Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 14:24
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
24. is not mine ] To be understood literally: see on Joh 12:44.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The word which ye hear is not mine – See the notes at Joh 5:19; Joh 7:16.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. He that loveth me not, c.] Hence we learn that the man who is not obedient to the testimonies of Christ does not love him and the Spirit of this truth has said, He who loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed, 1Co 16:22.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Because they did not love him, nor keep his sayings, their sin was aggravated; because the words which he spake were not his will only, but the will of his Father who had sent him into the world, to reveal his will to the sons of men.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings,…. These words may have respect both to external professors of religion, who being destitute of true love to Christ, though they outwardly observe his ordinances and commands; yet inasmuch as this does not spring from a principle of love to him, and is done only to be seen of men, or to obtain life for themselves, may be said, not to keep his words or commands, because they do not keep them aright; and to the profane world, who, as they have no affection to Christ, pay no regard to any orders or ordinances of his: and they may be considered as having in them a reason or argument, justifying the conduct of Christ, in manifesting himself to his disciples, and not unto the world; as the following words give a reason why the Father takes so much notice of, comes and makes his abode with such as keep the words of Christ:
and, or “for”
the word which you hear, is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me: that is, it is not only mine, but my Father’s also: it is not mine as man; it is not a scheme of things of my own devising; it is not from earth, but from heaven; my Father has a concern in it, and therefore regards such who hear, receive, and keep it: and this is said by him partly to engage a greater regard and attention to his word, his truths, and ordinances, by his disciples; and to expose and aggravate the sin of those who despised and rejected them; since it was not barely casting contempt on him, but on his Father likewise.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He that loveth me not ( ). Present active articular participle of with negative , “the one who keeps on not loving me.”
Is not mine, but the Father’s ( , ). Predicative possessive pronoun and the predicate genitive of possession .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
My sayings [] . Rev., words. Compare word, ver. 23. The constituent parts of the one word.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1 ) “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: ho me agapon me tous logous mou ou terei) “The one who does not love me affectionately keeps not my words,” He does not regard my teachings. He who does not serve God by love, does not serve Him by fear either. Fear-service is self-aggrandizement service that is not of God, and avails nothing, Gal 5:6; Rom 10:1-4; Jas 2:14-17.
2) “And the word which ye hear is not mine,” (kai ho logos akouete ouk estin emos) ”And the word which you all hear is not (exists not as) mine,” personally or individually, not apart from Him who sent me and gave me His message, as I have loved you all and given to you all the teaching and administration of my Word and work, Joh 5:30; Joh 5:43.
3) “But the Father’s which sent me.” (alla tou pempsantos me patros) “But they are the words or Word of my Father who sent me,” Joh 3:17; Joh 6:38; Joh 8:29; Joh 8:38; Joh 8:47; Joh 12:49; Joh 17:4-5; Joh 17:8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
24. He who loveth, me but keepeth not my words. As believers are mixed with unbelievers in the world, and as they must be agitated by various storms, as in a troubled sea, Christ again confirms them by this admonition, that they may not be drawn away by bad examples. As if he had said, “Do not look upon the world so as to depend on it; for there will always be some who despise me and my doctrine; but as for you, preserve constantly to the end the grace which you have once received.” Yet he likewise intimates that the world is justly punished for its ingratitude, when it perishes in its blindness, since, by despising true righteousness, it manifests a wicked hatred towards Christ.
And the word which you hear. That the disciples may not be discouraged or waver on account of the obstinacy of the world, he again procures credit to his doctrine, by testifying that it is from God, and that it was not contrived by men on the earth. And, indeed, the strength of our faith consists in our knowing that God is our leader, and that we are founded on nothing else than his eternal truth. Whatever then may be the rage and madness of the world, let us follow the doctrine of Christ, which rises far above heaven and earth. When he says that the word is not his, he accommodates himself to the disciples; as if he had said that it is not human, because he teaches faithfully what has been enjoined on him by the Father. Yet we know that, in so far as he is the eternal Wisdom of God, he is the only fountain of all doctrine, and that all the prophets who have been from the beginning spoke by his Spirit.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(24) He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings.He has shown in the previous verse how the Father and the Son can take up their abode in the hearts of the believers. He now shows how they could not be manifested to the hearts of the world. He that loveth not Christ keepeth not His word, and that word is the Fathers. He has rejected the love of God which is revealed in the Son, and has Himself closed the channels of communion with God. God cannot dwell with him because there is in him nothing which can be receptive of the Divine Presence.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. Loveth me not As the if was a mighty if, so this not is a terrible negative. It shuts the soul from communion with Christ in earth or heaven. And so Judas is answered. By a distinct reiteration Jesus clears Judas’s thoughts, and draws in his mind the distinct outline of the clear truth. In the coming dispensation of the Spirit the manifestations of Christ will be made to the spirits of those who love him, and to those alone.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Of the Work of the Spirit. v. 24. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings; and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me.
v. 25. These things have I spoken to you, being yet present with you.
v. 26. 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 unto you. If there is no love for Christ in the heart of a man, because faith never found entrance into that heart, then there can be no keeping of His words; and if not of His, then neither of His Father’s, whose words He was teaching, who had sent Him. Without the love toward Christ which grows out of faith there can be no really good works; all the works of unbelievers which have the appearance of keeping the words of Christ are “splendid vices,” with which they deceive others and often themselves. Jesus, having now promised the Comforter to His disciples, having given the assurance also that He Himself would come and reveal Himself to His disciples and that He, with the other persons of the Godhead, would make His abode with the believers, tells them also what special work the Spirit would do in their case. He had spoken many things to them during His ministry, and especially in the last days, whose importance and significance they had not grasped. Therefore that same Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father would send in His name, would serve as their teacher, giving them the understanding of all things which they still had in memory, and recalling to their minds such things as they had forgotten. Note: The Father sends the Spirit, but in the name of Jesus; the same intimate relation between the Father and the Son again appears. Because Jesus is exalted to the right hand of God and is acting as the Advocate of mankind with the Father, for that reason the Spirit is sent in His name. That was the assurance which comforted and encouraged the apostles, and which serves also for our comfort. For with such a promise to back them up in their teaching, we know that the apostles could not fail in their proclamation of the great truths of God. We may rely without the slightest hesitation and doubt upon the words that were written by the apostles or under their direction, knowing that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Father and the Son, directed and inspired them.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Ver. 24. But the Father’s ] Therefore to be obeyed, because of divine authority. God’s impress makes authentic, and binds every good heart to obedience. Veniat, veniat verbum Domini, et submittemus ei, sexcenta si nobis essent colta, said Baldassar, a godly Dutch divine (in Epist. ad Oecolamp.).
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 14:24 . The necessity of love as a condition of this manifested presence is further emphasised by stating the converse, . The of Joh 14:22 is here more closely defined by . See Holtzmann.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
sayings = words. Greek. logos. Same as “word “in the next clause, and in Joh 14:23. Compare Joh 8:51, Joh 8:52, Joh 8:55, and see note on Mar 9:32. Which sent Me. This expression (Greek. ho pempsas, App-174.), Occurs twenty-four times, all in John. See Joh 4:34; Joh 5:23, Joh 5:24, Joh 5:30, Joh 5:37; Joh 6:38, Joh 6:39, Joh 6:40, Joh 6:44; Joh 7:16, Joh 7:28, Joh 7:33; Joh 8:16, Joh 8:18, Joh 8:26, Joh 8:29; Joh 9:4; Joh 12:44, Joh 12:45, Joh 12:49; Joh 13:20; Joh 15:21; Joh 16:5. In the third person, “that sent Him”, twice, Joh 7:18; Joh 13:16.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 14:24. , he that loveth Me not) as is the case with the world. See Joh 14:22.- , My words) The godly man is said to keep both the word and words, and the commandments, of Christ and of God; the hypocrite is said not to keep them: it is only the word, or words [not also the commandments], that the man who is professedly alien to Christ is said not to keep. To observe His word is the whole; to observe the commandments is the part.- , keepeth not) and therefore is not loved [of the Father and Son, Joh 14:21], nor seeth the abiding of the Father and Son in him.- , and the word) This clause has reference not only to the former words of this verse, but also to Joh 14:23; nay, even more to the latter, as is evident from the singular number being used here, as in Joh 14:23.- , which ye hear) now also, whilst I am speaking these things with you.-, but) Hence is evident the reason why he who keepeth, or else keepeth not, the word of Jesus, hath the Father also (abiding with him), or else hath Him not accordingly.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 14:24
Joh 14:24
He that loveth me not keepeth not my words:-On the other hand, he who does not love God will not keep his words-will not obey and follow him. To keep his words is to cherish and ponder them in the heart, and to obey them because they have been commanded by God. One may do the very thing commanded by God, and yet not keep the words of God. He may do it from some other motive than to please and honor him. All service to God must be with the desire to please and honor him. [No other evidence of the want of love is necessary. This is conclusive.]
and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Fathers who sent me.-All things spoken by Jesus were from God, hence to hear Jesus was to hear God. [He thus adds the final sanction to all that he has been saying. In refusing to keep my words, they are refusing to keep the Father’s word, and, thus rejecting all divine instruction, they are unworthy of all divine presence.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
that: Joh 14:15, Joh 14:21-23, Mat 19:21, Mat 25:41-46, 2Co 8:8, 2Co 8:9, 1Jo 3:16-20
and: Joh 14:10, Joh 3:34, Joh 5:19, Joh 5:38, Joh 7:16, Joh 7:28, Joh 8:26, Joh 8:28, Joh 8:38, Joh 8:42, Joh 12:44-50
Reciprocal: 2Ch 19:11 – the Lord Psa 68:1 – that hate Zec 2:8 – sent Joh 3:11 – We speak 1Pe 1:8 – ye love
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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As the love for Christ is proved by obedience to his sayings, so the failure to keep them requires an opposite conclusion. God and Christ are one in Spirit and purpose, hence to reject the words of Christ is the same as rejecting God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 14:24. He that loveth me not keepeth cot my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Fathers which sent me. A fuller explanation than before why the world cannot receive the manifestation of the Father and the Son, but given now from the negative rather than the positive side. It will be observed that in Joh 14:23-24, we have first word, then words, and then, again, a return to the singular word. The explanation may in part be that to him who receives in faith the words of Jesus are one; he sees their unity; they are a word: to him who receives not in faith they are scattered and unconnected, words not a word. It may be found also in another consideration,that he who keeps keeps a whole, he who disobeys disobeys the several precepts. We remark only further that our Lord, while implying in Joh 14:23-24 that the world cannot receive such a manifestation of the Father and of Himself as had been promised to His own, shows with equal distinctness that there is no class favoured in an arbitrary manner. All make themselves what they are. If any one, He says, love me; and, again, he that loveth me. The world need not be the world. Every one may come and have the promise in all its fulness.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 24
Not mine; not mine alone.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
In conclusion, Jesus restated the ethical point He had made in Joh 14:15; Joh 14:23 a negatively. Lack of love for Jesus will result in lack of obedience to His teachings, which are the revelations of God the Father (cf. Joh 12:49; Joh 14:10).
In summary, Jesus revealed that He would depart from the Eleven shortly. He would do so to go and prepare a place for His believing disciples to dwell with Him eventually in heaven. He would prepare this place by going to the cross, rising from the dead, and ascending to heaven. Then He would return for them and take them to that place. However in the meantime He would dwell in them by His Spirit. He would also come to them before He departed for heaven.