But what of those commandments to which such importance attached? Clean as they now were through the Words which He had spoken, one great commandment stood forth as specially His Own, consecrated by His Example and to be measured by His observance of it. From whatever point we view it, whether as specially demanded by the pressing necessities of the Church; or as, from its contrast to what Heathenism exhibited, affording such striking evidence of the power of Christianity; [5763] or, on the other hand, as so congruous to all the fundamental thoughts of the Kingdom: the love of the Father in sending His Son for man, the work of the Son in seeking and saving the lost at the price of His Own Life, and the new bond which in Christ bound them all in the fellowship of a common calling, common mission, and common interests and hopes - love of the brethren was the one outstanding Farewell-Command of Christ. [5764] And to keep His commandments was to be His friend. And they were His friends. No longer' did He call them servants, for the servant knew not what his lord did. He had now given them a new name, and with good reason: You have I called friends, because all things which I heard of My Father I made known to you.' And yet deeper did He descend, in pointing them to the example and measure of His love as the standard of theirs towards one another. And with this teaching He combined what He had said before, of bearing fruit and of the privilege of fellowship with Himself. They were His friends; He had proved it by treating them as such in now opening up before them the whole counsel of God. And that friendship: Not you did choose Me, but I did choose you' - the object of His choosing' [that to which they were appointed'] being, that, as they went forth into the world, they should bear fruit, that their fruit should be permanent, and that they should possess the full privilege of that unlimited power to pray of which He had previously spoken. [5765] All these things were bound up with obedience to His commands, of which the outstanding one was to love one another.' [5766]
But this very choice on His part, and their union of love in Him and to one another, also implied not only separation from, but repudiation by, the world. [5767] For this they must be prepared. It had come to Him, and it would be evidence of their choice to discipleship. The hatred of the world showed the essential difference and antagonism between the life-principle of the world and theirs. For evil or for good, they must expect the same treatment as their Master. Nay, was it not their privilege to realise, that all this came upon them for His sake? and should they not also remember, that the ultimate ground of the world's hatred was ignorance of Him Who had sent Christ? [5768] And yet, though this should banish all thoughts of personal resentment, their guilt who rejected Him was truly terrible. Speaking to, and in, Israel, there was no excuse for their sin - the most awful that could be conceived; since, most truly: He that hateth Me, hateth My Father also.' For, Christ was the Sent of God, and God manifest. It was a terrible charge this to bring against God's ancient people Israel. And yet there was, besides the evidence of His Words, that of His Works. [5769] If they could not apprehend the former, yet, in regard to the latter, they could see by comparison with the works of other men that they were unique. [5770] They saw it, but only hated Him and His Father, ascribing it all to the power and agency of Beelzebul. And so the ancient prophecy had now been fulfilled: They hated Me gratuitously.' [5771] But all was not yet at an end: neither His Work through the other Advocate, nor yet theirs in the world. When the Advocate is come, Whom I will send to you from the Father - the Spirit of the Truth - Who proceedeth from the Father [goeth forth on His Mission as sent by the Father], [5772] this Same will bear witness about Me. And ye also bear witness, [5773] because ye are with Me from the beginning.'