John 15:11; John 14:25; John... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye know that it hated me_ Better, KNOW _that it_ HATH _hated me_(comp. John 15:20). As in John 14:1 the principal verb may be either indicative or imperative, and the imperative is preferable: the second verb is the perfect indicative, of that which has been and still is the case. _before it hated... [ Continue Reading ]
The Hatred of the World to both Him and them In strong contrast to the love and union between Christ and His disciples and among the disciples themselves is the hatred of the world to Him and them. He gives them these thoughts to console them in encountering this hatred of the world. (1) It hated H... [ Continue Reading ]
_the world would love his own_ In John 7:7 He told His brethren, who did not believe on Him, that the world could not hate them. This shews why: in their unbelief it still found something of its own (comp. 1 John 4:5). -His own," or its _own_, is neuter singular not masculine plural. The selfishness... [ Continue Reading ]
_Remember_ See note on John 13:16: of the passages noticed there Matthew 10:24 is similar in meaning to this. Christ may here be alluding to the occasion recorded in Matthew 10:24. On the blessedness of sharing the lot of Christ comp. 1 Peter 4:12-13. _if they have kept my saying, they will keep_ Be... [ Continue Reading ]
_for my name's sake_ This thought is to turn their suffering into joy. Comp. Acts 5:41; Acts 21:13; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Galatians 6:14; Philippians 2:17-18; 1 Peter 4:14. _they know not him that sent me_ Comp. John 7:28; John 16:3;... [ Continue Reading ]
_If I had not come and spoken unto them_ He had spoken as man had never spoken before (John 7:46), and His words sufficed to tell unprejudiced minds Who He was. Their hatred was a sin against light; if there had been no light, there would have been no sin. -To have sin" is a phrase peculiar to S. Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
_hateth my Father also_ Comp. John 5:23; John 14:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the works_ If they did not see that His words were Divine they might at least have seen that His works were such. Comp. John 10:38; John 14:11; John 5:36. Here again their sin was against light; for they admitted the works (John 11:47). _which none other man did_ Comp. John 9:32. _seen … my Fathe... [ Continue Reading ]
_in their law_ -Law" is used in the wide sense for the O.T. generally. Comp. John 10:34; John 12:34; John 15:25; Romans 3:19. _without a cause_ The passage may be from either Psalms 69:4 or Psalms 35:19: there are similar passages Psalms 109:3 and Psalms 119:161. -Without a cause," gratuitously; so... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Comforter_ Better, _the_ ADVOCATE (see on John 14:16). _whom I will send_ -I" is emphatic. Here it is the Son Who sends the Paraclete from the Father. In John 14:16 the Father sends in answer to the Son's prayer. In John 14:26 the Father sends in the Son's name. These are three ways of express... [ Continue Reading ]
_And ye also shall bear witness_ Better, NAY, YE ALSO BEAR WITNESS: the verb is present, not future. It is also possible to take the verb as an imperative (comp. John 15:18 and John 14:1), but the conjunctions used are against this. The testimony of the disciples is partly one and the same with the... [ Continue Reading ]