8. — {Herein.. .Father glorified...disciples.] In this verse our Lord supplies two more reasons wliy His disciples should abide in Him, and strive to bring forth much fruit of holiness. One reason is, that it will glorify His Father in heaven. Their good works will recommend their religion, and make the world honor the God who has such servants. The other reason is, that it will give evidence of their being real, true, genuine disciples. Their lives will prove plainly that they are followers of Christ.
The expression " so shall ye be," is literally " all ye shall be." It must mean, " Ye shall be known and recognized by all men as my disciples, and shall feel in your own hearts the witness of the Spirit that ye are such."
Poole remarks, " In Scripture, being often signifieth appear- ing," as in John viii. 81, and Romans iii. 4.
9L — [As...Father... loved...!.. .you.] This remarkable statement seems intended to show the depth and magnitude of our Lord's love to His people. We can form no adequate idea of the love of the Father towards the Son. The feeling of one eternal Person in the Trinity to another Person is a high thing into which we cannot enter. Yet even such is the love of C'hrist to- wards those who believe in Him, — a vast, wide, deep, unmeas- urable love that passeth knowledge, and can never be fully comprehended by man.
[Continue ye in my love.] This must mean, — " Continue rest- ing your souls on this love of mine towards you, and live un- der a constant sense of it. Remain clinging to it, as within a fortress and place of refuge." Christ's free, and continued, and mighty love should be the home and abiding place of a be- liever's soul.
The word rendered " continue " is the same that is rendered " abide " in verse 4, and ought to have been the same here.
10. — [If. ..keep commandments. ..love.] Once more our Lord returns to the subject of practical obedience to His laws, as the grand secret of a happy and comfortable religion. " If you keep my commandments, you will live in the enjoyment of a continued sense of my love to your souls, and feel inwardly that you are my saved people." The doctrine here laid down is one of the great principles of experimental Christianity. Holy living and assurance of an interest in Christ are closely connected. Our own happiness and enjoyment of religion are inseparably bound up with our daily practical living. He that expects assurance, while he neglects Christ's commandments, and gives way to daily inconsistencies of temper and conduct, is expecting what he will never get. " Hereby we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments." (1 John ii. 3.) Let those who will call such doctrine " legal." As a matter of fact, it will always be found true.