John 15:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This is fitting to the Creator and to creation. For what is created cannot be equal to its Creator in any way.

On the contrary, God, Who is over all, rules and governs His creations.

If, then, all things are subject to God and bend their servant’s neck to Him, the Lord raises the saints to a glory beyond their nature.

He does this if they are willing to do what is pleasing to Him, and if they offer blameless submission to Him as a kind of fruit-bearing gift.

Therefore the reward is glorious and worthy of emulation.

Furthermore, in this saying we must notice something that will bring no small benefit.

If “friendship” with the Son is sufficient for some to be counted worthy of freedom and no longer to be called “servants,” how could He Himself be a servant, or a creature, or something made, according to the madness of some?

Certainly one whose own nature is deprived of freedom cannot give the honor of freedom to others.

For, I think, one must first be such oneself. Then it will be fitting to give one’s own good to those who do not have it.

But among the holy Apostles, and among all others generally who through faith have ascended to friendship with our Lord Jesus Christ, this dignity could only be received.

It was given as an honor, and not in the same manner as with Him.

Those who have attained the glory of freedom by likeness to Him prove that to Him alone it belongs by nature. For what is adopted always resembles what is natural.

Yet we must observe something else. I think we must examine from every side everything useful and containing a necessary explanation.

Justification by faith in Christ was revealed much earlier than justification according to the Law.

Moreover, to those who believe and obey Christ, knowledge of the divine mysteries is revealed. The will of God the Father is explained by the Son Who knows it, but not at all to unbelievers.

We shall also try to prove this through the God-inspired Scripture, dwelling on it a little for profit.

Thus, in one of the books of Moses it is written that “Abraham believed God” (Gen 15:6). His faith was reckoned to him “as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God” (Jas 2:23).

What kind of faith was this, and how was he called the friend of God? Listen.

“Go out from your land and from your kindred, and go to the land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1).

Also, when he received the command to offer his only-begotten son Isaac as a type of Christ, he grasped the purpose hidden in God.

So the Savior also said of him in His discourse with the impious Jews: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (Jn 8:56).

Therefore, because of obedience and sacrifice, divine Abraham was called the friend of God and was clothed with the praise of righteousness.

Nor was this the only thing. He was also counted worthy of divine words and came to know the counsel of God concerning the last times.

For at the end of the ages Christ died for us, the truly sacred and holy sacrifice, who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29).

But please notice again that the same thing takes place with those who through faith have been raised to friendship with Christ our Savior.

They too heard, “Go out from your land.” That they did this willingly, hear what they say: “For here we have no abiding city, but we seek the one to come, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb 13:14; 11:10).

They are sojourners and migrants upon the earth. Their citizenship is in the heavens.

They leave the earth, so far as this can be said of their God-loving disposition of soul, and they hasten toward the dwelling above.

The Savior showed them this dwelling when He said: “I go and prepare a place for you. And when I come, I will take you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also” (Jn 14:3).

They also heard about departure from their kin. But how shall we prove this?

Let us bring forward the words of Christ Himself: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Mt 10:37).

It is beyond doubt that kinship with God is preferred to earthly and fleshly kinship. Among those who truly honor Him, love for Christ is set far above all.

Blessed Abraham had the command to offer his own son as an odor of sweetness to God.

Those girded with righteousness from faith received the command to offer not others, but themselves.

As it is said: present “your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom 12:1).

Of them it is also written: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24).

They also knew the mystery in Christ, for they know “the powers of the age to come” (Heb 6:5) and what will be in the last times.

For they will receive rewards for their labors and obtain recompense for their piety toward Christ.

Thus we shall be called righteous and friends of God, like Abraham.

But the evangelical life is much older than life under the Law. It was manifested then in the first Abraham, through faith and love for God, as in the head of the fleshly race, that is, Israel.

Now, however, what has come from type to truth is excellently fulfilled in the holy disciples themselves.

They are the firstfruits of the spiritual race and of the people taken as God’s possession, which is called a holy nation and a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9).

Therefore, to the mother of the Jews, I mean the synagogue, it was said by the voice of the Psalmist: “Instead of your fathers, your sons have been established” (Ps 44:17).

Although the divine disciples were sons of the Jewish synagogue, since they were brought up in the ordinances of Moses, they became fathers, taking Abraham’s place.

They became the beginning of the spiritual race. Therefore they are appointed as rulers throughout the whole world, ministering the Gospel of Christ as Abraham ministered Isaac as a type of Christ.

We say this not at all to place blessed Abraham outside the glory due and fitting to him.

Rather, we show in him, as in a type, what was accomplished by Christ economically in the last times.

Thus the honor of friendship with God follows, and is as it were joined to, freedom through faith.

This appeared then in the first Abraham, and now again, as in firstfruits, in the holy disciples.

The divine Paul authorizes us to say this, for he contends at length with the Jews that the righteousness of faith is much older than righteousness according to the Law.

When speaking of circumcision according to the flesh, he affirmed that it was given to the firstfruits of the race, that is, to Abraham.

It was given for no other reason than to be “a sign and seal of the faith in uncircumcision” (Rom 4:11).

If uncircumcision, together with faith, came before the Law, and circumcision came afterward without the praise of faith, and Abraham believed in uncircumcision, what follows?

How will righteousness through faith not be older than life according to the Law, since men are justified and freed through friendship with God, as Abraham was?

For in this way he will also be “the father of many nations” (Rom 4:18), according to the promise, and not according to the flesh.

We have thought it useful to say this now because the Lord said: “No longer do I call you servants. You are My friends, because all that I have heard from My Father, I have made known to you.”

Indeed, so that you may know that carrying out the orders of one's master belongs to the duties of slaves, He reproves slaves elsewhere with these words: "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Lk 6:46). That is, when you say, He says, "Lord," confirm your words by fulfilling the commandments. Will He not say to the obedient slave: "Well done, good slave! You were faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your lord" (Mt 25:21)? Therefore a slave can also be a friend, if he is a good slave.

Truth directs them to the path by which they must attain that height. It is as though He said: "The place of height is already pleasing to you, but first the path of struggle must occupy you. Greatness is reached through the cup. If your soul desires what delights, first drink what causes bitterness." Thus, through the bitter cup of confession one reaches the joy of salvation.

19), gave them power to bear imperishable fruits of apostolic and enlightening activity, and placed them in such an inward relation to God that whatever they ask of the Father in the name of the Son will be fulfilled for them.

The believer is called God's friend "if you do whatever I command you." This is spoken by the Merciful One who clothed Himself in our flesh and in this very flesh drank the whole cup of human griefs and sufferings. As He reveals more and more the manner of man's communion with God, the Lord leads His disciples into the invisible, heavenly, and spiritual world. He leads them into spiritual communion with the Father, whom He manifests on earth. In the Old Testament the law chiefly required obedience. The spiritual mystery of understanding the Being of God, His love, and His relations to creation had not been fully revealed to man. In the Old Testament men were chiefly slaves. It is not so with the coming of God in the flesh. The Lord raises man from slavery to communion. He invites all to the banquet of blessedness and joy (Mt 22:1-14) and reveals to man "what his Master is doing." Before the Lord's suffering and glorification, this knowledge could not yet be perfect. Yet the eternal words of the Lord remained in the hearts of the disciples. After the mystery of redemption was accomplished, they were illumined by the Lord's Resurrection. The Holy Spirit revealed to believers more and more, and ever more clearly, the mysterious ways of God's great mercy toward man. Then the disciples, and after them all believers, fully understood the Lord's words: "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" (v. 13). They also understood: "But I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."