John 15:14-15 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Jesus came as the proof of God’s love for the whole world (3:16). Verse 14 connects Jesus’ self-sacrifice specifically to disciples and the call to love one another. The word translated friend (piloi) come from one of the Greek words for “love” and means one who loves as a friend. The conditional structure of this verse needs careful interpretation. It could be taken that Jesus’ friendship towards disciples is conditioned upon their obedience. In order to be Jesus’ friend, one must obey him. This sense has truth to it but it must come second place to another interpretation. The verse could mean that obedience to Jesus’ commands is the proof of being his friend. Friendship as love is shown through obedience. In putting the two ideas together, then, disciples show they love Jesus and are in a relationship of faith in him by the required human response of obeying his command to love one another. If there is no obedience, then the friendship or love is not real but only an insincere show.
Verse 15 describes two different relationships. On the one hand, slaves simply follow orders. There is no bond of friendship (although that could be true in rare situations). The slave must obey without question or dialogue, which would help bring understanding. Working for an employer who does not explain the purpose or plan of a certain job task is demeaning and borders on slavery. “Just do your job” shows a lack of consideration and camaraderie with an employee.
On the other hand, a friend dialogues with a person and helps him or her come to understand the purpose, goals, and processes. Friends are given the special privilege of knowing our thoughts and motives. Jesus uses these concepts to call his disciples to a higher level of understanding of his plans, will, and commands. The loving friendship we can have with Jesus connects us to God’s will. Jesus received God’s truth and passed it on to his disciples in person. After he ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit takes those commands and teaches them to us. However, we must do our part by studying, reading, and internalizing these commands. The Holy Spirit cannot remind us of what we have not first learned. As Jesus’ friends, we can know his mind. By faith in him, we can live out his thinking, will, and desire through the power of the Holy Spirit.
For older posts, click here.
