The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 287

II. PABT MTh.STRY OF JEsue TO RIB LOVED ONES, The love of the Falher to the Son was not an empt,v ~entimcnt. 'l'he Son being "·hat he was, he became the Agent, of ll comp11ssion11ting omnipotence to do good to men. The Father's love to the Son was proved by what he did for him and through him. But the Father could not h11"e done these things for nod through anybody. He oould not h11.ve done through a Moses, or an Elijah, or a John the Baptist, whRt he did throu<rh 0 a Jesus, And as the Father found what be wanted in the Son, so the Son found what be wanted in his disciples. As the Fa1her loved the Son, 80 the Son loved the disciples; and ns the Father ministered to the Son, ao the Son ministered to the disciples. The Son was willing and able, to the full, to reoeive the fatherly ministry; and in like manner the disciples were sufficiently able to receive the ministry of Jesus, to make it possible for him to speak with such oomplaoency of them. They listened to his teaching; they left their home a.nd work and went about with him; and 80 Jesus had been able to do something for and in them, more indeed than as yet distinctly appeared to any one but himself. III. TnE CONDITION OF oo:i."Tn.'"IJ'ED AND RICHER Mll"1STBY. What good the disciples would get out of Jesus in new and altogether different circumstances depended upon themsekes. Jesus would be the same, in disposition and in power; the question remained, would they give him the opportunity? Wh11t a thought, that the overflowing love of Jesus, meant to direct 80 m11ch power and wisdom, should be serviceable to us jUBt ru; we choose to make it so I A spirit of docility, obedience, and constant expecta- tion would open up to us treasures of heavenly loving-kindness beyond anything we at present possess. 'l'he key, so to speak, is with us, yet we notice it not; and mean- while the lock is getting all stiff for want of frequent use. To know the full riches of Divine love, we must li,•e as Jesus would have us study to live.-Y. Ver. 15.-Servants and friends. Not at all unfrequently one who begins as a sen·:i.nt ad""ances in regard till he becomes a friend. Opportunities arise for friendship, and both parties make the most of them. It is a poor business to make service a mere matter of commercial contracL Jesus must have noticed again and again this beautiful absorption of the servant in the friend; his disciples, too, would know of like instances, Jesus and his diaciples had been constantly together, and thus the way was made for friendly feeling. As the season of separation drew near, Jesus sought to set before bis friends the responsibilities and opportunities of friendship. L JESUS CALLS BIB DISCIPLES FRIENDS, BUT NONE THE LEBB WERE THEY REBVANTB, Jesus wanted these very men for special service. Many true and loving friends he must have hnd besides them-men like that Lazarus whom Jesus once described 89 "our friend." But these few were wanted for special 11ervice; not that a few were enough, but Jesus began with a few that there might be all the more afterward. While Jesus was in the limitations of the flesh he could only have companionship with a few. But Jesus needs all the servants he can get. The idea of ample and efficient oervice underlies the parable at the begiuning of the chapter. The branches are the servants of the vine-trunk. Note that those who are called friends do not therefore feel at liberty to speak of themselves as such. Paul, beginning his Epistle to the Romans, does not say, " Paul, the friend of Jesus Christ," but " Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ." The apostle's mind is fnll of the work he has to do 88 a servant of Jesus. Whatever names we have the right to bear, whatever privileges we enter into, never let us forget that we are here for service. He who is not the servant of the Lord Jesus 'Jhrist, he who is not oonscious of something in his life that is work for Jesus, never ca.n be the friend of Jesus. lL Jom11 CALUI BIii DISCIPLES FBIENDII THAT THEY MAY BE BETTER BEBVANTS. The work needs the best qualities in the highest degree, He who would do the best work for Christ must be likest him. He serves Jesus best who serves the neediest of wen in their greatest need, and this can only be done when the heart is purged of self- en. xv. 1-27.] TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOJIN. 297