We must estimate the Father's love to Jesus before we can measure His love to us. We are told to love one another with the same love, but enabling power is needed, or we can never fulfill His command. Our love is not like His, unless it is prepared to sacrifice itself even unto death. Not servants, but friends! The first stage is that of the bondservant, who does what he is told, not because he understands, but because he has no option. Friendship involves obedience on our part; and on His part the making known of the deep things of God. Even the Son learned obedience by the things which He suffered. It is by implicit obedience alone that we can pass into the closer intimacy of friendship and ultimately of sonship. There is no limit to what the Father will do for those whom His Son calls "friends." [source]
Chapter Summary: John 15
1The union of Jesus and his members shown under the parable of a vine 18The hatred of the world 26The office of the Holy Spirit
Greek Commentary for John 15:14
If ye do [εαν ποιητε] Condition of third class with εαν ean and the present active subjunctive, “if ye keep on doing,” not just spasmodic obedience. Just a different way of saying what is in John 15:10. Obedience to Christ‘s commands is a prerequisite to discipleship and fellowship (spiritual friendship with Christ). He repeats it in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:20, ενετειλαμην eneteilamēn I commanded) with the very word used here (εντελλομαι entellomai I command). [source]
I command [ἐντέλλομαι] Of several words for command in the New Testament, this one is always used of giving a specific injunction or precept. The kindred noun, ἐντολή , means an order, a charge, a precept and hence is used of a separate precept of the law as distinguished from the law as a whole ( νόμος ). See Matthew 22:36,Matthew 22:38. It is, however, sometimes used of the whole body of the moral precepts of Christianity. See on John 13:34. The sense of specific commands here falls in with the reading of the Rec. Text, ὅσα , whatsoever, literally, as many things as. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 15:14
Luke 8:21These which hear the word of God and do it [οι τον λογον του τεου ακουοντες και ποιουντες] The absence of the article with “mother” and “brothers” probably means, as Plummer argues, “Mother to me and brothers to me are those who &c.” No one is a child of God because of human parentage (John 1:13). “Family ties are at best temporal; spiritual ties are eternal” (Plummer). Note the use of “hear and do” together here as in Matthew 7:24; Luke 6:47 at the close of the Sermon on the Mount. The parable of the sower is almost like a footnote to that sermon. Later Jesus will make “doing” a test of friendship for him (John 15:14). [source]
Greek Commentary for John 15:14
Condition of third class with εαν ean and the present active subjunctive, “if ye keep on doing,” not just spasmodic obedience. Just a different way of saying what is in John 15:10. Obedience to Christ‘s commands is a prerequisite to discipleship and fellowship (spiritual friendship with Christ). He repeats it in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:20, ενετειλαμην eneteilamēn I commanded) with the very word used here (εντελλομαι entellomai I command). [source]
Of several words for command in the New Testament, this one is always used of giving a specific injunction or precept. The kindred noun, ἐντολή , means an order, a charge, a precept and hence is used of a separate precept of the law as distinguished from the law as a whole ( νόμος ). See Matthew 22:36, Matthew 22:38. It is, however, sometimes used of the whole body of the moral precepts of Christianity. See on John 13:34. The sense of specific commands here falls in with the reading of the Rec. Text, ὅσα , whatsoever, literally, as many things as. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 15:14
The absence of the article with “mother” and “brothers” probably means, as Plummer argues, “Mother to me and brothers to me are those who &c.” No one is a child of God because of human parentage (John 1:13). “Family ties are at best temporal; spiritual ties are eternal” (Plummer). Note the use of “hear and do” together here as in Matthew 7:24; Luke 6:47 at the close of the Sermon on the Mount. The parable of the sower is almost like a footnote to that sermon. Later Jesus will make “doing” a test of friendship for him (John 15:14). [source]