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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 14:21

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He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

21. hath my commandments, and keepeth them ] Bears them in his mind and observes them in his life.

he it is ] With great emphasis; he and no one else.

will manifest myself to him ] Once more willing obedience is set forth as the road to spiritual enlightenment (see on Joh 7:17). The word for ‘manifest’ is not S. John’s favourite word ( phaneroun) but one which he uses only in these two verses ( emphanizein).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

He that hath … – This intimate union is further manifested by these facts:

That true love to Jesus will produce obedience. See Joh 14:15.
That those who love him will be loved of the Father, showing that there is a union between the Father and the Son.
That Jesus also will love them, evincing still the same union. Religion is love. The love of one holy being or object is the love of all. The kingdom of God is one. His people, though called by different names, are one. They are united to each other and to God, and the bond which unites the whole kingdom in one is love.

Will manifest myself to him – To manifest is to show, to make appear, to place before the eyes so that an object may be seen. This means that Jesus would so show himself to his followers that they should see and know that he was their Saviour. In what way this is done, see Joh 14:23.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Joh 14:21

He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me

Love to Christ

THE REASONS WHICH JUSTIFY ITS EXERCISE. If we love an object, it is because of something amiable in that object.

1. And is there not real excellency in Jesus Christ–the brightness of His Fathers glory, etc. He is altogether lovely!

2. Is He not nearly related to us (Heb 2:11; Mat 12:48-50)?

3. Is He not our Friend, our kindest and best Benefactor? He gave His life a ransom for us.

II. THE PROPERTIES BY WHICH IT IS DISTINGUISHED. It must be

1. Sincere (Rom 12:9).

2. Supreme. Love to any object should rise according to its worth.

3. Constant.

III. THE TEST BY WHICH IT IS ASCERTAINED. It is good to have the commandments of Christ, to be born in a land of Bibles; but this is not enough. He that hath them, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Him. And what is this keeping the commandments of Christ? Do they keep them

1. Who are ignorant of them, and who discover little concern to become acquainted with them?

2. Who have no relish for them?

3. Who do not obey them?

IV. THE REWARD WITH WHICH IT IS CONNECTED.

1. The favour of the greatest Father.

2. The affection of the kindest Saviour.

3. The presence of the best Friend. From the whole, learn

1. The insufficiency of external privileges.

2. The honour which attends real Christianity.

3. The proper use of religious ordinances, and the spirit in which we should attend them. (T. Kidd.)

Love to Christ

I. THE OBEDIENCE WHICH IS THE SIGN AND TEST OF LOVE. The words are here substantially equivalent to Joh 14:15. Only the former begins with the root and traces it upwards to its fruits, love blossoming into obedience. Our text reverses the process. Note

1. How remarkably our Lord here declares the possession of His commandments to be a sign of love to Him. He that hath, etc. There are two ways of having: in the Bible, and in the heart; before my eye as a law that I ought to obey, or within my will, as a power that shapes it. And the latter is the only kind of having that Christ regards as real and valid. Love possesses the knowledge of the loved ones will. Do we not all know how strange is the power of divining desires that goes along with true affection, and how the power, not only of divining, but of treasuring, these desires is the thermometer of our true love. Some of us, perhaps, have laid away in sacred, secret places tattered yellow old bits of paper with the words of a dear one on them that we would not part with. He that hath My commandments laid up in lavender in the recesses of his faithful heart, he it is that loveth Me.

2. Obedience: There are two motives for keeping commandments, one, because they are commanded, and one because we love Him that commands. The one is slavery, the other is liberty. The one is like the Arctic regions, cold and barren, the other is like tropical lands, full of warmth and sunshine, glorious and glad fertility.

3. The form of the sentence suggests how easy it is for people to delude themselves about their love to Jesus Christ. That emphatic He, and the putting first of the character before He states its root, are directed against false pretensions to love. The love that Christ stamps with His hallmark is no mere emotion, however passionate and sweet; no mere sentiment however pure and deep. The tiniest dribble that drives a mill is better than a Niagara that rushes and foams and tumbles idly. And there is ever so much so-called love to Jesus Christ that goes masquerading up and down the world; from which the paint is stripped by the sharp application of the words of my text.

II. THE DIVINE LOVE AND MANIFESTATION WHICH REWARD OUR LOVE AND OBEDIENCE. Note

1. The extraordinary boldness of that majestic saying: If a man loves Me, My Father will love him. God regards our love to Jesus Christ as containing in it the germ of all that is pleasing in His sight. And so, upon our hearts, if we love Christ, there falls the benediction of the Fathers love.

2. Of course, our Lord here is not beginning at the very beginning of everything. We love Him because He first loved us digs a story deeper down than the words of my text. That being understood, here is a great lesson. It is not all the same to God whether a man is a scoundrel or a saint. Gods love is a moral love; and whilst the sunbeams play upon the ice and melt it sometimes, they flash back from, and rest more graciously and fully on, the rippling stream into which the ice has turned. God loves them that love Him not, but the depths of His heart and the secret sacred favours of His grace can only be bestowed upon those who love Christ and obey Him.

3. If, then, we seek to know that dear Lord, the path is plain. Walk on the way of obedience, and Christ will meet us with the unveiling of more and more of His love. To live what we believe is the sure way to increase its amount. To be faithful to the little is the certain way to inherit the much. He gives us His whole self at the first, but we traverse the breadth of the gift by degrees. The flower is but a bud when we get it, and as we hold it, it opens its petals to the light. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)

Obedience the proof of love

I. SOME WHO THINK THEY LOVE JESUS ARE MISTAKEN AS TO THE GENUINENESS AND SINCERITY OF THEIR LOVE TO HIM. There is an emphasis on He it is, singling Him out as the only real lover. Men may be misled as to the reality of their love.

1. By regarding strong, keen and frequent feelings of sorrow and compassion for Christ as an innocent sufferer, as evidence of true love. Such an emotion is an element in, but is not love.

2. By substituting an intellectual and moral admiration of Christ. But many infidels evince this.

3. By counting sufficient an outward and decorous attention to His laws and institutions. This is sufficient to keep from sins of a gross nature; but at the bottom it may be self-love, a bid for the worlds good opinion.

II. THEY ONLY WHO HAVE AND KEEP CHRISTS COMMANDMENTS TRULY LOVE HIM.

1. Having Christs commandments implies

(1) A recognition of them as of binding authority being enforced by His love.

(2) An intelligent appreciation of their meaning and spirit.

(3) Treasuring them in the head and heart.

2. Keeping them. We may have without keeping them. Practice and knowledge must keep step.

3. Here is

(1) A test of Christian profession (1Jn 2:3-5; 1Jn 5:1-3).

(2) A ground of comfort to doubting Christians. Their Lord does not insist on warm feelings which are fluctuating, but on obedience.

(3) An inducement to obedience. (A. Warrack, M. A.)

Obedience the sign of love

A king in ancient times made some wise laws for his people, and most of them loved and reverenced him as a father, but not all. Some who professed a great affection for him were very unwilling to obey him; and a few complained that his laws were too strict, and, whenever they could do so without fear of punishment, they broke them. Now the king had a country far off where troubles and tumults bad arisen, and the governor wrote to ask the king to go and visit his discontented people, and try if his own presence would win them to obedience and love. The king promised to go; but before he left, he gave every family a copy of the laws. He was away a long time, and on his return there were loud rejoicings. But when he came to his council chamber, there were some sad stories of rebellion and disobedience, not among the poor alone, but among the nobles, who had been louder than all the rest in their professions of love and songs of welcome. But when the king, having discovered the offenders, asked for a copy of the laws, and one by one read them to the rebels, they were confused and silent. Some, indeed, had lost the paper he had given them; some had wilfully burnt it, and declared that they would not obey; many had broken one or more of the rules. He was a gentle king, but firm and just; and so he gathered his disobedient subjects together, and looking sorrowfully at them, he gravely asked each, If he loved his sovereign? They all answered Yes, but on holding up a copy of his laws, they all hung down their heads. He that hath my laws and keepeth them, he said, he, and he only, loves me. So with Christs laws. (Mrs. Geldart.)

Christ known only to the loving

I. WE CANNOT KNOW CHRIST THROUGH THE INTELLECT. The intellect has tried for ages to find out God, and after all its investigations it has pronounced Him unknowable, The world by wisdom knew not God.

II. WE CANNOT KNOW CHRIST THROUGH THE IMAGINATION. Imagination has filled the world with myths, superstitions and idols, but has never, unaided by the heart, found Christ.

III. WE CANNOT KNOW CHRIST THROUGH AN EXCITED CONSCIENCE. Conscience has formulated a god of vengeance. Christ is God and reveals Himself to the loving. (Homiletic Monthly.)

Character and privilege of true Christians

I. THE PECULIAR CHARACTER OF TRUE CHRISTIANS.

1. They love Christ.

(1) They love Himself

(a) As a Divine person, glorious in moral perfection and loveliness.

(b) As the incarnate Divinity, the image, of Him whom we should love with all the heart, and soul, and strength.

(c) As the God-man Mediator, the Only-begotten of Him whose name and nature is love.

(d) As the man, Christ Jesus, possessed of every quality which can command esteem and excite love.

(2) This love extends to everything in the Saviour–His holiness, as well as His grace; His laws, as well as His promises; the yoke He lays on them, as well as the crown He is to confer; His house, His word, His day, His people, His cause.

(3) This love leads them to seek intercourse with Him; they cannot be happy away from Him.

(4) This love is common to all the saints. They have not all the same measure of it–that depends on the measure of their knowledge and faith and capacity of affection; but they have all the same kind of love.

(5) And as this love is common to all the saints, so it is peculiar to them. To the unbelieving world He has no form nor comeliness, etc.

2. They have His commandments, words, sayings. These are not to be confined to what was preceptive in our Lords teaching; they include all His communications.

(1) To have is something more than to possess the Bible, or even to have a general knowledge of its contents. It is to have it in the mind and the heart.

(2) They who receive our Lords words cannot but love Him, for they, in the degree in which they receive them, know and believe Him to be the proper object of supreme affection.

3. They keep His commandments. As it is by having the words of Christ that men come to love Him, so it is by keeping His words that they manifest and prove their love to Him. They must be kept

(1) As He gives us them. We must not detract from them, nor add to them, nor modify them (Deu 4:2).

(2) In the mind. There are men who find it disquieting to them, and seek to get rid of it as soon as possible. There are others who, ceasing to give it any attention, suffer it to slip out of their mind. And there are others who permit, who invite, the wicked one to come and take away what was sown in their hearts. But the lover of Christ lets the word of Christ dwell in his heart, and often reviews it as his most precious treasure.

(3) By our having no other opinions on the subjects to which they refer than those unfolded in them, and by fashioning the whole system of our sentiments and judgments with a reference to them.

(a) The promises are to be kept by firmly believing them in the most trying circumstances.

(b) The warnings are to be kept by keeping at a distance from their subjects, and by cherishing a habitual holy fear of sin.

(c) His commandments, with regard to tempers and dispositions, are to be kept by keeping our hearts with all diligence.

(d) Those with regard to our general conduct are to be kept by our not following the course of this world, but walking according to the will of God.

(e) Those with regard to institutions are to be kept by observing all things whatsoever He has commanded.

II. THEIR PECULIAR PRIVILEGES.

1. They are loved of the Father and the Son.

(1) As elected in sovereign love to eternal life.

(2) As actually united to Christ by believing.

(3) As transformed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

2. This love is discovered in the Sons manifesting Himself to them, and in the Father and the Son coming to them, and making their abode with them.

III. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO.

1. He only who possesses the character can enjoy the privilege.

2. He who possesses the character must enjoy the privilege.

3. The measure in which the character is possessed is the measure in which the privilege is enjoyed. The more a man loves Christ, the more must both God and Christ love him. (J. Brown, D. D.)

The secret of self-consecration

Here is the secret of self-consecration: in our being possessed by the love of Christ; and feeling–He loves me more than I love Him. Possessed by this love, I yield myself wholly and joyfully to Him. My hand is His, redeemed by Him, sacred to Him, and cannot do unholy work; my foot is His, and cannot go on unholy errands; my ear is His, and cannot listen to unholy words; my eye is His, and cannot look upon unholy deeds; my tongue is His, and cannot utter unholy speeches; my mind is His, and cannot think unholy thoughts; my heart is His, and cannot cherish unholy feelings and desires; my whole being is His, redeemed by Him, sacred to Him, and is surrendered to His will. (J. Culross, D. D.)

Practical religion

Since a vestment ornamented with gold is a beautiful and conspicuous object, but seems much more so to us when it is worn upon our own persons, thus also the precepts of God are beautiful when but praised, but appear far more lovely when they are rightly observed, and conspicuous in our own life. (T. H. Leary, D. C. L.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 21. He it is that loveth me] See Clarke on Joh 14:15.

And will manifest myself to him.] All my faithful disciples shall see me after my resurrection; and I will manifest my power and goodness to all those who believe in and obey me, even to the end of the world.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: our Lord here doth repeat what he had before said, Joh 14:15, declaring that there is no infallible indication of our love to Christ, but obedience, which is here expressed under two notions.

1. Having Christs commandments and keeping them: they must both concur to make a true indication of our love to Christ. It is possible that men may have Christs commandments in their ears, in their notion, in their mouths, and yet not keep them; they may hear them, they may know and remember them, they may talk of them, yet they may not keep them; for keeping them denotes universal, diligent and industrious, steady and constant obedience to them; and this alone will speak our love to Christ.

2. And if any man thus declareth his love to Christ, Christ declareth, that both he and his Father will take a pleasure and delight in him to do him good; and he shall not live only under the real benefits of his love to him, but under the sensible manifestations of it. Here is no mention of the Spirits coming with the Father and the Son, because the Son dwelleth in us by the Spirit.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

21. He that hath my commandments andkeepeth them, &c.(See on Joh14:15).

my Father and I will lovehimMark the sharp line of distinction here, not only betweenthe Divine Persons but the actings of love in Each respectively,towards true disciples.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them,…. He that has not merely the external revelation of them in the Bible; but has them written on his heart, by the finger of the Spirit of God, and keeps them under the influence of grace and strength received from him:

he it is that loveth me: others may talk of loving Christ, but this is the man that truly does love him; for his observance of Christ’s commands is a proof and evidence that he loves him not in word only, but in deed and in truth: and to encourage souls to love and obedience, Christ adds,

he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father; not that love to is the cause, condition, or motive of the Father’s love to his people; nor does his love to them begin when they begin to love Christ; but this expression denotes some further and greater manifestation of the Father’s love to such persons, and shows how grateful to the Father are love and obedience to the Son:

and I will love him; which must be understood in the same manner; Christ does not begin to love his people when they begin to love, and obey him; their love and obedience to him, spring from his love to them; which love of his towards them was from everlasting: but this phrase signs a clearer discovery of his love to them, which passeth knowledge; and some fresh mark and token of his affection for them; and which is explained in the next clause:

and will manifest myself to him; not in a visible way, or in a corporeal form, as he did to his disciples after his resurrection; but in a spiritual manner, as when he makes himself known to his people in ordinances, and favours them with communion with him, and they see his beauty, his fulness, his grace and righteousness, his power, and his glory.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

He it is that loveth me ( ). Emphatic demonstrative pronoun : “that is the one who loves me.”

And will manifest myself unto him ( ). Future active of , old verb from (Acts 10:40; Rom 10:20). The Unseen and Risen Christ will be a real and spiritual Presence to the obedient and loving believer.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Hath. “Who has in memory and keeps in life” (Augustine).

Will manifest [] . Properly, of manifestation to the sight, as distinguished from dhlow, to make evident to the mind (1Co 3:13; Col 1:8, etc.). A clear, conspicuous manifestation is indicated. Compare ye see me (ver. 19). “It conveys more than the disclosing of an undiscovered presence [] , or the manifesting of a hidden one [] ” (Westcott).

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “He that hath my commandments,” (ho echon tas entolas mou) “The one having, holding or possessing my commandments,” continually in heart and memory as given Joh 13:34-35; Joh 14:15; Luk 9:23.

2) “And keepeth them,” (kai teron autas) “And the one who guards, keeps, protects, or adheres to them,” observes them, obediently, as a servant obeys his master, Joh 14:21; Joh 15:14; 1Jn 2:5.

3) “He it is that loveth me:” (ekeinos estin ho agapon me) “That one is the one who loves me,” Joh 15:9-12; Joh 15:14. True love is not a mere sentimental fancy but affection so genuine of soul that it motivates obedient service.

4) “And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,” (ho de agapon me agapethesetai hupo tou patros mou) “And the one who loves me (with a priority love), by choice, by his own volition, he will be loved of my Father, for my sake, Joh 14:23-24.

5) “And I will love him,” (kago agapeso auton) “And I will love him,” with an holy affectionate love, Joh 14:21; He loved; He loves; and He will always love His own, unto the end; For it is written, “Having loved His own He loved them unto the end, Joh 13:1.

6) “And will manifest myself to him.” (kai emphaniso auto emauton) “And I will manifest myself personally to him,” or make myself known to him, that I dwell in him and that he dwells in me, by the Spirit and by the Word, Joh 14:21; Rom 8:14-16; Rom 8:26-27; Joh 17:24-26.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

21. He who hath my commandments. He again repeats the former statement, that the undoubted proof of our love to him lies in our keeping his commandments; and the reason why he so frequently reminds the disciples of this is, that they may not turn aside from this object; for there is nothing to which we are more prone than to slide into a carnal affection, so as to love something else than Christ under the name of Christ. Such is also the import of that saying of Paul,

Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth we know him no longer in this manner. Let us therefore be a new creature, (2Co 5:16.)

To have his commandments means to be properly instructed in them; and to keep his commandments is to conform ourselves and our life to their rule.

And he that loveth me will be loved by my Father. Christ speaks as if men loved God before he loved them; which is absurd, for,

when we were enemies, he reconciled us to him, (Rom 5:10😉

and the words of John are well known,

Not that we first loved him, but he first loved us, (1Jo 4:10.)

But there is no debate here about cause or effect; and therefore there is no ground for the inference, that the love with which we love Christ comes in order before the love which God has toward us; for Christ meant only, that all who love him will be happy, because they will also be loved by him and by the Father; not that God then begins to love them, but because they have a testimony of his love to them, as a Father, engraven on their hearts. To the same purpose is the clause which immediately follows: —

And I will manifest myself to him. Knowledge undoubtedly goes before love; but Christ’s meaning was, I will grant to those who purely observe my doctrine, that they shall make progress from day to day in faith; “that is, “I will cause them to approach more nearly and more familiarly to me. ” Hence infer, that the fruit of piety is progress in the knowledge of Christ; for he who promises that he will give himself to him who has it rejects hypocrites, and causes all to make progress in faith who, cordially embracing the doctrine of the Gospel, bring themselves entirely into obedience to it. And this is the reason why many fall back, and why we scarcely see one in ten proceed in the right course; for the greater part do not deserve that he should manifest himself to them It ought also to be observed, that a more abundant knowledge of Christ is here represented as an extraordinary reward of our love to Christ; and hence it follows that it is an invaluable treasure.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(21) He that hath my commandments.Comp. Joh. 14:15 and Joh. 5:36. This verse points out the successive degrees which led up to the full manifestation of Christ. The first step is the moral apprehension and practical observance of our Lords commandments, which necessarily result from love to Christ.

He it is that loveth me.The next step is the special receptivity of the Fathers love which he who loves Christ possesses, and therefore there is a special sense in which the Father loves him. The words express with fulness of emphasis, He it is, and he only.

And I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.The special love of the Son follows from the special love of the Father, and is accompanied by the full manifestation of the Son. This is further explained in Joh. 14:23.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

21. Hath my commandments, and keepeth Hath them in his knowledge, and keepeth them in his practice.

He it is that loveth me For there can be no true keeping Christ’s commandments which springs not from love to Christ; and there is no true love to Christ which does not produce a keeping of his commandments.

Will manifest myself unto him And this is the true witness of the Spirit with our spirits that we are born of God. This manifestation of Christ to the soul is self-evidencing. There may be false imaginations, just as there may be dreams; but these false imaginations can no more, invalidate or destroy the certainty of that manifestation, than dreams can destroy the certainty of any reality viewed by our waking senses. He who does not recognize from his own inner feelings what this manifestation of Christ to the soul is, stands in great need of a deeper religious experience. It behooves him well to look to it that his interest in Christ is real.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

“He who holds closely my commandments and fully observes them, he is the one who loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will make myself known to him”.

Note the repetition of the idea in Joh 14:15. Our paraphrase brings out the force of the words. They are spoken to those who are in earnest, who hold His words closely in their hearts and live by them and by them alone. This promise is for all who are His, but there is no room for the half-hearted here. This is the real test of whether we love Him. Do we fully do what He said?

We may sing, and dance, and shout ‘praise the Lord’, and that is good. But it means little by itself. The test of love is obedience and a desire to do what He wants. Along with that, and only along with that, the other has meaning. ‘He who says “I know Him” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him’ (1Jn 2:4).

And what will be the result? That the Father will love them. This is a very different love from that which God had for the world (Joh 3:16). That love was a general beneficence that among other things (e.g. the giving of sun and rain – Mat 5:45) provided a way of salvation towards those who would respond, and great it was for it cost Him His Son. But this is a personal, individual love, as a Father to His children. His people are His children in a way that the world is not. That is why Jesus taught them to pray ‘Our Father’ (Mat 6:9).

But they will not only enjoy the special love of the Father, for He adds “and I will love him and will make myself known to him”. They will thus also enjoy the personal love of the Son. Again we have to ask, who could say this but One Who was God? To link His own love for them as parallel with the Father’s love for them, and indeed to add it on as adding something extra, can only indicate a claim to be of equal stature with the Father. So the one who believes fully in Him and fully observes His commands will receive the Spirit of truth, will enjoy the special, personal love of the Father, and will be equally loved by Jesus, Who will make Himself known to him in the fullness of His glory. Here we see three Who are clearly of equal stature, Who come to those who fully believe.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The effects of the mystical union:

v. 21. He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.

v. 22. Judas saith unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us and not unto the world?

v. 23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.

Not the having only, but the keeping of the commandments of Christ is an evidence and proof of faith. For the love of Christ, which grows from faith, is a principle prompting obedience. There must be evidence and expression of faith by observing the commandments of Christ in life. But where a person is found with such proofs of the faith of his heart, he would receive a wonderful proof and manifestation of the love of both Father and Son. The love of the Father will rest upon, be communicated to, such a one. And Jesus Himself will show the greatness of His love by appearing and manifesting Himself to the believer as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. This is a most comforting promise. For a believer does not always live and move in blissful emotions, but is troubled more or less often by doubts concerning His salvation and other matters pertaining to His Christian life. In such cases, however, he must cling firmly to the Word and its promises, continue his work for Christ with undiminished vigor, and know that Christ is his Savior in spite of all attacks. Judas Jacobi here interrupted the Master. He had understood so much from the exposition of Jesus that the hope of the disciples for a temporal Messianic kingdom would not be realized. He wanted to know now why Christ intended to manifest Himself only to His believers, and not to the whole world, perhaps in the form of a conquering hero. Judas (Lobbies or Thaddeus) had always held that opinion concerning Messianic glory that it would be in the nature of a great demonstration, with much display of temporal power. He could not understand what had prompted Jesus to determine it otherwise. Once more Jesus, therefore, patiently explains. It is impossible for Him to reveal Himself to the world, because the world rejects Him and His Word. But if any man, filled with true faith toward Him, now also shows his faith in love, the proof will be found in the fact that he keeps His Word, that he clings to the Gospel of grace and mercy. To him Jesus and the Father will come, in him They will make Their abode, through the Spirit; his house and table Companions They will be forever. That is the mystery and the beauty of the mystical union. The Triune God Himself, personally, lives in the hearts of the believers, not only with some manifestation of His power and strength, but with His actual essence. There is no need for the Christian to sigh longingly for the union with the Triune God in heaven, for His throne is also right here on earth, wherever his Word is preached and He enters into the hearts of the believers. That is a blessed mystery and a glorious fact.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

DISCOURSE: 1689
OBEDIENCE THE TEST OF OUR LOVE TO CHRIST

Joh 14:21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

IT is supposed by many, that to profess an assurance of our acceptance with God is the very height of presumption. But, whilst we acknowledge that such a profession may be made very erroneously, and by persons who deceive their own souls, we cannot admit that no such thing as a scriptural assurance exists: on the contrary, we affirm, that a consciousness of so great a change as takes place in conversion cannot but exist in some degree; and that our blessed Lord has taught all his people to expect it: In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you [Note: ver. 20.]. If indeed such a persuasion were to be entertained without being subjected to any test, then would it be the most enthusiastic, and most dangerous: but, if we have an infallible rule whereby to try it, then have we no reason to feel that jealousy respecting it, which so generally prevails. The truth is, that in this very passage where our Lord has sanctioned an assurance of our state, he has established a criterion whereby all our professions must be judged: nor, till our experience has been found to accord with that standard, have we any right to expect the rewards and consolations of his Gospel: He that, &c.

Now in these words we may see,

How to judge of our love to Christ

We must not imagine that the adoption of certain sentiments, or the joining of ourselves to a particular set of people, or the manifesting of a regard for public or social ordinances, or the having had great exercises of mind in reference to religion, with many hopes or fears, or joys or sorrows, or the feeling a strong confidence about the safety of our own state, are any certain proofs of love to Christ: these things not only may, but often do, exist, where there is no real love to Christ in the soul. There is one mark, and one only, whereby we can form any decided judgment about the states of men; and that is, By their fruits ye shall know them: they alone truly love the Lord Jesus Christ, who manifest a due regard for his commandments:

Who have them in their hearts

[Those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, desire a perfect conformity to his mind and will. With this view they study his commandments: they do not read them in a cursory way, but meditate on them, and search into them, and beg of God to open them to their view, and are thankful for any light that may be cast upon them, even though their own conduct should thereby be condemned. Having obtained a deeper insight into them, they treasure up the welcome truth in their minds, and hide it in their hearts, as a rule of their conduct, that they may no longer sin against him. They account not any one of them grievous, but approve of them in their utmost extent, and pant after a more entire conformity to them, and long to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God [Note: Psa 119:127-128; Psa 119:131. This last verse beautifully expresses the ardent longing of his soul to be conformed to them.]. They would not willingly have a thought, that should not be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.]

Who keep them in their lives

[Those who truly love Christ will be always walking in the way of his commandments. Do you inquire into their general conduct? you will find them labouring, not so much for the meat that perisheth, as for that which endureth unto everlasting life: they will not be taking thought what they shall eat and drink, and be clothed with, as the poor ignorant Gentiles do; but will seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; not laying up treasures upon earth, but laying them up in heaven. In love to the world and the things thereof, they will form a contrast with the ungodly world [Note: 1Jn 2:15-16. Rom 12:2.].

In like manner, if you inquire into their conduct under any particular circumstances, you will know beforehand where to find them: you need only examine the commandments in relation to that subject, and you will know how they will act. You will not expect to find them conceited, selfish, querulous: because they are commanded to prefer others in honour before themselves; to mind, not their own things, but also the things of others; and in whatsoever state they are, therewith to be content. Nor will you expect to find them censorious, passionate, unforgiving, or vindictive; because Christ has bidden them not to judge others, or to say to any one, Thou fool; but rather to turn the left cheek to any one that smites them on the right, and to forgive him not only seven times, but seventy times seven.

They are not unlike a mariner that is ordered to cruize in a given latitude. There is no visible object in the ocean to which he directs his way; but he consults his chart, and his compass, and the heavenly bodies, and then makes his observations with all the accuracy that he can. The spot is not so defined, but that a difference of opinion may exist respecting its precise situation: but a skilful mariner will not be far wrong; or, if for a moment he be driven by a storm from the place he should occupy, he will be sensible of his departure, and will make every effort to return to his post again as soon as possible. Thus it is with all that truly love Christ: they have in their hands the means of ascertaining the way that they should walk in: and they use those means with diligence, knowing that any considerable and habitual departure from it will be an impeachment of the sincerity of their love. The commandments indeed, especially in circumstances of expediency, are not always so defined, but that there may be room for difference of opinion respecting the precise line of conduct prescribed by them: but, in relation to the spirit in which we should act, they leave nothing doubtful; they are as clear as the light at noon-day: so that, though a difference of opinion may exist, it never can be such as to occasion any great departure from the path of duty: and as a man, who, being ordered to cruise in a northern latitude, should go to the southern hemisphere, and then maintain that he was in his proper place, would be justly deemed unworthy of any credit as a mariner; so the man who justifies himself in the indulgence of any evil tempers, is unworthy of the name of a Christian: a proud Christian, a passionate Christian, a covetous Christian, a lewd Christian, is as much a contradiction in terms, as an infidel, an idolatrous, or a murderous Christian.]
This is the criterion whereby every man must be judged: and though there are imperfections even in the best, yet this on the whole is the true, the manifest, and the uniform character of all who really love Christ: all others, whatever they may be, only deceive their own souls [Note: 1Jn 5:3 and 1Co 7:19.].

Our Lord having thus accurately drawn the character of his people, shews us,

II.

What to expect, if we do truly love him

It is not possible to enlarge our expectations too much, if only we confine them within the promises of God. As surely as we attain this character,

We shall possess his favour

[Much as he abhors all the workers of iniquity, he will retain no unkind thought towards us: on the contrary, he will love us, approving our spirit, accepting our services, and rejoicing over us to do us good [Note: Jer 32:41. Zep 3:17.]. The Lord Jesus Christ also says, And I will love you. A love of benevolence he felt towards us when we were yet enemies; but now he will feel a love of complacency, even such a love as shall make him attentive to our every want, our every concern

Of course, it must here be supposed, that our obedience to his commandments proceeds from proper principles; not from a desire of establishing a righteousness of our own, but from a grateful sense of his redeeming love, and from a zeal for his glory: if this be not the case, our best efforts will be even hateful both to the Father and to Christ, inasmuch as they are substituted in the place of that atoning blood of Christ, which alone can cleanse us from all sin: but if our obedience be pure in its principle, uniform in its tenour, and impartial in its extent, then shall it surely be accepted for Christs sake, and be rewarded with the everlasting favour of our God [Note: See Joh 16:27.].]

We shall have the present manifestations of it to our souls

[There are manifestations of God to the soul, which the world have no idea of. In reading of the word, in prayer, in meditating on the promises, God will take away the veil from our hearts, and discover himself to us, and lift up the light of his countenance upon us, and shed abroad his love in our hearts. By the communications of his Spirit to us, he will enable us to cry, Abba, Father; he will witness with our spirits that we are his children; he will give us an earnest of our inheritance, even the present foretaste of heaven itself in our souls.
Our Lord, when interrogated by Judas, confirmed this truth by repeated asseverations, and repeatedly also confirmed what he had spoken respecting the character of those to whom these blessings should be vouchsafed [Note: ver. 2224.]. We may be assured therefore, that to expect these manifestations is no presumption; but, on the contrary, they are the proper portion of all who love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.]

From this subject we may clearly see, that religion is,
1.

A holy thing

[That there are those who profess religion and yet grievously dishonour it by their conduct, is a melancholy truth; and that the prejudices of many against religion are hereby greatly strengthened, is also true: but religion is no more accountable for the inconsistencies of those who profess it, than reason is for the follies of those who pervert it. What is the true tendency of love to Christ, has already appeared: and every one must try his professions by that test.
I would solemnly call upon all those who are habitually violating any one commandment, to remember, that all their pretended love to Christ is mere hypocrisy and delusion: and the more confident they are of their own acceptance with him, the more they deceive their own souls [Note: 1Jn 2:3-4. Who would have thought that such persons as are here described, exist? Yet they do exist. Compare the concluding words of this passage with the words immediately preceding the text. See also Jam 1:26 and Mat 7:16-23.].

And all who are in a measure shewing forth their faith by their works, I would exhort to abound more and more; that, making their light to shine more bright, they may constrain all around them to glorify their heavenly Father.]

A happy thing

[As there are unholy, so are there also unhappy professors of religion. But shall we therefore conclude, that Christ will not fulfil his promises to his loving and obedient people; or that there are any circumstances under which his presence with the soul cannot make it happy?]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

On Christ Manifesting Himself

Joh 14:21

Here is a promise of divine manifestation to the human mind, and of divine indwelling in the human heart. “He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father.” “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” So, then, God need not be unto the human soul as a far-off and unapproachable King he may be in the heart as a gracious Father; his presence need not be as a coldly glittering star away in the inaccessible heights, but as a summer filling the heart with fire, working in the life all the strange enchantments of intermingling colours, and covering the soul with abundant fruitfulness. Thus we have distinctly set before us the highest possibility in spiritual life the possibility of being temples of the Holy Ghost, of having fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, and of being made partakers of the divine nature. This thought should silence the clamour of all earthly appeal to cur affections, and give us the true idea of our susceptibilities as children of God. We can do the daily business of life, yet through it all can have shining upon us the most holy and transfiguring image of the Son of man; we can be in the city of men, yet hidden in the sanctuary of God; our feet may be in the dust, but our heads among those who worship day and night; we may carry with us him whose name is Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God. So being and so doing we are no longer of the world; we are only waiting to pay it back the dust it lent us, and then we shall be free of it for ever; our true life is hidden; it is in God’s keeping; it is never seen drawing water from this world’s muddy wells, nor eating the base food of the beasts that perish; it lives on the living word, it draws water from the wells of salvation; it has meat to eat that the world knoweth not of. “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and his Church ” and I invite you to follow me, in a prayerful and quiet spirit, in an endeavour to show first the condition on which divine manifestation is granted; and, secondly, some of the blessed evidences by which we may know that such manifestation has been realised in our own experience. O Spirit of Light, shine upon us, that we may see every step of the ascending and glorious way!

(1) The condition on which divine manifestation is granted to man. That condition is distinctly asserted in the text, and in other Scriptures, to be love. “The Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me.” “If any man love me, I will manifest myself unto him.” Where love is wanting, all is wanting; there may be rough interpretations of the divine presence as seen in the wonders of creation; for he would be a fool who could mistake the sun as having been written by any other hand than God’s; he who reads only the writing on the face of nature is as the letter-carrier, who reads only the outward address, not the wise and tender words written for the heart. Love is, so to speak, the faculty by which we apprehend God, without which we can never know more of him than that he is a dread mystery. Love is the fulfilling of the law: thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength; Nor need it appear strange that love is the only interpreter of God. In all our education and intercourse we find again and again that love sees farthest, hears quickest, feels deepest. God has not set up an arbitrary test of manifestation, he has taken the common course of our life, and given it applications to himself. I might challenge the worshipper of Nature to say whether his god does not demand precisely the same condition of manifestation? The mountain is saying, If any man love me, I will manifest myself unto him; the sun holds the same language, so does the sea, so does every leaf of the forest. Two men shall walk along the same road; the one shall see nothing of beauty, and hear nothing of music. When he reaches his journey’s end he may, perhaps, have a dim impression that there was a hedge on one side of him and that there was garden land on the other; he may not be prepared absolutely to deny that a bird or two might have been singing in the air as he came along; he may not be ready to take an oath that now and again he passed a wayside flower; but he knows nothing, he is not in the slightest degree enriched by reason of his walk through the enchanting scenery. To such an eye as his Nature refuses to reveal herself in any but her most outward forms, and even they are misunderstood by so blind a reader. The companion who walked with him has, on the contrary, enriched his mind with many a picture; he has heard voices which will linger in his ear for many a day; the wayside flower has spoken to him some tender message, and the whole scene has been to him as the distinct handwriting of the great Creator. How are we lo account for the difference? The road was the same, the two men travelled the same path at the same moment; yet the one was poor at his journey’s end, and the other was filled with a sweet delight. The explanation is easy: the one loved Nature, and therefore Nature manifested herself to his admiring eye; the other cared nothing for Nature, and Nature in return cared nothing for him. What I wish to insist upon is, that even in your sanctuary, O worshipper of Nature, the same law holds good as in the sanctuary of the living God; in both we hear the words, “If any man love me, I will manifest myself unto him.”

The same rule holds good with Art. Every great picture is saying to those who look upon it, If any man love me, I will manifest myself unto him. It is not every man who can read a picture. To some men a picture is only so much canvas and so much paint, without life, without idea, without poetry; there the great work hangs, having no message to those who look upon it with unappreciative eyes. You have heard persons who knew nothing of works of art, who, in passing great pictures, have said, “That is not so bad,” or, “What a glorious frame that is!” but into the soul of the painter they have not seen at all; they have not appreciated the expenditure of mind which has been lavished on that costly work. On the other hand, there have been men who have stood before a great picture dumb with amazement, quivering with inexpressible delight, moved to the very depths of their being! The picture is the same, the light in which it is viewed by both parties is the same; yet to the one mind the picture is representing truths too deep for utterance, and to the other nothing but the coarsest exterior. Here again, therefore, we are thrown back upon the law of the text, and are shown that it is no arbitrary law which Almighty God has set up. Art unites with Nature in saying in the most distinct manner, If any man love me, I will manifest myself unto him. Nor do we come to a change of this law if we enter into the circle in which human nature is most deeply studied. You can never know a man deeply until you love him. If you wish to know what is in your friend, sound his depths by entrusting him with more and more of your friendship. As flowers expand in the sunshine, so character discloses itself under the genial radiance of trustful affection. All character, indeed, does not reveal itself in the same way, but some men, and probably the grandest men, do not show themselves fully except under the influence of love. We may make many happy conjectures concerning the disposition of men. By putting one thing and another together which we may have seen in their character, we may come to some tolerably correct conclusion regarding the life of those whom we carefully study; but to know a man deeply and truly, to know him as he knows himself, we must test him by our own love, we must develop him by the fulness and reality of our special trust. The mother often knows more about the child than the father does. You may remember that in your childish days you were able to go to your mother with a very broken story, and she was patient and wise enough to put it together for you and make something of it; but you did not care to go to your father until you had a straightforward story to tell, and were prepared to stand a close cross-examination upon it. Perhaps some little girl may say that in her case it was precisely the contrary, for she could go to her father better than to her mother. I am glad to know it; such an instance does not at all destroy the validity of my position; it still remains true that where there is the most love there will be the highest power of interpretation, and that love will draw from its object most surely all that it requires. What we have found in Nature, in art, and in the family circle, we find in the whole course of our general study. The poet is saying, If any man love me, I will manifest myself to him. He will not speak to the prosaic reader. His poem will be but so many lines to the man who has no poetic faculty. The poet will only speak to the poet. Two men shall read the same poem one will feel it tedious and wearisome exceedingly; the other will feel as if it ended too soon, so rich, so inspiring, so grand he felt it to be. What is this but the application of the principle of the text? So with the musician: to some men (men, indeed, who are to be sincerely pitied) music is nothing; it does not come to them with interpretations which could never be expressed in common words; they are lost in what, to them, is a terrible discord the clash of instruments, the throbbing of great drums, the roll of stupendous organs, the blending of many voices to them it is all confusion, without spirit, without figure, without signification. To others, music is as a voice from heaven: in the grand compositions of the masters they see, as it were, the very spirit of music walking upon the wings of the tuneful wind, and beckoning them away to higher scenes and nobler delights than earth can afford. How is this? Music will not visit the silent chambers of the soul that gives it no loving invitation; music, on the contrary, will never cease to sound in the hearing of those who pray that her voice may continue to soothe and inspire them.

We come, therefore, again and again upon the principle of the text. Whatever be your god be it Nature, be it Art, be it humanity you will find in it the same law that you find in the text, namely, that without love there can be no true manifestation. It is the same with reading books. All authors are not the same to us; we must take something to an author before we can get from him all that he will give. The “Stones of Venice” must be hard reading to a man who cares nothing for Gothic, Byzantine, bases, jambs, and archivolts; Shakespeare is uninteresting to the man who brings nothing of the dramatic in his own nature to the interpretation of the great poet; such a man will flee to Euclid’s Geometry, as to an ark of refuge. Yes, even geometry itself insists upon the application of the law which we find in the text. Euclid is dull reading to the man who does not love mathematics; but to him who has, so to speak, a geometrical mind, even straight lines and circles are apt to become things of beauty. You will not regard these illustrations as tedious if they help you in any degree to realise the principle, that love is the secret of manifestation. In setting up love as the condition of divine fellowship, God does not set up an arbitrary law. This, indeed, is the common law of the universe. Like ever goes to like. He who loves the devil most, knows most of the devil. To love vice is to be a learned scholar in the school of the infernal spirit; is to be really clever at wickedness, to be refined in iniquity, to be a genius in abomination. Some men are so little learned in the arts of the devil as to expose themselves to the interference of the policeman and the magistrate; they are such clumsy servants of their bad master as actually to be imprisoned, and to be otherwise punished by the laws of their country; others, again, are such adepts in the art of doing that which is forbidden, that they can manage to build up a reputation for respectability while they are actually engaged in practices which cannot bear the light of day, so silent are they, so skilful, so deeply do they love the devil, that they receive from him the most secret manifestations, whilst they can look abroad upon the world With a face which simulates the appearance of innocence. The law is impartial. To love is to know; to love is to have; to love is strength; to love is life.

(2) I intended to say something about the blessed evidences that we have realised this divine manifestation; but why attempt to explain what must of necessity be too great for utterance in words? When God is showing himself in the heart, there are many signs of his presence. In our deepest intercourse with the Father our souls enter into an ecstasy in which language is felt to be powerless. You cannot have God in your heart without knowing that he is there. You cannot always explain, in common language, how it is that you are assured of his presence; yet there are flashes of light upon your mind, there are surgings of love in your heart, which tell you most unmistakably that you are enjoying immediate fellowship with the Father and his Christ. If I were to enter into an enumeration of the evidences by which any man can be assured that God is manifesting himself to the human heart, I should put, first and foremost, this namely, where God dwells there will be increasing hatred of sin as sin. I do not say that there will be mere dread of consequences; I do not teach that men will avoid sin simply because they fear the terrible rod which never fails to follow the evil-doer. I insist rather, that where God is reigning in the heart there will be an ever-deepening detestation of sin on its own account; of sin because it is sin, because it is so infinitely hateful to God himself. Where the spirit of order is in a man, he does not require to go with a square and compasses, and other mathematical instruments, in order to test whether this or that is out of order, or out of proportion; he detects it instantly, by reason of the very spirit that is in him. Where the spirit of honesty is in a man, he docs not retire in order to consult an Act of Parliament before he completes his transactions with those who have entered into business relations with him. He does not say, “If the Act will allow me to get off for elevenpence three-farthings, certainly I shall not pay one shilling.” He is himself an Act of Parliament; he is the incarnation of the spirit of honesty he represents the great law of divine righteousness, and, because of the spirit of integrity which is in him, it is utterly impossible for him to go astray from the path of rectitude. And even thus it is with regard to the very highest attainments of the divine life. When the spirit of holiness is in a man, his whole life will be made holy thereby; he will not care to consult rules and codes as determined by human critics; the spirit of holiness that is in him will lead him into truth, into purity, into the very holiness of the all-holy God. Let us then put ourselves to the test on this point: if we would really know whether God is manifesting himself to us, let us each say, Do I hate sin as sin, or would I roll it under my tongue as a sweet morsel if I could do so without suffering evil consequences for it? Do I abominate sin because it is opposed to the nature of God, or do I profess to hate it merely because such profession will secure for me a better standing in society? Would I sin if I were left alone, or if the most perfect secrecy could be granted to me? These are the piercing questions by which a man may test whether he is really enjoying divine manifestation, or is living a superficial and perhaps a hypocritical life.

Next to insisting upon this proof of divine manifestation to the human heart, I should point out that where God really dwells with men there will be on the part of men supremacy of the spiritual over the material. The flesh will be servant, not master. Christianity indeed does not destroy human passions, but gives them a higher direction. Where God dwells in the soul, and fills the mind with heavenly light, and stirs the heart with blessed expectation, the passions will, of necessity, take their order from reason. As the material universe is under God’s control, so will the human body be under the control of the human spirit, where God dwells in the heart. As in nature we find occasional outbreakings of storm as the winds now and again threaten to rock the world and shake it out of its place as the volcano bursts forth in devastating fire as the sea roars tumultuously, so there may be in our bodily experiences proofs that we are yet in a region where the enemy has some power over us; yet as God sits above the floods, and controls all the forces of creation, so will he give our spirit ability to overmaster all the agitation and turbulence which show that even yet we are more or less strangers in a strange land. Out of this hatred of sin and this spiritual supremacy there will, of course, come perfect trust in God’s government of the world. The world becomes quite a new study when the heart is renewed in Christ’s love. The world is no longer a threatening mystery; it is still, indeed, a problem, but there is the most perfect assurance in the heart that the solution will bring nothing but glory to the divine name. When God manifests himself to man, man is delivered from the terrors of the present world; he ceases to see mere accident in the courses of daily life that perplex him and distress him. He says, I do but see part of the divine movement in this; so far as these events that appear to be disastrous are concerned, I see that which is fragmentary, and I must patiently and confidently wait until God has completed his whole purpose. This is a sure sign that God is in the heart, for the world is displaced, its power is thrown down, and, even in the most threatening circumstances, there is a calmness which was never wrought in the human mind by carnal philosophy or unassisted reasoning. The world becomes less and less to a man who enjoys divine fellowship. To some men the world is, of course, everything; they have but one little world in their tiny universe of course they are bound to make the most of it; to the man who is the temple of the Holy Ghost there is a great and indeed immeasurable universe, in view of which this speck of dust, on which some men would live for ever, dwindles into its proper insignificance. The Christian and the worldling are not, as they ought not to be, able to look upon the events of life with the same composure. The worldling must, of necessity, live in a constant state of alarm, because he is exposed to the mercy of what he calls accident, chance, misfortune. The Christian, on the other hand, by reason of taking wide views of things, by reason of associating himself with that which is infinite and absolute, enters into a profound and imperturbable peace. Yes, this peace is a sure sign that God is revealing himself to the heart Where grace is, there will be the most blessed peace. “Great peace have they that love thy law.” The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Is any man in search of the Holy Grail? Here it is. “If any man love me, I will manifest myself unto him.” Hast thou been on the holy quest in many countries? Pause. The answer is here, “If any man love me, I will manifest myself unto him.” After many heartaches, many blighting disappointments, many cruel mockings, art thou still sighing for the Holy Sangreal? I have the answer, “If any man love me, I will manifest myself unto him.” We must begin with love, the love which comes of earnest desire to know that which is heavenly, and then, in due time, will come a still tenderer affection. We must get to the point of love. All our self-sufficiency, all our high notions, and mighty imaginings, must be cast away as things unclean and unsatisfying, and then we shall see the Father. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Love is the brightest purity. Purity is the divinest love. I cannot tell you how wondrously God reveals himself to love! He can never do enough for it. It moves him to lavish upon us unsearchable riches. Nor is love on our part a fixed quantity; we may grow in love for ever, constantly going out after God, never exhausting his grace, yet ever increasing in capacity to receive it. As for your god, O ye idolaters of Mammon, your love is a vanishing quantity, though it may appear to increase; you are daily impairing your very power of love; you are letting your greedy god eat up your hearts, and yet suffering him to delude you with the notion that you are independent and high-minded thinkers. Mammon! accursed god! never satisfied, never thankful, never beneficent, thou dost slay all to whom thou dost reveal thyself! Men of business, let me warn you against this flattering and mocking money-god; he will deceive you at last; he will stir you with most exciting promises he will show you the kingdoms of this world, and the glory of them; he will throw open the doors of enchanting palaces, and give you visions of temples in which all is golden but at last he will laugh you to scorn! Yes! he will surely reveal himself to you; he will grin as devils only can grin; and when you see him as he is you shall be like him. Blessed are they who have turned with loathing from his jewelled altars, and sought the Sangreal in the blessed Cross! Blessed is their life blessed is their peace blessed is their hope. Daily they draw themselves through the discipline of earth, by the inspiring expectation of heaven, and by the sweetness of grace they overcome the bitterness of sin.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Ver. 21. And I will love him, and manifest, &c. ] Increase of the saving knowledge of Christ is promised as a singular reward of our love to him and fruit of his love to us, , tacite et clam indicabo. By quietness and silence I will point out. (Eras.) Imo palam et in media luce. No indeed, openly and is the midst of light, Beza. This is, saith Agur, “to ascend into heaven,” Pro 30:3-4 . This is, saith our Saviour elsewhere, the great talent of all others. There is a “much” in it, Luk 12:48 . This is, saith St Paul, the Christian’s riches, 1Co 1:5 ; and David reckons of his wealth by it, Psa 119:32 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

21. ] . , “qui habet in memoria et servat in vita.” Aug [200] in loc. Or perhaps more accurately (with Stier). “He who has my commandments, as being my disciple by outward profession (not thus only: but holds them, by the inner possession of a living faith. So Meyer), and keeps them:” see Luk 11:28 . And . is more of the inner will to keep them, than the absolute observance, which can only follow on high degrees of spiritual advancement.

[200] Augustine, Bp. of Hippo , 395 430

. . ., by the Holy Spirit: see ch. Joh 16:14 . This (as Stier observes) is the highest promise which can be made to man (see Joh 14:23 ), and yet it is made to every man who . the commandments of the Lord Jesus. Cf. EXOD. in reff.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Joh 14:21 . The conditions on which depended the manifestation of the departed Christ are then exhibited, . The love to which Christ promises a manifestation of Himself is not an idle sentiment or shallow fancy, but a principle prompting obedience, , cf. 1Jn 2:7 ; 1Jn 4:21 , 2Jn 1:5 ; it means more than “hearing,” and is yet not equivalent to ; it seems to point to the permanent possession of the commandments in consciousness. This finds its appropriate expression in “keeping them,” observing them in the life. This is the expression and proof of love, and this love finds its response and reward in the love of the Father and of the Son, and in the manifestation of the Son to the individual. The appropriateness of introducing the Father and His love appears in Joh 14:24 . The love of Christ is that which prompts the manifestation. , the word is used by Moses in Exo 33:13 . Reynolds says: “This remarkable word implies that the scene or place of the higher manifestation will be in ( ) the consciousness of the soul”. The word however is currently used for outward manifestation; although here the manifestation alluded to is inward. Cf. Judas’ words. The nature of the manifestation has already been explained, Joh 14:19 .

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

of = by. Greek. hupo. App-104.

manifest. Greek. emphanizo. App-106.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

21.] . , qui habet in memoria et servat in vita. Aug[200] in loc. Or perhaps more accurately (with Stier). He who has my commandments, as being my disciple by outward profession (not thus only: but holds them, by the inner possession of a living faith. So Meyer), and keeps them: see Luk 11:28. And . is more of the inner will to keep them, than the absolute observance, which can only follow on high degrees of spiritual advancement.

[200] Augustine, Bp. of Hippo, 395-430

. . ., by the Holy Spirit: see ch. Joh 16:14. This (as Stier observes) is the highest promise which can be made to man (see Joh 14:23), and yet it is made to every man who . the commandments of the Lord Jesus. Cf. EXOD. in reff.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

In this sacred farewell talk of our Lords, he gives us many a revelation of the souls way of intercourse with him.

Joh 14:21-22. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them. he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

Many a time have we asked that question with great admiration of the special sovereign grace of God, that he should manifest himself to us, and not to the world. It is an unanswerable question. It is even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Joh 14:23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Where the grace of God has created love between us and Christ, there is a window through which Christ can manifest himself to us. Why he gave us that love we do not know, but when he has given us that love he will not deny us communion with himself.

Joh 14:24-26. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Fathers which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Holy Spirit does not teach us any new doctrine. Fix that in your minds, for in the present age we have numbers of persons who talk about being inspired with the Holy Ghost, and who come with all kinds of crudities and fooleries. Believe them not. The Holy Ghost says no other and no more than the Lord Jesus Christ himself said, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said to you. The canon of revelation is closed. None can add to it without a curse. Do not accept any testimony that would add to it. Keep you to what is here found, and pray the Holy Spirit to lead you into the clear understanding of it.

Joh 14:27-28. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

Christ had himself less than the Father in his state of humiliation, and now he is returning to the Father to be re-clothed with honour and majesty. Should we not rejoice in that?

Joh 14:29-31. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so do I. Arise, let us go hence.

And he went; to his death bravely determined, to do the Fathers will, though it meant the drinking up of that bitter cup, which made his very soul to tremble within him. God give us such love to Christ as Christ had to the Father.

Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Joh 14:21. , I) likewise as My Father.- , ) Exo 33:13, , , If therefore I have found grace in Thy sight, manifest Thyself to me.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Joh 14:21

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:-Love as presented by Jesus is not a mere sentiment, but it is a living, active principle. For this is the love of God. that we keep his commandments. (1Jn 5:3). So he makes the keeping of the commandments of God the test of their love for him. Man needs a test to try his love for God. When do I love him sufficient to be accepted of him is a question that will frequently come up to the believer. Jesus gives the test: If we are willing to do what he commands us to please him, he will accept us. He gives commands that man can see no wisdom in, and that are humiliating that he may be sure he keeps the command from a desire to obey God. [Jesus repeats his crucial test of love. It is of the highest importance to us that we shall not overlook this pregnant utterance and substitute for obedience emotional ecstasies.]

and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,-To those who show their love to God by obedience to his commands, the Father will both love and manifest himself to them.

and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.-Jesus will be with and in them as feeling and bearing their weaknesses, temptations, and sins; and they would be in him as partaking of his strength and comfort and sharing his blessings and honors.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

that hath: Joh 14:15, Joh 14:23, Joh 14:24, Joh 15:14, Gen 26:3-5, Deu 10:12, Deu 10:13, Deu 11:13, Deu 30:6-8, Psa 119:4-6, Jer 31:31, Jer 31:33, Jer 31:34, Eze 36:25-27, Luk 11:28, 2Co 5:14, 2Co 5:15, Jam 2:23, Jam 2:24, 1Jo 2:5, 1Jo 3:18-24, 1Jo 5:3, 2Jo 1:6, Rev 22:14

that loveth: Joh 14:23, Joh 15:9, Joh 15:10, Joh 16:27, Joh 17:23, Psa 35:27, Isa 62:2-5, Zep 3:17, 2Th 2:16, 1Jo 3:1

and will: Joh 14:18, Joh 14:22, Joh 14:23, Joh 16:14, Act 18:9-11, Act 22:18, 2Co 3:18, 2Co 4:6, 2Co 12:8, 2Ti 4:17, 2Ti 4:18, 2Ti 4:22, 1Jo 1:1-3, Rev 2:17, Rev 3:20

Reciprocal: Exo 20:6 – love me Exo 34:11 – Observe Lev 18:26 – keep Deu 4:40 – keep Deu 5:10 – love me Deu 6:5 – God with all Deu 7:13 – he will love Deu 11:27 – General Deu 26:16 – keep Deu 30:16 – to keep Jos 1:8 – observe Jos 22:5 – love Jdg 16:15 – when thine 1Ki 3:3 – walking 2Ki 18:6 – kept 2Ch 7:17 – observe Psa 25:14 – secret Psa 78:7 – keep Psa 89:15 – in the light Psa 106:3 – keep Psa 119:55 – kept Psa 119:167 – soul Psa 146:8 – loveth Pro 3:1 – let Pro 3:32 – his Pro 7:2 – Keep Pro 8:17 – I love Pro 19:8 – he that keepeth Pro 19:16 – keepeth the Pro 29:18 – but Son 2:4 – brought Son 5:1 – come Son 7:8 – I will go Son 8:13 – dwellest Isa 33:17 – eyes Eze 18:9 – walked Mat 11:29 – my Mat 25:42 – General Mar 9:5 – it is Mar 9:37 – receive me Luk 6:47 – doeth Luk 8:15 – keep Luk 9:48 – Whosoever shall receive this Joh 9:37 – Thou Joh 11:36 – Behold Joh 12:26 – him Joh 17:6 – they 1Co 16:22 – love 1Th 1:3 – and labour 1Pe 1:8 – ye love 1Jo 2:3 – if we 1Jo 3:24 – he that Rev 3:8 – and hast kept

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

COMING AND ABIDING

He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.

Joh 14:21-23

Our Blessed Lord had been speaking of His own impending departure and of the coming of the Holy Spirit, and He had pointed out that the Holy Spirit would really be a further manifestation of Himself to His Church. But the disciples noted that this further manifestation which should bring Him nearer to them would be a hiding of Himself from the world. Up to this time our Lords ministry had been marked by a note of frank publicity. But now all this was to come to an end.

I. The question asked.And here comes St. Judes question. What does it mean? Why this change? Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself to us, and not unto the world? is the question of a man who is honestly perplexed, and is at the same time zealous for his Masters honour. This difficulty has been by no means confined to the holy Apostles. It is a difficulty felt by devout believers in every age. The things of God, the things of the spiritual life, are to us so tremendously real, yet to the world they mean nothing. They are but as empty words, less important than the result of a cricket match or the event of a horse-race. Strange, most strange. And sometimes the question takes a sharper and more pathetic ring. It is no longer the children of God asking about the children of this world. The trouble has come nearer home. It is the husband asking about the wife, it is the wife asking about the husband. The husband asks, What does it mean? These spiritual verities to me mean so muchdeath and judgment, and God, and immortality; they are with me when I rise up and when I lie down, when I go forth and when I come in. But to her, my wife, they seem to be less than nothingthey do not touch her, they do not interest her; and yet she is not a bad woman, that is the strangest part of itin so many respects far better than myself, I know it well: a little light, perhaps, a little pleasure-loving, but not a bad woman; faithful, loyal, pure, affectionate. What does it mean? Or it is the wife who cries in the bitterness of her spirit, Oh, my God, give me my husbands soul! In all other respects we are true husband and wife, but with regard to the things of the spiritual life, I know it well, there is a barrier, invisible, impalpable, but real, hard as adamant. I could trust him among ten thousand; yet here, in the deepest things of life, where above all I desire to be one with him, we are in different worlds, we are so far apart we can hardly hear one another speak. What does it mean?

II. Christs answer.And then there comes Christs answer, an answer strange, enigmatical. If any man love Me he will keep My sayings, and I will come to him and make My abode with him. It is not the answer we should have expected, not perhaps the answer we should have desired, and yet they are words of truth, and we may well dwell upon them and search out their meaning. Our Lord lays down the principle that the revelation of God always demands moral co-operation on our part. God never leaves Himself without witness, let us be sure of that. He appeals to every heart and conscience. He is that inner voice which calls us to strive upwards and onwards, and if we respond to that voice, if heart and conscience are willing to attend, He will manifest Himself to us more fully. The manifestation of God requires moral co-operation on our part. Christ, when He comes, comes with a searching power. He demands that we should cast out of our lives all that is inconsistent with the friendship of the Holy God. He demands, first of all, repentance. Take, for instance, the story of Samuel and Eli. The little Temple servant could hear the voice of God, the wise old priest could not. He had neglected a duty, he had not restrained his sons. John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Christ. How did he prepare it? By calling them to repentance. The Holy Spirit comes that He may convince us. How does He begin? By convincing the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.

III. Our Lords words come to us

(a) With wonder. If we feel that our own religion is mere outward formality, that we do not really possess Christ and are not possessed by Him, then let us look to it lest sin lie at the door. Before we answer that we are not as other men, let us look to it and see if our first need is not the need of repentance.

(b) With encouragement.We may well bear the encouragement in mind in dealing with other men. It may be that your husband, your wife, your dear friend, does not seem to be in the ordinary sense of the term religious. You have often sorrowed and interceded with God for them. But if there be in them the genuine love of goodness, if they are striving upwards and onwards for purity and truth and morality, and all that is noble, then our Blessed Lord seems to say to us that they really love Him though they know it not, that there is in their case the necessary condition for the further manifestation of Himself to them. Those of us who know Christ as a personal Saviour would never admit for one moment that the love of goodness means the same thing as the personal possession of Jesus Christ. It cannot mean the same thing, yet in the case of those who are not outwardly religious, but love purity and truth and goodness, we can afford to be patient, we can afford to wait. Christ will come to that soul, and He will possess it, and once having possessed it He will keep it in His safe and holy care.

Rev. W. S. Swayne.

Illustration

Show me Thy face! one transient gleam

Of loveliness divine,

And I shall never think or dream

Of other love save Thine!

All lesser light will darken quite,

All lower glories wane,

The beautiful of earth will scarce

Seem beautiful again.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

This is virtually explained at verse 15.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

We learn from these verses that keeping Christ’s commandments is the best test of love to Christ.

This is a lesson of vast importance, and one that needs continually pressing on the attention of Christians. It is not talking about religion, and talking fluently and well too, but steadily doing Christ’s will and walking in Christ’s ways, that is the proof of our being true believers. Good feelings and desires are useless if they are not accompanied by action. They may even become mischievous to the soul, induce hardness of conscience, and do positive harm. Passive impressions which do not lead to action, gradually deaden and paralyze the heart. Living and doing are the only real evidence of grace. Where the Holy Spirit is, there will always be a holy life. A jealous watchfulness over tempers, words, and deeds, a constant endeavor to live by the rule of the Sermon on the Mount, this is the best proof that we love Christ.

Of course such maxims as these must not be wrested and misunderstood. We are not to suppose for a moment that “keeping Christ’s commandments” can save us. Our best works are full of imperfection. When we have done all we can, we are feeble and unprofitable servants. “By grace are ye saved through faith,-not of works.” (Eph 2:8.) But while we hold one class of truths, we must not forget another. Faith in the blood of Christ must always be attended by loving obedience to the will of Christ. What the Master has joined together, the disciple must not put asunder. Do we profess to love Christ? Then let us show it by our lives. The Apostle who said, “Thou knowest that I love Thee!” received the charge, “Feed my lambs.” That meant, “Do something. Be useful: follow my example.” (Joh 21:17.)

We learn, secondly, from these verses, that there are special comforts laid up for those who love Christ, and prove it by keeping His words. This, at any rate, seems the general sense of our Lord’s language: “My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

The full meaning of this promise, no doubt, is a deep thing. We have no line to fathom it. It is a thing which no man can understand except he that receives and experiences it. But we need not shrink from believing that eminent holiness brings eminent comfort with it, and that no man has such sensible enjoyment of his religion as the man who, like Enoch and Abraham, walks closely with God. There is more of heaven on earth to be obtained than most Christians are aware of. “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.”-“If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with Me.” (Psa 25:14; Rev 3:20.) Promises like these, we may be sure, mean something, and were not written in vain.

How is it, people often ask, that so many professing believers have so little happiness in their religion? How is it that so many know little of “joy and peace in believing,” and go mourning and heavy-hearted towards heaven? The answer to these questions is a sorrowful one, but it must be given. Few believers attend as strictly as they should to Christ’s practical sayings and words. There is far too much loose and careless obedience to Christ’s commandments. There is far too much forgetfulness, that while good works cannot justify us they are not to be despised. Let these things sink down into our hearts. If we want to be eminently happy, we must strive to be eminently holy.

We learn, lastly, from these verses, that one part of the Holy Ghost’s work is to teach, and to bring things to remembrance. It is written, “The Comforter shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance.”

To confine this promise to the eleven Apostles, as some do, seems a narrow and unsatisfactory mode of interpreting Scripture. It appears to reach far beyond the day of Pentecost, and the gift of writing inspired books of God’s Holy Word. It is safer, wiser, and more consistent with the whole tone of our Lord’s last discourse, to regard the promise as the common property of all believers, in every age of the world. Our Lord knows the ignorance and forgetfulness of our nature in spiritual things. He graciously declares that when He leaves the world, His people shall have a teacher and remembrancer.

Are we sensible of spiritual ignorance? Do we feel that at best we know in part and see in part? Do we desire to understand more clearly the doctrines of the Gospel? Let us pray daily for the help of the “teaching” Spirit. It is His office to illuminate the soul, to open the eyes of the understanding, and to guide us into all truth. He can make dark places light, and rough places smooth.

Do we find our memory of spiritual things defective? Do we complain that though we read and hear, we seem to lose as fast as we gain? Let us pray daily for the help of the Holy Ghost. He can bring things to our remembrance. He can make us remember “old things and new.” He can keep in our minds the whole system of truth and duty, and make us ready for every good word and work.

==================

Notes-

v21.-[He that hath…commandments…loveth Me.] Our Lord seems to return to the lesson of the fifteenth verse, and to repeat it because of its importance. There, however, He spoke specially to His disciples; here He lays it down as a general principle applicable to all Christians in all time:-“He that not only possesses and knows my commandments, but also does and practices them, he is the man that really loves Me.” Obedience is the true test of real love to Christ, and not knowledge and talk only. Many HAVE, but do not KEEP Christ’s will.

Burgon observes, “This amounts to a declaration that the sad hearts and weeping eyes of the Apostles would not be accepted by their Lord as any proof of their love. Obedience was the test He chose.”

[He…loveth Me…loved…Father.] Here follows an encouragement to practical obedience: “He that really loves Me, and proves his love by his life, shall be specially loved by my Father. My Father loves those who love Me.”

Let us carefully note that there is a special love of God the Father which is peculiarly set on believers, over and above the general love of pity and compassion with which He regards all mankind. In the highest sense God is a “Father” to none but those who love Christ. The modern doctrine of a “Fatherhood” of God which is soul-saving to those who neglect Christ, is a mere delusion of man.

[And I…love…manifest…him.] Here follows another encouragement to the man who strives to keep Christ’s commandments. Christ will specially love that man, and will give him special manifestations of His grace and favour, invisibly and spiritually. He shall feel and know in his own heart comforts and joys that wicked men and inconsistent professors know nothing of. That the “manifesting” of Himself here spoken of is a purely unseen and spiritual thing, is self-evident. It is one of those things which can only be known by experience, and is only known by holy and consistent Christians.

We should carefully observe here, that Christ does more for the comfort of some of His people than He does for others. Those who follow Christ most closely and obediently will always follow Him most comfortably, and feel most of His inward presence. It is one thing, as John says, to know Christ, and another to know that we know Him. (1Jn 2:3.)

v22.-[Judas saith…not Iscariot.] Jude, the writer of the Epistle, and brother of James, was the Apostle who speaks here. He is called elsewhere Lebbeus and Thaddeus. Remembering that James is called in Galatians “the Lord’s brother,” there must have been some relationship between him and our Lord. Probably he was a cousin. Whether a recollection of this may have been in His mind when asking the question, admits of conjecture. This is the only word recorded to have been spoken by Jude in the Gospels.

We should mark the careful manner in which John reminds us that it was not the false Apostle who asked.

Let us note that out of each saying of the three Apostles who spoke to our Lord, interrupting Him in His last discourse, a great truth was elicited for the benefit of the Church. Thomas, Philip, and Jude, ignorant and slow as they were, drew out of our Lord’s mouth rich and precious sayings.

[How is it…manifest…us…not…world.] This question is the simple inquiry of one guessing after the truth, and not able to see clearly what our Lord’s words meant,-whether a visible or an invisible manifestation of Himself:-“What is the precise distinction of privilege between ourselves and the world to which you point?”

The Greek for “How is it?” would be literally, “What has happened?” The Greek for “Thou wilt,” is literally, “Thou art about.”

Whitby thinks that Jude, like most Jews of his time, expected Messiah’s kingdom to be a visible temporal kingdom over all the earth. He could not therefore understand a manifestation of Christ confined to the disciples.

v23.-[Jesus answered…will love him.] This sentence is simply a repetition of the truth contained in the fifteenth and twenty-first verses: “I tell you again emphatically that the man who really loves Me will keep my words, and obey my commandments. And I repeat that such a man will be specially loved and cared for by my heavenly Father.”

Let us note that in this verse our Lord does not say, “Keep my commandments,” but my “word” generally, in the singular number, including all His whole teaching.

[And we will come…abide with him.] These words can only admit of one sense,-a spiritual and invisible coming and abiding. The Father and the Son will come spiritually into the heart and soul of a true saint, and will make their continual dwelling with him. This, again, is a purely experimental truth, and one that none can know but he that has felt it.

Let us note the condescension of the Father and the Son, and the high privileges of a believer. No matter how poor and lowly a man may be, if he has faith and grace, he has the best of company and friends. Christ and the Father dwell in his heart, and he is never alone, and cannot be poor. He is the temple of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The use of the plural number “we,” is very note-worthy in this place.

v24.-[He…loveth Me not…my sayings.] Once more the same great principle already taught, is laid down again from the negative side. Where there is no obedience to Christ, there is no love. Nothing can be more plain than our Lord’s repeated warnings that practical obedience, keeping His commandments and sayings, doing His will, is the only sure test of love to Him. Without this obedience, profession, talk, knowledge, Churchmanship, yea, even feeling, conviction, weeping and crying, are all worthless things.

[And word…not mine…Father…sent Me.] The purpose of this sentence is to remind the disciples of the authority and dignity of our Lord’s sayings and commandments. They are not His words only, but His Father’s. He that despises them despises the Father, and he that honours them by obedience honours the Father.

v25.-[These things…spoken…present with you.] Our Lord seems here to begin to wind up the first part of His discourse to a conclusion. Whether “these things” mean only the things He spoke this evening, or all the things He had taught them during His ministry, admits of doubt. I rather incline to the view that the expression must be taken in the widest sense: “These and many other things I have spoken to you, while abiding and dwelling among you. Your hearts are troubled, perhaps, by the thought that you cannot remember them, and do not understand them. Here there are some grounds of comfort.”

v26.-[But…Comforter…Holy Ghost…my name.] Here comes one more grand consolation: “When I am gone, the Holy Ghost, the promised Advocate, whom the Father will send on my account, through my intercession, and to glorify Me, shall supply all your need, and provide for all your wants.”

Let us note how distinctly the Holy Spirit is spoken of here as a Person, and not an influence.

Let us note how the Father sends the Spirit, but also sends Him in Christ’s name, and with a special reference to Christ’s work.

[He shall teach you all things.] The first word here rendered “He” is unmistakeably applicative to none but a person, being a masculine pronoun. The “teaching” here promised must mean, firstly, that fuller and more complete instruction which the Holy Ghost evidently gave to believers after our Lord’s ascension. No one can read the “Acts” without seeing that the eleven were different men after the day of Pentecost; and saw and knew and understood things of which they were very ignorant before. But, secondly, the “teaching” most probably includes all that teaching and enlightening which the Spirit imparts to all true believers in every age. Light is the first thing we need, and He gives it. It is His special office to “open the eyes of our understandings.”

The expression “all things” must plainly be limited to all things needful to be known by the soul, and does not include all knowledge of every kind.

[And bring all things…remembrance…told you.] This is a special consolation for the weak memories of the troubled disciples. Our Lord promises that the Spirit would bring back to their memories the many lessons, both doctrinal and practical, which they had heard from Him but forgotten. This was a very needful promise. How often we find it recorded that the disciples did not understand our Lord’s sayings and doings at the time they heard and saw them, it is almost needless to point out. (Joh 2:22; Joh 12:16.)

Some apply these words especially to the gift of inspiration by which the New Testament Scriptures were written. I cannot see this. The promise was to the whole eleven, of whom only five were allowed to write! This is strongly dwelt on by Alford.

Some apply these words exclusively to the eleven. I cannot see this either. To my eyes they seem a general promise, primarily no doubt applying specially to the eleven, but after them belonging also to all believers in every age. As a matter of experience I believe that the awakening of the memories of true Christians is one of the peculiar works of the Holy Ghost on their souls. Once converted, they understand things and remember things in a way they did not before.

Does any one complain of his own ignorance and bad memory? Let him not forget that there is One whose office it is to “teach and to bring to remembrance.” Let him pray for the Holy Spirit’s help.

Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels

Joh 14:21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. The thought of privilege in Joh 14:14 led to that condition on which alone privilege can be preserved (Joh 14:15). We have a similar transition now. Here, as there, one thing must be distinctly remembered, that this unity is one of love. There is love on the part of the believer to his Lord, love on the part of the Father to the believer, love on the part of Jesus to the believer. In this fellowship of love the result of all will be the manifestation by Himself of the glorified Redeemer to His people. He will manifest Himself from His glory, and in knowing and seeing Him by the power of the Spirit they will know and see the Father. A third difficulty arises in the breast of Judas.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Our blessed Saviour in these words repeats what he had before enjoined at verse 15, namely, to evidence the sincerity of our love to him, by the universality of our obedience to his commands: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.

Where note, 1. The necessity of knowledge in order unto practice.

2. The necessity of practice in order unto happiness. We must first have Christ’s commandments, before we can keep them: we must have them in our understandings and judgments, in our wills and affections; not have them only in our eyes to read, in our ears to hear, or in our mouths to talk of them but to hide them in our hearts, that we may not sin against Christ, in the willful violation of them.

Farther, we must keep, as well as have, these commandments. This denotes an universal, diligent, and pesevering obedience to them.

Hence learn, That although many loose professors pretend love to Christ, because they hear, read, know, and can talk of, his commandments; yet in Christ’s account none do truly love him, but those who make conscience of their obedience to him: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.

Observe next, The gracious promise of Christ to such as thus express their love unto him.

1. He shall be loved of my Father, and of myself.

And shall he not be loved of the Holy Ghost too? Yes, no doubt. But why is he not named then? Because the Son dwelleth in us by the Spirit, and shed his love abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.

2., I will manifest myself unto him: that is, such obedient Christians shall not only enjoy the fruit and benefit of my love, but they shall enjoy the sense of my love, and experience the sensible manifestations and inward diffusions of my love in their own souls.

Learn hence, That the only way to have Christ love us, and to let out his love upon us, and to know that he loves us is to look diligently to our obediential walking with him and before him. We may as rationally think to nourish our bodies with poison, as to enjoy the manifestation of Christ’s love in a way of sin.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Vv. 21 states with preciseness the manner of this illumination. Jesus had said summarily, Joh 14:15 : Keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father. Here he enumerates in detail all the links of the chain of graces which will be connected with this practical fidelity of His followers: It is necessary to hold inwardly () His word, and toobserve it practically (); this is not done by the world, which has heard it, but rejected it; for this reason it is not fitted to receive these higher graces.

By means of this moral fidelity,

1. Such an individual (, that exceptional man) assumes the character of a being who truly loves Jesus ( ).

2. Hence he becomes the beloved of the Father, who, loving the Son, also loves whoever makes Him the object of his love. This love of the Father is not that which is spoken of in Joh 3:16 : God so loved the world. These two loves differ as the compassion of a man for his guilty and wretched neighbor and the tender affection of a father for his child, or a husband for his wife, differ.

3. The Son, seeing the eye of the Father turning with tenderness towards the disciple who loves Him, feels Himself united with the latter by a new bond (and I will love him); He loves him still more tenderly in proportion as He sees the love of the Father enveloping him.

4. Finally, from all this follows the supreme miracle of the love of the Father and the Son: the perfect revelation which Jesus gives to the disciple of Himself: I will manifest myself to him.

This is the condition of the you shall know, Joh 14:20. This altogether extraordinary term refers to the inward manifestation of the Messiah. It will not by any means suit the external and passing appearances of the Risen One, to which even Weiss gives up referring it; but to substitute what? Certain manifestations of the nearness of Jesus granted to His disciples in the course of their life, like that of the Lord to Moses (Exo 33:13; Exo 33:18); but in any case not by means of the Spirit, adds this interpreter. And yet the asyndeta after Joh 14:17 prove, by themselves alone, that Jesus is here developing the promise of the gift of the Spirit; and Joh 14:23 shows clearly enough what Jesus means to speak of in Joh 14:21. It is precisely this wholly inward character of the manifestation described in Joh 14:21 which calls forth the question of Judas in Joh 14:22.

In the face of these interruptions of the disciples, Gess compares Jesus to a skilful pilot who does not suffer himself to be turned aside by the rushing waves, but by a prompt stroke of the helm gives each time to the ship the desired direction.

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

Verse 21

Hath; receiveth.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will {k} manifest myself to him.

(k) I will show myself to him, and be known by him, as if he saw me with his eyes: but this showing of himself is not bodily, but spiritual, yet so plain that no other showing could be more evident.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Love for God makes the believer more obedient to God. Moreover obedience results in a more intimate relationship with God that God’s love for the believer and His self-disclosure to the believer identify.

The believer’s obedience does not make God love him or her more than He would otherwise. God’s love for all people is essentially as great as it can be. However in the family relationship that Jesus was describing the believer’s obedience results in God expressing His love for him or her without restraint. When there is disobedience, God does not express His love as fully because He chooses to discipline the believer (cf. Heb 12:4-13).

In the context (Joh 14:18-20), this was a promise that Jesus would disclose Himself to the Eleven after His resurrection and an encouragement for them to continue obeying Him and loving Him. However that disclosure was only typical of many others that would come to believers who obey and love Jesus, including the one that happened on Pentecost.

Some believers love Jesus more than other believers do. This results in some believers obeying Him more than others and enjoying a more intimate relationship and greater understanding of Him than others enjoy. The way to become a great lover of Jesus is by learning to appreciate the greatness of His love for us (cf. Mat 18:21-35; 1Jn 4:19).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

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