This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you

 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  These things I command you, that you love one another.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.' 

"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.  And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning."

- John 15:12-27

In our current readings, Jesus is giving His farewell discourse to the disciples at the Last Supper (starting with Monday's reading).  Yesterday, we read that Jesus told them, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.  As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."

 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."   This is the second time Jesus has made this statement. My study bible tells us that many religions and philosophies teach people to love one another.   But what makes this commandment new (as Jesus calls it in 13:34) is the measure required of our love:  we are called to love as Christ has loved us.  Christ laid down His life not only for His friends, but even for His enemies.

"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  These things I command you, that you love one another."  We note the use of the word friends.  But Jesus is also giving commands.   Friendship, notes my study bible, is higher than servanthood.  Servants obey their masters our of fear or a sense of duty; friends obey out of love and an internal desire to do what is good and right.  Abraham, for example, was called a 'friend of God' (James 2:23) because he obeyed God out of the belief of his heart.  The disciples and all the saints are honored as friends of Christ because they freely obey His commandments out of love.  My study bible adds that those who have this spirit of loving obedience are open to receive and understand the revelations of the Father.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.' "  The term the world is used in several distinct ways in Scripture, says my study bible.  Sometimes it is used to refer to all that is glorious, beautiful, and redeemable in the creation of God (3:16).  At other times, it indicates the finite in contrast to that which is eternal (11:9; 18:36).  At still other times, it indicates that which is in rebellion against God (see also 8:23).  The rebellion of the world against God is in itself a revelation of several things, as follows.  First, while the union with Christ brings love, truth, and peace, it will also bring persecution -- because the world hates love and truth (v. 19).  Second, the world hated Christ; therefore it will hate those who try to be Christlike (v. 20).  Third, the world hates Christ because it neither knows nor desires to know the Father (v. 21-24).  Fourth, the hatred for Jesus Christ is irrational and unreasonable, because Christ brings love and mercy.  Therefore, He is hated without a cause (v. 25).

"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.  And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning."  As to the working of God's salvation in the world, the Son sends the Holy Spirit from the Father.  This gives us the teaching of theology, that the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father -- He receives His eternal existence from the Father.  The Source or Fountainhead of both Son and Spirit is the Father.

Love, obedience, friendship, commandments -- and a Helper who is the Spirit of truth from the Father -- all of these things combine in Christ's words and teachings.  And hatred is here, too.  Christ's experience in giving His love to the world is not lost to His disciples, either.  This, too, will become a part of the life of one who chooses to love Christ, to follow His commandments, to be like Him.  There is a rejection to face that comes along with this love.  Therein is the great paradox of our God and the Lord whom we love.  God does not compel us to love God!  Love does not compel; it invites loyalty, emulation, esteem, obedience.  And there is something deeply important in the good news of the sending of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete in the Greek (one who "comes by our side when called" to paraphrase the meaning of the word), our counselor or advocate.  That is that He is called the Spirit of truth.  We will find that we are capable of loving many things in the world; human beings are capable of giving their preferences and favor to all kinds of things.  But here is the one thing needed, the way, the truth, and the life.  If we would be His friends, we obey His commands of love.  Not as the world gives and loves, but the peace and joy of His love.  Even in the face of hate.