John 15:13-14

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 15:14

Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known unto you.The utmost desire on the part of God that people should obey him and receive his blessing is seen in the teaching here. God manifested itself in the person of his Son; and, having every right to command, he nevertheless stooped to plead with men and to... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 15:13-14

John 15:13-14. Greater love hath no man than this,— "My love to you is stronger than death; for I will lay down my life for you: a greater degree of love than this never existed in the world; this is the love that I bear towards you, and which I recommend as the pattern of your love to one another. Ye are my friends, Joh 15:14 for whom I will lay down my life, if ye do what I have commanded you." Jesus had commanded them, Joh 15:12 to love one another, as he loved them: in Joh 15:13 he informs... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 15:13

13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends—The emphasis lies not on "friends," but on "laying down his life" for them; that is, "One can show no greater regard for those dear to him than to give his life for them, and this is the love ye shall find in Me." read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 15:14

14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you—hold yourselves in absolute subjection to Me. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 15:1-16

5. The importance of abiding in Jesus 15:1-16Jesus continued to prepare His disciples for His departure. He next taught the Eleven the importance of abiding in Him with the result that they would produce much spiritual fruit. He dealt with their relationships to Himself, one another, and the world around them in chapter 15. Their responsibilities were to abide, to love, and to testify respectively."If in the Discourse recorded in the fourteenth chapter of St. John’s Gospel the Godward aspect of... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 15:9-16

The exposition of themes in the metaphor 15:9-16Jesus proceeded to expound further on some of the themes that He had introduced in His teaching on the vine and the branches (John 15:1-8). We observed the same pattern in Jesus’ teaching about the Good Shepherd in chapter 10. The subject moves generally from the believing disciple’s relationship with God to his or her relationship with other believers. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 15:13

Love for a friend reaches its zenith when one willingly sacrifices his or her life for that friend. Jesus had spoken of His love for His disciples (John 15:12). He would shortly show them how great it was by making the supreme sacrifice for them. After that, they would not only have His command but also His example to follow.Really Jesus did more than lay down His life for His friends. He died for His enemies (cf. Matthew 5:43-47; Romans 5:8-10). However in the context of this audience His... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 15:14-15

"Friend" is another relative term such as "abiding" or "fellowship." A person can be a casual friend, a close friend, or an intimate friend depending on his or her love and loyalty. Likewise all believers are God’s friends in one sense, but abiding believers are His friends on a deeper level because they seek to obey Him consistently (cf. Psalms 25:14).A good servant (Gr. doulos, lit. slave) also obeys his master. What then is the difference between a servant of God and an intimate friend of... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - John 15:1-27

The True Yine. The Witness of the Comforter and of the Apostles1-17. The allegory of the True Vine and its interpretation. The metaphor of ’the vine’ was suggested by ’the fruit of the vine’ which had just been consecrated in the Holy Supper (Matthew 26:29), and the allegory was intended to illustrate the main idea underlying that holy rite, viz. union with Christ. It sets forth Christ as the sole source of spiritual life, and of Christian sanctity. As long as the spiritual union between Christ... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - John 15:13

(13) Greater love hath no man than this.—Better, . . . hath no one than this. (Comp. Note on John 10:18; John 10:29.) Nothing greater is conceivable in the thought of love. He has spoken of His own love for them as the measure of their love for each other. The thought of this verse dwells upon what His love really was and what theirs should also be. (Comp. especially Note on 1 John 3:16.)That a man lay down his life for his friends.—Better, that any one . . . For the phrase “lay down his life,”... read more

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