The Gospel Of John Chapter 15:12-27
‘Having explained the essential relationship of believers to Himself, Jesus proceeded to show His disciples what their relationship to each other should be. The differences of temperament among them and the jealousies that had arisen over the positions which they expected to hold in the coming kingdom made their group unstable. Jesus knew that if they were to maintain an adequate testimony for Him they could do so only as a unit. Disunity would mar their work.’ (Tenney p. 229)
John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” “This is My commandment”-Unfortunately, some have erroneously concluded that “love for brethren” is the only commandment which is binding upon us. Obviously, such is false, for we are also to love those who aren’t are brethren (Matthew 5:44). In addition, the first and foremost commandment is to love God (Matthew 22:37). What is true, is that many commands can be summed up or included under the general command to love our brethren (see Romans 13:9-10; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Ephesians 4:25-32).
“just as I have loved you”-see John 13:34-35. Barclay notes, ‘One of the things that we always instinctively ask of anyone who makes a great demand of us is: What right have you to make that demand? So then if we ask Jesus: What right have you to demand that we love one another? His answer is: “No man can show greater love than to lay down his life for his friends---and I did that.”’ (p. 207) Here we also see how the commandments of God are not a burden (1 John 5:3). God commands us to seek the best true interest of our brethren, how could that ever be viewed as a terrible thing? The love in the above verse is a love that must continue to be exercised. ‘the verb naturally being a durative present, “keep loving.”’ (Lenski p. 1047) Lenski also notes, ‘The disciples are not merely to be attached to each other, devoted to each other, helpful to each other. Many who are not disciples show this kind of love, even calling each other brother. To love as Jesus loved is to see what he sees, the soul’s needs, the eternal interests.’ (pp. 1047-1048) Point To Note: The above language of Jesus is very convicting. For it forces us to ask ourselves, ‘Are we exercising such love towards our brethren?’ Are we willing to sacrifice tremendously for
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