Not Easy to Do; Simple to Understand
“‘He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.’” (John 14:21 NKJV)
Chapter 14 opens during the last hours of the earthly life of Jesus. Having already identified His betrayer, Jesus is sharing his heart; Judas has not yet left the scene of the Last Supper.
Burning to teach to the very end, Jesus wanted to make sure His disciples understood some basic principles. That there should be no doubt about the New Covenant and the means by which it is accessed, He told them plainly, “I am the Way.” He did not imply there is not other; He directly stated it to be so. (verses 1-6)
The rest of the chapter deals primarily with the unitary nature of the Godhead. Jesus spent time trying to make it clear that, “I am in the Father and the Father in Me . . ..” (verse 11) He included the Holy Spirit shortly thereafter, saying of the Helper coming alongside them, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (verse 18) Jesus coming to them would be through the ministry of His Holy Spirit.
When He made clear in the next verses that He would be going away, then returning for only His followers to see, Judas spoke up. Remember, along with many of the followers of Jesus, Judas thought the Messiah was going to be an earthly deliverer, freeing them from the yoke of Roman oppression. Judas asked Jesus, “Why will You show Yourself to us and not the world?” In other words, “How can you be this great king and deliverer if you’re unwilling to thrust yourself out there for all to see?”
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23 NKJV) In other words, “Judas, your lack of understanding and unwillingness to do what I say shows your lack of love for Me.” Referring to making, “Our home with him,” Jesus was once again referencing the Triune Godhead. His utterance of today’s verse of the day further cemented that relationship. Relationship with one is relationship with all; following His commandments will naturally flow from that relationship.
What were the commandments Jesus wanted them and wants us to keep? “Jesus said to him, ‘“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’” (Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV) Also, “‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’” (John 13:34-35 NKJV)
As we love one another, we show our love for Him; then He is free to manifest Himself to and through us. Not easy, but simple.
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