John 15:13-14

The Pulpit Commentary - John 15:12-15

Christ's friendship for his people. Human friendship is both beautiful to perceive and precious to enjoy. If affection and sympathy were thrust out of life, and if interest alone bound men together, how uninteresting and dismal would this world of humanity become! Every instance of friendship has its charm. The young, who share their pursuits and confidences; the middle-aged, who are guided by the same tastes, or principles, or occupations; the old, who interchange their recollections of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 15:12-15

Our friendship for Christ. Friendship is a relation between two parties. On both sides it is voluntary. It is mutual and reciprocal. We have seen how Christ shows his friendship towards us. We have to consider how we prove our friendship towards Christ, what he justly expects and requires from us. I. OUR FRIENDSHIP FOR CHRIST IS SHOWN IN THE FEELINGS OF OUR HEARTS TOWARDS HIM . 1. We admire his character. In varying degree we admire the principles, the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 15:13

Greater love than this (love) no one hath, namely ( ἵνα ), that one should lay down his life for his friends . Meyer and Lange endeavor to maintain even here the telic force of ἵνα , "The love to you is of so consummate a character, that its object and purpose is seen in my laying down my life for my friends;" and Hengstenberg thinks so because probably a reference here is made to Isaiah 53:10 , that our Lord was pointing to his atoning death—to a death needed alike by enemies... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 15:14

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you —just because I command you. So the natural conclusion will be, "I am showing you the highest possible fruit of my friendship—I am laying down my life for you. This is how I have loved you; therefore after this manner you are to love one another" ( 1 John 3:16 ; Ephesians 5:1 , Ephesians 5:2 ). Our Lord then explains more and more to them how they can and do claim this glorious designation. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 15:13

Greater love hath ... - No higher expression of love could be given. Life is the most valuable object we possess; and when a man is willing to lay that down for his friends or his country, it shows the utmost extent of love. Even this love for friends has been rarely witnessed. A very few cases like that of Damon and Pythias have occurred where a man was willing to save the life of his friend by giving his own. It greatly enhances the love of Christ, that while the instances of those who have... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 15:13-16

John 15:13-16. Greater love To his friends, (of whom here he only speaks,) hath no man than this That is, a greater degree of love than this never existed in the world; that a man lay down his life for his friends That a man should be willing, not only on some sudden alarm, or in some extraordinary and unexpected danger, to hazard his life on their account; but on the coolest deliberation, to submit to lay it down for their preservation and happiness. Ye are my friends Ye are the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 15:1-27

145. Union with Jesus (John 15:1-27)In themselves believers have no life, strength or spiritual power. All that they have comes from Jesus Christ. If he is likened to a vine, they are likened to the branches, which means that they can bear spiritual fruit only as they are united in him. As they allow the Father to remove the hindrances of sin from their lives, they will bear even more fruit (John 15:1-5).Those who bear no fruit are like the dead branches of a vine. Though attached to it, they... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 15:13

no man = no one. Greek. oudeis. a man = one. Greek. tis. App-123 . lay down . Greek. tithemi, literally place; translated "giveth" in John 10:11 ; "lay down "in John 10:15 , John 10:17 , John 10:18 ; John 13:37 , John 13:38 ; 1 John 3:16 . life. App-110 . for = in behalf of. Greek. huper. App-104 . friends (Greek. philos, noun of phileo. App-135 .) = those whom one loves. Compare John 13:1 .Romans 5:6-8 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 15:14

whatsoever . The texts read "the things which". read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.These words evidently inspired the reference of the apostle Paul to the incredible fact that Christ died for men while they were yet sinners (see my Commentary on Romans, pp. 183-185). The love of Jesus for men is here contrasted with the highest conceivable example of man's love for men, the love of Christ far exceeding any love that men might have for one another. read more

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