John 15

Ver. 15—31. Our Lord enjoins a strict obedience to his commands, and promises another Comforter.—Love is the true source of Christian obedience, and that obedience is the great test of love: ‘‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.” In that case I will ask the Father, and he will send you another Comforter, Advocate, and Friend, who will more than supply the loss of my bodily presence; and he shall remain with you, not for a few years, as I have been, but for ever. The primary idea of the original term (Paraklete) appears to be that of an Advocate, or a person called upon to plead one’s cause in a court of judicature; and as the same is also the adviser or counsellor of his client, and being thus the means of great support and consolation, he may be also called a Comforter.

Thus our Lord Jesus, who is the great Advocate, and wonderful Counsellor of his people, is also their Comforter, in all cases of difficulty and affliction; and hence the Holy Spirit here promised is called another Comforter. There is this difference, however, between these illustrious Advocates: Christ is our Advocate with his Father in the court of heaven; but the office of the Holy Spirit is rather to instruct, advise, and assist us here below, and thus he becomes our Comforter on earth. And this he does in perfect harmony with the work of Christ himself; nor is there more harmony in the operations of the Father and the Son, than there is between those of the Son and the Holy Spirit: for as the Son doth nothing of himself, or independent of the Father, so also the Holy Spirit, in all the consolations which he offers, (as it is afterwards expressed,) takes of “the things of Christ,”

and exhibits them to his people. In fact, all the comforts which the Holy Spirit administers to believers are derived from the doctrine and work of Christ—his obedience and sufferings; his death and resurrection. This Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Truth, because it is his office to reveal truth, and to apply it to the consolation of the human mind, nor is any consolation derived from him but what is founded in truth and righteousness. The Spirit also teaches and instructs us, by bringing to our recollection, and impressing on our minds—not new truths, but those which Christ himself taught: for as Christ himself taught nothing but what he had heard and learned of the Father, ((John 7:26, 40),) so, it is said, ‘‘the Holy Spirit shall speak nothing of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear” from the Father and from Christ, ‘that shall he speak,” and reveal to men, (ch. iv. 13.) These things we introduce by way of anticipation, in order to show that there is, in all the operations of the Divine Persons, the most perfect harmony that can be conceived, and even more than creatures can possibly conceive; and yet, in the economy of our redemption, each has a distinct [office].

In so eastern countries, on entering a house, (and we believe also in departing,) it is usual to pronounce a Salaam, that is, a wish of Peace; and it is, we presume, in conformity with give? In a cold, complimentary, heartless manner.

How — does Christ give? All the blessings which he bestows are sprinkled with his blood. “He laid down his life for us. Let not, therefore, our hearts be troubled; neither let us be afraid. Our Lord proceeds, (ver. 28:) “Ye have heard how I have said unto you I go away, and come again unto you: If ye loved me as ye ought to do, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father; for my Father is greater than I.’ Far be it from us to attempt to dive into the mysteries of the divine nature, which must necessarily be incomprehensible. That God is greater than man seems a truism unworthy of the occasion: but where there is a perfect equality of nature, we may easily conceive a gradation in rank between a son and his father—between a messenger and him that sent him.

In all the offices of Christ, as Prophet, Priest, and King, he evidently sustains a rank below the Father. But what ground of joy could it afford to Christ’s disciples that he was going to his Father? Plainly this: That as he was about to be advanced to higher honours, so he had promised to his disciples that they should be with him to behold and partake his glory. “Because I live, ye shall live also.” When I am raised from the dead, ye also shall be raised to newness of life. When I am raised to the right hand of God, ye shall sit with me in heavenly places. I will not (long) leave you orphans, without hope and comfort; but will provide you a home in my Father’s house, that where I am there shall ye be also.

“He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him and manifest myself unto him.” Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him, “Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” This is a question that leads us into the very essence of vital religion, into the doctrine of communion with God through Christ. “If any 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.” This is what the same Evangelist means, in his Epistles, by ‘‘Fellowship with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1. 3.)

Chap. XV. Ver. 1—11. Christ the true Vine, and his disciples the branches—Dr. Doddridge supposes the following discourse was also delivered in the guest-chamber, where our Lord partook the Passover, and instituted the Holy Supper; others, as Hammond and Guise, suppose it delivered in their way through some vineyards to the garden of Gethsemane; and we know that our Lord was used to converse walking with his disciples.

It is very possible, however, on the former supposition, that the guest-chamber might have a view over some neighbouring vineyards, which the Passover full-moon would enable them to contemplate with advantage; and we know that it was our Lord’s custom to notice any natural objects which might present themselves, in order to deliver spiritual truths under the most instructive figures. The Old Testament frequently represents to us the Jewish church under this image; but here we are not to understand the church, but Christ himself, as the true Vine; and the members of his Church, including all true believers, as branches of this vine: and as the branches can only live and bear fruit while existing in and deriving sap from the parent vine, so Christ’s disciples, whatever they profess, can only bear fruit in virtue of communion with him, and grace derived from him.

Sweetly instructive as is this allegory, it has produced some bitter controversy; but in arguing theological truths from parables, as this is, we should be very cautious not to go beyond first principles. It is very certain that both churches and individuals, though branches of this vine, may need pruning; and some divines, we think too hastily, have inferred the final apostacy of real believers, from the circumstance of branches being separated from this vine, in which we think one material circumstance has been overlooked. Believers are not natural branches of this vine, but are engrafted into the stock, which is Christ, and form a vital union with him. The grafting of vines, though not usual, is sometimes practised, and probably in the vine countries much more frequently.

Now we know that grafting does not always succeed, and the branch grafted can only be considered as stuck on, till it becomes united with the stem. If it do not thus unite in due time, as it can bear no fruit, so it is thrown away as useless, and fit only for the fire: but if it properly unites, then it becomes fruitful; but still is free to the pruning knife, that it may bring forth more. But the great doctrine of the parable is, ‘‘Without me,” that is, severed from or independent of me, “ye can do nothing;” that is, bear no fruit: and the great use of the doctrine is to guard Christians against self-confidence, and its natural effect—apostacy. It is not necessary here to enter far into the doctrine of final perseverance.

Three things are certain; first, that we cannot be saved without it: ‘‘He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.’ 2. That grace to persevere can be derived from Christ only; ‘‘Without me ye can do nothing.” 3. That it is extremely dangerous to trust our salvation to former experiences, without competent evidence from the fruit we bear, that we still belong to Christ. ‘‘Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

Ver. 12—27. The great law of Christianity. Further promises respecting the Holy Spirit.—‘‘These things I command you, (says our Saviour,) that ye love one another;” on which passage we offer two brief remarks—the authority enjoining, and the nature of the command.

1. “I command you,” says the Saviour: angels and prophets spake ‘‘in the name of the Lord;” and nothing like this, in matters of religion, occurs, except when God himself speaks, in all the Old Testament. And not only does Christ command in his own name, but delegates to apostles and evangelists to act and to command in his name, from whom all their authority was derived. Does not this place the authority of Christ above both men and angels? Is it not assuming the style of Deity?

2. The command is also worthy of the authority—a precept the most unexceptionable that heaven ever gave. This, in another place, ((John 13:34),) our Lord calls a new commandment; not that it was absolutely so, for love to God and man, we have seen, was the substance of the ten commands.

But, 1. It was a neglected command. Doddridge remarks, (from Raphelius,) that Xenophon calls the laws of Lycurgus very noticed. 3. It was newly illustrated and enforced by his own example, which was made the future model of their Christian [conduct]. “This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you;” namely, by laying down their lives for one another, if required, as he had done for them. Our Lord then places his attachment to his disciples in another point of view: it was not only compassion, but it was friendship. He had treated his disciples, and particularly the apostles, prior to whom he had communicated his mind freely and fully, and not with that reserve which men exercise toward their slaves or servants.

‘‘All things which I have heard from my Father I have declared to you.” He had recently opened to them the mystery of his sufferings and death, and the glory which should follow, both to him and them. He admonishes them, also, that they were indebted to his grace and favour for all the privileges which they enjoyed. They had not chosen him for a Master or a Saviour; but he had chosen them for disciples, and ordained them to bring forth much fruit, and that in continuance, to the divine glory. He prepares them, however, for the hatred of the world, and for the persecution which would necessarily arise out of it; reminding them that he had sustained and conquered both. The world had hated both him and the Father, which implies not only the absence of love, (as the protean is sometimes used,) but an enmity of heart against those truths and duties which the gospel enjoined upon them.

They shut their eyes that they might not see the former, and they hardened their hearts that they might not feel the latter.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 18. Comfortless.—Margin, ‘‘Orphans,” the most “cious”) is 8, st ‘co! rs Fe none isl? and none to care for them. mane rex svete ot er. 30. € prince of this world—i.e.—Satan, ((John 12:31):) elsewhere called “the causer of this world." (1 Corinthians 4:5)—Hath nothing to it a 1172 ‘eo according to Doddridge, “No guilt of mine, to give him power over me; nor any inward corruption, to take part with his temptation.”

Ver. 3. Arise, let us go hence.—This leads to the supposition, that the following conversation took place on the way to Gethsemane.

Chap. XV. Ver. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit.—By this it is evident, that to be in Christ, implies only a profession; for those who bear no fruit cannot be real Christians: that such are taken away, argues, therefore, nothing against the perseverance of true believers.

In allusion to the practice of grafting, it may be observed, that persons may be grafted into the Christian profession, without being vitally united to Christ by faith, though none can be thus united without being—since we are not naturally so. We may be grafted by baptism, or by education, but it requires the quickening influences of the Holy Spirit to produce a vital union and fruitful branches. As to grafting vines, that this was formerly, and still is the practice in certain cases, we may safely infer from the directions given for its performance in works of buspurged: is he ga purgeth it—i.e. by pruning; the only way in which a vine can

Ver. 3. Now ye are clean—Or purged: the same word as is used in the preceding verse.

The expression may refer to (John 13:10)—‘‘Now ye are clean, but not all;” Judas being then present; but now he was gone out, they were all clean. See Aen

Ver. 4. Abide in me, and [I will abide] in you.—The expression is evidently elliptical, and must be thus explained.

Ver. 5. Without me.—Doddridge, ‘‘Separate from me.”

Ver. 6. Cast forth—i.e. thrown away.—And is withered.—Campbell, “which is withered;” a Hebrew idiom, the copulative often supplying the place of the relative.

Ver. 7. Unto you.—Doddridge, “for you.”

Ver. 8. So shall ye be—i.e. evidently appear to be.

Ver. 9. Continue ye in my love—t.e. according to Campbell, Study to maintain your place in my affections.”

Ver. 1. That my joy might remain in you.—Doddridge, ‘‘That my joy in you might continue.” Campbell, ‘‘That I might continue to have joy in you.”

Ver. 16. That your fruit should remain—i.e. that ye should continue to bear fruit even in old age. (Psalms 92:14),

Ver. 18. Hated me before it hated you.—Lardner, ‘‘Hated me, your chief; which Doddridge opposes.

Ver. 20. My saying.—Campbell, ‘‘My word.”

Ver. 24. But now have they both seen and hated, &c.—Compare chapter XIV. 9,

Ver. 25. But this cometh to pass.—Doddridge, “This is permitted” these ing in the original; yet are words, indeed, are merely supplementary, not properly supplied.